Captain's Blog (July 29-31, 2016 - Newport, RI): 

​

Regattas always bring friends together, old and new alike, with an enthusiasm fueled by the love of beautiful boats, the sailing, and the special comraderie shared by those with a love for life on the sea.

​

The Candy Store Cup in Newport, RI, July 29-31, for me celebrated the reuinion with my long-time friend, Paul Goss. We first met back in the Caribbean when I was the captain of the 1929 Alden Sirocco (of Errol Flynn fame) and Paul was the captain of the equally gorgeous 1929 classic Fife, Belle Aventure. It was Antigua Race Week and Paul was only too happy to invite Sirocco and her all-women crew to raft up for a few hours. Now Paul captains Adix, a beautiful, 212’ three-masted classic schooner built by Astilleros de Mallorca.  I'd lost touch with Paul for some years, so when he invited me aboard Adix the first day of the race, I jumped at the chance. Unhindered by rain, the day sailing aboard was delightful. I even took the helm for a short time, remembering the ease and satisfaction of steering a stately, classic yacht with a full, deep keel. 

​

I also sailed with Ranger, the gorgeous J-Class yacht.  The thrill of racing and sailing on such an elegant yacht is unmatched, and I loved watching its well-honed team work so precisely together to get the most out of the newly optimized rig and new sails. The owner John Williams and I go back to when I sold him the 83’sailing yacht Mustang, then later helped him buy and sell the 150’ Trinity motor yacht Vita, used as a mother boat for Ranger. Now, as the central agent for the sale of Ranger, I am in touch with John regularly, but at these regattas we put business aside, catch up, share memories and our love of sailing.

​

The pure fun of safe sailing and being together, is, afterall, the original and enduring spirit of the Candy Store Cup’s ancestors, the Nantucket Bucket (1986) and the Newport Bucket (2002). The sister St. Barth’s Bucket has been alive and well since 1995.

​

The first Nantucket Bucket began as a “nose-thumbing” to racing rules, especially the one that did not allow large yachts with electric winches to race. The “Buckets” were characterized by a certain irreverence for formality and encouraged a level of outrageous fun. From bribing the race committee for your prize to inter-yacht pranks and whole crews dressing up as cows or Spartans. Over 30 years, safety and socializing are still key, yet the regatta has evolved into more serious racing, and thus, a more regulated affair.

​

This year’s Candy Store Cup harkened back to some of the things we enjoyed about the earlier Buckets. Smaller sailing yachts under 100’ were welcomed which makes for a varied field.  With only 12 yachts competing in the regatta,  racing and socializing were more intimate as well. This contrasts with the St. Barths Bucket, now for yachts 100’ and over with a fleet 30+ yachts stong. On Saturday, during the Candy Store Cup, Dan Meyer, owner of the schooner Meteor, hosted an evening party at his residence in Newport, bringing owners and crew together for great food, conversation, laughter and dancing. Like the good old days in Nantucket.

​

Don’t let that fool you though. Gone are the days when the self-appointed race committee was drinking beer in the morning and drawing straws to set the order for the pursuit start. Now a professional race committee oversees a handicapping system and racing for serious racers -- a mix of amateurs and professionals.  It’s a far cry from the original Nantucket Bucket, reflected in the prize itself. No longer a metal wine bucket borrowed from a Nantucket restaurant,  the trophy today is an enormous glass cup -- to be filled with champagne or candy, as you like.