Last weekend saw the third annual running of the Phyllis Kleinman Swiftsure Trophy Regatta, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club. As usual, Fleet One J105s were out in force with 18 boats on the line in anticipation of some close city-front upwind action on a flood-dominated field of play. Conditions were clear, but very breezy with 18kts of building flow from a slightly more southerly direction than typical for late spring on San Francisco Bay.

The first leeward mark of the first race was Blossom Rock, which became a J105 mosh-pit as the center knot of boats arrived simultaneously, screaming for room while trying to manage kite douses in the gusty and building southwesterly flow. David Mace’s Moonshine lost its battle with rudder traction at the mark, rounding up into Bruce Stone’s Arbitrage, causing damage, but thankfully no injuries and ending the day for both boats. The RC organized a second race around the cans and then called it a day as puffs of over 30 kts created more carnage, retirements, an unscheduled trip to Alameda for one boat with douse-difficulties and a dropped rig in the multihull division. Phil Laby’s Godot managed the conditions best, taking a bullet and a 2nd ahead of Blackhawk, Risk, Akula and Mojo.

Sunday started in the same vein as the first day of the regatta, with strong breeze and an established flood. The RC ran the scheduled races as two-lap windward-leewards. Godot’s was unable to hold onto first place, ceding the regatta to a well sailed Blackhawk and resurgent Mojo on 15 points each. Blackhawk, with two wins, took the regatta, followed by Risk in third, Arbitrage, taking advantage of the redress rules, in fourth and Akula in fifth.

The next Fleet One event is the San Francisco Yacht Club Invitational Regatta on June 7/8 – sign up early!