Day Sailer Mid Winter Championship
Once again the Tampa Sailing Squadron played host to another terrific Midwinter Championship. The Day Sailers shared the race course with the Buccaneers, Muntineers and Windmills. And with 13 Day Sailer’s we were the largest fleet and a total of 44 boats completed. TSS has consistently put on well run regattas and the credit goes to Regatta Chairman, Darin O’Neal and the PRO Jerry Thompson.
The practice day on Friday was near perfect conditions, we got 3 races off in a beautiful 8-10 breeze on western Tampa Bay. Saturday saw a cold front come in, the breeze was up and forecasted to get stronger. All four fleets made it to the course but as soon as we got out the new breeze filled and after 32 knot gust took out Scott Graham and Dick Harmon, the PRO cancelled racing for the day. Hello, beach time, early happy hour and barbecue!
Side note for Morgan and I, we were able to douse the shoot before the big breeze came in, but we had an absolute blast broad reaching in 25+ knots. Both of us literally hiking off of the stern, planning and surfing the fastest I have ever gone in a Day Sailer…YeeHaa!
Sunday racing started early, 1000, and the breeze was a spicy 12-17. The RC got four races off, all with exciting action, particularly downwind surfing and planning with shoot up. In the end Morgan and I were able to grab first, Mary Bush and Brian Bush were second and with a last race tie break, Chris Lewton and Amy Harris beat out Chris Kelly and Dave Kelly for third.
TSS really knows how to run a regatta and hopefully this event will continue to build for the Day Sailers.
