Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC) held the annual Lilac Regatta with sailors from across Ontario attending. As well on Friday the Ontario Sailing Association (OSA) held a training day where athletes from Kingston, Ottawa and Toronto trained in a medium to light breeze.
Saturday morning, we all left the dock in about 12 knots of easterly breeze - perfect for Hamilton Harbour where, if it's anything other than easterly, it's crazy shifty. We sailed out with everyone hiking to the racecourse but then the breeze began to die. By the time the first race started it was down to 10 knots.
The first race was probably my best. I rounded the first windward mark in second place close behind Evert McLaughlin. After rounding, we extended our lead from there and finished 1-2. The next race was in much lighter breeze (about 6-7 knots where it stayed for the rest of the day). The third race was a little trickier where, if you could manage to stay in the puffs and lifts, you did well. I had a tough first beat rounding in fifth but was able to claw my way back to fourth so I was happy with that.
After that race, the conditions got crazier. The wind became very shifty and puffy, making it important to stay on the favoured tack as long as possible. After we sailed four races the race committee wisely decided to keep us out for a fifth because the forecast for the next day was not good. So in one day we sailed five races! Yes, I know - that's unheard of in Hamilton Harbour.
After the last race, the leaders were close, with Robert Davis in first with ten points, me in second with 11 points and Evert McLaughlin just behind with 15 points. Unfortunately that's is how it ended. The forecasts were correct and we were unable to sail on Sunday due to lack of wind.
Despite that, RHYC did a great job of hosting the event. The only thing they need to work on is the price of the sandwiches and dinners!
Kyle Dakin comes from a yacht racing family and is a Laser Full-Rig sailor in District 3. He is the 2009 Canadian Snipe Champion. Kyle's home club is the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto, Ontario.
