8th Annual Archipelago Rally

Does your sailing area have an event like this? Chris Museler explains…

It was 2006 when Olympic silver Medalist Bob Merrick won the inaugural Archipelago Rally on a beat up Hobie 14 by a mere 30 seconds over windsurfing champion Nancy Johnson. That first weekend in December was thrown together the week before with a few phone calls and emails and with a 20-25-knot Westerly, about a dozen “craft” raced, slowest starting first, to Spar Island, a scrubby little sand bar in the middle of Mt. Hope Bay.

Seven years later and the infants that were on the beach that day were all on the water in 100-acre Cove in Barrington in 2012, about 29 kids in total and some steering their own boats. Wow!

Without getting too far into the history, this post will serve as a detail page I will add to over the next few weeks for this year’s Rally. Please pass along to anyone who is interested in racing anything that floats and is powered by wind!

What? 2013 Archipelago Rally, an annual pursuit race (slowest boats start first under Portsmouth Yardstick Ratings, in hopes all finish at the same time), LeMans start off the beach, with a BBQ/Beach Party afterwards.

When? Saturday November 9, 2013, registration at 10 a.m., first starters 11:45 a.m.

Where? Quonochontaug Pond, Charlestown, RI. Start location and parking at RIDEM Launch Ramp end of West Beach Rd. off Rte. 1 (No Shelter, there will be a Porta Jon). Average depth of pond is 5 feet with 10-20 yards of knee deep water at beach launch.

Who? Anyone! Please bring your dinghy, catamaran, windsurfer etc. Click here for additional info.