Season Preview: Experienced Sailing Squad Begins Season On Tuesday

Sailing head coach Bruce Turner has liked what he has seen from his crew so far during their initial spring practices and the continuity between his sailors is evident with many members of last year’s crew returning this season – with just two graduating last June.

“Archie Ferguson was on injured reserve last year and we got him back this year,” Turner said. “We have Rory (Murray) and Alice O’Banion, Archie and Brian (Osorio). We are in a good spot this year. Although I don’t know what I will be saying next year after six of my seniors graduate.”

Turner said his team will be sailing against league teams every Tuesday and Thursday, but will also compete against teams through the New England Scholastic Sailing Association (NESSA). The Whalers will be racing in several of the NESSA events

“This year we're going to try to sail a bunch of non-league races to help our ranking and see if we can qualify for some of the NESSA team racing stuff," Turner said. "I don't know if it is a lofty goal but it's definitely an achievable goal that's not going to be easy. We're going to have to do well. We are going to have to get a good ranking.”

“They’re good kids and I am wildly optimistic about this year,” Turner added.

The Whalers will also be hosting the Cape & Islands Girls Invitational this year at the end of May. Turner said Nantucket Community Sailing and Great Harbor Yacht Club have been “very supportive” per usual as his team ramps up its efforts to begin another spring season.

“I have been getting lots of comments from people where they say 'I know spring is coming when I see you guys on the water,'” Turner joked. “We are ready for some warm water though because it has been pretty cold. We have gotten out there though and the kids have been great. We like to get out there mostly so when we get to a regatta where the weather isn’t very nice we can say ‘Oh we know what we are doing here’ and are prepared for whatever we are sailing in that day.”

Nantucket’s first regatta will be Tuesday, April 2 on the road against Barnstable at 4 p.m. You can view the full sailing schedule here.