Spring (One Design) Diversions

St. Francis Yacht Club hosted the Spring One Design Regatta on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, photographer Chris Ray praised “a fine job by StFYC race committee to get two races in on a very tricky day. Light winds, first from the north, then east, then north again, and finally from the west, made for trying conditions. The runoff from a heavy-rain year keeps an ebb flowing in some places, which in turn makes calling the layline to the windward mark especially challenging.”

J/24 Fleet 17 reported on Saturday’s activities: “The season began with a postponement, a game of Sailor Soccer, and a longer postponement back at the docks. Then the wind filled in for two quick races to kick off 2019. 0.5 knots of wind with 4.5 knots of ebb made it hard to get a race off until pressure built. The fleet ‘river-rafted’ the great San Francisco River almost to the layline.”

Brandon Mercer, crew aboard the J/24 Flight, explains the rules of Sailor Soccer:

“If you could get the ball under another boat’s boom, between the sheet and the vang, you scored. Throw-ins (with two hands, and both feet planted, à la soccer rules) were allowed. Extra credit went to Pablo Arce, who dribbled the ball on the foredeck before kicking it. Eventually someone drew a face and wrote ‘Wilson’ on it, Tom Hanks’ ball companion in Castaway. There were cries of WIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLSOOOOOOOOOON as we punted him between boats. We ended 1-1 before heading to the docks to wait for wind.” In case you’re not familiar with the movie, the lonely castaway’s companion was an anthropomorphized Wilson-brand volleyball.

“The soccer game was pretty funny. Flight scored the first goal. And took home first place once we finally got around to racing.”

James Mercer, Brandon’s son, races on Anthony Jacuzzi’s Rail to Rail. He reported that Sunday featured: “Similar ‘river’ conditions, similar postponements, then a building westerly in the late afternoon.” Find complete results at www.stfyc.com.