Tanzer 16 PNW Invitational--Pretty much a bust

Tanzer 16 PNW Invitational--Pretty much a bust  (but still we had a good time) -- August 16, 2016  Doggone there just wasn't any wind!  We sailed north for two hours and they called the race. One catamaran and four Buccaneer 18's managed to finish.  The rest of us just couldn't complete the 2.5 miles.  We had a great lunch.  Eric (T-16 1304) and I (T-16 1306) traded great Tanzer stories and looked over each others' boats.  The Buccaneers were all from out of town, and they read the wind better than we did.

The race back was worse.  I told my crew, Dan, "Well, either we will look pretty smart or very foolish because we are quitting first." At that point the race hadn't even started. It was the right call.  The little 2 hp Honda got us back to the dock in about 35 minutes.  The wind came up just as we turned into the marina--Still a good time.  Hope some more Tanzers show up next year.

Would you come down if there was a t-shirt?  Hats?  Free beer?

Yup, that's how much wind there was after we sailed 1.5 miles of a two and
a half mile race.

Gull Harbor, the lunch spot, is one of the most scenic little coves in Sourthern
Puget Sound.

Tanzer 16 PNW Invitational - what to expect

Tanzer 16 PNW Invitational* - what to expect -- June 4, 2016  -- Okay, Jim, suppose I am willing to put my boat on a trailer and come down to the southern most point in Puget Sound for this race on Sunday, August 14.  What would it look like?

Here are some pictures from last year, which, I am told is pretty typical.

Not so much wind in Budd Inlet in the middle of a summer day.  Usually a fair turn-out for boats.  If we have enough boats, we might even get our own start.

Then it is kind of a leisurely race out to Gull Harbor a distance of 2.5 miles.  No need to hurry.  There is only one winner, the first to finish, and that is going to be a catamaran or a 505 depending on the wind.

Then sail into Gull Harbor for lunch.  It's very protected.

After lunch the wind usually fills in either from the West or North (not always of course) and it can be a bit blustery.  Just right for the Tanzers.  This is a handicapped race so we will want to start with everyone else.  Worst case scenario--you get a nice sail for 2 1/2 miles.  Should be plenty of light to load the trailer and head home.

*If you have a boat, you're invited.