Sunday- Observe the final and always decisive race of the series and attend the National awards ceremony at approximately 3:00 PM.

by Tom Newton

With my mind filled with organizational details the gun goes off on the first of the three day, five race series. Our first boat is Viking which has a cruising persuasion, but despite my worries this boat feels good and finally we are on the water--racing. It's about the racing, not dinner or trophies.
19 people for the orientation cruise

Race # 1 Air is very light with a strong flood tide against us. When the gun goes off it takes the first boat 15 min. to cross the starting line. Then that boat is pushed back behind the line after a few minutes. Then, after the fleet barely holds it's own for another 15 minutes against the flood, the breeze kicks up a notch, and a group of three boats are away, Gilliam, Hoyt, and Gordon. We start 5 minutes behind them in a group of four boats. One straggler is caught deep behind the line and brings up the rear.
Gilliam has the lead at the weather mark and has his chute up first. This being a short course, this should be a first for Gilliam. However, the immaturity of the crew is shown when they choke completely, blow two tacks in a row, and are dead in the water as Chris Gorden, gets the first in Gilliam's boat Bolero and Hoyt gets second in my beloved Captain Hooke. UN-BE-LEAVABLE. We struggle to a 5th and feel eliminated already.

Race#2 .We start between two boats and struggle to tack to port as soon as possible. We are in the lead group at the high mark, but understand by a couple of feet, have to jibe around narrowly missing the yellow steel sphere. When we come around after the jibe, Alex is right on top of us in Windswept and we scream for inside at the mark. Alex yells, "You've got it." and we give it the big ease and start down wind, maybe in fourth. We hoist. I see through the fog of my anxiety that jeff is tugging on the spinnaker foot, we have an hour-glass wrap. Finally it's clear and the Hooke chute is pulling for us as we go dead downwind for the low mark. We haven't really lost that much and we might pick up a place or two with a good rounding. But we blow th douse with the pole in the water and a lost spinnaker sheet. We sail to the finish in fourth, edging out Ely at the finish, as usual. Looks bleak for TODSF, with Hoyt once again in first place after the first two races. Geezzz.

Race #3 The Hooke crew and Hoyt take a port tack and we port tack the whole fleet, the first time we have ever managed this, so were off to a good start. Hoyt is around first and has his chute pulling nicely 20 boat lengths ahead, increasing his lead. Brother David and Jeff are having trouble setting the pole and finally, with a big tug, David breaks the wire bridle on the topping lift. Steven hooks up a new bridle and we are finally ready. At this point we are shaking our heads, there are two groups, Hoyt and the rest of the fleet. He is beating us bad! We hang for ride. But the big genoa which helped on the first leg is overpowering Dogstar now, then they tack into the flood too soon and it's over. Kabler, with Chuck Fox at the helm is first Ely is second and we take a happy third.
Race #4 During this race, my boat representative Ruth told me that Chuck Fox was really into it, so much so he was sweating from his eyes. Despite my instructions to the contrary, Ruth took pity on Chuck when she saw him scooping sea water out of the cockpit and drinking it. Ruth gave him a water bottle and he seemed very appreciative. Then he was so pitiful she gave him her own chocolate bar! We win!!!

Race.#5 We are behind by quite a ways but still in the race as we reach right across the bay in front of the golden gate. Everybody sees and then hear the tanker’s horn, blasting repeatedly as it steams in through the golden gate. Ely makes it ahead but we don’t and have to take the tanker’s stern, take down the chute....it’s a mess, Ely wins we loose.

From the top: Answer and Bolero before the start. Just after the start; boats with dodgers lead to weather. Roy's daughter Kaisa came all the way from Boulder to sail the Classic. Head Over Heels "lookin' good". Maid of Kent sporting a masthead rig.

Next page: HOH, Dogstar and Juno as seen from the Bay View Boat Club. Never too cold for a beer. We're a bit fuzzy on the awards ceremony. Night before the morning after.

Contact: Ray Alsup ( pegasus256@yahoo.com or 916-624-1271)

See, also, http://homepages.go.com/homepages/n/t/a/ntamir/DELTAGUIDE.htm

Proposed agenda for the Delta Rendezvous. Open for comments, questions and suggestions.

WHEN. September 21-24, 2000

WHERE. Potato Slough, Bedroom #2 (Chart and guide follow)

FLOAT PLAN. Arrive Thursday (Sept 21) anytime (come early

with your water toys and play or relax if you choose.) September 21 Tides: 1202 am L 0.3; 733 am H 4.4; 1203 pm L 3.0; 611 pm H 5.8 (not good for coming but ok for the return.)

THURSDAY EVENING (sometime after everyone arrives and the crews threaten mutiny if not fed). We'll have a simple pot luck with "easy to pass up and down the boats", Zeus's BBQ Beef Sandwiches (which will be served up by Zeus's happy horse Pegasus.) If you don't like BBQ Beef, bring a hot dog. You and/or your crew should bring something simple to pass and eat that goes with the picnic atmosphere of the Delta. Handy hints: finger food, potato salad, cole slaw, chips. ect. in plastic containers. Handy hint #2: Buy it, don't make it! (you might as well start learning how to cruise the backwaters like a true delta dawdler ;-) The bottom line is your going to be sailing all day so keep it simple.

FRIDAY MORNING. There will be no races, phones or Newspapers today. If your head hurts, quietly slip under water and do a couple of relaxed breast strokes around your boat. In the Delta, we don't do mornings or, we do them veeerrry slowly.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON. If you brought a water toy or book, now is the time to get them out and enjoy some fresh water relaxation (or go sailing if you have not had enough.). If not, thats ok, we don't do afternoons well either (of course, Ray will want to see your latest project and take pictures for NTA's web site ;-)

FRIDAY EVENING. Sail to Sevenmile Slough and Owl Harbor where we'll leave the boats and pile into some transportation and drive to near by Isleton for dinner at the Del Rio Hotel. The Del Rio is a crusty little backwater bar and restaurant that is locally famous for their Chuck Wagon style Prime Rib (shirt and shoe's required ties not necessary ;-) For those who could not find the time to sail to the Delta Rendezvous, you will be able to join the friendly Triton crew for dinner at the Del Rio.

FRIDAY NIGHT. Unless you want to do a night sail or anchor in the middle of the slough, you can spend the night in the slip, walking the dock and telling lies with other Tritoners for $6. If you just want to tie your boat up for dinner and bull for a few hours, the Harbor Master say's its on the house; Enjoy.

SATURDAY. For those who must be at work Monday, I would suggest you give yourself 2 days to return to the Bay. For those looking to extend their Delta Dawdling, Ray and Jo can provide some handy hints.

If the above schedule meets the majority's satisfaction, we'll see you all on the 21st. HAPPY SAILING......

Sailing guide for those new to the Delta: see http://homepages.go.com/homepages/n/t/a/ntamir/DELTAGUIDE.htm