Monday, June 8, 2009

CPYC One Design Regatta 2009

The CPYC One Design Regatta has gone through some changes from year to year since we began photographing and providing awards prints in 2006. This year there was no level 72 class or Mumm 30 fleet, but a strong showing of J30s, J105s and Melges 24s (in their inaugural year at the One Design) made the competition better than ever. The on-shore activities, race committee, and awards were first class as always.

Unfortunately this weekend's weather was consistent with the first weekend of June from recent years: very light wind. Going into the weekend, the forecast looked worse than ever: Saturday: NW around 5 knots becoming SW in the afternoon; Sunday: N around 5 knots. That's about as bad as it gets for sailboat racers, or people whose income varies directly proportionately with wind speed, at least to an extent.

But we were very pleasantly surprised on Saturday; the fleet got 4-5 races in and wind speeds reached 12 knots or so- a good thing, because Sunday's weather was unfortunately true to the forecast. After hours of waiting in the hot sun, only one race was attempted...and abandoned.