New Around Jamestown Record

A new outright record was set October 30 for the Around Jamestown Record by Casey Brown on his Foiling Kiteboard Wyspa Tech, completing the 17.8 nm course around Conanicut Island in Rhode Island with an elapsed time of 47 minutes and 42 seconds. This 2021 effort bests the previous record of 50:48 set 11 days earlier by Rob Spets, also on a Foiling Kiteboard.

Casey chose to sail the course south from the start off Fort Adams at 08:59:29 EDT in an 18-knot ESE breeze at slack tide. This was Casey’s first attempt to set the Around Jamestown Record, though he has been kiting for six years and foiling for the past three.

“It was fun, pretty perfect conditions other than 7-8 foot waves at Beavertail, but flat the rest of the way,” said Brown. “Nice easterly, high teens with a couple of puffs up to 30. There were a lot of fish, I hit about five and crashed, along with three other crashes, but all in all pretty quick. I’ve been thinking about this record for a long time, so I’m just stoked, it’s pretty cool to break it.

“I knew I was close (to breaking the record), I had one crash close to the finish and I thought that might have put me over the edge. It was pretty tough on the legs especially reaching and then deciding how fast to push. If you go quick the entire time, you will crash a lot more and sap energy, but I think you can probably still take time off the record, maybe get it down to 40 minutes in perfect conditions.”

About Around Jamestown Record
The Around Jamestown Record is a perpetual all out record for sailing the 18 nm course around Conanicut Island (also known as Jamestown) in lower Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Similar to other outright speed records, contenders decide when to make their record attempt and also which direction they will sail around Jamestown. The record is open annually from Memorial Day until October 31 during the hours of daylight.

Five categories are recognized for annual divisional honors with the overall perpetual trophy going to the boat with the outright fastest time. The entry fee is $150.00 per attempt for any vessel 32’ and over, vessels under 32’ the fee is $70.00.

Current records:
• Monohull 32’ & Above (2014): 71’ mini-maxi, Bella Mente, 01:19:35
• Monohull below 32’ (2013): Shaw 6.50, Manic, 02:00:29
• Multihull 32’ & Above (2020): MOD70, Argo, 00:52:02
• Multihull below 32’ (2014): F31, Bazinga!, 01:33:53
• Kiteboards & All Foiling Craft (2021): Foiling Kiteboard, Wyspa Tech, 00:47:42

Source: Julianna Barbieri, Manuka Sports Event Management