By LEN BOSE
It feels like spring, yet the heat is on in the harbor – full of activity with summer twilights, youth sailing and club keelboat regattas, along with changes within the harbor.
Summer Twilights started in May with the American Legion Yacht Club sounding the first starting sequence. The event feels like a true sailing club’s event. The racing is relaxed, as much as racing can be, and one the best post-race gatherings of participants with well-portioned adult beverages and a self-serve BBQ surrounded by comforting people. Ten Harbor 20s have signed up, five J-22s and 17 PHRF boats.
BCYC Taco Tuesdays have been my favorite twilight evening for the last 16 years, all because of Commodore Rhonda Tolar’s team for post-race activities. The energy level always rings the bell with the camaraderie of the participants remaining the most important feature for our sport. With 15 boats entering in PHRF and 16 Harbor 20s entering the post-racing H20 table, it has remained full with more than 20 sailors enjoying each other’s company. Attendance within the PHRF fleet is strong, yet with Amante still waiting on a new mast being built, Tim Richley’s team is missed. Over the years, Amante crew members attending the extravaganza have always numbered more than 20. On the racecourse, Phil Thompson has dominated the H20 A fleet, winning six of the eight races sailed this summer. In the H20 B fleet, there has been a close battle between Ross Watanabe, Matt Hurlimann and Debra Haynes, each winning one of the three nights sailed. In the very well-attended H20 C fleet of 10 boats, Rusty Turner, Puzant Zorayan and Team Bretschger have all won a night. In PHRF A fleet, Jim Baily’s Destroyer is destroying the fleet, while in PHRF B fleet, Roger Gooding’s Rhythm is staying in tune and leading the series. PHRF C fleet is small yet mighty, having the most fun on the water than any of the other competitors. Rose Henigman’s Bella Rose, Bob Kafka’s Halcyon II and Jim O’Conner’s Celia are keeping it real.
Wednesday Nights belong to BYC with a strong turnout in the Laser and Adult Sabots fleets, while Lido 14, Thistleand H20s keep the east end of the harbor active. BYC also runs Thursday night Beer Cans with 14 boats entered. B fleet appears to be a close battle this summer between Matt Campbell’s J 120 Dani Girl, Janet Mostafa’s J 120 Barakaand Mark Glackin’s J 122 Spitfire.
Speaking of Thursday nights, this is when the gloves come off in the Harbor 20 A fleet with 15 boats entered with names like Raab, Campbell, Pickney, Buckingham, Thorne, Curtiss and Madigan joining in with eight other teams, making for some extraordinary sailing. It places a rather oversized smile on one’s face if you win a race. The month of May was won by team Madigan by staying in the top three in five out of eight races sailed last month.
You will start to notice all the Sabots appearing on the harbor starting June 19 and running through July 28. The yacht clubs’ junior programs summer camps are about to start. As a member of BCYC, I was extremely pleased to hear the club has made Carolyn Smith its Junior Sailing Director. I can think of no one better for the job; it goes without saying she is passionate about our sport while bubbling over with enthusiasm and is an extremely good sailor. I was told the BCYC junior program filled up within moments of registration opening this year. With Smith at the helm, I am confident that the demand to join this program will only increase. If you are one of the unlucky people who waited too long to sign up, I encourage you to drop by the club well before June 19 or well after July 29 to inquire about the different programs BCYC offers during the fall and winter. The bad news is that the H20 fleet will miss her big smile during the summer twilights.
I’ve talked about the remote control sailing I have so quickly become fond of, and should anyone want to come to join us, we are all willing to let you take the controls for a race or two at Mason Lake near the UCI campus. Wednesday nights between 5-7:30, we get in as many as 10 races each night and certainly get our steps in following our boats up and down the lake. We sail two types of boats rotating each week between the Volvo 70 and DF 95s. Hope to see you there!
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On the harbor this month, the big news is that the trial run for the new mooring system has unanimously passed the City Council vote last week. Everyone is still waiting for the dredging equipment to show up and start the dredging process of the lower bay. I did not check in with anyone from the city before this writing, but I am hoping this project will be starting soon.
Sea ya.
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Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.
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