Article and Photos courtesy of Sailingshot.ca
Well if our weekend at the RBR OSCGP taught us anything it’s that it maybe time to brush up on those long expired lifeguarding skills…
Saturday started off much like all weekend events, no wind, sailors AP’d and everyone and their grandmother looking through binoculars for even the faintest of ripples along the water. (Look! I swear that tree branch totally just moved!!) Just when the fear starts to creep in that we may have to jam everything into a one day window the wind picked up to a whopping 3knts. (Hey, we’ll take what we can get right?) All fleets got a race off within the usual time limit, well, almost every fleets. The Hobie wave fleet found itself parked 100m from the windward mark…emphasis on parked. They were finished on course and seeing as the wind has subsequently flipped 180 and gusts refused to gain more than 2knts, lets just say its a sad sight to watch a bunch of Hobies try and out drift each other as a form of competition.
But no matter, if sailors are known for anything, it’s that, when sailing is out drinks are in. The festivities began as the I-14’s initiated Deathstar into their fleet. Quick aside, please, please! someone in the I-14 fleet name their boat the Rebel Alliance! Continuing on, drinks were had, stories exchanged and our photographer…our company group message was ever so entertaining that night if you know what we mean.
Sunday proved Saturday to be the calm before the storm, and what a storm it was. Our camera’s were less than thrilled by the driving rain and they’ve been sure to express their dissatisfaction into this week. (101 ways to dry a camera, come on youtube!) Low light and raindrops the size of blueberries had our photographer frantically adjusting and readjusting settings while simultaneously attempting to ensure plastic covering remained in place, and well, the camera and photographer on board.
A few brave sailors ventured out of harbour, several quickly returning to the safety of shore. The more adventurous few attempted to take on the elements with Booby Too breaking their boom at the gooseneck and Beach Slam cleaving their daggerboard after jumping off a wave chasing I-14 division winners Something Rude. Faced with less than stellar shooting conditions and a few wayward boats media got off of rescue in order to preserve equipment and not impede anyone further.
Overall, OSCGP 2016 proved to remind us why we love to come back, as well as why we really ought to get those life guarding re-certs done.
Big thanks to RBR, and The Chandlery, Sailingshot.ca, and the Nepean Sailing Club for their continued support.
Full Results, Sailingshot.ca photos, markset photos.