20 Photos
SS128 Moonshine, skippered by Michael Nelson with crew Ian Connett, was the big winner of the weekend. DANIEL FLYNN
Ian Connett, left, Michael Nelson and Helen Horton with the Annetta Horton Trophy, which they won on Saturday.
Michael Nelson, left, and Ian Connett with the Dudley Trophy after winning it on Saturday.
SS120 Southside skippered by John Sartorius and crew Peter Schellbach. DANIEL FLYNN
Fred Scopinich Jr. gets ready for the day. DANIEL FLYNN
Ian Connett, left, and Michael Nelson get set for a day of three races hosted by Westhampton Yacht Squadron. DANIEL FLYNN
The SS Class took to the waters of Moriches Bay on Saturday for three races. DANIEL FLYNN
Sarah Connett, left, and Dina Suta take in the scene at Westhampton Yacht Squadron which hosted a number of different races on Saturday. DANIEL FLYNN
Ian Connett gives a thumbs up aboard SS128 Moonshine. DANIEL FLYNN
SS102 Tradewinds, skippered by Fred Scopinich Jr. and Michael Boone. DANIEL FLYNN
SS102 Tradewinds, skippered by Fred Scopinich Jr. and Michael Boone. DANIEL FLYNN
Boats cross the finish line. DANIEL FLYNN
SS108 Tern, skippered by David Phillips and crew, his son, Mattias Phillips. DANIEL FLYNN
SS 120 Southside John Sartoius and Peter Schellbach. DANIEL FLYNN
SS128 Moonshine, skippered by Michael Nelson with crew Ian Connett, was the big winner of the weekend. DANIEL FLYNN
SS108 Tern, skippered by David Phillips and crew, his son, Mattias Phillips. DANIEL FLYNN
The SS Class took to the waters of Moriches Bay on Saturday for three races. DANIEL FLYNN
On a day with multiples races hosted by Westhampton Yacht Squadron, Flying Scots let their spinnakers fly. DANIEL FLYNN
SS41 Alligator skippered by Robert Hadden. DANIEL FLYNN
SS41 Alligator skippered by Robert Hadden. DANIEL FLYNN
August brought both a super blue moon and the first time in 14 years that two full moons appeared in the same month. So it was only fitting that when the SS Class Association resumed its summer sailing series on Saturday at Westhampton Yacht Squadron, the SS128 Moonshine swept the day’s races.
Captained by Michael Nelson with crew Ian Connett, Moonshine won not one, not two, but all three of the races held on Moriches Bay off the docks of the club in Remsenburg, and with those victories took home a pair of prestigious trophies with the SS Class.
The Horton Trophy Races were originally scheduled for earlier in the summer but were postponed for a number of reasons. The SS Class Association decided to make Labor Day Weekend a big one, with the first two races of the day deciding the winner of the Dudley Trophy, and the third and final race the deciding winner of the Horton Trophy.
Both the Horton and Dudley trophies are dear to the SS Class for a number of reasons, and to this day over a century later, the families still sail. The Horton Trophy was donated to the Westhampton Yacht Squadron by Helen Horton in memory of her mother, Annetta Horton. Decades ago, Annetta Horton and the Horton family represented the SS Class out of the Shinnecock Yacht Club in Quogue, while Gordon Dudley, uncle of current sailor and former SS Class Commodore Robert Dudley, represented the now defunct Quantuck Yacht Club. Bud Simes, the Dalmasses, Storers and Casts, represent multiple generations of SS Class racing out of Westhampton Yacht Squadron.
Gordon Dudley is credited with starting the SS Class Association. While Ben Hallock is credited with creating the first ever SS boat in his Center Moriches boatyard in 1908, it was Dudley who is credited with being the first to draw up the blueprints of how to build the boat in 1937, which is important given that it’s a one design class made out of all wood. A one design class means that boat specifications have to be identical, or close to it, for each boat, so as not to give one sailor an edge over the other.
On Saturday, the SS Class shared the waters with sunfish and Flying Scots out of the yacht squadron. Skies were mostly clear with winds out of the southwest at 9-11 knots, just about prime sailing conditions. Nelson, now back-to-back winner of the Dudley Trophy, said there wasn’t one thing that gave him, his boat and crew one distinct advantage this weekend.
“As with all races, it’s a combination of having clean, on-time starts, separating yourself from the pack, finding clear air, minimizing mistakes, having good communication with your crew, knowing the winds and tides, and being ready to react to any changes or issues that arise,” he explained. “A well maintained boat and a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt either.”
SS128 Moonshine is owned and maintained by George Carmany, an internationally renowned sailor himself.
Rob Dudley and Hampton Smith placed second in the Dudley Trophy races, while Brent and Luke Camry placed third. Fred Scopinich Jr. and Michael Boone placed second in the Horton Trophy race, while John Sartorius and Peter Schellbach placed third.
Three of the four summer races of the SS Class Association — the Atwater, Horton and Dudley trophy races — decide who is the overall champion of the class and who is awarded the three-handled mug. Ian Connett, secretary of the class, said the association will meet in a few weeks, go over the results and will declare a winner at that meeting. It’s also there that many pertinent things regarding the class, the future of it, among other things, will be discussed.
“On behalf of the SS Class Association, I want to thank Westhampton Yacht Squadron for once again being excellent hosts in running our races and supplying all of the support boats, and the spectators that came out to support the class,” Connett said. “There were a ton of spectators out on the water on Saturday, and we love the fact that these historic boats bring families onto the local bays and to share the 100-year history of these boats with everyone is really something special.”
