The Vashon Challenge 2014 was spent once again in sunshine. However, the wind was a bit more fickle this year with finish times (as a fleet) very similar to 2013, except we called the race short at Point Robinson this year. Last year 2013 we went all the way around to Browns Point.

We seem to have had a clinic on how to get to Colvos by the brain trust aboard Demi Moore. The general accepted rule in Dalco Passage is to head for Ruston and work the beach all the way to Point Defiance, cross Colvos quickly and get to the west side beach in Colvos (red house) and find the North bound river. Everyone did but one. The boys on Demi Moore after starting went right, to the Vashon side in Dalco, knocked that beach and when we saw them near Olalla the 24 foot long Moore 24, Demi Moore, was in a tacking dual with the 43 foot long J-133 Constellation. Impressive.

Line honors went to Constellation as they screamed across the finish line on a very tight (slight broach) spinnaker reach. (Ron, the bottom looked pretty clean.) Next across, Something Special had us crunching numbers to see if they corrected on Constellation, they too went screaming across the finish line but came up 3 minutes short of first.

Merry Maker, looking smart, crossed third but 3 minutes and 6 seconds latter came Demi Moore and a corrected first place in fleet by onethousandsixhundredfortysix seconds or over 27 minutes. Girl Friend got close to the barn in Des Moines and radioed in their withdrawal, Thank You. Girl Friend found most of the perils of Dalco Passage and never recovered.

Next in, traveling fast was Flim-Flam followed by Special Purpose. Special Purpose had a severe spinnaker wrap/macrame project about her headstay and a one-third raised headsail (for additional sail area, and it couldn't go up any higher with all the nylon about) all flapping, but the main looked well trimmed. For all the efforts Special Purpose received a first in the Single-Hand PHRF class.

Then came the T-Birds Snowbird and Fjord both showing Red Birds on their mainsails signifying that the skippers are fleet champions. No slouches. Snowbird crossed 3 minutes and 9 seconds ahead of Fjord. Fjord had an OCS infraction and it took them about 3 minutes and 9 seconds to clear and re-start. There only real problem was being in the same division as Demi Moore. 5 boats and you get your own class start.Close racing and a great show and I hope for 2015 the Bird flock grows.

Windseekers had three contestants, Mystic was horned on cross (HOC-1) in Colvos by Sound Spirit our top mark boat. Congratulations! Sans Peur graciously radioed in her withdrawal has she was having a tough time in the light/no wind of Dalco. Shadowfax cell-phoned in at 19:08 that she had finished at 19:05 catching the race committee completely off guard. Shadowfax stated that she started off Browns Point at 11:00 and went around the Island and finished at 19:05. It is important to sail by the Committee boat prior to starting and hail your numbers. We do sail by the RRS and the start line is between the orange flag on the RC boat and the orange pin. And the finish is between the pin and the orange flag on the RC boat. I commend the effort and do not want the enthusiasm dashed but Shadowfax has been scored a DNS and I hope to see you at our next race Saturday August 23rd.

Thanks to the RC members, Tom, Vaneva and Don. Great to work with you and a job well done!

Thanks to all that participated and I hope you will all be back,

Billy

Billy Carter

Race Chair CYCT

206-240-7886 cell