Cal YC Spring Dinghy Regatta
April 21-22, 2001

Saturday was windy and cold, as a front had rolled through Friday night. The R/C decided to hold races inside the Marina del Rey main channel, inside the breakwater, as the ocean had giant swells accompanied by 20 kts. of breeze. Two races were held, with a lot of starboard tack due to the breeze direction, and the direction of the main channel. The breeze peaked out around 25 kts., and I, for one, was able to experience planing upwind in the V15. Other classes were having problems on the runs, but none of the V15s had wipeouts, let alone capsizes in the flat water of the main channel. When a puff hit on the run, the boat would accelerate, almost pulling the jib out of the skipper's hand.

Sunday was sunny and warm. The ocean calmed down a lot overnight, and was pretty much smooth. The breeze looked like it was going to build to the high-teens again, but topped out around 12 kts., backing to about 8 kts., before building to 12 kts. again for the final race. Three races were held on a windward-leeward course with approximately 1/2 mile legs. The lighter teams were paying back the heavier teams for Saturdays work, and were able to get out and hike earlier, and scoot a bit downwind. Bob Little and John Fracisco sailed the wrong course in the last race, allowing Laura Corbit to take the winning gun, and lock in a second place finish in the regatta.

The top three places were:
1. Little/Glynn
2. Corbit/English
3. Fracisco/Elste