In the world of competitive sailing, where precision and poise often decide the outcome, 25 short-course races over three days in winds that barely reached 10 knots would test even the most seasoned sailors. Yet, when the stakes were highest on the final day of the Hinman Masters Team Race at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I., the key to victory lay not in brute strength or speed but in maintaining composure under pressure.
“When you’re in a situation like that, with everyone finishing at the same time in a crucial race, you really focus on staying calm,” said Brian Doyle, the skipper who led the New York Yacht Club to its third consecutive win. “You just try to keep your boat in the right position, stay within the rules, and cross the line ahead of your rivals. When it’s that close, and everyone’s sprinting to the finish, you never know how it’ll shake out. But we edged it by inches.”
Doyle’s reference points to a nail-biting race between Southern Yacht Club and New York Yacht Club earlier today. With the two teams tied atop the leaderboard after three grueling round robins and entering a mini round robin among the top four teams, every inch mattered. The race saw the lead shift back and forth, with all six boats converging on the finish line simultaneously. Ultimately, it was a battle for fifth place, decided mere feet from the finish, that tipped the scales in favor of New York. The club secured the overall win by splitting its final two races, while Southern Yacht Club, finishing second, stood on the podium for the fifth consecutive year. Eastport Yacht Club claimed third place, and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club finished fourth.
Since its inception in 2000, the Hinman Masters Team Race has become a staple in the evolution of adult team racing, requiring skippers to be at least 45 years old and crew members over 40. This regatta, along with the Morgan Cup and the Grandmasters Team Race, forms the New York Yacht Club’s trio of prestigious team races, drawing top talent from the United States and Europe each August.
To an observer, team racing might seem chaotic, with the cacophony of starts, mark roundings, and finishes in close quarters. However, for the victorious New York Yacht Club team, the path to success was paved by familiarity and understated communication.
“Our team has been together for several years, and we’ve developed a strong bond,” said Doyle. “We anticipate each other’s moves, so there’s not a lot of chatter, just solid boat handling and teamwork that consistently puts us in the right spots. That’s what got us through in the end.”
Doyle’s squad, with six of its 13 sailors having raced together in the previous three Hinman Masters, leaned heavily on their shared experience, especially in the light and variable winds that defined this year’s regatta.
“No lead was safe because as soon as you headed downwind, anything could happen,” Doyle noted. “On the final day, the wind was coming over Goat Island, making it puffy and shifty all the way down. You could be leading at the top mark, but that didn’t guarantee a win.”
With this victory—its ninth in the 25-year history of the event—the New York Yacht Club extended its lead in the regatta’s all-time standings. Southern Yacht Club remains a strong second, with four wins, but this year’s razor-thin margins underscore the growing competitiveness in adult team racing.
“Adult team racing has really blossomed over the 25 years of the Hinman Masters,” Doyle said. “It’s exciting to see more clubs getting involved, especially with fleets of Sonars, which are ideal for team racing. We’ve heard that more clubs are investing in fleets this year, so the future of adult team racing looks bright.”
The New York Yacht Club’s 2024 team racing season will culminate with the Grandmasters Team Race from August 23 to 25, featuring ten teams competing under the leadership of skippers aged 60 and older.
Final Results:
- New York Yacht Club – Doyle, 19 wins
- Southern Yacht Club, 18 wins
- Eastport Yacht Club, 16 wins
- Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, 16 wins
- New York Yacht Club – Singsen, 9 wins
- Annapolis Yacht Club, 7 wins
- Riverside Yacht Club, 7 wins
- St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 4 wins
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