Ray Redniss is not only a former STC Commodore, but he is a longstanding BIRW PRO. We
asked Ray for one outstanding memory from his many Race Weeks. When we got his draft and
began reading it didn’t seem that special…until it did. Enjoy Ray’s story.

As I recall, it was getting late in the Spring of 2015, and we were still in the hunt for a signal boat
for White Fleet.

Over the years, we’ve had a plethora of different types of signal boats…everything from an
overly-equipped for safety Gulfstar 40, to a very roomy playground Leopard 46 Catamaran, and
all things in between. Ordinarily, our White Fleet signal boat for this 1965 – 2015 50 th
Anniversary Event, a Marine Trader 40, would not be considered remarkable, except that it was
Jonathan Ashe and Aileen Hutchins’ home!!

Huntress was coming to BIRW as a tender to, and sleeping quarters for, Borderline,
Jonathan’s C&C 35. With Aileen to be onboard as part of the White Fleet RC team, and
Jonathan to be out racing, we needed someone to pilot the boat other than the PRO. Along
came Charley Terry and we were good to go!

With 57 boats in five classes of one-designs and excellent sailing conditions, Monday’s racing
went off without incident. Tuesday’s forecast was for stronger westerlies and a perfect day for
the Round The Island Race. Red Fleet was selected as signal boat, White Fleet as pin and
finish boat, and Blue Fleet was to shadow the competitors around the course. Starts were
grouped to consolidate the overall starting time. The five classes of IRC and fast PHRF boats in
Red Fleet with three starts, the five classes of one-designs in White Fleet with three starts, and
the six classes of PHRF boats in Blue Fleet with three starts reduced the sequence from 90
minutes to 45…good economy of scale!

I assumed my perch on the starboard rail behind the Line Flag and watched the starts, which
were generally orderly with only one or two boats OCS. With 18-20 knots out of the West, six of
the nine starts had most of the fleet on the course. For the last few starts the wind was a steady
21 knots moving slightly left. Everything was looking good until the very last start…the Cruising
Non-spinnaker boats. Carefully watching the line it was easy to see the last boat attempting to
start in the middle of the line, a green Cambria 40, getting blown sideways toward the pin end.
With plenty of line below them, and being the only boat left, all onboard assumed they would
easily tack onto port and continue on their way.

Well…wrong! A last-minute gust caught their genoa and instead of tacking they fell off squarely
into Huntress striking her amidships, dead on the start flag, and punching a hole in her side
directly below my feet! After quickly assessing that no-one was injured, we went below to look at
the damage. Now remember, Huntress is not only the signal boat, but a home. Seems the bow
stem had come through the side and into…the liquor locker! We fully expected to see broken
glass and significant liquid loss, but by some quirk of physics, the bow had pushed the glasses
and Mt. Gay aside. Nothing in the locker had broken!

After this incident, we begged off finish boat duty and proceeded to the dock to wait for
Jonathan to come in from racing. Meanwhile, the skipper of the Cambria had already arranged
for his insurance adjuster to come to the Island. He was there when Jonathan docked, they
inspected the damage, exchanged information, and Jonathan, very calm and collected,
proceeded to grab black and white duct tape…white for the hull area and black for the mid-
stripe! After a few minutes, and from 10 feet away, you couldn’t even tell anything had
happened!