Bermuda Race contenders

A look at some of the form boats for Saturday's race from Newport

Richard Shulman’s new IMX 45 Temptress which came out top boat in last weekend’s Rolex/NYYC 150th Annual Regatta with two firsts and two third placings, has become the odds-on favorite to finish top boat in the Onion Patch Series and take this year’s IMS North American Championship.

Temptress is one of 27 yachts competing in the Onion Patch, which takes in the NYYC regatta, the multiple scoring 635mile Newport/Bermuda Race starting at 1:00pm this Friday, and the 2-race Royal Bermuda Anniversary Regatta on Friday June 25.

For Shulman, the one potential fly-in-the-ointment, is the uncertain weather predicted for the race to Bermuda. One forecast has given a good chance for a spinnaker start from Rhode Island Sound which will give the big down-wind flyers the chance to power away from the fleet. ‘Boy. If that happens, we will get rolled over by the bigger boats’ said Shulman yesterday.

Another forecast however is predicting light southerly headwinds with fog, rain showers and thunderstorms thrown in for good measure, but this very much depends on when the cold front that will dictate these weather patterns, actually passes through. If the bigger boats like Joseph Dockery’s Reichel/Pugh designed 80 footer Carrera (ex- Shockwave) can keep south of the frontal system, they will keep in the stronger, more favorable winds. Those that fall behind the front however, can expect light and highly variable winds.

Carrera, which counted a 4th as her best score in the NYYC event, is likely to benefit most from any vagries in the conditions, along with the Bob Towse-owned Reichel/Pugh 66 footer Blue Yankee, which would then lift them back into contention for the IMS North American Championship.

Going into the Bermuda Race, the other top contenders include the Frers designed Swan 44 Mk 2 Crescendo skippered by Australian Jamie Wilmot, Bill Kardash’s S&S designed Swan 44 Aura and the new IMS slanted Nelson/Marek-designed Ptarmigan skippered by Lawrence Dickie.