The PDYC 2016 Sailing Season Has Started

I have been crewing for the practice race and the first 2 races of the season, so Monday night was my first night on the Committee Boat this year. It was also the first night for us to try out the new (to PDYC) boat that will be used to teach the Keel Boat Course on and that we will be using to manage the races on Monday nights, Genesis. Unfortunately we found out, when she stalled in Port Dover harbour, that she needs a new fuel pump. Luckily we had one on hand:

Brian hand-pumped the fuel the whole time we were under way.

Once the tetrahedron has been set and Genesis tied up to the central marker (the marker previously known as Happy Face - now Wilson) we could turn the engine off and Brian could relax until the return trip.

Enigma checking in. The marine forecast issued a Severe Weather Warning but the evening started out sunny with a good breeze.

But we were starting to see some dark clouds over Port Dover.

Really dark clouds, and way off in the distance, lightning.

Just as we started the race the wind dropped. This is not unusual just before a storm front (the calm before the storm) and although one boat went over early, many were stuck way behind the start line without enough wind power to get them going.

The wind picked up again. As usual Ritual is the first boat to complete 2 legs of the course, up and back.

Kestrel

Sequence and Flyer in close quarters.

Goldfingers

The star of the show, for me, on the Committee Boat, was the sky.

 A squall came in as the boats were finishing the final leg of the race, resulting in everyone screaming across the finish line at a great speed and

some spinnaker struggles.