I had one of the best vacations of my life last week....I crew on an Islander 30 for a friend, he asked me if I would be interested in sailing down the delta to SF Bay to watch the AC 45's, my wife was welcome too.
So we did! We spent the nights at various yacht clubs and sailed the bay during the day. We took turns at the helm so the others could watch the racing...It was so cool! You really don't get an idea of just how fast those things are by watching the videos shot from chase boats or helicopters...They really fly by, kinda like the cars in a Nascar Race..
I didn't mind taking the helm during the races, it was great just watching the other boats out there...Like Larry Ellison's 123 foot sailing yacht and the Potomac, FDR's Presidential yacht crusing by so close we could almost reach over and touch them...besides, the TV commentators were being broadcast on VHF 20, so you could hear what was happening even when we couldn't see. We did see clearly the collision between Russell Couts and the committee boat though....ouch!
We ended the week at the Encinal Yacht Club at the all Islander's gathering, then all too soon it was time to head back up the delta for home...I can't wait to see the 72's on the bay next year!!!
So we did! We spent the nights at various yacht clubs and sailed the bay during the day. We took turns at the helm so the others could watch the racing...It was so cool! You really don't get an idea of just how fast those things are by watching the videos shot from chase boats or helicopters...They really fly by, kinda like the cars in a Nascar Race..
I didn't mind taking the helm during the races, it was great just watching the other boats out there...Like Larry Ellison's 123 foot sailing yacht and the Potomac, FDR's Presidential yacht crusing by so close we could almost reach over and touch them...besides, the TV commentators were being broadcast on VHF 20, so you could hear what was happening even when we couldn't see. We did see clearly the collision between Russell Couts and the committee boat though....ouch!
We ended the week at the Encinal Yacht Club at the all Islander's gathering, then all too soon it was time to head back up the delta for home...I can't wait to see the 72's on the bay next year!!!
