Brooklyn Four Bagger

By Greg Gilmartin

It was a Dark ‘n Stormy night.  Again.

It was unprecedented in the 107 year history of America’s 2^nd oldest yachting trophy that the same boat, the same owner and the same crew would win it 4 years in a row.   That was yesterday.  

Today,  Mudhead Mike LaChance  and his crew drank from the Brooklyn Cup again as his J-105 Dark n Stormy beat out 25 challengers to win the Geenport Ocean Race hosted by the Chinese Yacht Club and the City of Greenport, NY. 

The Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup was originally donated by publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1904 to the Brooklyn Yacht Club as a prize for a long distance sailboat race.  Over the years there has only been one other 4 time winner,  Stuyvesant Wainwright in the yacht Butterfly.  He won it over a 5 year period between 1920-1925. 

The Cup was thought lost or missing for many years, but was eventual found and deeded to the Chinese Yacht Club in 1953.  Races for the Cup were held on and off over the years before the current revival  in 2008.

This year’s race started off Greenport in a rainy 10-15 knot southerly and took the racers around Cerberus Shoal and the Gong off of Montauk Point and then back to Greenport, approximately 53 miles.  

A couple of rain squalls pushing 20 knot puffs, a spectacular sunset and a lightening show in the clouds were the natual highlights of the event.  The fleet ranged in size from 30 to 44 feet and the PHRF handicap range was from –6 to 236.   A dozen yacht clubs were represented.  First to finish was the NYYC Swan 42 Barleycorn.  Dark n Stormy’s corrected time was 10 minutes better than the next fastest boat.  

Crew member Frank Murphy, who has been on board for all four victories, called it the toughest one yet.  "We were in a knife fight with the other J-105 Ropeburn, but were able to sneak by them in the last 3 miles.  We were side by side for nearly an hour before we broke through."  

To learn more about the Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup and the Greenport Ocean Race go to www.chineseyachtclub.com. The crew of Dark n Stormy, all Mudheads, included Carl Fast, Frank Murphy, Peter Tilton, Tim Hotchkiss, Eric Irwin, Patrick Murphy and Kyle Fast.  Andrew Wolf of the host club and protector of the trophy, announced at the awards ceremony that Dark n’ Stormy’s name will be engraved on the cup because of their unprecedented  performance over the last 4 years.