It was going to be a great day for racing!  The wind was blowing a pleasant 8-10 knots, the sun was bright and warm as we left the dock and headed to the start.  Five boats gathered at FM 19 for a bay race rounding 12 marks for the larger boats and eight for the boats under 27 feet.  At our 1200hrs start however we made our way to the first mark, G21, in a dying wind.  Marilee took the lead, rounded G21 first and headed for G1.  As the rest of the fleet rounded the mark the wind died completely.  For the next 40 minutes it was a contest to see who could drift faster toward G1 in the weakening outgoing tide.  At one point Fiddler’s Green was turned around by the wake of a passing power boat and pointed back toward the starting line.  The new His Knot Hers (formerly Julieta) bobbed in frustration as Marilee and Jandon reached G1 on a zephyr filling in from the west.  Marilee and Jandon were able to round R20 and head back to G1 before the wind reached down the bay to the rest of the fleet.  Marilee forced Jandon to bear away a couple times as she rounded marks but Jandon was able to round inside Marilee’s track on a jibe at G20 and led Marilee for the rest of the race.  Sand Dollar however quietly sailed the short course and was first across the finish line eight minutes ahead of Jandon.  Marilee followed by four minutes.  Fiddler’s Green was able to turn around, get back on course and made her way to the finish line five minutes behind Marilee in a building breeze and almost 20 minutes ahead of His Knot Hers.  

So, who won? 

Congratulations go to Mike Collins and crew on Marilee for first place on handicap!  Second goes to Nancy Renzi and crew on Sand Dollar.  Don Litzenberg and crew on Jandon squeaked by with a third followed by Cdr Ted Bowler and crew on Fiddler’s Green.  John Isaksen and crew on His Knot Hers gamely picked up the starting buoy after trailing the fleet.  We have to cut John some slack though.  That building breeze hit John at 18-20 knots right on the nose as he fought his way back up from G21 to G1 before heading back to the finish line.