Spring Series 2020-21 Race Day 1 Recap

17 January 2021


Hey Sailor,


We had a great turnout for yesterday’s kick off of our Spring Series and lots of wind!


  • 14 of the 16 registered boats were out.  The wind started out a little light but the forecast was for things to build maxing out near 20 knots by 1 PM.  It did.  

  • PRO Tim Snyder set a start/finish mark 0.6 miles east of the Pier with two mile downwind run to Big J for leg one and a 3 leg zig zag back the the finish.  It was near 70 minute race #1 for the two spinnaker boats and  110 minute race for the last of the cruising fleet.  However in that last 1/2 hour the wind piped up to just below 20 knots steady and gusts approaching 25.

  • The Optis were out too.  They were set up just west of us and closer to the Pier.  While our race was going on, the Optis moved their leeward mark closer to our committee boat.  Their mark is also orange and much bigger.  A few of the SPSA racers were headed toward that bigger Opti orange mark but were saved by a curtesy announcement from RC that the correct SPSA finish mark was on the east side of the signal boat.  You should have seen those kids in the Optis, they know how to fly when the wind pipes up.

  • Race 2 went down to Lil’ J and back to finish.  8 of the 12 cruisers and one of the two spinnaker boats had had enough and called it a day, skipping race two.  The wind held steady just below 20 knots with gusts approaching 25 knots and slowly diminished over the race, but not by much.  It was a tough and invigorating day on the bay.  The lone spinnaker boat finished in 46 minutes and the cruising fleet finished in 120.

  • At the tree, an attempt to award the last December race liquid trophies to George Lewis went foul because George had gone home.  George had finished in a three way tie with Tony Sanpere and Steve Short in the December 5th race.  The best of Spring Series Race Day 1 awards were announced for Warrior and Surge.  George and Grant please arrange your trophy pick up. TreinenRich@aol.com  Act quickly, we will recycle your trophy. Surge’s crew does not take any chances.

  • See the results Race Day 1  Here’s the link  http://spsa.us/racing/regattas/  Click the Spring Series Results button and then the 1 or 2 to see the race details.

  • A special thanks go out to Tim Snyder for stepping up to do race committee and Brian Conlin for quick scoring of the race results.  Without these two guys there would be no reason to gather under the tree.

  • Spring Series Race Day 2 is February 20th.  Our Race Committee will be Tack Tick.