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Team Boracic Dominate the First Annual Golden Gate Yacht Club Open 5.70 West Coast Invitational Regatta
by Barry Demak
USA 189, aka “Boracic,” skippered by Michael Gough, dominated the nine-boat strong Open 5.70 fleet with 5 bullets and a throw-out fourth. Gough was supported by strong crew in his son Tyler and Open Sailing’s Nik “it’s cold here” Vale. The event is the second of its format on the fleet’s 2011 spring/summer racing calendar. The “intimate” gathering of the fast-growing fleet allows for great fun and camaraderie on - and off - the water.
The fleet returned to their home waters after supporting big turnouts at Long Beach Race Week (biggest fleet with 21 boats) and High Sierra Regatta at Huntington Lake (11 boats). The racing format, courses and SIs are tailored to the fleet’s desires, and the focused nature of the event makes for a truly civil day of small boat racing. We can leave the dock at a reasonable hour, get three to four races in per day and be back at the dock before 4:30 to enjoy a beverage and appetizers at the club! The Golden Gate Yacht Club upped the ante by hosting an incredible dinner for the fleet on Saturday night, which was inclusive in the registration fee.
Saturday’s weather made for a tricky, patchy race course area between GGYC’s “X” buoy to Blossom Rock. Average wind speeds were light for the venue, averaging around 8-10 knots but, big shifts and persistent gusting above 20 necessitated frequent gear-changing upwind and on-plane, off-plane downwind sailing. Are we on layline - or not? Tack on the shift? (and at least one “autotack”!) Head to shore for relief? Stay out for breeze? Decisions, decisions...
Sunday provided a more normal build of the breeze from about 8-10 knots at the start of Race 4 to a steady 15-18 and 20+ gusts by Race 6. Still, wind gradients made for some upwind passing lanes and getting to - and staying in - clear air was rewarded.
Husband/wife team and class newcomers Stephen Woodward and Emma Yates made quite the debut with a strong second place finish in the standings, taking over Marc Finot’s “Frolic” (USA 208) for the weekend. Finot raced with the couple on Saturday but threw them the keys on Sunday while he played photographer on the RC boats.
Joe Wells’ “The Rooster” (USA 298) bested Tom Baffico’s “The Maker” (USA 288) for Third overall. Joe was supported by crew Arne Vandenbroucke and Bruce Ladd. Baffico was kind enough to give up his throw-out by missing the start of Race 1.
The Open 5.70 Fleet sincerely thanks the GGYC and those directly responsible for making this event happen for us, including Chief Instigator Kevin Moon, Principal Race Officer Rich Lauman, Race Director Gary Salvo, Rear Commodore Dave Santori, Secretary Leslie Ann Iacopi, Director Ellen Hoke, and all of the other volunteers who did such a great job hosting us.
Thank you GGYC for a weekend of great racing, strong race committee work, super on-the-water support and dinner overlooking San Francisco Bay. A thank you is also owed to the St. Francis Yacht Club and dockmaster Diego Gomez, who provided the fleet use of their crane and guest docks, making it easy for us to get our boats in and out of the water.
The fleet reconvenes with several boats from LA joining this coming weekend, August 27 and 28th for their West Coast Championship, held in conjunction with the Sarcoma Cup ay Berkeley Yacht Club!
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