“The sea was angry that day my friend…” is a good description of how we ended the regatta at the Thames Yacht Club in New London, CT. But before we dig to far into how we finished, lets talk about how we got here. The F5 NAs have been going on since 1974, the year Gary Jobson won. The NAs first visit to New London was in 1994 and on the podium were Bob Cullen, Luke Buxton and Court Young. It was Bob’s fifth NA victory. Between those three skippers, they would go on to win 12 NAs between them. We would return to Thames YC in 2004 and 2007. And here we are back again for the 2011 chapter of the F5 NAs.
Sailing out of Thames YC is a really neat opportunity. It is very much an urban club. The parking is on the streets around the club, no parking lot at the club. So, unloading your boat happens quickly while the local traffic waits patiently. Awesome 2 story clubhouse and beautiful sandy beach at the club make for a fantastic venue for sailing Force 5s. Most everyone had arrived and setup by Thursday night. There were discussions of a practice sail but light wind and cold beer make for a battle that will always be won ashore.