Date: March 25 Sunday
Time: 10:00-16:00
Location: directions
Cost: Free
Food: Lunch provided by SEA
Sailing follows for participants

SEA needs YOU to get its ships into shape. Refreshments provided all day on the trawler!
Join us Friday starting at 10:00 and help us get our fleet back into shape for the season.

There is plenty of work to be done to get our fleet ready for the summer season.  If you have not attended a maintenance party before, no experience is necessary and everything you need will be provided.  We simply need some willing helpers :)

Please RSVP below so we can plan our food and refreshments accordingly.

Last Tuesday, Adam (me), Bill, and Joe set out on Shockwave to compete in the fourth race of the SYC Summer Sunset Series.  We encountered warm weather and nice 10-15 mph winds.  We used the 155% jib and moved our cars back towards the stern.  This helped us sail faster and point higher. 

As we rounded the temporary inflatable at Yellow Bluff and headed towards Harding Rock, the fog grew thicker and visibility became limited.  We still were able to locate Harding Rock, jibe around it, and head towards Pt. Knox on a broad reach. 

We finished the race just after sunset and beat out two other boats in our division. We then motored back under a bright moon and the lights of Sausalito.

This year's SEA Flotilla Day, our annual Season Opener, kicked off the season in style. We got lucky with a sunny and warm day in what was a really stormy March! We had boats of all kinds participate, from our small Catalinas, our Santana, as well as our awesome member fleet ranging from Santana 22's all the way up to Michael's 42' Tartan.

Our Catalianas were able to dock unassisted negotiating the fluky, light conditions. Our attempts to negotiate for a fee reduction with the AI Parks folks did not go so well! However, everyone made it in just fine, and quickly moved to the BBQ for grub and cake. Thanks to Frank and Cathy for celebrating their birthdays with us, Leah for brownies and Karen + Wesley for music

The ride back was particularly challenging for our Catalinas, facing light air and a stiff flood on the Tiburon side. They all dialed into the only way out: Short-tacking along Angel Island, where there was some current relief and a lot more breeze.

Shockwave does appear to be high in the sky when looking up at her on drydock. But, Tuesday night's SYC Beer Cans racing will be the true test now that SEA's Santana 525 got a nice bottom cleaning and painting this week at Spaulding Wooden Boat Center in Sausalito.

There is something humbling when you watch a boat get hoisted into the air and it towers above you on the docks. You see the full exposed body of what keeps you floating in the SF Bay Waters. You can admire the shape of its keel and be in awe of how that one "wing" can slice through water and keep you from rolling when you hit 30 knot winds!

The Santana 22 ("Tuna Fleet") Nationals last weekend proved to be exhilirating, to say the least. Seven current and past SEA members were spotted in the full two day race mix, competing with, arguably, the fastest and toughest SF Bay Area Santana 22 racers.

Kathy Stierhoff's Tackful and Leah Pepe's Kelly Shawn clearly put the heat on, and offered a good show. Congrats to them and to crew Scott Askew, Katka Letzing and Barbara McVeigh, as well as to Jennifer McKenna on Tchoupitoulas. Special congrats to Race King Frank Lawler who offered his endless advice and support to all!

Check out the scene on Leah Pepe's Kelly Shawn!

And, more pix here and results

The SEA sailboat fleet includes: