The Salt Spring Island Sailing Club held the Summer Regatta on Sunday July 29th. Seven boats turned out on that beautiful summer day for a series of three short races in Ganges harbour.

It sounds so easy: three short races in the harbour. What could happen in Ganges Harbour? Well the wind was blowing north, east and west, and gusting and shifting 90 degrees on a moment’s notice.

Then there are always the man made obstacles in the harbour to deal with like the ubiquitous crab traps. AQUILA MIA went crabbing boat style when they managed to pick up two traps on their rudder and Arlene Dashwood had to dive in and send the traps to the bottom. The traps that don't have weighted lines are the worst, please don't use floating rope on your crab traps, they are so easily tangled on a rudder.

The short races are so much fun because of all the action at the marks. Greg Slakov had put out huge yellow markers which made a large diamond shaped course. The first mark is usually the toughest mark with all the boats going around it at the same time hopefully without hitting each other. There was some minor contact during the regatta.

We had a guest boat sailing in the regatta. IMPOSSIBLE, who's owner is to be a Salt Springer next summer, is a great boat. It's a Lindenberg 22 and it really goes. Once all the systems are worked out it will be near the head of the pack. The nice thing about the boat is at the end of the day you can take it home on the trailer.

We even had a birthday boy in the race, Tony Burridge, skipper of TINKER, who turned 29. Judging by the way he sails that boat Tony will always be 29. Tony and his crew Yaap can make TINKER (a Grampian 26) fly. We really missed that other 29 year old Dick Pattinson and his Grampian. Where were you Dick?

At the end of the races we where told the news that David Wood is buying a new boat and selling FINAL DASH. Hopefully someone from Salt Spring will buy it and keep it here.

It was a great day of sailing that was followed with a scrumptious BBQ. The short races are a great work out; constant tacking, jibing, rounding the marks, avoiding other boats, non-stop action. I know one crew who was stiff and sore the next day.

By Scott Simmons

Results:

Race 1

Race 2

Race 3

Series Total: