it? The day was shaping up to be Suite No. 6 in D major. The Race Committee decided to go with a buoy format, and racing began in 15 to 20 knots. Just as the four big boats of Class 1 crossed the start line in tight formation, Dark Star’s main began to drop due to a broken block. They sent a man to the top of the rig in the bosun's chair to retrieve the halyard and replaced the broken block with a snatch block. They rehoist the main, and in all, lost almost no time. The wind built over this first race.


Glen Klute's Melges 24 “Trophy Wife” take first in Class 5. Photograph by Jan Anderson.


a light southeasterly to easterly, shifty and fickle—this was Suite No. 4 in E-flat major. The Race Committee did a great job with what they were dealt. Marks had to be moved and there were postponements and some delays, but all in all, one couldn’t be disappointed. There were up to four buoy races, and there was no rain and some sunshine. Afterwards, it was back to Corinthian Yacht Club for the post-race socializing. Yachts with the lowest Saturday score were: Class 1, Flash, four bullets. Class 2, Tachyon, three bullets and a third. Class 3,


Uno, with two bullets and a fourth. Class 4, Dos, two bullets and a second. Class 5, South Lake Union Trolley, with one bullet, a third, and a fourth. Class 6 had three boats tied for the low score of 4 points: More Uff Da, Moore-on, and Sputnik. Sunday arrived and along with it,


the third and roughest weather event. By now, the extratropical cyclone had been dancing to the cello suite in the east Pacific for a number of days and the low had deepened to a forecast 961 mb for 2 pm Sunday. For days, sailors had been anticipating 30 knots. Would we get


In Class 2, John Hoag's ID35, “Shrek” sailing hard. Photograph by Jan Anderson.


Three boats did not finish. By the start of the second race, the wind was 20-25 knots, and eight boats decided not to come. Of those that did, five did not finish, including the Rocket 22, who lost their rig when they slammed into a steep wave going 16 knots. By the start of the third race, it was blowing 30 knots, gusting to 40. Thirty one boats retired for the day, leaving only 16 boats to compete in the eighth and final race of the regatta. One crew member on the Grand


Prix race course this year was long-time Seattle sailor, Sheila McKee, who is thoroughly enjoying a recent resurgence in the racing world. Years ago, Sheila and her then-husband Bates owned and raced one of the first boats built by Bill Buchan, Sr. (the first he built for sale) which they named Vivace for Sheila's love of music. Years went by and Sheila retired from sailing to develop her career of teaching sailing as a means to raising her four young children. She put together classes in dinghies and keel boats, leasing boats and persuading owners of larger boats to use their yachts for teaching and in return, they would have the opportunity to look over crew prospects. While enjoying her career and watching all four of her children grow up into sailors of distinction, she did miss cruising and racing. For Grand Prix, Sheila crewed with


Phil Johnson on Tiga, an acquaintance who years ago competed in the same class as Sheila and Bates. Friday and Saturday they had additional crew, but Sunday, for the heavy air, they were on their own. Sheila was at the helm. “I knew it was going to blow,” Sheila told me, still emanating the excitement of that day. “We didn't finish— I'll tell you that right now! We reefed the main and used a small jib. At the leeward mark, we got an override on the jib sheet. Phil


48° NORTH, DECEMBER 2010 PAGE 46


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