March 31, 2014

On March 28-30, Richmond Yacht Club hosted 85 Lasers and Radials at the Laser Midwinters West. On Friday, it looked like Graham Harney, from Canada’s Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, was going to run away with it. Then came Saturday’s light air and rain. Chris Weis from Marina del Rey and Yale, and Claire Dennis, a StFYC member and Intercollegiate All-American shared the lead going into Sunday in this no-throwout series. In standard-rig Lasers, Greg Martinez, out from Texas Corinithian YC, had a pretty solid lead over Seattle’s Frederic Vranizan. As of Saturday evening, there was a three-way tie for first in the Radials.

A sunny Radial start in a decent westerly breeze. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

A great problem with these two fleets is overly-aggressive starters, creating difficulties for race committee. But the biggest problem for this three-day series was cosmically odd weather. PRO Del Olsen managed to get in three races on Friday with only two general recalls. This on a day when the wind slowly shifted from a southerly to a westerly coming in through the Gate. The mark set boats did a lot of setting and resetting. That westerly built to a delicate rinse cycle, yet it caused havoc in the Radial tailenders. More specifically their masts discovered and got stuck in San Francisco Bay mud.

Nova Scotia’s Corinne Peters (right) starting to crank up seconds before a start. ©2014 Greg Pfeiffer

In Saturday’s pouring rain, after repeatedly checking radar, iPads and sticking his wet index finger in the air, Del called for an hour’s shoreside delay.  He ultimately said, “Let’s go.” The result was a nothing spectacular light air race with only one general recall which quickly escalated to a black flag start. The breeze came from Southampton and the ebb pushed them up. Then it went light. Still it beat sitting around at the clubhouse.

Leeward gate rounding. You better know your overlap rules to race in the front – or back – of this fleet. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

On Sunday, six races were held, tucked in close to shore next to Brooks Island to stay out of the current. A rain squall passed through, and the boats had plenty of wind, in contrast to Saturday. With no lack of suspense, both divisions went right down to the wire. Vranizan and Martinez were tied for points until the last race, which Vranizan won. In Radials, Dennis and Weis tied for points, but Claire had a first place in the last race which broke the tie.

Sixth place Radial sailor Lola Bushnell, captured while she was hauling out her boat on Sunday. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

Greg Martinez. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

Radial top finishers, left to right: 5) Lawson Willard, 4) Graham Harney, 3) Scott Rasmussen, 2) Christopher Weis and 1) Claire Dennis. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

Radial winner Claire Dennis with her dad, who worked race committee. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club

The top standard rig finishers. Left to right: 6) Matthew Long, 5) Max Gallant, 4) Richard Didham, 3) Ian Elliott, 2) Greg Martinez, and 1) Frederic Vranizan. ©2014 Richmond Yacht Club