The Mariners offshore team put together a determined and polished effort at the MacMillan Cup last weekend, earning them a position on the podium and a berth at the Kennedy Cup for the third year in a row. Junior skipper Isaac Thompson drove the boat fast through a variety of conditions, and the sails were trimmed to near perfection by seniors Jonah Beasley and Sarah Shank.
The second day presented a heavy workload for the bow team lead by Junior Drake Reid, as the wind ranged from 15-25 knots, and the team tried out several different sail combinations before settling on the #3 jib and full main, and then the #3 and a reefed main in the final race. On Sunday afternoon the southerly breeze built to 25 knots with very short and steep waves.
Upwind, the notoriously overbuilt 44's were in their happy place as they powered through the charging waves. Downwind, the iconic blue and gold Navy spinnakers were flying high and several boats careened out of control. The normally simple action of taking the kite down turned into a serious challenge for the team.
With a hard fought third place on the line, the team managed to get it down before going too far past the leeward gate and held on to their place on podium. Also of note was an incident on Sunday when, in the middle of a duel for first place with Navy, the Mariner's jib sheet suddenly parted. A loud "BANG" and severe snapback rattled the crew for only a brief moment before they promptly tacked, found another jib sheet, bent it on, and continued racing upwind in the wet and rowdy conditions. They managed to salvage a fifth place in that race despite the incident, and that became a fourth when redress was granted.
The team established themselves as contenders for a national championship this year at the Kennedy Cup. They are in good company with College of Charleston, Navy, Kings Point, and University of Rhode Island. Those teams will be joined by five of the other top teams from around the country to battle it out over Halloween weekend. The winners will be etched into College Sailing history with their name on the John F. Kennedy Bowl. Stay tuned!
