A new addiction: Shorthanded racing

The Young American Sailing Academy began in 2013 as a junior big boat team focused on creating a new generation of young salty sailors with a focus on offshore sailing. Led by Peter Becker, the focus lately has been on shorthanded competition with the J/105 Young American.

Becker had entered the 2023 Around Long Island Regatta which got underway July 27 for a 205 nautical mile course combining ocean, harbor and open sound racing.

After starting near Ellis Island in New York Harbor, the course extends towards the Narrows and out into the Atlantic. The ocean leg parallels Long Island’s south shore before rounding the eastern tip and returning through Long Island Sound to the finish off the Glen Cove Breakwater in Hempstead Harbor.

Becker was joined by Fergus Wilson who shares his experience in the race:

Not only was this my first distance race, it was also my first doublehanded race. I had come to the United States to work as a windsurf instructor – after being a ILCA sailor for much of my sailing career – at American Yacht Club.

This is where I bumped into Peter Becker and noticed his J/105 Young American 146 was setup for shorthanded sailing. He invited me aboard to take a look and I soon realized I had to find a way to race with Peter.

When he asked me to race with him, I was quite frankly surprised. I was thinking ‘A young Scot, far from home, sailing doublehanded with Peter?! Surely, I’m dreaming.’ I said yes, of course.

On the day of the start, I was eager to get going and my stomach was in my throat. We waited a few hours until 12:40 came – 5 Minutes to go. As we rigged the sails, my mind started to drop into gear and I was as mentally prepared for the next two days as I could be.

Peter (left) and Fergus (right)

At one minute to the start, we were setting up to hit the line with full speed. I realized for a brief moment that I was actually getting to do this race. And with the short moment of pride passing, I snapped back to the race and we crossed the start line in first position.

Going along the Atlantic side of the Long Island was fast, wet, and tiring… I loved every second of it. From the exhilaration of flying down a wave, listening to the boat sing, to forcing myself up to the foredeck to change a sail, it was an experience I will never forget.

As we sailed on through the night the lack of sleep and the intensity of doublehanded sailing started to catch up with me and from Thursday night until Saturday morning, I slept for 50 minutes… pity I missed out on that sailing time.

As we edged closer to the finish line in light winds, it was hard to stay focused after sailing with very little sleep for almost two days. The lights of buildings in Connecticut seemed to taunt me, morphing into barges motoring straight towards us at full speed; my mind was enjoying watching my confusion.

It took us several hours in zero wind to move only a couple of miles, but we had made it. We crossed the finish line having won the Doublehanded Division, leaving me with an experience I will never forget as I gained new friends as well as a new addiction – shorthanded distance racing.

Peter taught me so much about myself and sailing… he truly is a sailing legend.