SEAS Cup

 The most recent day race was great fun.  The race began with a light air drift up the back side of Douglas to Pt. Hilda.  At the half way point the wind  filled but remained fickle. Lorax a trimaran,  was first to turn followed by Shoeless with Haiku close behind. Loa’a Nalu found a few lucky tacks and was able to catch the leaders on the quick return to Marmion.But as most would predict, getting around Marmion to the finish line proved daunting and Shoreless, Loa’a Nalu and Lorax all scratched late in the evening. “10 hours of great sailing yet 300 yards short”   Haiku, with a masterful display of light air sailing, drifted across the finish line minutes before the 9:00 PM curfew.

If Sunday is a harbinger of things to come, 2011 may be the best SEAS year ever.

While the boats motored to Marmion Island for the start of the 2011 racing season, the sun was shining, the wind was blowing northerly, and the crews were getting warmed up.  As they approached Marmion the wind lightened and shifted to southerly, as per usual, but the fleet could see the white caps in Stephen's Passage, just waiting to be sailed.

What an amazing week for sailing in Juneau.  It all started with the great 2011 SEAS Kick-off Party where approximately 50 people came to barbeque to talk about sailing.  Commodore Jim Mahan welcomed all the new sailors and rewelcomed all of the skippers and old members. 

It was a beautiful day and many new sailors signed up for crewing, and the older sailor's got reaquainted.

Saturday

May 29, 2010 dawned sunny and windy, perfect weather for the annual SEAS Cup Memorial Day Taku Harbor races.  Nine boats lined up for the starting gun in the 15 knots of breeze, and thanks to the committee boat, F/V Mohap, the 10:20 start was fair and clean.  Haiku and Lyric got the best start, and had a great taking duel the entire way up the channel.  Despite a poor start, Freebird, caught the other two boats, and took over the lead never to relenquish it to Lyric and Haiku.  The wind stayed strong for the first few boats, but began to moderate later in the evening.