Red, White and Bronze!

Kate and Jeremy enjoying the sunshine.

Chuck demonstrates being "ship-faced."

The Equalizer just after launch.
Daniel likes going fast as dad steers with his knees.

Daniel prepares to receive the coveted vinyl sticker.

Cap'n John prepares to add to the duck collection on the boom.

With wind out of the NW and the starting line set more or less due east-west, Full Moon crew Michael “Hot Dog” Medina, Chuck “Ship-Faced” Weldy, Kate “Nicknamer” Austin, Jeremy “Justified” Jones, Daniel “Coke Abuse” Mengedoht, and skipper John “The Enabler” Mengedoht opted to try a port tack start at the heavily favored west (Committee Boat) end of the line. Unfortunately, a number of other boats had the same idea, with predictable carnage as the mass of port tackers met the line of starboard tack boats with right of way. Full Moon somehow managed to emerge unscathed and near the front of the fleet, though not exactly according to plan...

The J30 Slingshot powered out ahead of Full Moon, as did a white Thunderbird, but Full Moon did very well on the next tack to the west, nailing the approach to the Aurora buoy and passing several boats including the white T-bird and always-speedy Selchie. With a quick launch of the mighty Equalizer spinnaker, Full Moon took off on a hot reach southward, putting substantial distance on boats behind and reeling in Slingshot before rounding the AGC buoy. Heading back north to complete the first lap, Full Moon was up to sixth place, just behind relative giant Bolero and a dark blue Olson 25.

Some well-timed tacks approaching the Freeway buoy saw both Bolero and the Olson drop behind and suddenly Full Moon was fourth and not far behind the J-27 Summer Babe in third. A crowded rounding of the Aurora buoy caused Summer Babe to lose ground and Full Moon managed to round inside and into third!

The Equalizer did its thing on another smoking reach to the AGC buoy, which was another crowded rounding as the lead second start boats started passing some first starters as well as lapping some slow third start boats. Full Moon got by first-starters Penelope (C&C 99) and a heavily loaded Heart Attack (J-80) on the long upwind leg back to the Freeway buoy, then threaded through tight traffic at the buoy before launching the Equalizer one last time for the reach to the finish. Summer Babe and Slingshot were not too far behind but couldn’t catch Full Moon as she scored the Bronze Duck for an astounding third place finish, our first duck in second start in a long long time. Huzzah!!!