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Stamford Veteran Sails Again In Vineyard Race

STAMFORD, Conn. – Hiroshi Nakajima of the Stamford Yacht Club has seen it all in 25 years of sailing the Vineyard Race. Friday will be race No. 26 for the 2008 winner, who has competed under all conditions against fields ranging from around 50 to more than 100.

“Ever since I started doing it, it has been a must every Labor Day weekend,’’ Nakajima said. “It’s a fascinating race. I started when I was in high school and still couldn’t drive. I used to have to bum a ride just to get to the race.”

Winds have been light in recent years, but Nakajima remembered the race in 2006, when Hurricane Ernesto wreaked havoc with sailors. “The winds were coming out of the East at 30 to 35 knots,’’ he recalled. “Then it changed directions. It was very windy – there were a lot of waves in Long Island Sound. We turned back after getting just east of Bridgeport. I didn’t want to risk anything, but it was fantastic sailing.”

Nakajima also remembers when the race was one of the favorites among the nation’s top sailors. After a period of decline, race participation has increased steadily under the leadership of New Canaan’s Diane McKeever. Nearly 90 crews are expected to participate this weekend.

“Back when I started, we used to routinely see 90 or 100 boats on the starting line,’’ Nakajima said. “You’d see these famous international boats. Then it started to fall off the radar. It was the same old race with the same old format. Diane was the person behind getting it back on the radar. People are putting it on the calendar again.”

Nakajima sails with a crew of eight, some of them from his home club. At least one crew member each year is a teenager or college student. It is part of his way of giving back, helping fuel interest for the next generation of sailors. More importantly, the teens gain valuable experience. When Nakajima won the race in 2008, his crew included three teenagers.

“It’s a great venue for young kids,’’ Nakajima said. “They get the two-day experience and they learn a lot more about seamanship and safety when you’re doing a distance race compared to going out for a day on a dinghy. They have to learn how to pace themselves. It’s a great opportunity for them.”

Nakajima is one of the race’s Buzzard Society members, who have sailed 10 or more times. He also sails in other events, such as the Newport to Bermuda Race, the Denmark Race and a race to Block Island. Even after 25 years, he prepares mentally and physically for the 238-mile trek to Buzzard’s Bay and back.

“The night before I’m trying to analyze what the weather will be like in terms of wind,’’ he said. “It looks like it’s going to be a little bit unusual this year. The night before the race I don’t sleep well, and I don’t sleep a lot when I’m racing. It usually takes me all of Monday to recover.”

 

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