J/105s Shine at Larchmont Edlu

Breezy conditions made for some challenging sailing conditions under the 58th Edlu Distance Race, which took place on May 11. Larchmont YC’s Race Committee decided to go for an early start with the first warning sound shortly after 9AM. Southerly winds gradually increased from 12-15 knots to 20 knots with gusts up to 25 knots throughout the race. Several J/105s attended and finished at the top of their respective divisions. Morning Glory not only won PHRF division II but finished (on time-adjusted basis) as the fastest PHRF boat of the day. Morning Glory was followed by Young America, which finished just four minutes later after approximately 32 miles of sailing. The PHRF double-handed division was also dominated by J/105s. Stratos finished first, followed by EnGarde. Jaded finished in fifth position. An onboard view from Marcus Wunderlich on Stratos: “Southerly winds of 20 knots with gusts up to 25 knots made for some challenging but exciting sailing conditions, the kind of weather under which the J/105s perform best. It all came down to the right choice of sails and avoiding being overpowered under broad reaching conditions. We frequently hit 13 knots and despite the shortage of crew (we sailed double-handedly), we were able to keep Stratos well under control during the entire race.”