2023 HPYC Sunfish Independence Day Regatta

Surfing a Sunfish in heavy air is a blast, but often you're too busy just trying to stay upright to fully enjoy it. Surfing in lighter conditions, on the other hand, can be sublime. You pop your outhaul as you round the weather mark, sight the next mark, ease the sail, raise the daggerboard, heel to windward if broad-reaching or deeper, steal a glance at the fleet and your masthead fly, and make a call about which side of the leg will offer a better lane. Then, it's about the waves. Up a bit in the troughs, then down on the faces. With each one comes a bit of acceleration. You feel it in your haunches, your bones; you feel it in your soul.

Last Saturday we kicked off our 2023 summer season with our second annual Independence Day Regatta. After a short delay to let the breeze fill a bit, seven of us managed four races on modified Olympic courses, in subtly shifting four-to-eight-knot southerlies. In addition to several of our usual suspects, we welcomed Alexandra Anderson, Bob Sheehan, and Ben Brea. Elizabeth Smith and Ben volunteered generously and performed impeccably - thank you! - as our race committee (and Jack Campo graciously let Ben use his boat for the final race). The starts on the short line were... interesting, but then HPYC Sunfish starts always are.

Thanks to Jack Campo, results are posted at the yacht club. Please join us next Saturday morning as we kick off our July series (July 8, 15, and August 5, with a two-weekend break for the WLYC Regional on July 22-23 and the Hyannis YC Regatta on July 29-30). If you don't have your own boat, members can reserve one here. Hope to see you!