Twilight Beer Can Racing in Marina Del Rey

The Harbor 20's now have a fleet start in this venue. I think the fleet has a future. We had four boats out there tonight. The builder was racing in one, so the rest of us assumed from the start we were racing for 2nd Place.

My son got a great start on the windward and starboard end of the line and the MIR started on the leeward end. Out story, which is what we're sticking to, is that there was more wind on the leeward side. The MIR was soon out of camera range. All the way up the weather leg, we led in the race for 2nd: close tacking, lee-bowing and threading our way through a competitive Laser fleet. At the end of the narrow channel, I mis-called for a tack because I was unaware of a crucial limiting mark, and the home team became the 3rd Place team. They stretched out their lead several boat links but we stayed as close as we could, rounding the weather mark in four foot seas and reaching back into the harbor. Winging-on-winging we gradually ate up Sparky's lead until we were overlapping. That's the way we remained until the finish: inches apart, but in 3rd place.

This was an incredible pre-Father's Day gift for him to invite me down for the race. Well-worth the drive!