MARBLEHEAD — Onshore spectators will have a bird’s-eye view of the start of the 40th Biennial Marblehead-to-Halifax Ocean Race, which begins Sunday.
“These yachts are spectacular under sail,” said Vice Commodore of the Boston Yacht Club and Co-Chair of the MHOR Kate Ferris Richardson. “If the wind and weather are favorable, we hope as many people as possible will enjoy the sight.”
The 45-plus yachts will start near Halfway Rock and head west toward the shore, turning south just off Marblehead Neck before turning again at Tinkers Rock to set a course for Halifax, crossing the starting line at 1 p.m.
The best places for onshore viewing are Chandler Hovey Park and Castle Rock on Marblehead Neck.
The 2025 fleet is impressive, ranging from cutting-edge performance yachts to storied classics.
The lineup includes Ticonderoga, a majestic 72-foot classic ketch designed by L. Francis Herreshoff. It was built in 1936 and won the race in 1947.
There should also be an interesting tussle between the two 66-footers, the current Marion to Bermuda record-holder, Boudicca, a King Marine Rachel Pugh 66 owned by Rich Moody, and Temptation Oakcliff, a JV 66 from Oakcliff Sailing Club out of Oyster Bay, New York.
Will Apold is the only Canadian to win the line honors race, which he did in 2011 on Valkyrie, a 78-foot Swan. This year, Apold, 77, will be competing on Dragon Fire, a 33-foot J99 with three generations of his family aboard.
Returning this year to try and better her Brazil Rock score from 2023 is Abigail, a 39-foot wooden ketch built in 1956 and meticulously restored by owner Jesse Terry. Abigail managed a good Samaritan at Sea exercise in 2023, as it came across the Tartan Pinnacle with a disabled engine and towed 20nm into Halifax.
More information about the race and full list of entrants: https://www.marbleheadtohalifax.com/
The race committee hopes pleasure boaters will be respectful of the starting course and stay behind the floating red marker buoys. There will be more than 20 spectator control boats, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Marblehead Harbormaster assisted by the Salem Harbormaster, as well as volunteers from the yacht clubs patrolling the starting area and each of the turn marks.
The patrol boats will be flying yellow flags and keeping the course open for MHOR yachts.
Kindly avoid crossing the race path and avoid the middle zone altogether. The best safe boating practice would be to keep your speed slow and kindly respect the spectator control boats with the yellow flags, as well as all authorities such as the USCG and Harbormasters.
Yachting enthusiasts can follow the race on the website as each competitor will be equipped with a GPS transponder. The progress of each yacht can be tracked on the MHOR website, and replay of the racing sequence can be made during and after the race ends.
