The 2020 season was shaping up nicely with boat preps, but the whole Covid 19 situation has really messed up the sailing schedule. The 2020 Season schedule has been updated and is covered at the bottom of this post.
In this post:
- Thanks to those who helped Spring Preps!
- Launch & Delivery to Newport Complete
- Sailing on hold through end of May
- Update Availability for Revised Schedule
Thanks to those who helped with Spring Preps
First and foremost, I’d like to thank those who helped with the early spring boat preparation tasks. Vento Solare was ready to launch in early April and finally splashed at Borden Light Marina on April 6th. She was the first sailboat at BLM launched for the 2020 season.
Vento Solare in Sling being Launched
Once launched, many of the tasks to prepare for sailing were performed at the dock including rig adjustment, installing running rigging, and other tasks. Boat cleaning inside was done with buckets of water carried since there is no water on the dock. One significant upgrade is a remote reading digital thermometer for the chillbox to make sure that beer is always at the correct temperature!
Bill Social Distancing with Vento Solare at the BLM Slip in the background
Launch & Delivery to Newport Complete
On April 16th, Pat Tormey helped sail Vento Solare from Borden Light Marina down the bay on a chilly afternoon with winds ranging from 2 to 20 kts. The wind gods provided great conditions for a starboard tack cruise all the way! The cruising jib and 3Di main were perfect sails for the day.
Pat at Helm – Past Mt. Hope Bridge headed to Newport
Once at the Navy Marina, Vento Solare was tied up for more cleanup and what was going to be some early season sailing, but a few hours later……
Sailing on hold through end of May
The following email was sent to all Navy Marina patrons announcing that the marina is closed until 1 June.
Marina Patrons,
“The beginning of NAVSTA Newport’s summer boating season is delayed one month, until 01JUN, in order to best align local resources with DoD priorities during the coronavirus response. Until opening, the NAVSTA Newport Marina and all marina facilities will remain closed, including the boat ramp. Berthing and boating are not permitted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (www.cdc.gov) provides information to slow the spread of COVID-19 and many states, including Rhode Island and Massachusetts, have implemented travel restrictions. For recreational boat owners whose vessel has been moored at the marina through the off-season months and is still currently at the marina: owners may still come and check on their boats, but we ask that you closely follow the guidance provided by state officials and health authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19. Boats currently in the marina may not be used for recreational activities, and no work on the boats is authorized. We will be refunding a pro-rated amount to all impacted patrons. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will continue to communicate if further delays become necessary. Exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Mike Silvia if you have any questions.”
v/r
Dean Weidman MWR Director, NAVSTA Newport
This means that all of the events and practices scheduled through the end of May are canceled. I’ll have limited boat access to check on it. As a result, the crew schedule is being amended.
Update Availability for Revised Schedule
The early season planned schedule was completely preempted by the Covid 19 situation. There are no planned sailing events now until 1 June, unless the policy by MWR is changed. As a result, the 2020 Vento Solare schedule has been updated. All crew members – please update your availability for the events from 1 June through the rest of the season – (use this link). Below is the updated schedule including some new practice dates and some additional races to replace cancelled events.
| Event | Boat Location | Start | Start Time | End Time |
| Crew Practice | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/1/2020 | 4:45 PM | 7:30 PM |
| Crew Practice or JYC Spring Series #4 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/2/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Canceled: RI Leukemia Cup Regatta | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/6/2020 | 9:30 AM | |
| Three Bridge Fiasco | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/7/2020 | 7:30 AM | |
| JYC Spring Series #5 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/9/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Postponed: New York YC Annual Regatta Around the Island | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/12/2020 | 9:00 AM | |
| Postponed: New York YC Annual Regatta (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/13/2020 | 9:00 AM | |
| JYC Summer Series #1 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/16/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| View Bermuda Race Start | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/19/2020 | 12:15 PM | 3:00 PM |
| Deliver to Tiverton | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/19/2020 | 3:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Around Aquidneck Twenty Hundred Club Race | Tiverton YC | 6/20/2020 | 8:30 AM | 4:00 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #2 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/23/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #3 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 6/30/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #4 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/7/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Cuttyhunk Twenty Hundred Club Race | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/11/2020 | 9:15 AM | 4:00 PM |
| Cuttyhunk to Newport Cruise | Cuttyhunk Mooring Field | 7/12/2020 | 9:30 AM | 3:00 PM |
| NYYC Race Week Tune-up Session (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/14/2020 | 11:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #5 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/14/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| NYYC Race Week (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/15/2020 | 8:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| NYYC Race Week (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/16/2020 | 8:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| NYYC Race Week (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/17/2020 | 8:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| NYYC Race Week (J/109 OD) | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/18/2020 | 8:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #6 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/21/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| NE Solo Twin | Newport YC | 7/24/2020 | 10:30 AM | 4:00 PM |
| JYC Crew Rotation Race | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 7/28/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Block Island Twenty Hundred Club Race | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/1/2020 | 9:15 AM | 4:00 PM |
| Block Island Lay Day | Block Island Boat Basin | 8/2/2020 | 9:15 AM | 4:00 PM |
| Block Island Twenty Hundred Club Race | Block Island Boat Basin | 8/3/2020 | 9:15 AM | 4:00 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #7 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/4/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #8 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/11/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Ida Lewis Distance Race | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/14/2020 | 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| J/Fest New England | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/16/2020 | 9:30 AM | 4:45 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #9 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/18/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| JYC Summer Series #10 | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/25/2020 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Prince Henry Twenty Hundred Club Race | Navy Marina Slip A49 | 8/29/2020 | 7:45 AM | 4:00 PM |
Recent Comments
A great day to be out sailing for the 2024 maiden voyage. We helped Blue Skies pushed off the dock at 1100, then were soon underway. We put up the main and unfurled the jib on a reach as soon as we were clear of Borden Light Marina. SOG was 9+ knots for a portion of the trip. We arrived at the Navy Marina at 1320 - pretty good time!
The delivery crew: Scott, Burch, Jack, Steve & Bill
A great weekend on Block Island with Kathy, Claire & Bill. Great race results and appetizer contest results. We were fortunate to have the blender and the heater on the boat. After a nice weekend on Block Island we had a fast ride back with everyone taking time on the helm.
A few pictures from our family sail on Grandpa's birthday weekend. Unfortunately hurricane Ophelia changed our plans for a weekend on Block Island. We did a Friday evening sail in Newport, grabbed a mooring for cocktails and dinner, then went back to our slip at the Navy marina. We stayed on the boat Friday night and went to the YMCA for Isla's soccer which was moved to the indoor gym.
Underway on Vento Solare with Grandpa, Kai, Daddy & Isla
Enjoying appetizers in Newport Harbor before sunset.
Family dinner on Vento Solare while on the mooring.
Kai's note to Grandpa for his birthday weekend.
A great weekend of racing with everybody with Vento Solare finishing 2nd place overall. Crew work was fantastic all three days. Starting from the bow with Roland, mast with Will, pit with Andrew, trimming with Sarah & Mary, and main / tactics with Trevor (Jeff Roy for Around the Island on Friday). We saw the full spectrum of wind from 5 to 22 kts over 3 days.
Congrats to Divided Sky who put up all first place finishes. The rest of the class including J/109 URSA, J/99 Upbeat, Sunfast 3300 Avalon and Express 37 COUCOU all provided the challenge as fierce competitors.