This improptu PY event was organized by the esteemed PY P-14/15 fleet captain
Harry Gordon, assisted by Estela co-conspirator Jon Hunolt (accompanied today
by very attractive crew, I might add....). The original plan was to find the
ships associated with the Marine exercises in the Estuary (Jon and Harry are
both Navy vets, I think) but the closer we got to the Bay the better the wind
was. Once out of the Estuary, the wind picked up nicely and I had the Tilly
Lucy moving along on a beam reach faster than she has ever gone under power. A
couple times I was grateful that she doesn't have the popular cockpit rails
since I had to put my big a** up there to keep her on her feet. Great sailing,
Good fun!
Yerba Buena Island (the island that joins the two sections of the SF Bay
Bridge) was reached at about the right time to turn around and head back and
being in the lee of the island gave us a moment to relax . The downwind leg
was pleasant and still surprisingly quick. Jerry disappeared into the
distance, of course, but Harry and I were close enough together that we could
chat much of the time. Don't let anyone tell you that those lateen rigs are
slow.....
Once back at the ramp we spotted (John) Paul Jones and Keisha II who had
gotten a later start and was amusing himself in the Estuary.
All in all , a great day sailing, a great way to kick off Spring!
Dave Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA