It was as good as it gets for 47 teams sailing in the Ida Lewis Yacht Club’s 18th Ida Lewis Distance Race on Friday, Aug. 18.

Organizers of the race, which was presented by Bluenose Yacht Sales, had promised to reinforce the race’s reputation as a challenging 24-hour overnight competition, and that they did by developing a brand-new selection of courses to fit all sorts of weather scenarios and incorporate as many sailing angles as possible. 

After a two-hour postponement due to a severe weather forecast, the race started off Fort Adams Friday at 1 p.m., and subsequently saw winds of 20 to 30 knots delivered over courses that ranged from 129 to 203 nautical miles for ORC 1, ORC 2, PHRF Doublehanded, PHRF Aloha, PHRF Coronet, and PHRF Bagheera classes.

For the third time, Ken Read of Portsmouth, who sailed with his brother Brad Read of Middletown aboard the Sunfast 3300 Avalon, won the event’s growing Doublehanded class.

“This was the best Ida Lewis Distance Race course ever,” said Read, who has won many sailing championship titles and explained that his class’s course (for eight boats) was 188 nm. “A real variety of angles and conditions; going to places outside of Rhode Island Sound; great course length; and plenty of breeze and big waves. It was fun, challenging, and refreshing. And we finished in 26 hours which is pretty close to the published goal of a 24-hour race”

“Sailing doublehanded offshore in some pretty sporty conditions is daunting, for sure,” added Brad Read. “It’s cool sailing with your sibling, though. There were a couple of brotherly squabbles out there, but my takeaway was just how amazing my big brother is at sailboat racing.”