For better or worse, the J/Fest regatta coincided with the first heat wave of 2008, and the still air postponed racing until late on the first the day. “The starting sequence Saturday began at 3:00 p.m.,” reports Glenn Youngling of the J/105 Hazardous Waste. “Incredibly they got off two of three races, and the second was nearly a sunset cruise. On Sunday we had two races and finished both about the time we were starting on Saturday. Sunday was a lively traditional day of 12-18 knots.”

Laura Watt raced aboard the J/120 Chance, and had a great time, as she always does when sailing on Barry Lewis’s boat, which got second place after Steve Madeira’s Mr. Magoo. Like Glenn on HazWa, she was able to take some photos while racing.

J/105s, J/120s, J/109s, J/24s and J/80s competed in one design divisions. A ‘J/Cruiser’ class for the rest only attracted two boats. For complete results, see www.stfyc.com.

Meanwhile, on the Olympic Circle, San Francisco YC held their invitational Resin Regatta for Melges 24, Etchells, Express 27, Olson 25, and Moore 24 fleets. As usual these days, the Moores had the biggest turnout, with 23 boats. This is a counter in their Roadmaster Series.

“On Saturday it was some of the nicest conditions I’ve ever had on San Francisco Bay,” said Tom Condy of the Moore 24 Sparrowhawk. “It was perfect No. 1 weather, I’m guessing 8-10 knots. It was flat water, sunny, warm - I sailed in shorts the whole time. On Sunday the usual summer conditions prevailed: 18-20 by the end of the last race.

“The race committee was excellent. Sometimes you get bad committee work, but with these races I was really impressed with the committee.”

Photographer Peter Lyons observed that both SFYC and StFYC had some good racecourse action. Check out more of Peter’s photos at www.lyonsimaging.com. For complete results of the Resin Regatta, see www.sfyc.org/files/08_resin_results.pdf.

From the South Bay, Larry Westland reports: “SBYRA's first race of the Summer Series was frustrating for all as Saturday was largely devoid of a racer's raison d'etre: wind. The early afternoon was a real drifter north of SFO - oftentimes with no wind at all. Fortunately the day saw only modest amounts of current that nevertheless impacted all boats, as you'll soon learn.

“Sierra Point YC Race Committee Ed Hoff and daughters sent the Spinnaker Division on a reverse course starting at 1220 hours. Course 2 took the two divisions up to Channel Marker 2, back to the weather/leeward mark near the Sierra Point shoreline and then on a short-but-painful leg back to finish - for those who could make it that far in the drifter.

“In Division A seven boats finished led by Wired, Lazy Lightning and

Mist. Zingara, Osprey and Vita e Bella led the Division B entries. One significant drama occurred between the last mark at the orange

inflatable and the normally short hop to the Start/Finish line on this

particular course. 

“Lazy Lightning rounded this shoreline mark first followed by Wired in

slow motion. The lightweight Choate 27 then ever so slowly passed the heavier Tartan Ten in a beginning flood with almost no wind. Wired made her own wind fighting up to within thirty yards of the pin-end of the finish. As tension grew many prayers were sent to the wind gods for any kind of a puff, while all hands hung to leeward on both boats. Mist and Paradigm then came up behind the two leaders to form a bit of rush-hour traffic near the RC stationed on its Columbia 45 - with

shotgun at the ready.

“At this point things became even more painful than on the other two legs (dicey as they mostly were) as the four spinny boats were well within conversational distance of each other and the RC. Throughout all of this the breathless sun was hammering all.

“Anchors were then deployed in 25 feet of water in order to keep from drifting back towards the weather/leeward mark. In her skipper's misplaced optimism Wired deployed hers four times in the best Chinese fire-drill fashion, as her crew watched untreated sewage

flow down her side while warily eyeing larger boats nearby headed by

more experienced and menacing skippers. 

“As this non-earth shattering drama unfolded over a half hour the

Beneteau First 38 managed to pass the Tartan Ten and come up next to the Choate 27. Then the wind gods answered both of their prayers. 

Anchors were weighed for the last time and the two antagonists - Wired and Mist - crept neck-and-neck towards the pin, now fifty yards to starboard against the building current. ‘Pleasantries’, ‘shouts of

encouragement’ and ‘recitations’ of the sailing rules of the road were

exchanged between the two crews - all in Corinthian fashion of course. 

Wired eventually crossed the finish line first while barely escaping the

wrath of the finish mark on her starboard quarter. Mist was just nine

seconds behind in what seemed like a photo finish. RC Ed Hoff finally

got to fire his shotgun and believed his duties would soon end.

“Crews got a head-start on their summer tans on this very summer-like day on San Francisco Bay. And as the saying goes around the yacht club, ‘Any day on the Bay is better than the best day in the office.’

Looking ahead, then, SBYRA's next ‘encounter’ is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, on the Oyster Point YC race course.”

Results and sign-ups are available on the SBYRA website.