I don’t know why we forget, but “Detroit in August” presented perfect sailing conditions and reminded us all of these simple things we love.

The temperature was around eighty and sunny for all three days. On one day, we enjoyed 15 knots of wind and the other two days, “a gentlemen’s breeze.”

Our friend Phil Trinter uses this phrase, “a gentlemen’s breeze” quite often. I still have not determined its exact meaning but I think I have collected a few common denominators: wind… but not too much; waves… but not too many; some hiking… but let’s not get carried away; and, no collisions and broken bodies or damaged gear.

The Detroit River Star Fleet were gracious hosts and provided food and entertainment on shore and the Race Committee work was seamless. We enjoyed seeing new sailors like Katie Potter and old, my dad rejoined us at 79 years old, as well as old boats and new.

Terry Gibney and Mike Lorenz of the Detroit River Fleet won the Green Star to great approval. Greg Smith and TC Belco won the Masters and a beautiful watercolor of Stars racing upwind that is the perpetual trophy as painted by Gil Cole. Dave Caesar (Canadian) and I won the regatta and enjoyed a healthy battle with Jack Jennings and Phil Trinter through the races. I flew the protest flag, only to lower it after further reflection, I am sure Phil would approve. Greg Smith and TC Belco of Gull Lake were third. Mike Phinney and Alex Baker (Canadian) displayed smart starts and fast first legs and finished fourth, and steady Jack Rickard and Sam Eadie of Chicago finished fifth. It should be noted that Thad Brej and Henry Combs (Bob Teitge’s grandson) were sixth after missing the first day. Thad upgraded his boat, who knows how he would have done with two more races.