Mod70 Argo slashes 1 minute and 35 seconds off Around Jamestown Record
New outright record of 52 minutes and 2 seconds for the 17.8nm course takes down record last set in October 2016
September 3, 2020 – Newport, RI – A new outright record was set Tuesday, September 1 for the Around Jamestown Record. Jason Carroll’s Mod70 Argo completed their attempt around Jamestown with an elapsed time of 52 minutes and 2 seconds. This bests the previous record of 00:53:37, held by Zach Marks on a foiling kiteboard by 1 minute and 35 seconds.
The crew on Argo chose to sail the course around the island to starboard, sailing south from the start off Fort Adams at 11:34:47 EST. Argo departed in a 22-knot ESE breeze at the end of an ebbing tide.
This was the Mod70 Argo’s first attempt to set the Around Jamestown Record, the team Argo had attempted the record on five prior occasions all in their previous boat, a GC32. This was the first attempt by any individual or team since the record was last set in 2016. On board Argo for the record-breaking attempt was: Brian Thompson, Chad Corning, Charlie Ogletree, Anthony Kotoun, Tom Burnham, Jim Condon, Chuck Norris, Westy Barlow and Ben Bardwell.
Chad Corning said on the record, “I think setting the record was very much in doubt, because if we would have had to tack more than once then I don’t think we would have even beaten Phaedo’s record [Phaedo is also a Mod70 and sailed the course in 56 min 33 sec June 27, 2015], so that was the key to the whole thing. We knew it was a fast trip but didn’t know how fast until we got to the bridge. Jason was definitely a little disappointed to not be on board, but we have some new foils coming and we’re going to take another whack at it this fall. It’s a record that means a lot to us as it was a great way for us to get going when we had the GC32, so we’re keen to try to get the record under 50 minutes.”
On the Attempt he said, “We had been doing laps of Jamestown just as a way to do some focused training and whenever we go out sailing we’re always looking for easterly or westerly and Tuesday the conditions just looked perfect so we decided give it a go.
The angle wasn’t quite right when we first left the dock, but we decided to give it a go anyway, but as we started the wind left shifted about 20 degrees so right out to Beavertail it became 80-90 degrees wind angle which was kind of perfect and it stayed east on the other side of Jamestown and then we were able to gennaker all the way down to the bridge, switch back to the J1 to the north end of the island. What I think did it for us though was a really well-timed tack and lay line once we got on the other side of the island and then it was upwind, close reaching into the finish.”
