BAS COBANLI MEMORIAL TROPHY

I never meet Bas, but I know he was a legend in the club, a great sailor and a stickler for

the rules of racing. I am not at all sure that Bas would have approved of the way we ran

his memorial race today but let me describe the events and leave you to judge.

Five boats were entered including Stuart Farson’s J 39. The start was delayed due to lack

of wind and the course was revised more than once. We did get off the dock for a 1030

start however the starting boat (who will be nameless) was well out of position at 1030

and so called a delayed start. A fickle wind from the south east eventually gave in to a

northerly wind which ALACRITY picked up first and developed a commanding lead. After

leaving Welbury to Stb a broad reach to Prevost was in order. At this point confusion

over the course ensued. After Welbury U60 was the next mark. FINAL DASH who was

now leading admitted to not knowing which was U60 and which was U62 and so rounded

both to be sure. ELECTRA believed U62 was the mark so rounded this buoy but omitted

u 60. We all knew that Deep Ridge was the leeward mark and that the route home was up

to the individual boat.

FINAL DASH was first around Deep Ridge closely followed by ALACRITY. The smart

move was to reverse course and get back to the Prevost shore. ALACRITY who was

single handling was slow getting the spinnaker down was carried down by the tide and

took the Salt Spring shore home. All other boats did the right move and kept out of the

tide, none more spectacularly than ELECTRA.

JJ FLASH and FINAL DASH appeared to be leading on the way home but ELECTRA

creeping along the Secret Island shore picked up a good wind a stormed back into the

harbour. By this time JJ FLASH started to show just why her nominal rating is 51 and

plowed up the harbour to take line honors 20 seconds ahead of ELECTRA with FINAL

DASH not far behind. ALACRITY and LONE RANGER were much later having endured

a dying wind close to the finish.

The race is scored time on time as no one really knew what the course and distance really

was.

Bob Jones,

Alacrity,

April 25^th, 04