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Before many finished their morning coffee on Monday, the New Bedford Community Boating Center’s Baltic sailboat, Crazy Horse, docked in the Fairhaven Shipyard. The 11 sailors, including six graduates of the center’s youth training program, were returning from the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race — one of the longer sailing races in North America and the longest offshore race that this Community Boating crew has ever completed.
The 361-nautical-mile race stretches on open ocean from Marblehead to Halifax, Nova Scotia, a roughly 40-hour trip if all goes according to plan.
The crew left Sunday, July 6, for open waters as one of 45 participants in this biennial race. The Crazy Horse finished in an impressive eighth place after a 39½-hour slugfest, with no serious injuries or significant damage to their Baltic boat.
The Community Boating Center also won the Academy Cup Trophy and the Commodore J.C. MacKeen Trophy, earned for having the best corrected times in their respective division, as well as sailing the best as an academy.
The young crew described the race departure as ideal conditions for sailing — favorable wind and a clear and visible night sky. Throughout the two-day race, fog, weather, and around-the-clock demands tested the sailors.
“No other sport is like this… [it can be a] terrifying night of strong winds or a boring endurance contest,” said Richard Feeny, education director at Community Boating and the ship’s captain, recalling what his team endured during its journey.
“You can’t really see anything [in the fog],” recalls Peter Herlihy, a senior instructor on the crew. “You mostly have to rely on hearing and navigation.” The navigation path, speed, and current position are revealed by the automatic identification system (AIS), which is crucial for moments when vision is obstructed in the open ocean.
The crew continued onward through seasickness (aided with the help of ginger), hunger, fatigue, and poor visibility, all under the safety and guidance of Feeny.
The crew rotated positions on the ship, taking turns cooking, sleeping, steering, and navigating. Each crew member worked for two to three hours at a given time and switched off to perform the other tasks on the ship. Each station was invaluable in ensuring the successful completion of the race.
“These guys did everything … If I remember correctly, I only steered about an hour and a half, but I didn’t need to do much,” said Feeny.
Outside of Feeny’s guidance, the crew of senior instructors mostly relied on themselves. And there were plenty of moments they got to experience the beauty of sailing.
Pre-frozen meals, such as homemade mac and cheese and lasagna, were reminders of home. And Feeny’s sandwiches were a hit among the crew members, making the journey just a bit homier.
Once the crew arrived in Halifax, they spent two days touring the Nova Scotia capital — renting bikes, sampling local cuisine, and working on the boat. But watching the TV show “Love Island” together at the beach house is among the crew’s favorite memories.
Returning to Massachusetts was bittersweet, crew members said. After a brief stop in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a town known for its maritime and boating history, the crew left Canada Saturday morning. Without a clock to track the time, their return trip lasted nearly 48 hours. They said there was less stress on the open ocean during their return, allowing them to take things slower and embrace their surroundings. Each member recalls seeing a wide variety of marine life — whales, sharks, seals, and even a bird that landed on the stern, whose company they enjoyed for three hours.
“That almost never happens,” recalls Sophia Litos, another senior instructor.
The senior instructors, under the guidance of Feeny, said they are optimistic that they’ll be able to carry this momentum into their next major race in the spring of 2026, when they sail from Newport to Bermuda. That race is nearly double the length, at 635 nautical miles.
Upon their return to the misty Fairhaven shipyard on Monday, the young crew shared their appreciation for their captain. “We definitely cannot do it without Richard,” said Litos, her crewmates nodding in approval.
Brenton Jackson is a summer intern with the New Bedford Light, as part of the South Coast Internship designed for local students.
This should be a mandatory requirement in each and every child’s education, especially with New Bedford’s and the areas sea heritage! Survival skills, social skills, science and nature skills, responsibility, leadership….what else? All in one complete package.
Great story, great experience. Can’t wait to hear about Newport to Bermuda next year!