Fleet 21 Celebrates 2011 Champion

Record heat struck Oceanside on May Day. Overhead, intense blue sky and uninterrupted sunshine, on the water, searing race action. The polite action that built point-scores over the past 6 months gave way to fierce competition for the real estate between Toxic Haste, manned by Race Committee Gil Gordon and Hugh Mast, and the number 3 buoy at the pin-end of the line in Oceanside Harbor's Outer Basin. With 8.5 knots of steady pressure swinging back and forth from 245* to 305*, the boats were ideally powered for a challenging race day.

Slippery When Wet with Diana and Steve Rhodes opened with one Ace, chased closely by Dan Avina and Shelly in OXO. Danny struck from one point behind Series leaders, Sue Dijkman and Christina Kendrick (Lazlo) and pulled ever so slightly into the overall lead,

Gary Hall and Jim Lackey showed new-found speed in Hulakai, copping the bullet in race 2. Their consistency earned the Third Place Trophy for the day.

Further back in the mix, Roger Shaw's blazing run of Firsts was stifled. Shaw, with Stevy Mast crewing in Don”t Mess With Kitty were relegated to 5th for the day, squashing their assault from the 4 point deficit they had earned earlier in the season.

Last season's Fleet Champion, Larry Rowe and P C Van Slyke struggled in the newly re-rigged Red Tide, swapping blows with It Ain't Pink, handled by Bryan and Teresa Fulgham. Then in race 3 Avina displayed the pomposity of velocity that earned First Place in Oceanside Yacht Club's 2010 Thirsty Thursday Series, claiming a needed win.



Race 4 saw a massive lunge at the Starting Line with enough OCS points to lower the National Debt. The restart featured OXO continuing a prominence of dominance with a victory. Danny punctuated the score-sheet grammar with a Victory Lap in race 5, to claim the right to the Series Title, the Scarlet Letter, and the coveted Van Slyke Perpetual Trophy for the next year.

Back in Oceaside Yacht Club's Regatta Room, Fleet Captain Stevy Mast handed the Fleet keys to the newly elected Danny Avina, who will hold the post of Fleet Captain. Holly Davis (Irish Car Bomb) will assume the care of the Fleet 21 Treasury with it's vast holdings and Larry Rowe (Swift River) was chosen to continue performing the Measurer's duties.

Fleet 21 will participate in OYC's 12 race Thirsty Thursday Series through the Summer Season before beginning the most rigorous competition in North San Diego County this next fall.

Congratulations Capt. Danny.
Race Results