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Conanicut Around the Island – August 31, 2025Running Tide Wins “First Out of Bay” at AYC to Newport RaceIda Lewis Distance Race – August 15, 2025Conanicut Around the Island – August 31, 2...
Running Tide: Legendary S&S 61 Yacht’s Storied Triumph in Competitive Sailing Just Now News.Press
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History
Running Tide was built in 1968 at the Huisman Shiyard by Wolter Huisman. The owner, Jakob Isbrandtsen had her shipped to Kretzers Boatyard on City Island, NY where the interior was installed.
The deck layout was designed to be very close to the 12M layout and in 1970 she was used as a trial horse for Valiant – US-24. Running Tide was an instant success on the Long Island sailing circuit and also won her class in the 1970 Bermuda Race.
After winning the 1971 Southern Ocean Racing Circuit by ¾ of a point over Yankee Girl, the boat was taken back to New York and in 1972, she was put on the market. Al Van Metre and his son Beau went for a trial-sail and Beau said “Dad, we’ve got to buy this boat”. Albert Van Metre was able to outbid Ted Turner and took over ownership after the 1972 SORC.
Running Tide’s success over the years was mainly due to Al Van Metre’s philosophy that good crew work was the key. Al Van Metre attended the US Naval Academy in Annapolis and this experience carried over to his real estate developing business and to his sailboat racing.
Running Tide has undergone changes to try and keep up with the newer designs. In 1983 Al and Beau had Rives Potts and Pilot’s Point Marina add 6 feet to the mast and put on a Bruce Farr designed keel. The results were not great and clearly evident at the 1984 SORC. In 1988, Beau decided to put her up for sale. He and his father were busy growing their business and didn’t have the time for the constant upgrading required to go ocean racing. Not long after the sale, Al called Beau into his office – Beau explained the reasons for selling the boat. Al said, “Son I’m not sorry you sold the boat, I just wish I could have been on board for the delivery to Europe”.
In November of 2018 Beau and Dea Van Metre looked at the boat and while there was a lot of work needed, they decided to bring her back to the USA – Beau felt he owed it to his father and the great legacy he had built.
Running Tide will be sailing again in a few months and will be participating in the Newport to Bermuda race in June, 2020.
Racing Record
Under Captain & Owner Beau Van Metre
2024
1st in Class – Conanicut Yacht Club’s 97th Annual - Around the Island Race
1st in Class – Coronet Division; 1st in Fleet – PHRF; LIMEROCK Perpetual Trophy – best corrected time in PHRF – Ida Lewis Distance Race
2023
1st in Class and 1st Overall – Annapolis to Oxford Race
2022
1st overall – NYYC Around-the-Island Race
Under Al & Beau Van Metre
1984
Her 13th & last SORC; 8th Class A finished mid fleet, NYYC Vineyard Race 1st, but disqualified’ Hospice Cup Race
1983
1st Class A Annapolis to Newport; 2nd overall
1st IOR A AYC Spring Race
1st overall and IOR A VA Cruising Cup
1982
1st 2 of 6 races; 2nd Class A SORC St. Petersburg
1st Class A Wirth Monroe Memorial Raact
1st Class A AYC Spring Race
1st overall AYC Fall Series; Vicking Trophy
2nd Class A Newport to Bermuda Race
1981
1st Miami to Nassau Race
1st Class A CBYR Assoc. Race Week
1st overall & Class A Hammond Memorial Race from Oxford
1st Gibson Island Yacht Squadron’s Spring Series
1st Governor’s Cup Annapolis to St. Mary’s City
Awarded the CBTR Assoc. IOR - High Point Title earned Al Van Metre - Yachtsman of ht Year - Lauderdale’s Yacht Club 81-82 Yearbook
1980
1st Class A Newport to Bermuda Race
1st overall & Class A Governor’s Cup
1st overall & Class A VA Cruising Cup Hampton
1st overall Tred Avon Oxford Race
1979
1st IOR Class A; 4th overall Annapolis to Newport
1st overall & Class A Va Cruising Cup
1st First Race & 1st overall Gibson Island
1978
1st SORC Off Key West
1977
1st Division 1 & Class A SORC swept Chesapeake Bay Fall Series
1st VCC Annapolis to Hampton; Robert M. Raven Trophy
1st Class A Fall Series
1st overall & Class A Ocean Triangle
1976
1st Newport to Bermuda Race Division 1; Latifa Challenge Cup and St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy
1st Class A VA Cruising Cup
1st Class A Chesapeake Bay Series
1975
Overall win VA Cruising Cup; Robert M. Raven Trophy and VA Cruising Cup (broke 1971 record)
3rd in class 1 Annapolis to Newport Race
1974
1st Class A SORC St. Petersburg to Ft. Lauderdale
1st CBTRA High Point in 26 events for the season
1st Annapolic - Oxford Race
1st Ida Lewis Yacht Club Match Race
1st Nassau Cup
1st overall & Class A Indian Harbor
Record Breaker 34th VA Cruising Cup; Upper Bay to Hampton (broke her own record)
1st overall & Class A Corsica River
1st overall & Class A Governor’s Cup St. Mary’s College
1st overall l& Class A NASS to Oxford
1st overall & Class A Skipper’s Race
1st overall & Class A Onion Patch Series
1st overall & Class A Fall Series
1973
1st Storm Trysail Club Week with 3 wins
1st St. Petersburg to Ft. Lauderdale Race
1st Miami to Palm Beach Race
1st Class A Miami - Montego Race Second overall
1st Navel Academy’s Race to Oxford
1st overall & Class A 1st running of Governor’s Cup Race
1st overall Ed McMahon Regatta; Budwiser Trophy; 1st in class
1st overall & Class A AYC Spring Series
1st overall & Class A Gibson Island
1st Block Island Class A; Commodore’s Trophy; Cutty Sark Perpetual Trophy & Island Sail Club
1st Class A NASS Spring Series
1st Class A Astor Cup
1st Class A Corsica River
1st in class NYYC Annual Cruise; Astor Cup and Corsica River
1972
1st AYC Skippper Race
1st in points - NYYC - Henry B. Du Pont Memorial Trophy Series (216)
“Two Grand Slams in a Row” Gibson Island Yacht Squadron’s June Series
Point Winner of the Love Point - Swan Point Perpetual Trophy
1st Overall & Class A - Navel Academy’s Best in Fleet Trophy - Annapolis to Oxford
1st - Class A - AYC Fall Series
Under Ted Turner/Perry Bass
1972
4th overall - SORC
1971
Overall Victory - S.O.R.C.
Overall fleet honors & The Viking Trophy - Annapolis Yacht Club Fall Series
Under Isbrandtsen
1970
Won Class A Bermuda Race
Running Tide 2020
Tom Maynard has known Beau for over 30 years. He raced with and against him, working on the Running Tide for years including as Beau’s Watch Partner in six hour shifts. When Beau decided to try and find the boat that he believed was in France, Tom went to work and they found it in France (San Tropez). Beau and Dea met Tom over there and inspected it. The boat was in rough shape. Beau made an offer to purchase it back. The next obstacle was how to get it to the shipping company for transport back to the states. The first step was getting it from France to Genoa. The current captain only spoke french. Tom randomly stopped in a coffee shop where he “bumped into” Conrad Hunter. Conrad had lived on and off in Italy for over 13 years. He offered to captain the move to Genoa. He jumped on a plane 12/14/18 to San Tropez. The French Captain met him there with his crew (no one spoke Italian or English), and the boat was not provisioned at all. Conrad purchased the necessities. In his words…”it was a nightmare trip!” Wearing foul weather gear the entire voyage, he piloted her from 12/16 to 20th. The trip along the French coast is typically a bear, and this was worse than normal. “I didn’t just want to kill Beau…I wanted to kill him twice!” stated Conrad. The transport ship finally arrived in Genoa on 1/17/19 and we loaded her up on 1/20. Conrad rarely left the RT fearing it would sink, it was in such bad shape.
Upon arrival in Fla. Beau, Dea and Tom took her out for sea trials. In a bit of good luck, Eddie Vee was close by and when they lost the engine during the trial, Eddie was there to tow them back.
Beau hired Billy Black to do the renovation. Most of the upgrades are into state of the art electrical systems and winches…2030 upgrades. Beau went down into he hold and discovered not one thing had been changed. “It was eerie looking at the same upholstery down to the needlepoint cushions,” stated Beau. Considering the Running Tide was one to two years from dying in a french boat yard, her renovation is a miracle. “Maybe dad (Al Van Metre) will forgive me now for selling Running Tide,” mused Beau.
The goal is to have her sailing by May 1st for testing and developing Polars, perimiters before sailing in the Newport to Bermuda Race June 19th.
The Crew
Beau Van Metre
Conrad Hunter
Charis Burrett
Chris Van Metre
Bear Johnston
Tom Maynard
Jocko Allpress
Rob Pennington
Chris Patterson
PJ Schaffer
Jim Marshall
Larry Lenard
Dominique Tangon
Bob Sharkey
News
Running Tide wins the NYYC Around-the-Island Race!
June, 2022Not only did Running Tide win their division, but they placed 1st overall! It’s the first win since the boat was rebuilt and first win since 1984. Al Van Metre is smiling down on them.
“Return of the Tide” by Bill Putnam
July, 20212020 Newport Bermuda Race Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Facebook.com/BermudaRace
March 23, 2020
102 Submit Advance Entries to 2020 Newport Bermuda Race
BermudaRace.com
September 25, 2019
The Boat
The Washington Post Magazine
July 24, 1983
Running Tide Is Victor in Sail
By William N. Wallace Special to The New York Times
June 24, 1976
Yacht Race Won By Running Tide
By Gordon S. White Jr. Special to The New York Times
June 8, 1970
