2025 FBYC ILCA Summer Regatta
The Summer ILCA Regatta at Fishing Bay Yacht Club delivered exactly what mid-summer river racing so often does: light air, close boats, and races decided by pressure bands and timing rather than pure speed. Seven ILCAs made it to the line just west of Stove Point on the Piankatank River, with a soft 5-8 knots filling from the southwest. The big question of the day was whether the sea breeze would hold long enough to keep things sailable.
Race 1 got off cleaning and wrapped up quickly, finishing in about 25 minutes. I had a solid start at the boat end while most of the fleet lined up farther down the line. Heading left on the first beat paid off, and I rounded the weather mark in first with Rob close behind. He found better pressure downwind to the north and managed to slip past me on the run. We split again on the final upwind, and Rob edged me out by a bout a boat length at the finish. With the breeze sitting in the 5-6 knot range, it was light but still workable.
In race 2, the race committee shortened the line slightly but kept the same course. I arrived at the start a bit too quickly and in traffic, so I ended up bailing out and wrapping behind the fleet to start on port. I quickly got back onto starboard, setting up as the right-most boat. That decision paid off immediately – the pressure on the right was noticeably stronger, and I was able to stretch away upwind. I was on the lay line without having to tack while the rest of the fleet coming from the left had to tack to fetch it. I had a clear lead at the top mark with Rob behind me the rest of the way to the finish.
With the scores tied going into Race 3, the pressure was on. I went all-in at the pin, but arrive a little too early and was OCS. After being called back, I rounded the pin and got to work grinding upwind, hunting for puffs. A few lifts brought me back into contention, and I wasn’t far behind Mike Moore at the top mark. I followed him downwind and briefly thought I might reel him in, but he found a solid puff and extended again. On the second upwind I couldn’t quite match the pace and Rob slipped past me. I finished in third, putting me second overall, one point behind Rob, with Mike M just one point behind me.
Race 4 was pure start-line chaos. A big left shift hit just before the gun, and Mike Moore pinned Rob and Ron at the pin, leaving them unable to tack out. The rest of the fleet escaped to the right with good pressure, including Mike Colbert, John Gilmour and Holly. I was a bit late off the line while trying to protect clear air and initially found myself being Mike C. Eventually Mike Moore crossed and forced me to tack, but I worked back to the right in to a nice lane of pressure. I stayed ahead of Rob, got around John and slowly reeled in both Mikes upwind. Downwind, though, I couldn’t quite close the gap and Mike and Mike finished ahead.
Mike Moore sailed a strong final race to win the regatta by a couple points ahead of Rob and me – congrats Mike. Thanks to David Clark and crew for running races today.
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