Coyote Point YC Ends Saturday Series With Commodore’s Cup

The Coyote Point Yacht Club’s (CPYC) Saturday racing series drew to its grand finale with the Commodore’s Cup, and the Bay delivered a day worthy of its name. Clear skies, sun glittering on the chop, and a gentle forecast that promised light winds over roughly eight-and-a-half miles. The course began with a rabbit start at the marina to C, then to Z, then SF1, A and 8, and then home.

Seven boats flew the CPYC colors: Lorelei, Paradigm, Sirius, Surprise!, Svea, Sweet Grapes, and Ventus. Four commodores graced the waters: current commodore Stephen Swanson and past commodore Mark Green aboard Sweet Grapes; past commodore Mark Neumann helming Lorelei; and past commodore Yvette Yong on Paradigm. A fine turnout of leadership, salt and tradition.

Ventus took on rabbit duties. Svea crossed first, with Sweet Grapes snapping at her stern. Paradigm and Sirius set their sights eastward on the run to Mark C. Sweet Grapes tacked early, while Ventus stood on, biding her time for a later tack, and it paid handsomely. Ventus, then Sweet Grapes, rounded C, with Paradigm in third.

Positions held at Z. Ventus and Paradigm wasted no time tacking west toward SF1. Sweet Grapes hunted for advantage in the channel, hoping the ebb might give her a lift, but the sea was not in the mood for charity. She tacked and joined the westward march.

Ventus, then Paradigm, rounded SF1. Sweet Grapes held third, but the distance stretched ahead once more. For the run to 8, the wind built into the mid-teens, and the fleet split. Some boats went wing-on-wing, while some opted for spinnakers. Paradigm, Sweet Grapes, Lorelei, and Svea set kites. Paradigm reached far west, both to dodge the ebb and to find proper footing for her asymmetrical, which had little taste for a dead-downwind chase.

Sweet Grapes wrestled briefly with her spinnaker, jib wing-on-wing while the chute was coaxed to life, but once it was flying she drew ahead of Sirius. Paradigm jibed and raced back toward 8, nipping in just behind Ventus.

At mark 8 it was Paradigm, Ventus, and Sweet Grapes in procession. But even in the quiet wind, courage and canvas favored Ventus, who edged past Paradigm in the final run to finish across the line.

Then the numbers told a new story.

The corrected time results had Paradigm in first, followed by Svea and then Surprise!.

And with that, the 2025 Saturday Series was written into the logbook. The overall champion is Surprise!, followed by Svea and then Sweet Grapes. Bravo to every skipper, crew, and volunteer who joined the chase this year. A fine season, a fine finale, and the Commodore’s Cup sails into club history with sunshine, sportsmanship, and stories well worth the telling.