Spring Regatta
With just the power
of the wind as the driving force six sail boats and crews competed in
the annual Salt Spring Island Sailing Club Spring Regatta. Polar fleece
and wool topped with waterproof outer shell were the dress of the day.
When a race is held it is not subject to weather conditions - a lack of
wind is the only reason for cancellation. This is what makes racing so
challenging. You sail on days when most reasonable people would be home
in front of the stove with a good book, not bobbing around the harbour
in a rain storm.
The regatta was a series of three short races. It sounds easy but it is
a lot of up, down, tack, jibe, tighten this, slack that off, sheet in
no out, etc... I have to say it's fun but a work out. If you're not worn
out by the end of it all you would have to be in great shape. On a personal
note when your first mate is your partner ("wife" for non Salt
Spring readers) and she says before the day begins "I feel dizzy
today and should not go on the foredeck" (front of boat), LISTEN
to her. Let's just say she was right and fell overboard. June and I are
still talking and laughing about it. She has a huge bruise and her cat-like
foredeck skills are a little shaken. She was not technically fully overboard
as she was still hanging on so it was really not that bad. Just one of
those moments you wish you had the camera on. I would like to publicly
apologize to Peter Howell (who was on the helm) for yelling at him to
"turn down wind". It was not a pretty spinnaker take down; kind
of one of those "what can go wrong will go wrong" times you
would like to forget about.
On a lighter note Keith Simpson's Soul Dancer was in such fine form that
it is rumored that a unknown America cup racing team has asked him and
his well oiled team to come over to Spain and teach them some of the finer
points of racing. It may appear to a casual reader that I like to pick
on Keith but in my defence our boats are evenly matched and Keith declared
a feud. Its the Simmons vs the Simpsons.
The races seemed to break down to into two groups: Imp 1st place, Final
Dash 2nd, Caliente 3rd, in the front running group with Alacrity 4th,
Soul Dancer 5th and Strawberry Express following. From our position at
the back of the fleet it seemed Final Dash with the David, Josh and Dan
Wood's team had a great regatta. It would be so much easier to report
the races if we had a helicopter. If anyone on the island would like to
come out to the next race, the Walker rock race April 1st the with their
chopper we would appreciate it.
For race info check www.saltspringsailing.ca.
By Scott Simmons
