Delta Doo Dah Kickoff

The ever-evolving Delta Doo Dah kicked off on Saturday night at Richmond Yacht Club. The cruising rally to where it’s warm — inland — has always enjoyed strong support from marinas along the way, but this year the event has teamed up with RYC and Stockton Sailing Club in particular to facilitate the voyage to Northern California’s backyard cruising ground.

The Kickoff Party combined with RYC’s Delta Cruising Seminar, offered by Delta vets Craig and Ann Perez for the sixth year. The fun and informative seminar makes liberal use of props and audience input.

A contingent from Stockton Sailing Club joined the group, and SSC’s Tom Lueck spoke about June’s Delta Ditch Run from RYC to SSC. The race, now in its 25th year, welcomes cruisers in their own division and gives them a motoring allowance and a head start to help them cover the 67-mile course. Those who sign up for both the Ditch Run and the Doo Dah will be doing the ‘Doo Dah Ditch Run‘. The trek to Stockton will be followed by a party Saturday night and more activities on Sunday.

Latitude 38 was on hand to raffle off prizes generously donated by Doo Dah sponsors, including Owl Harbor, Martinez Marina, Rosa’s at Tower Park, the Isleton Cajun & Blues Festival, Delta Kayak Adventures, and OPB-YC. Mike Scheck of Scanmar gave away the grand prize, an AnchorRescue.

Since this is our seventh Doo Dah, we went with a Lucky 7, Vegas theme — what happens in the Delta stays in the Delta — and surprised the party-goers with the first draw from a pack of custom-made playing cards in a summer-long poker run.

For more info on the Delta Doo Dah and to enter (it’s free!) see www.deltadoodah.com.