April 15, 2013

Sometimes big things happen on little boats, and this year's Big Dinghy proved that you don't need forty feet of keelboat to have fun. Richmond Yacht Club uses the same format for the Big Dinghy as for their other spring race, Big Daddy. On Saturday two courses were set up, one next to Southhampton Shoal and the other in the more protected waters inside the Richmond breakwater on Potrero Reach.

Pieter Versavel won the outside Open Class on Saturday with a Musto Skiff. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

On Sunday two pursuit courses were used, both starting and finishing off of the race deck on the club's seawall. The longer course sends the faster boats around Red Rock, Shouthhampton Light, and Brooks Island and back to the club. The short course for the slower/smaller dinghies just goes around Brooks Island.

Brad Cameron sailed an RS Vareo. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The Richmond Riviera served up two perfect days of light to moderate (and heavy) wind in brilliant sunshine with clear views of the Bay all around. Saturday the fleets were treated to a shifty, puffy breeze that kept the racers guessing which way to go. On the Southhampton course 33 boats raced in four divisions with everything from I-14s, Thistles and the ever-present Lasers. On the Potrero course, the four divisions included Sunfish, Day Sailers and the evergreen El Toros.

Three Sunfish sailed on the inside course. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Chris Straub sailed in El Toro Seniors. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

A first leg for the El Toros. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The winner of the El Toro Seniors, Gordie Nash, called it perfect El Toro weather, with an 8-knot breeze, gusting to 12 max. In the Portrero Reach Open Class, the three Day Sailers prevailed. "Everyone gives us time but the Sunfish," said Steve Lowry, who came in second after Mike Gillum. Steve's crew, Mike Fenn, hadn't been on a sailboat in 20-30 years. "And that was a keelboat," he said. He had a great time, and his skipper said, "He did really well."

Steve Lowry and Mike Fenn on the Day Sailer, and Stephen and Andrew Klotz on an FJ. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Sunday produced more sunshine and light to heavy winds depending on what time you started in the reverse handicap format. The first boat to start was a DeWitt Dinghy which saw no more than 10 knots of breeze going around Brooks Island. The Lasers sailing the long course finished as the big breeze officially filled in.

The Lasers start as the DeWitt Dinghy crosses a barge wake. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The winners on Sunday were Michele Logan on her Byte for the short course and Stephen Gay on his International Canoe. It was a fun weekend for all, and hopefully a precursor to good times this spring and summer. For results, see www.richmondyc.org.

Mark Briner on a Musto Skiff in a big light air patch tries to catch Gil Woolley on the Contender. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Simon Bell was the first Laser sailor to finish on Sunday. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Stephen Gay on an International Canoe won the long course pursuit race. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Ron Smith's Thistle passed Red Oak Victory like it was standing still. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

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