CONGRATULATIONS to Mark Golison, the 2024 Region 8 Dragonflite95 Champion! Racing was extremely close with 2 of the top 5 positions being decided via tie-breaks. Thanks to our Race Committee Members who worked so hard to host this regatta and congratulations to our Corinthian Award Winner, Henry Johnson!
Video courtesy of Steve Ross & Kerim Baran:
CARNAGE! Both on the Water and Off! Between damaged/malfunctioning boats and damaged infrastructure, we lost a number of ODOMs as well as a downed skipper (due to the collapsed concrete culvert in the control area: Get healed up, Paul!) Despite this, the conditions were beautiful with sunny skies, mild temperatures and good westerly winds. Chris Staiger RD’d the ODOM Fleet with Results below:
Following the ODOMs, the winds moved a bit southerly and became a little more shifty but didn’t slacken much. Gil Jansky RD’d the Soling 50 Fleet where racing was tight and lead changes were common. Overall, great day for Racing (and Gremlins…)
REMINDER: The Dragonflite95 Region 8 Championships are only TWO WEEKS AWAY!!! Get your Entries in! (see below)
Light southerly winds greeted the IOM fleet as Point racing began today. RD Ben Reeve utilized several course options from Medium to Long to mix things up until the winds filled and moved more westerly.
Thanks to Kerim Baran for the Drone Footage!
DF95’s were next. Winds filled to over 7 knots and moved near true West by the time the DF95’s turn came. Again, RD Ben Reeve called Medium, Long and ‘Reverse Short’ (Yes: downwind start to a leeward gate…) courses resulting in tight racing with many lead changes.
Good turnout despite the weather. Thanks to Race Director Steve Delva.
More Water, But less wind….
The Draining/Scraping/Refilling of the Pond left us precariously low on water and forced the use of a 4-Heat HMS scenario for the IOM Region 8 Championships held February 16th – 18th (limiting fleet sizes to 11 boats). Fortunately, the Pond has mostly regained its ‘normal’ water level and only a small reef remained near the fill pipe for our February 24th Points Races.
Seventeen DF95’s took to the water in light, variable winds with RD Ben Reeve calling the line, taking down names, arbitrating disputes and narrowly avoiding protests.
Next it was Deja vu all over again as Eleven IOM’s started in moderate westerly winds. Racing was tight and clean as five skippers shared the 1st Place finishes between them.
Full Regatta Report to follow. Stay Tuned….
Cool February weather held out for ODOM & Soling 50 skippers today. The wind was a little on the light side. No snow or ice- so we have no complaints from this department! Thank you Chris Staiger for directing a fun day of sailing.
ODOM skippers are thanking Jess Atkinson for his day of pond side tuning assistance. He helped most of our fleet improve their boat settings, with his years of ODOM experience.. You could see the results on the water! Thank you Jess!
You sure couldn’t argue about the beautiful winter day on Mission Bay! IOM and DF95 skippers participated in their first Points Series for 2024 with good numbers in each fleet. The sea breeze was just enough for each class to glide through the afternoon on a nice long course. I bit light and shifty at times.. but that’s our pond!
Chris Staiger set the marks and manned the clock for the IOM fleet. Ben Reeve directed today’s healthy DF95 fleet. These guys are volunteers and they deserve much credit for your fun today!
There were many glassy holes on our pond for the first races of the 2024 season. That said, each fleet managed 6 races just in time for happy hour! (happy is getting home before dark). VC Sail, Chris Staiger handled the workload, setting marks, RD’ing both fleets and even some entertainment with a broken oar trick. Chris even demonstrated his Venetian gondola poling technique while standing in the skiff. (not coast guard approved). All good fun!
Our ODOM fleet is growing and it’s fun to see skippers from other classes take the helm of that classy little pond yacht. The ODOM fleet welcomed Steve Ross, Pat Nevitt, Tom Warren and Dennis Rogers to the roster. It should be a fun year with these added skippers on the line.
Pat Nevitt is once again our score keeper for 2024.. Thank You Pat for volunteering!
