Racing Sheet

BY DOUG HANSEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN ANDERSON

With COVID-19 social distancing mandates in place, some yacht clubs are stepping up to the challenge by providing short-handed sailing options for racers to get out on the water and compete. They are offering a mixture of double-handed and short-handed crew race options as alternatives to a full-blown keel boat racing calendar. Everything from weekend distance racing to weeknight double-handing is proving that, with the appropriate precautions, racing is far from dead in the Pacific Northwest. One of these events was the Around Whidbey Island Race, hosted by Oak Harbor Yacht Club. Normally a fully crewed race, the entries were limited to five crew per boat for a fantastic race around the island. The start was set up just to the west of the notably treacherous Deception Pass and the fleet sailed counterclockwise around the length of Whidbey Island to a finish line set up at

the Oak Harbor marina entrance. The enthusiastic fleet got underway just after 10 am in typical Northwest summer fashion; with light air but no shortage of smiles throughout the fleets. With only eleven entries, it was inspiring to see such a range of boats and racers represented in the fleet. Racers, cruisers, and even a spectacular “Aero” rotating, rigged cruising sloop came out for a day on the water. A mix of close friends and families taking to the water with a common goal is at the fundamental core of yachting, and seeing this kind of camaraderie and teamwork in these days of absolute uncertainty is nothing short of inspiring. The day wrapped up with most of the fleet finishing the 65-mile course in the early hours of the morning after many long hours of low side hiking. Shannon Buys onboard Vertigo took home the corrected time win for the day after sixteen

hours of racing, while Thomas and Sandy Buss crossed the line first onboard Hula Girl after racing for a little over fifteen hours. A bit closer to home, the Seattle Women at the Helm Regatta (SWATH), hosted by the Sloop Tavern Yacht Club, hit the water. Requiring five crew maximum with a female skipper, it was the first of its kind but not the last. Thirty-one boats registered, and there were many familiar faces. The breeze was steadily in the low teens and this, combined with the illusive Seattle sunshine, felt like old times in what ended up being one of the best days of racing in recent memory. The fleets were competing under PHRF handicap, and it felt as close to a normal weekend regatta as we have had in quite a while. The fleet got underway and knocked out three races throughout the day while keeping everyone safe and masked up. Plus, every crew member’s contact info was recorded for contact tracing, in case the

Sloop Tavern needed to track down specific sailors after the event. Christina Wolfe, onboard the J/111 Raku, took home the overall corrected time win, followed by Regan Edwards and Elishia Van Luven filling out the balance of the podium. All in all, this event served as a reminder that it is possible to get back on the water this summer and stay safe. While the future is still uncertain, especially when it comes to the larger sailing events, what we have seen in the last few months since the pandemic started is the unending amount of ingenuity and creativity that members of the sailing community bring forth to solve problems. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what comes together next!