2022-23 Perry Cup Final

After the December and January editions of the Perry Cup series were canceled due to forecasts of rain and high winds, the February finale was jeopardized by a similar but slightly milder prediction.

The RC seized on the trend and announced that racing would happen. Three boats-- two from the Bay Area and one local-- responded.

 A promising northerly greeted the racers as they left the harbor; it died on cue at the scheduled start time. For the next hour, zephyrs from every direction teased the mark set boats: as soon as a pin and weather mark were set, the breeze died and filled in weakly from a different direction. Finally the marks were left where they were, and a sequence was begun on the assumption that the wind might occasionally come from the right direction for a "normal" race. The first attempt disproved that assumption, as the three competitors started on a broad-ish reach and finished on a close reach: Dave West and Chris Krueger won, with Randy Smith and Alex Verdoia second and Bradley Schoch and Scott Brubaker third. The wind held-- kind of-- for the next contest, so the marks were flipped. A reasonably square line turned into a heavy pin-favored one shortly before the start; West jumped on it and won handily.

Finally the real breeze came in with gusto out of the south. At about this time the AT & T golf was called off due to the wind; the Mercs stayed out and had a fine double-sausage race. Bradley and Scott won their first race ever, with Smith second and West third. That race made all the difference in the series, as it allowed West to throw out his worst score (9) and win the Perry Cup for the first time.

Thanks go to the RC-- Dick Clark, Chip Wood and Art Sutton-- and mark setters-- Richard Beach, Mike Fiala and Patti McAleer.

Thanks also to Mike for his amazing photos!