South Coast Today: "Mischievous Wins Marion To Bermuda Race"

Mischievous wins Marion To Bermuda Race

June 23, 2015

By Barbara Veneri, South Coast Today

Just as the sun was setting in the western skies, Mischievous, the 65-foot Meriton yacht crewed by a team from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, rocketed down the rhumb line to Bermuda at times reaching speeds of more than 10 knots, crossing the finish line off St. David’s Head at 7:40 ADT (6:40 EDT) Monday to win the 20th biennial Marion Bermuda race.

Elapsed time for the elated cadets and others aboard was three days, six hours and five minutes. Seven hours later, Defiance, a Nautor Swan 56 driven by Peter Noonan of Newport was second over the line (3d 13h 25m) followed six hours later by the 118-ft. hometown training vessel, the Spirit of Bermuda (3d 19h 50m).

Six yachts retired from the race. Legacy V, an Alden 54 ketch skippered by Michael Wiseman of Stonington, Conn., returned to Connecticut following the death from natural causes of one of their crew members, Bill Fasnacht of Mystic. Kiva, an Aerodyne 47 skippered by David Peel of Chicago suffered a ripped mainsail and is proceeding under power to Charleston, South Carolina. Free Range Chicken, a Perry 59 skippered by Bruce Anderson of Alaska, made port in New Jersey after her rigging failed.

Swell, a Beneteau 40, never started the race and Is Fearr Cara, an Island Packet 380 skippered by Ronald Ahlquist, turned back and returned to Winthrop. With 282 miles to go, Shuang Hsi, a Tashiba 40 out of Annapolis, retired from the race but is proceeding towards Bermuda under power.

Chip Johns of Mattapoisett and the crew of Margalo, a Baltic 48, finished at 11:10 a.m. Tuesday(3d 21h 40m), good enough for first place is Class A on corrected time. Onboard and serving as navigator is Larry Hall, Commodore of the Beverly Yacht Club, which hosts and sponsors the Marion Bermuda race along with the Blue Water Sailing Club of Boston and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club of Hamilton, Bermuda.

For the second Marion Bermuda race in a row, Chuck Fontaine, sailing coach and director of the yacht donation program at MMA, was aboard the first boat over the line. In 2013, Shindig, a 68-foot Andrew, skimmed over the line at St. David’s Light at 3:55 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Aboard Mischievous were: Alexander Hunt, Baltimore, Md., cook; Scott Bancroft, Dartmouth, crew chief; Tanner Dailey, Marshfield; Brandon Deal, Norton; Samuel Estes, Carver; Sergio Gratta, Sarasota, Fla.; James Lamb, Taunton; Christopher Mannka, Uxbridge; Mitchell Menard, Fall River; Jonathan Riley, Marion; Evan Sampou, West Newton; Camden Tougas, Marion; Judson Yerkes, West Barnstable; Kyle Brego, St. John, USVI, navigator; Charles Cahill, Duxbury, captain; Chuck Fontaine, Mattapoisett, watch captain; Mark Riley, Marion, watch captain.

Many yachts are still on the course with up to 280 miles to go to reach the island. Of the first three finishers across the line, only Spirit of Bermuda won her class (she was the only boat in the Classic Yacht division). Second-place Defiance took 3rd and Mischievous took 6th, both in Class A, on corrected time.

First Marion To Bermuda yacht arrives

June 23, 2015

By Colin Thompson, The Royal Gazette

The first Marion to Bermuda Race yacht has arrived in Bermuda.

Charles Cahill’s Meriton 65, Mischievous, seized line honours yesterday evening after taking just over three days to complete the 645 mile race.

With her hull and sails silhouetted by the sunset, Cahill’s sloop hiked across the finish line off St David’s Lighthouse at approximately 7:35pm travelling around ten knots as the boat’s crew on the starboard rail pumped their fists in jubilation.

“It was a great sail and a really fun ride,” Cahill told The Royal Gazette.

“It feels so great to win line honours.This is my second Marion to Bermuda Race and it was a wonderful experience. It was a wonderful ride across and the crew did a fantastic job.”

Mischievous’ arrival coincided with the traditional Finish Line Party for the Marion to Bermuda Race being held at St David’s Lighthouse.

“This is the first time I have ever been at the Finish Line Party for the Marion to Bermuda Race and actually seen any boat cross the line much less the first boat across the line,” Ed Faries, commodore of The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, said.

Peter Noonan’s Swan 56, Defiance, was also due to arrive last night as at last check she was 49 miles from the finish line.

Spirit of Bermuda, the sole entry in the Classic Yacht Division, is due to arrive today.