Commodores Cup

It was a great regatta this year. With the exception of a few big windless holes the breeze was steady with enough pressure to keep the fleet moving. See the results page for more details and checkout the Okanagan Sailing Facebook page for further.

Facebook

Just a reminder to all Okanagan sailors. Why not join the Facebook group OkanaganSailing and contribute to the conversation. I will be slowly transferring the blog content over there over the next year.

Marc

D3, 2013

After a whirl wind July it was great to be back in our own backyard for a Wednesday night yacht race. Despite the temperatures well above 30 degrees we didn't see the usual crazy thermal winds but instead enjoyed 5 to 10 knots out of the North with steady pressure and direction. The course was CDADBC and off we went. I really wanted the right side of the course and risked a barging approach to get it. J luffed us up hard below the committee boat and we had to wait for them to sail past before we could put the bow down and squeeze between the M244 and the committee boat but we managed to pull it off. We flipped right away and sailed the short distance before tacking back onto the starboard layline. We rounded 3rd behind J and GR. downwind we could not quite get into the grove with speed and Blur managed to pass us to Port sailing with the other two in slightly better pressure closer to the Eastern shore. We rounded A mark 4th and managed a great beat back to D mark. It was a great drag race on the beat with J just on our right beam for about 10 minutes. I managed to foot for a while till we got the bow out and then work back up just managing to beat them to the D mark with us just behind GR. we hung with GR all the way back down to A must had to settle rounding just on their transom. Beating back to finish at C was a great leg. The boat was pulling strong and we sailed starboard tack all the way till we had to tack to finish close to the pin. GR was off our right so we had to throw in a quick tack and duck before finishing. We finished first 4 seconds ahead of GR but they corrected out a solid 15 seconds ahead and just behind J. An awesome night for some around the can action.

M

July 10th

I am not really sure what race in the series last night was but I do know it was good to be back. We missed 3 Wednesday night races in a row and it really showed. Last night was a real challenge for us in some very difficult sailing conditions. What made matters worse was the fact that we miss read the race course and were flying blind much of the time. The only way we could figure out where the next mark was had to be by looking over our shoulder and trying to figure out where the boats behind were heading. This kept us more or less in the game until the final mark rounding. We got there first but then quickly sailed to the wrong finish line before turning back to cross the correct one. It was painful but a worthwhile exercise. We have the boat all packed up and are heading down to WIRW for our annual pilgrimage. Joining me this year is my good friend Michel T and local sailing legend Aaron L. We are also glad to have Sascha from Penticton rounding out our motley crew in the forward most position. Ghost Rider and crew are also heading down and will be racing in a very tough phrf fleet consisting of several tough rating beating boats such as the Dart and the Sierra 26's. Good luck all Okanagan sailors and standby for further updates.

Back!

I am happy to have the boat back in the water after a three week absence. We will be racing tonight and breaking in two new crew members before hauling the boat back out tomorrow and heading for Widbey Island Race Week. I am looking forward to a solid 5 days of one design racing and hoping for bigger breeze. See you out on the water tonight.

M

B3, 2013

Ouch!  Tonight really did hurt.  We had many challenges tonight, not the least of which included my head not being even close to in the game due to another boat related matter.  It was great winds for the prestart with perfect 10 knots out of the North with steady pressure across the lake and no big shifts.  All that changed about 5 minutes after the gun.  We had a decent midline start and tacked to port with the rest of the fleet heading towards Sutherland bay.  we saw what looked like a big header hit the fleet ahead and decided to do a quick tack back to starboard to take advantage of the lift heading our way.  Unfortunately this is when the wheel fell off of our plan.  We were dead in the water with zero wind as we watched all of those boats who had continued East ride the nicest little breeze all the way to the beach and tack to starboard heading Northbound.  There was nothing we could do except try not to freak out (ok maybe just me) as the fleet crawled away.  We were still sitting in much the same spot as the lead boats sailed into our doldrums after rounding P mark and started to float.  The breeze started to fill back in, in puffs of 15 knots and lulls of 0 which made for some very frustrating racing conditions.  We had one fun leg with the kite up as we sailed a very hot angle from P to D in about 15 knots of breeze.  We would start to plane but as I brought the bow back down to a proper angle it was clear that we were dropping too low on the mark and the kite had to go.  We rounded the B mark in the middle of the entire Santana fleet with a few fleet 1 boats and it was a very vocal and crowded rounding with more than a few boats trading paint.  Finally a solid beat back to finish at D mark with winds steady about 13 knots and very dark skies due to a several looming thunderstorms.  Was it a successful evenings sail for us?  Not even close, but it sure beats a day at work!

m

Santana BBQ

Santana Potluck & BBQ:
Sunday, July 28th, 5pm

Hey there sailor! ,

Got a Santana?, Have you EVER CREWED on a Santana ?
Have you ever WANTED TO CREW on a Santana ?
Have you even SEEN a Santana 525,
or a Santana 20 or a perhaps a 23D?
Does the mere thought of being on a Santana
keep you awake at nights?
Then come on out and join us for
the Santana BBQ and potluck party.
at the home of James Anderson, 1640 Gillard Drive,
on beautiful Redlich Park in Glenmore.

BYOB, and something for the BBQ,
plus a favourite dish to be shared with your friends.
(Local corn and baked potatoes provided.)

We may have lost the famous KYC pot-luck awards banquet,
but we can have just as much fun on our own.
No rsvp's required, just come on out. 5 pm, July 28th.
Tell your friends.....

James and Barbara. tel 250-763-6012, email ja6012@telus.net
1640 Gillard Drive, on beautiful Redlich Park in Glenmore.