the 2004 Warm Water Regatta Sunday - 1 photos by Ben Ho

Sunday arrived sunny with seasonable temperatures and and east wind that ... ..

... would require the RC to rotate the trapezoid 180° with a start line ... ..

... just west of the club. ..

Today's breeze has a bit more substance to it as ... ..

... the first of four Sunday races is about to get underway. Peter Kozak (red hull) is sailing with his young son, Benjamin, today. ..

Rod Gardner with sons, James and Rory ..

The countdown to Sunday's first race has begun. ..

Alastair (green hull) is in great shape with just seconds to go before the "gun". ..

Mike Codd (CAN 90) is off to a good start as is Alastair (far right), but neither series leader, Mark Taylor (7673) nor his closest pursuer, Hans (to leeward of Mike, and two points behind Mark in the series) has clear air. ..

Mike continues to look good and Hans (938) appears to be pinching out of Mark's backwind, as John de Boer (7351) and Dwight Aplevich (4606) tack to clear their air. ..

A slight starboard knock causes ... ..

... most of the fleet to tack. ..

The first reach with ... ..

... the dam in the background. ..

The first run sees the Taylors number one and about to finally hoist their spinnaker while Alastair (2nd) and Hans (3rd) pursue. ..

By the next mark, Hans had begun to close the gap on the Taylors. Going down the next reach, Hans has closed to within a couple of lengths of the Taylors. But wait just one minute! It is at about this time that Uncle Al remembers that ... ..

... on this trapezoid course, leg 4 was a beat back to mark #2 - see boats on right above. ..

A tad embarrassing, this! And even the saving grace that we (right) realized our error just before the Taylors (left) did, was of little help as ... ..

... the rest of the fleet ... ..

... was miles ahead of us now! ..

"Things could be worse," said Al to Hans. "At least we're ahead of the Taylors." ..

First-place Dwight Aplevich attempts to hold off a spinnakering Mike Codd down the second run. ..

The final reach across, and ... ..

... then, the half beat to the finish, as Dwight (4606) and Mike (far left) ... ..

... continue their close battle. The die is cast as Dwight tacks to approach the finish line on port. Will he be able to clear Mike Codd coming in on starboard?? ..

Yes!!! It's a winner's gun for Dwight and David, while ... ..

... Mike and Kirk grab a solid 2nd. ..

Al Nichols (7380) knocks off John de Boer (7351) for 3rd place. Alastair will end up 5th after also sailing the wrong course for a while, and the Taylors will take 6th - a nice recovery - in front of ... ..

... Peter Kozak (300). A disheartened team of Hans and Al (left) limp home in 8th place.

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