Spring Pops Early for Racers

Spring doesn’t officially start until March 20 but Mother Nature held a pre-party Saturday, popping the cork on a bottle of 20- to 25-knot northwesterly that sent some boats sideways. A few apparently took the title of St. Francis Yacht Club’s Spring Keel #1 too literally — showing their keels instead of keeping them under their rigs, resulting in a couple trainwrecks and the hungover "putt-putt of shame" back to the dock. Five J/24s, six Knarrs, seven Folkboats, eight Melges 24s, 15 Express 27s and 23 Moore 24s showed up for some tight racing where the largest winning margin for any class was only six points. For full results visit: app1.regatta-manager.com/stfrancisyc/springkeel08/results

After Saturday’s festivities, Mother Nature must have been feeling a little dissolute — despite breeze in the morning on Sunday, the Bay welcomed some sedate SoCal weather for the second day of Spring Keel, the final SYC midwinter, and final RYC Small Boat midwinter of the season. The wind evaporated into vestigial 10-knot-and-under breaths and the sun stuck around making for a balmy, relaxed day on the water. Sausalito had a lively mix of PHRF boats, and Richmond had everything from El Toros to Wabbits on three courses.