Race Commentary Archive: Bermuda 1-2 2005

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A Closer Look at the Bermuda 1-2
June 3, 2005

RACE COMMENTARY: Friday, June 3rd

A Closer Look at the Bermuda 1-2

Between Newport, Rhode Island and the picturesque island of Bermuda lie just over 600 miles of some of the toughest and most tactical sailing waters in the North Atlantic. It's a stretch of ocean where numerous sailing battles have taken place. Some, like the famous Newport to Bermuda Race, have been contested by the world's top sailors fighting for honors on an assortment of sailboats, all racing with a dozen or more crew. More recently, another soon-to-be-classic, the Bermuda 1-2 has raced the same waters. The B1-2 as it's affectionately known, is a single-handed sprint to Bermuda, a week long stay in paradise, and a double-handed race back to Newport. It is also contested by some of the world's top sailors, but they are a different breed. They are the sailors who enjoy the challenge of racing short-handed on some of the most sophisticated boats ever built. Among the competitors in this years event is JP Mouligne, the winner of Class 2 in the 1994 Around Alone race. JP, however, will not be racing in the same class as Joe Harris but it's the same result in the same class of the same event that Joe is striving towards; a win in the 2006 Around Alone, now named 5-Oceans, race. The B1-2, along with the Transat Jacques Vabre later this year, are part of Joe's warm-up strategy for the big race that gets underway next Fall.

The ocean between Newport and Bermuda can be riddled with tactical challenges from glassy ocean calms to raging storms, depending on the sense of humour of the wind gods. To add to the mix, the Gulf Stream, a warm current that sweeps up from the Caribbean Sea, always makes the sailing more complicated. The Stream can give the competitors a three knot boost in the right direction or it can just as equally be a foul current if the skipper does not read the Gulf Stream correctly. Sometimes, if the wind is blowing against the direction of the current, the seas can become some of the most furious and deadly on the planet. Many accomplished sailors have lost their boats or their lives, or both, by underestimating the fury of a wind-against-tide situation in the Gulf Stream. Joe, like the other competitors, will have studied the movement of the Stream and paid close attention to its forecast path. Monitoring water temperature will be key. The Gulf Stream runs warm and so it will be important for Joe to remain in hot water for as long as possible.

Last summer while racing The Transat, Joe and fellow competitor Kip Stone, racing the newer Open 50 Artforms, had a head-to-head battle across the Atlantic from Plymouth, England to Boston. Now that grudge match is set to resume. Gryphon Solo has undergone an extensive refit over the winter and emerged from the shed this spring in almost new condition. "I feel very confident that the boat is faster on all points of sail, especially upwind, than it was last summer." In addition to the refit Joe has asked his boat manager Brian Harris to join him for the race back to Newport. Brian is considered one of the top boat mechanics in the world and a top sailor in his own right. Stone has recruited world class yacht designer Merfyn Owen to join him as crew for the race back to Newport.

The Bermuda 1-2 is set to get underway shortly after noon today. If all goes well Joe should be seeing the pink beaches coast of Bermuda late Monday evening or early Tuesday morning. Meanwhile he, along with the other 33 competitors, have undergone last minute safety checks and skippers briefings and are ready to take on the challenge. Just as he did last summer, Joe will communicate directly with his shore team to bring you a first hand account of the racing from on board.

Written By:
Brian Hancock
bhancock@gryphonsolo.com