UK Sailmakers Northeast customer William Gunther raced his 50’ Alden Skye ketch Blue Skies to first place in ORC Division 1 and took ORC Overall in this year’s running of Essex (CT) Yacht Club’s Sam Wetherill Race. The Wetherill is a classic spring 140-mile race that starts inside Long Island Sound, sends boats out of the Sound to a buoy off Gay Head, Martha’s Vineyard, then south of Block Island, and back. Depending on the conditions, the Wetherill can be a race of many complexions.
This year’s race started midday on Friday, May 16, in a northerly which quickly shifted into the Southwest blowing well into the high teens and above. The forecast for the next day called for significantly higher wind speeds so the Essex Yacht Club race committee signalled that a shorter course – 80 miles around Block Island and back – would be sailed. A fleet of 41 ORC and PHRF boats entered to sail.
In the end, UK Sailmakers Northeast customer Bill Gunther in his venerable Alden Skye 51’ ketch Blue Skies claimed the ORC title. Bill is no stranger to taking his Alden offshore, having sailed her in the 2024 Newport to Bermuda Race, the 2025 Annapolis to Newport Race, and the 2025 Marblehead Halifax Race. Gunther has had Blue Skies for about six years, and all his sails are from UK Sailmakers noting how the sails have held up, particularly his X-Drive headsails, and UK’s customer service has been extraordinary.
Blue Skies at the Bill Gunther’s 50’ Alden Skye ketch, Blue Skies, at the 2026 Sam Wetherill Race. Photo © J. Dorrance | Essex Yacht Club.
Bill commented, “We started mid-day Friday with our A2 Matrix spinnaker set and a full main and mizen. That took us out of the Sound with excellent boat speed. Once outside, we shifted to a symmetrical S2 for a deeper run to our new rounding mark at the north end of Block Island. We rounded 1BI just ahead of the venerable Carina and changed to our X-Drive heavy #1 with a full main and mizzen constructed of UK’s performance Dacron. We sailed from the southern end of Block with a reefed main until we entered the Sound. At that point, the wind had increased to the mid-20s so we changed to our X-Drive J3, shook out the reef in the mainsail, and sailed a fetch back to the finish. It was great that we were able to hang in with the “faster” boats. We crossed the line first in our class and took ORC overall correcting out over Carina by about six minutes.”
Left: Onboard photos of Blue Skies during the 2026 Newport to Bermuda Race. Right: The crew of Blue Skies celebrate on the dock after the race. Photo © Essex Yacht Club.
More recently, Blue Skies and Bill Gunther competed in this year’s Newport to Bermuda Race, placing second in St. Davids Lighthouse Division 3 and finishing on June 23rd.
