We tried it. We liked it; the new August Ocean Race course that is.  Normally the SDSPS Sail Fleet races to Mission Bay in August.  But this year I thought I could avoid my usual fight with the kelp beds by turning left at buoy #3 rather than north toward Mission Bay . Ho ho!  So, this August our course took us in the other direction out to the TG-1 buoy and back. Six boats showed up at the starting line for our 1200 start at G17.  John Isaksen and crew on His Knot Hers, Dave Baer and crew on Casamar, Nancy Renzi and crew on Aeolus, Dan Nephew and crew on Bare Necessities I; and, new to our fleet,  Scott Gelow and crew on Forget About It sailing his first race to establish handicap, and yours truly and single additional crew on Jandon rounded out the fleet.   Another fleet was also starting at G17 but we negotiated a simultaneous start without too much confusion.  Then, our air horn died just after the first blast to start the count down.  No problem, I had a new canister.  But the thread size was wrong!  I didn’t know air horn canisters came in different sizes!  Then my hand held VHF battery died while trying to communicate my dilemma to the rest of the fleet!  John Isaksen graciously continued the starting sequence and we were off!  Jandon led the fleet across the line with Casamar and His Knot Hers close behind.  Using only the working jib due to diminished crew, Jandon’s extra water line length helped increase her lead as the fleet rounded G15 and continued on along Point Loma toward the ocean.  As Jandon passed G5 the kelp loomed near, stretching out tendrils, first touching, then embracing and finally grasping at Jandon’s keel, prop and rudder.  Casamar and His Knot Hers caught up and, expressing tongue-in-cheek sympathy, consolation and suggestions overtook Jandon just before G3 and jousted with each other for a favorable course to TG-1.  Jandon’s crew pulled off enough kelp to get underway again, rounded G3 and hoisted her spinnaker.  Yes, spinnakers were optional this month and Jandon quickly overtook Casamar and His Knot Hers who were flying their genoas.  By the time Jandon rounded TG-1 she was a full five minutes ahead of Casamar and His Knot Hers.  Then things went awry.  Instead of heading toward Coronado for the leg to R8, near the Zuniga horn, her skipper headed back out to sea!  What was he thinking?  Big tactical error!  Casamar and His Knot hers rounded TG-1, took the more direct tack and finished back at G17 and were nearly back at SWYC by the time Jandon, who wandered through the Etchells and J105 fleet races found her way back to the finish line, still dragging kelp!  Forget About It and Bare Necessities followed across the finish line.  Alas, Aeolus was lost in the crowd.  Nancy , where are you?  What a day!  Will we sail this course again?  You bet!  The 2.6NM down wind leg from G3 to TG-1 was great fun.  The wind was fair to light we had a leisurely lunch; there was still some roaming kelp but no other traffic to dodge.

So, who won the race? 

Congratulations and first place on handicap go to John Isaksen on His Knot Hers!  Dave Baer on Casamar took second and Dan Nephew on Bare Necessities, in spite of a late start, took third.   

Thanks to all for a great race.  Hope to see you all on the bay again for the September race.  The race results are attached and may also be viewed below.

Humbly submitted by,
Don Litzenberg,
SDSPS Sail Fleet co-chair