Big Dinghy, Little Crash

Following last weekend’s Big Dinghy Regatta, hosted by Richmond Yacht Club, Laser sailor Emilio Castelli posted this video on YouTube.

“Leaky Lena survived another adventure,” he wrote. “She’s over 30 but still sturdy.” Like Emilio himself. You might also title this video, “When old red centerboard boats collide.” (The Laser’s hull is also red, which you can’t see from this angle.)

A Thistle sailor called the weekend one of the nicest in 30 years of racing on Southampton Shoal. The fleet found no breeze at the docks and plenty of current, then a building breeze with whitecaps but also wind holes outside the harbor. The last race of the day was just plain windy. For the pursuit race around Brooks Island on Sunday, it was blowing hard, and several boats capsized. Find results from Big Dinghy on RYC’s website, and also in Racing Sheet in the upcoming May issue of Latitude 38.

Next up on the Laser Grand Prix series, and the schedule of many other types of trailerable boats, will be Folsom Lake YC’s Camellia Cup on April 27-28.