We have several events scheduled this weekend. On the racing front, we have a very important event Saturday, the Diane Paxton Memorial Ladies’ Distance Race will be held. Diane was an integral member of the club who loved sailing. She served on Fleet Council as Membership Secretary and drove club membership with spirited recruitment. Many of you are members today because of Diane’s recruitment efforts. This race is for women skippers only, on any boat, and used to be a race to the dam and back, but we have since changed the format to an out and back distance race on the main lake. Ladies, you can have male crew if you want, but only women can helm and call the shots. Sunfish ladies, this is a great time to get out the boats and practice your skills sailing down to the buoy and back. This will be a Portsmouth handicap race, so any boat is welcome. 

Concurrently with the Diane Paxton Memorial Ladies’ Distance Race, we will be holding the September Invitational Regatta. All boats are welcome to race the buoy course, with a single start and Portsmouth Handicap. Racing begins with skipper’s meeting at 10:00 on A-dock, and racing at 11:00 on the water. Race Committee will probably have a separate start for the Ladies’ Distance Race. 

Following the day’s racing, there will be the September Full Moon Raft Up in Heron Cove, just out from the Marina. This will be the last official raft up for the year. First boat on station around 6:00 should drop anchor, and then everyone else can raft up to them.

Weather this weekend looks very nice, with clear skies and warm temperatures in the mid-80’s, nice and dry after the wet end of Labor Day weekend. Winds for Saturday are looking better, moving to the SW direction through the day, and light at 4-6 knots. Sunday’s winds forecast is not so good, shifting from S to NW through the day, and very light to non-existent. Sunday definitely looks like “teaser wind” so it might be a good day to get out your kayaks and stand up paddle boards. 

Commodore Brian