Commodore-Gibson Race/Cruise 2007

August 4-5, 2007

The races are nominally between Meadow Point and Foul Weather Bluff, but if there is not enough wind to sail, we have the option of trying starts at Apple Cove Point or Point No Point. On Saturday, there was little if any wind at Meadow Point, so we motored to Apple Cove Point. At the hint of a zephyr, the race committee began the start sequence. The wind died, and this made for interesting starts with a half knot current running North. Some generally SE breezes came up and up went spinnakers. It was a gentle sail to Point No Point, but beyond that point the wind died and the tide turned. Diversion made it the furthest, but nobody finished. Sunday we had a nice 8 to 10 K northerly to start at Foul Weather Bluff. This breeze carried down beyond Pt. No Point, but then died by the shore and became shifty. Wind held in the middle for a while, but then died. All the sensible sailors continued as motor boats, but Diversion and Outlaw were determined to finish. After floating in zero wind for a while, those boats found a light southerly. Diversion finished around 1830 and Outlaw finished about six minutes later. The races are started with a "reverse start" in which the handicap is applied at the beginning, so if everybody sailed exactly to his handicap all boats would finish simultaneously.

We stay overnight at Port Ludlow, and had a terrific potluck on the dock. Usually we get more cruisers along with the racers, but this year the participants were all pretty regular racers, who also happen to enjoy a good cruise. Cindy Gossett had prizes for all participants, which she awarded after dinner. The jester's hat was awarded to Derek Storm, because Cindy thought the fleet must have thought "surely you jest" when he called the start at Apple Cove Point.