This year CC5 was set to return to Port Alberni as a 2-day event. After much communication with the port authority and a site visit it was determined the launching dock on Centennial Pier was removed which nixed this location for this event. An attempt was made to secure another location just to the south of the pier, but we were unable to obtain permission to use that site. We then looked at a possible venue in Comox just outside the Blackfin pub, however the tides were not in our favour and a lack of sail-able water also nixed this location.
We then chose Long Lake as the venue for CC5. It has traditionally been one of the Coastal Cup series venues since the series was started, but limited dock space at the Loudon Park fishing dock dictates that no more than 12 sailors are able to sail in one fleet. There is also a cost associated with reserving the dock for the day. Despite these organizational challenges, we had a successful regatta with 11 of 13 sailors attending.
The morning started out with very light shifty winds from many directions. Racing got underway just after 10:30AM when the light breeze settled in from the SE. We got in 8 races before lunch at 12:30. Scoring was setup differently this time. One skipper per race was tasked as the RO, calling the start line and recording finishers along with the first-place finisher calling the line. Each skipper took a turn at this until all 11 had done their duty. Tom Murphy was then seconded as score keeper for the remainder of the races. The wind picked up after lunch and was in the mid to upper A-rig range by the time we finished at 3PM with 16 races in the bag. As skippers were packing up the A-fleet scoring was completed and the coveted etched beer glass prizes were handed out by Don Martin. Congrats to first place finisher, Steve Kinsey who came over a day early and sailed with us on Friday to garner some local knowledge, which obviously paid off. A glass was awarded to Stan Schofield for all his work and effort running the regattas at Long Lake, as well as Tom Murphy for helping record the scores.
One of our visitors, Tim Matheson who picked up Martin Herbert designed and built Dart 7, took some photos from the dock and the water, which can be seen here.
-=Your Coastal Cup Committee=-