April 19, 2008 CalCup (Benicia) Results

RACE COMMITTEE REPORT

This first race of the season was going to be a difficult call.

Mike and I had watch what was going on, and also what about to happen. We knew that Saturday, really high winds were predicted, and nothing we were seeing, was a pattern for Saturday.

Alameda, could be good, but the boat launch ramp is not only ugly, (the last time we launched the old C-Cup boat, not only did she get damaged, but when Mike jumped into the water to protect the boat and RC, he still had his cell phone on him, which became ‘toast’ when it was submerged in water,) but also the launch site is far away from where the racers launch, and RC could be out on the water for hours, in unpleasant conditions.

So where should we go?

Mike and I are so lucky; the wind is our sponsor, so we can go wherever she calls!

We decide to call Benicia! The first time CalCup has sailed from this location.

It is an amazing view for competitors! Launching for racers and their equipment, is I feel, a challenge. As for the boat launch…more on this later….

Jason Voss, gave us an amazing clinic, we even had two Benicia locals join us! This is so great. Something Mike and I had been trying to achieve, these clinics are for all, not just racers, but all sailors, and then we get two passersby join us! This is just so amazing, more than we could have wished for.

Whilst I ran Skippers meeting, Mike, Danielle, and Auric, went to launch the new C-Cup boat, and lay the race course. There are two narrow jetty fingers, to this launch site, and C-Cup launch was just fine, but when docking back, no one aboard had any idea a bumper was missing on the jetty that they decided to dock at. The new C-Cup boat was damaged, the non bumper side of the dock, gauged her, but Auric is going to help Mike repair her!!!!

So somehow we managed to get three races off!

We had two boat spectators, which is awesome. What a great day. With Mike’s knowledge of the Bay Area, we managed to pull this race day off!

Thank you to RC helpers, Danielle, Auric, and Robert, (who should have raced but helped us out instead,) you did a fantastic job!

Jane.  

Wind Graph is from the Port Chicago sensor