Delta Dinghy Ditch Saturday August 9th

[Photoboy]

Lake Washington Sailing Club's 10th annual Dinghy Delta Ditch regatta. For those of you who've never done the DDD, it's one of the most unique dinghy races in Northern California and well worth the effort. Ask around from those who have done it before. It's a reverse handicap 30 mile race from Rio Vista to Sacramento up the deep water shipping channel. It promises a long downwind run on a flood current pushing the boats up-river to the LWSC clubhouse. Warm water keeps the wetsuit at home and cool delta breezes keep the temperatures in check on this unique race.


Eligibility

The regatta is open to all sailing dinghies approximately 19 feet and under in length. Skippers are strongly urged to pre-register

Being a couple weeks away it means it's time to actually signup for the regatta. The wind patterns this summer in the delta have been very encouraging and there's good reason to hope that this year will be a good one. Plus, for all the places you sail that don't have a lot of water this year, the delta isn't one of them.

I have done the event six times over the years. Twice with my laser and four times with my 505, and this year with my recently acquired Thistle. It is a blast! Definite sailing bucket list worthy.


The guys that run the event have it dialed, with shuttles to get you to from the finish and launch facilities, efficient race committee, and tons of on the water support boats. All of which makes for a great low stress to fun ratio event!

Ryan Nelson
Thistle 3347

Website

Registration

EXTRA CURRICULAR VIEWING:

[IOR Geezer]

With some south in the breeze, you might make it the whole way without gybing.

Curious to how much ski boat traffic is in that section of river.

[Nick Salvador]

With some south in the breeze, you might make it the whole way without gybing.

Curious to how much ski boat traffic is in that section of river.

I did it two or three yrs ago. No ski traffic at all. You wouldn't want to share the deep water channel with a ship though, its really narrow. Prevailing wind is west. No gybes until about .5 miles from the finish, then you do one to make the turn and a second to finish. DO NOT look at the race chart and channel markers to see where you are...its demoralizing. I actually dozed off and flipped the Finn. My friend wacked a log and sunk. So, be careful along the right edge.