The Atlantic class, which sails with a crew of four, has several aspects that make it appealing. It is a bit larger than the Lightings that were the main racing fleet at MBC for years. It’s also sailed off a mooring, which cuts down on crane launching and recovery.

“The Atlantic is a lovely boat with classic lines: long, slender and low. It carries a very large sail plan so it can get going quite nicely. When the breeze is up it can be quite a handful. The top end is challenging,” L4 commented.

There are nine Atlantics at MBC. They are owned by Leighton Lee (sail numbers 63 and 149), Chip Adams, Jeff Swiggett, and Rupert Murray (43), Jon Sweet, Rob Croddy, and Keith Costa (96), Tom Davidson (30), Patrick Hennessey (47), Rob Coster (133), Steve Adkins (123) and Archie Adams, Bryce Coster, Tyler Swiggett (120).

“In the 1980’s, Town and Country published a full-page article about MBC, suggesting that many young members encounter a fork in the road: they must choose between sailing and tennis as their preferred sport,” said Henry Griggs of the MBC History Committee. “But when the spinnakers are flying, even those who have never capsized an Opti are grateful for the good fortune we share to gather each summer at the water’s edge.”(Exactly!)