People
"OLDER AND SLOWER BUT STILL
SEAWORTHY ..."
By Laurie Stone, Editor-in-Chief
Thirtyyearsago,abunchof20-yearold James"Jamie"Hutton'84,commissioning 48-footCanning-designedsloopbuiltin1978.
Academy summer sailing team members
chief engineer for NOAA, contacted the old team
Donated to MMA in 2010 by the widow of Dr.
entered MMA's 38-foot racing sloop
in 2012 and suggested they reunite for a 30th
Sheldon Brotman, the all-aluminum yacht has
Virginia K Payson in the Marblehead to Halifax
anniversary sail in the Marblehead-to-Halifax off-
a reputation for speed and seaworthiness. The
International Ocean Race. No one remembers
shore race. Al five of his classmates agreed im-
Boston Yacht Club and Royal Nova Scotia Yacht
the exact stats from that adventure but each man
mediately to the reunion. Charter arrangements
Squadron assigned her to the IRC Division for
today remembers remarkable sailing.
were made with the help of Capt. Tim Leach `05,
performance-oriented vessels to race against 45
David Gelinas, David Hopkins, James Hut-
Director of Career Services, Dana Willis, Water-
other sailboats in a fast and competitive category.
ton, Skip Strong, Larry Russel and Jed Sutter
front Director, and Tom Brown, MMA Sailing
Whisper came in 20th in her field and the sailors,
(al `84s) disembarked their junior training
Team coach; registration with the Boston Yacht
though disappointed not to be in the top 10,
cruise in Portland, ME, 30 years ago and rushed
Club was accomplished; and required attendance
acknowledged that those in the top were larger,
to MMA to get aboard the Virginia K Payson so
at a safety seminar in Boston was met. Gelinas
regularly raced boats with the latest gear. Whisper,
they could get her to Marblehead in time for the
captained the 2013 team as he did 30 years ago.
at 35 years old, acquitted herself wel considering
start of the race. Dave Gelinas '84, president
According to Hopkins, the team planned to rely
that 6 of her crew of 8 had not sailed together
of the Penobscot Bay and River Pilots Associ-
heavily upon Skip Strong's sailing skil s because
since 1983.
ation, humbly stated, "MMA trusted us with
Skip was the most active and experienced sailor
Gelinas noted after the race that like Whisper,
expensive gear and a major sailboat, and now the
in the group. Strong is a business partner and
the six alumni might be "older and slower, but
Academy is trusting us again with its gear and a
harbor pilot with Gelinas.
they were stil al seaworthy."
larger sailboat. In fact, in 1983, MMA entrusted
Meanwhile, Hutton coordinated the team and
3 sailboats to three different teams that summer,
kept them pumped for the contest. For this trip,
a testament to the depth of the sailors and their
in the MMA tradition, the men invited Jake
enthusiasm for the ocean-racing program. Dave
Newton '13 and David Markley '13 (Dec.) to
Hopkins '84, now a commercial pilot for FedEx,
sail with them. Both students were members of
added, "We learned leadership and al those
the 2012-13 sailing team and had experience as
ethereal, intangible qualities by attending MMA
competitive offshore sailors.
and through experiences like sailing a yacht in a
Whisper is no newcomer to the race, hav-
major international race."
ing competed in 16 previous races. She is a
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