2017 Levin Memorial

February 11 - 12, 2017

DISTRICT: 20

HOST

Coral Reef Yacht Club    
2484 South Bayshore Drive
Miami, Florida 33133 ----------

EVENT INFORMATION

Author: Paul Cayard - February 13, 2017

Three races were held Saturday on Biscayne Bay for the Star class. A relatively large fleet of 33 boats were on the race track this morning ready to take on the mild easterly winds.

I am sailing with my son Danny this weekend. Yesterday I flew to Miami from Bermuda where I spent the week visiting my daughter Allie; so I just have to say it, I am having a GREAT week!

Danny and I started the weekend off the way you dream of; winning the first race. We were first to the first mark but it was back and forth the whole race and were only recaptured the lead from Whipple/Sperry in the last 100 meters.

In race two, we had another good start and played the shifts well to finish second to Andy MacDonald and Brad Nichol who had a great day with a 5, 1, 2.

In the third race, I got a bad start but we dug our way out to round the first mark about 6th. The wind was light and fickle, perfect for Danny and I being 50 pounds light. We managed to pass two boats and finish 4th. George Szabo sailed well to win that one.

At the end of day one, Danny and I are leading. It is tight though. The top three boats are separated by 2 points. As you can imagine, I could not be a happier father!

Sunday's forecast is 8-9 knots from the southeast. Perfect conditions for Pencil Neck Racing. (Fun name for being light)

Sunday: The wind had difficulty materializing this morning but we finally got one race going around 12:40 in 6 knots of wind from the southeast.

After yesterday’s results, things were tight at the top and with the fickle conditions today, anything could have happened.

Danny and I had a decent start and shortly after tacked to port to head right, in the middle of the fleet. The wind was fickle and dropping in strength as we neared the windward mark. We rounded about 7th with Augie Diaz in front of us. Augie blazed down the run as usual and rounded the gate with a big lead. At this point the regatta was his.

Racing in conditions like this is very challenging. It is not hard to get a few things wrong and find yourself back in the pack. We were very lucky as most everything we did this weekend turned to gold.

On the second windward leg, Augie and Arnie went to the right and Danny and I stayed a bit more to the left. This worked out for us and we passed Augie. Down the final run to the finish, Augie, again super fast, passed us to finish third but our 4th was all we needed to win the regatta. Gris Dolf and Luke Lawrence won the race with Larry Whipple and Austin Sperry in second.

I haven’t had this much enjoyment from sailing in a while. I experienced this when I raced with both Danny and Allie to Hawaii, twice. That was 10 years ago.

Next for me is IRC racing with the Beau Geste team in Australia at the end of the month.