TERRY HUTCHINSON SAILS TO ANOTHER WIN
Back from the America’s Cup, Terry Hutchinson helms winning J/70 entry in Annapolis event
“There is definitely an adjustment. However, whether you’re sailing an AC75 at 40 knots upwind or a J/70 at 6 knots downwind, it’s still racing and each day is unique in its own way. That’s the fun and challenging aspect of our sport.” — Terry Hutchinson
After spending four years leading an America’s Cup campaign, Terry Hutchinson is back home in Harwood and looking to unwind a bit.
Hutchinson’s sailing over the past few years has been almost exclusively aboard a foiling monohull, notably the AC75 that was used for the 36th America’s Cup. The 1986 St. Mary’s High graduate was skipper and CEO of American Magic, the United States challenge representing the New York Yacht Club.
Last weekend, Hutchinson found himself steering a much smaller boat that does not lift out of the water. Sailboat racing is sailboat racing no matter the platform and the renowned professional reacclimated rather quickly to the small one-design competition on which he built an accomplished career.
“There is definitely an adjustment,” Hutchinson admitted. “However, whether you’re sailing an AC75 at 40 knots upwind or a J/70 at 6 knots downwind, it’s still racing and each day is unique in its own way. That’s the fun and challenging aspect of our sport.”
Hutchinson was helmsman of USA 419, which won J/70 class at the Annapolis stop of the Helly Hansen National Offshore One-Design series. Veteran Quantum professional Scott Nixon called tactics aboard the Annapolis Yacht Club entry, which is co-owned by Hutchinson and Jenn Norwood Wulff.
Norwood Wulff trimmed the main, while Dan Morris trimmed the headsails for USA 419, which notched two firsts and two seconds during the six-race series. Gil Hackel, a 13-year-old junior sailor from St. Petersburg, Florida, completed the crew as floater.
Travis Odenbach and his crew aboard Honeybadger won two of three races Saturday to take the regatta lead by two points over USA 419. Hutchinson and company posted their worst result of eighth in the opening race Sunday, which on the surface would seem a step backward.
“That first race on Sunday probably turned the regatta in our favor. We went around the top mark in 20th and were able to turn that into an eighth,” Hutchinson said. “That was a testament to Scott and Dan. Scott kept us in a good spot and Dan worked hard trimming.”
Sunday was challenging even for sailors intimately familiar with the Chesapeake Bay.
“The tide was saying go right and the wind was saying go left. You had two very conflicting features,” Hutchinson said.
After surviving in the first start Sunday, the Annapolis team thrived in the other two — winning Race 5 then placing second in the finale. USA 419 posted a low score of 19 points, seven better than skipper John Heaton and the Empeiria team.
Topping a talent-laden 40-boat fleet at Annapolis NOOD was a real confidence builder for the USA 419 crew, which will remain the same for this week’s J/70 North American Championships that are also being held on the Chesapeake Bay. There are 60 boats entered in North Americans, which are being hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.
“I would say we’re definitely not the favorite. There are other teams that have a lot more time in these boats,” Hutchinson said.
This marks the second time Hutchinson has owned USA 419, which he sold to Norwood Wulff a few years ago. Upon returning from the America’s Cup in Auckland,
New Zealand, the lifelong Harwood resident asked Wulff if he could buy back in.
Why would the American Magic CEO and skipper want to become part-owner of a J/70?
“Because they’re fun to sail and there’s a good local fleet,” he said. “When I want to go sailing with friends and family on a Wednesday night, it’s an easy boat to do it in.”
USA 419 was one of eight Annapolis-area boats to capture class honors at the 2021 Annapolis NOOD. J/22 champion J.R. Maxwell and his crew aboard Scooby were declared overall winners of the popular annual regatta.
Skipper Patrick Seidel steered Laughing Gull to straight bullets in posting an impressive victory in Alberg 30 class. It was the second straight Annapolis NOOD win for Seidel, who was presented with the Maple Leaf Trophy.
Laughing Gull overcame a couple mishaps leading up to the regatta. Two weeks prior, the boat was dropped while being lifted into the water and sustained damage to the stern. Amazingly, the damages were mostly cosmetic (paint and fiberglass) and easily repairable with no structural issues.
“An Abrams tank has nothing on an Alberg 30,” Seidel joked.
While sailing out to the course Saturday, Laughing Gull experienced a crash gybe that blew up the windward sheeting traveler. The crew quickly rigged an alternative and had no problems trimming in high winds.
After winning the 2020 Annapolis NOOD with the crew from Witch’s Flower, Seidel brought those same sailors back to defend the title. Glenmar Sailing Association member Matt Johns owns the Metalmast 30 and races with his two sons — Josh and Michael.
Michael Johns trimmed the main and called tactics aboard Laughing Gull, while his brother worked the bow and his father trimmed the jib. Jon Hilbert helped with trimming the headsails, while Barbara Ewing handled the pit.
“We had a great team of sailors onboard that understood the concept of risk management,” Seidel said. “We were aggressive when we needed to be and conservative when we could afford to be, which was crucial on a crowded racecourse in big wind.”
Jose Fuentes and his Caramba crew claimed a commanding victory in Etchells class, winning six of eight races in totaling 11 points. That was half as much as runner-up Freedom, skippered by Craig Mense.
Fuentes sailed with Reed
Baldridge (headsail trimmer), Lucas Calabrese (tactician) and Johann Lopez (navigator) and gave them all the credit.
“I think my teamwork made all the difference. Yes, sometimes we were a little faster and pointing a little higher but so did others. Flawless tacks, gybes and mark roundings made the difference.”
This was the seventh Annapolis NOOD victory for Fuentes, who proudly displayed an EWESpirit sticker on his stern. That slogan was created to honor Geoff Ewenson, the professional sailor who died suddenly last October.
“It was an honor to be one of the EWESpirit teams out there. Geoff sailed the Etchells with me for five years and taught me so much about driving and staying focused on the boat. I miss him dearly,” said Fuentes, whose team also sported the slogan on their gear.
The brother-in-law tandem of Bob Rutsch and Mike Costello sailed Bebop to a narrow win in J/30 class, which was tight at the top. Rutsch steered while Costello served as tactician as the Annapolis Yacht Club entry took first in three races and second in two others in totaling 10 points, just two better than Bruce Irvin and the Shamrock team. Infectious Smile (Tristan Keen) was just four points behind in third.
Bebop only left the dock once last year and that was for the Wednesday Night Series opener at the end of April. That’s because Rutsch’s wife was diagnosed with lung cancer even though she never smoked.
That meant Bebop missed the delayed Annapolis NOOD when it was held in August 2020, marking the first time the boat did not compete in the series since it came to Annapolis in 1999. All that time off did not affect the top-notch work of a crew that has been together for more than a decade.
Poncie Rutsch trimmed the jib for her father, while Carole Hamner trimmed the spinnaker. Matt Weinold worked the bow with Barry Deren at the mast. Floater Janie Gittleman rounded out the crew, which was completely vaccinated.
Bebop survived a spectacular knockdown to win Race 1, which was held in 18-20 knot winds Saturday. A third in Race 2 was the lowest finish for the winners.
“We had really close racing among the J/30s. It was fun to be out again,” Rutsch said.
Other Annapolis-area class winners were Bangor Packet (J/24, Tony Parker) and Abientot (Roger Lant, J/35). Skipper Mike Beasley teamed with crew Chris Conway to win the North Sails Doublehanded Distance Race on Saturday.