“This isn’t sailing, this is mayhem!” said race director Ralph Silverman. In eight feet of water, he played the big outboards on his unanchored Chris Craft committee boat like a fine instrument, while Vanguards and Lasers were crashing all around.

Aided by Tom Murphy, Ralph set the marks close to the launch ramp so sailors could get in quickly if they needed to. It’s very shallow in that area. “So, Vanguards, try not to turtle,” they were told at the skippers’ meeting.

The wind, a southwesterly bearing to the west, blew steadily in the 20-25 knot range, with long gusts up to 35, especially pre-race and toward the end. Darren Kramer, manager of Tahoe Yacht Club, took out a small Boston Whaler for crash boat duty. At one point a Vanguard 15 lost a shroud, and the RC thought that they’d need rescuing, but they were able to reattach it and continue sailing.

It’s all pretty casual and friendly; you can register at the last minute, and everyone helps each other out. Shane came all the way from Boston, Paul from New Zealand. Seven Vanguard 15 teams made it, and six Lasers. Some may have been deterred by the forecast.

Last year, they had snow, but this one was the warmest ever; the bank thermometer in Tahoe City read 51 later that afternoon. Ralph called it balmy. It would also be the windiest ever in the 15-year history of the Ski/Sail regatta.

The RC boat spent a lot of pre-race time zipping around between capsized boats, in between trying to set an anchor that just would not hold in the shallow water and high wind. Finally, the gusts and shifts abated enough and the racers got adjusted to conditions enough that racing could begin.

Courses were simple: all windward-leeward-windward to port with a downwind finish. Starts were made easy for the RC with an automated horn system. As soon as the Vanguards finished a race, they’d be off on the next one, even as the Lasers were approaching the finish.

“We’re doing okay unanchored,” said Ralph during the second Vanguard race. “It’s definitely guerilla race management. I’m glad we’re close to shore. It makes it so much easier when they want to go in.”

As Lasers were trying to finish at the same time as Vanguards were rounding the leeward mark, a big gust came up and boats went over. “Mayhem, mayhem I tell you,” said Ralph. “Everyone’s down.”

Then the tables were turned and Vanguards were finishing their second race as the Lasers were starting their second. By now, the Lasers were down to four boats. Caroline, the only female Laser sailor and sailing a full-size Laser rig, was capsizing even with the main all the way out. At the other end of the spectrum, the heavier guys were doing really well in the Vanguards.

As the Vanguards were finishing up their fourth race, and the two remaining Lasers still toughing it out were starting their third race, the wind really whipped up again. Already in sequence, one Laser capsized and the other went to its aid. Tom observed, “The Laser race is not going so well.” Ralph requested, “Remind me that we’re not going to have another race.”

Finally, both Lasers were upright and went for the line. Tom gave them a “Ready, go!” But after one lap, the Lasers shortened their last race. “For a while I didn’t think we were going to get any races off at all,” said Ralph. He said it was blowing over a hundred at the top of Squaw that day.

The Ski/Sail National Championships consist of three qualifying events: the regatta on Lake Tahoe (for Vanguard 15s and Lasers this year), the skiing (at Squaw Valley), and the party in between at Tahoe Yacht Club.

Be sure to see our report on Sunday’s ski racing and Saturday night’s party. Our Ski/Sail movie is now available online. You can also view our photo gallery/slideshows of Saturday’s sailing and Sunday’s skiing.