The Sagamore Yacht Club has held a special fund-raising race and party to benefit the Friends of the Bay for the past six years. Jaime Van Dyke, who crews aboard Jack Bernstein's Luff Story, said, "Over the past two years we have been working to make this race more serious and competitive to draw sailors from all over Long Island Sound. Since the inception of the race over five years ago we have not had much luck from the wind."

The race this year was cut short and cancelled. "But it was still fun," said Ms. Van Dyke, Councilman Chris Coschignano's administrative assistant.

Ms. Van Dyke said, "While this race continues to get more competitive the awards party has already grown into a great fund-raiser for the Friends of the Bay and also the Christeen oyster sloop, maintained by the WaterFront Center. Hundreds of people gather at Sagamore for the annual party, which is sponsored by Sagamore's members. This is surely a party not to miss next summer!"

The Sagamore Yacht Club has competitive racing on Wednesday nights in Oyster Bay Cove. On the weekends they race on the Long Island Sound. "There's a bonus for racing on Wednesdays. Ninety percent of the time we have the most amazing sunsets," she said. "Sailing is bigger this year than ever." Her cousin Joseph Barresi gave her several photographs of the Wednesday night races, that are printed along with this article.

Last year the story was the same at the fifth annual Friends of the Bay Race on Saturday, June 28. The day was beautiful but not a great day for sailing. There was little wind to carry the boats to the finish line. The year before the race was cancelled after the first hour. In 2003 the boats stayed out and tried to make it around the course four times. The sailors got a few great stories to tell their cronies, from the race.

"Unfortunately, someone fired three shots which means abandonment," explained Bob Young. "Everyone got on the radio with questions but the race boat wasn't answering them. Then the Commodore told them they had valid questions. It was another day in Oyster Bay. It's par for the course," said Mr. Young enjoying the story.

Last year Alan Orr captained the Blue Bayou and won the Division Four First Prize. He races with his spinnaker up on his Hunter 35.5. There were two boats in the spinnaker division and two in the non-spinnaker division and two in the multi-keel division. "He's constantly winning," said Carolyn Core, who co-chaired the event last year and this. She said "In 2002, he won the Around Long Island Race."

Boat	Place	Owner
Blue Division
Maverick	1	Keith Reides
Nee Leev	2	Chris Lorenzen
Blue Bayou	3	(Bayville boat) Alan Orr
HYPERION	4	(Marine Center member)
Slapshot	5	Michael Geheling
Dauntless Frog	6	Charlie O'Connor
Sojourn	7	Dave Murcott
Commanche	7	Darren Martin

Liberty	2	(Huntington) Glenn LeMay
Moxie	2	Frank Gentile
Luff Story	Withdrew*	Jack Bernstein
Lord Jeff	Withdrew*	Jack Williams
Waterfront	Withdrew*	Greg Bradley

* (Withdrew because would not have finished in time. Several other boats did not even start.)