Home	All Islander Rendezvous & Fun Race September 17-19, 2010

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)

Lots of fog out on the Main Bay hampered St. Francis Yacht Club's historic Big Boat Series, but the sun shone in the South Bay and Alameda for the 4th All Islander Rendezvous. Broken stratus even provided some dramatic backgrounds for pictures.

17 boats were represented by Friday evening, 13 by boat and 4 more by car. David Chiodo with his Freeport 36 Finally arrived on Thursday, then early birds Mischief & Zenith slipped over from their Marina Village slips Friday morning. Then Snowflower and Mas Tiempo tucked in on the east dock before Vanishing Animal took the west corner at noon. Others filtered in during the afternoon, with Luna Sea coming in from a day of sailing later.

By the end of the weekend we had 18 boats show up, plus 13 by car, and our 7 Sharing Information for a total of 38 boats represented. Only 4 boats who said they were coming didn't make it.

We had 6 different kinds of Islanders represented: I-28, I-29, I-30, I-36, Freeport 36, and I-40, plus, from past Islander owner Tim & Rhonda Shea, a Jenneau 45, and, you could double count Captain Zen (GD French) who had just sold his I-29 and bought a catamaran.

Here's the full list of who was planning to attend - it's updated with those that actually made it. Brown cells are boats or people that intended to come but didn't make it, or came a different way.

Afternoon arrivals demonstrated the now almost standard Islander skill of rafting up Med Mooring style in parallel, with sterns to the dock. The technique is to bring your bow around to the bow of the boat you are going to raft alongside, pass the bow line across, then hand a long stern line across to pull the stern around. With willing hands, it all went off with not a raised voice or a scratch anywhere.

Friday afternoon saw the usual dockside visits, a few nibbles and beverages too. Captn Zen (GD French) arrived with a transformed Zen - from an Islander 29 into a catamaran - still flying his I-36 burgee, and rafted up with Tacoma Blue and Finally. All agreed they were the winning Friday party raft - complete with Dave's twin friends Drea & Sue Sweetman, a big cockpit and plates of shrimp. Nicely done. Of course, if Luna Sea and her crew of six had arrived in time to join that raft, the party might never have ended!

Good eats awaited at Oakland Yacht Club, and the crowd migrated down the waterfront to OYC around 1800. Elaine Mendes, Food & Beverage Manager for OYC had a great spread of cheese and crackers to go with ample libations from the bar. A full and friendly crowd of OYC members made it all one giant party. We were welcomed by OYC Commodore Len Cardoza -- a past Islander owner no less! Our Vice Commodore, Robert Aston, returned the favor and expressed our continuing appreciation for the support of the Oakland Yacht Club.

It was a warm and quiet Friday night as the fleet turned in.

Saturday morning dawned damp with periods of sun & drizzle.

But slowly, the day improved. More Islanders arrived and got tied up. Califia, Island Girl, & Paradesia all arrived safe and sound. there were projects to do, boats to visit and questions to ask and get answered.

It must have been the luck of The Irish Rogue, or something, but as Fun Race time approached, there were patches of blue. By the time the Skippers Meeting was held on the dock - and finding berths for everyone who wanted to sail - there was serious sunshine around!

We had four great boats competing. Past Commodore, and fleet 3rd/4th place competitor Harry Farrell with Pacific High stepped up to represent the racing fleet. New I-36s The Irish Rogue and Califia joined the party. And, all the way from Stockton, Dave Cowell brought Mas Tiempo, an I-30, to compete.

Everyone who wanted to crew got aboard a boat. That included Brian Arthurs (I-36 Cheetah) from the Canadian Rendezvous, and I-28 owners from Santa Cruz Tom & Janet Fenker (Et Ux) aboard Pacific High, David Chiodo (F-36 Finally) on Mas Tiempo, Michael Daley (I-36 Laughing Matter) aboard Califia, and John Melton (I-36 Freedom Won) and Fred Kamp (I-28 Surprise) aboard The Irish Rogue.

With the sun breaking out, dedicated Islanders on the end of the dock to start the race, and Robert Aston and Captain Zen taking pictures, it was time to get under way. Pat Salvo was our one-and-only Race Committee. Maybe that's why there were innuendos, snide remarks, accusations, and even down right charges that Pat stole one whole minute from the starting sequence. None-the-less, in the spirit of the Fun Race, protest flags were only flown at the bar and the race got under way at 1510 (or maybe 1509.).

Mas Tiempo was headed in the right direction and poured on the steam. She sailed off with a great puff of wind and lead the fleet down the course. Pacific High was about a minute behind, then Califia, and The Irish Rogue.

It turned in to two separate races - Pacific High was chasing down Mas Tiempo, and Califia and The Irish Rogue had their own match race. Pacific High finally caught Mas Tiempo just before the weather mark and sailed off down wind. The Irish Rogue rounded just behind Califia and slowly ground them down, sitting on their wind whenever they could.

We shortened the course to once around to keep the finish from being after 1700 (cutting into celebration time!), and Harry finished first, but Mas Tiempo saved her time and corrected into first place, 24 seconds ahead of Pacific High. In a wonderful duel, The Irish Rogue slowly passed Califia before the leeward mark, then covered and held on to take third place.

Many thanks to Pat Salvo for being Race Committee, and to Charles Hodgkins for being the Mark Boat and ferry for photographer Rick around the course. Everyone was happy to raft up again and tell stories of why they woulda -shoulda-coulda won! The crews were probably even more excited than the skippers!

But it was time to adjourn to the great new upper deck bar at Encinal - the stern of a fine power boat. Nibbles abounded, including Rick Vulliet's vodka marinated artichokes and a whole raft of cheeses, crackers and dips. The crowd also enjoyed watching I-36 Master Chefs Corky Stewart, John Melton and Brian Arthurs perfectly flip burgers and chicken on the big BBQ down below.

By 1830 it was time to serve and the gang trooped downstairs to the Regatta Room for dinner. Sandy had scattered fall leaves across the tables, replete with a bottle of red and white wine on each table, the poster board of all those arriving by car and sharing their information, and Pandora's great collection of all of the Canadian and Bay Area All Islander logos.


Commodore Michele Williams welcomed all to our event, then let Rick reveal the winners of the Fun Race. The traditional All Islander cake finished off the meal, and it was time to call it a night.

The forecasted Sunday rain held off, and two dozen Islanders enjoyed breakfast at Oakland YC before heading home. A few got lightly washed by showers, but many got home all dry.

To all those who came, thanks for coming - it was a blast. To all those who wished they had come - maybe next year.

Pictures, so far, by Robert Aston, Captain Zen, Betsy Fowler & Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Come & Get It!	Lots of tags ...	Info sheets ...	and packages.	No big deal.
Heading for Encinal	Sierra Point astern.	Hunters Point ahead ...	Candlestick Park abeam	Nice crane
Lots of big stuff ...	up close.	Hawaii bound ...	city fog ...	Fully loaded
Bow on	Submarine? no, tug & barge	Another one ...	here too & ...	looong.
This one ...	is useful.	Getting lighter ...	block light ...	AT&T Park (S.F. Giants)
New bridge	Lots of containers ...	packed tight.	Low & listing?	I like this!
First in ...	Mas Tiempo	Snowflower	Zenith	Not vanished ...
right here!	Tacoma Blue & Finally	Hi VC Robert ...	and PC Art.	Nice shirt!
Barbara & Noble	The new Zen	Fun crew	Takae & Chie	Here comes ...
Luna Sea ...	lines across ...	almost there ...	how many people ...	to tie up?!
Made it.	All secure.	Here's Brigid ...	backing in.	Happy hour ...
here too ...	Karen's ready ...	Signs galore ...	match the transom	next ...
Pretty picture	Party time ...	Dave, Drea, Sue & Dave	Party raft!	Chie & Captn Zen
Good reflections	Headed for dinner	time to go ...	The fleet is ...	tucked in.
Friday evening at Encinal	Relased ...	happy ...	all smiles ...	you blinked!
more smiles.	Ready for us	Robert, Art, Betsy, Nancy & Skipper	Kathryn too	Rich, Takae, Chie, C. Zen Noble, Barbara & Kathryn
The Luna Sea crew	Heading home.	Eric & Fred	Paradesia ...	owner Rick
Lined up	Flags fly	Nice bows	Crutches Gary	Brian clicks
Quiet morning	Renee & Ben Vanderheiden	Race protection	Pacific High	Mas Tiempo
The Irish Rogue	Califia	Overhead camera?	Where's the race?	Califia's hot
Mas Tiempo	Pacific High	Where's the wind?	Circling ...	timing ...
They're off!	And flying	Getting serious	Harry too ...	then Gary.
Away they go.	Concentration	M.T. is chased by ...	Harry	Weather mark approach
Heading downwind	Ready about ...	here we come ...	rounding ...	easing off.
Next around is ...	the Irish rogues ...	so there!	Wing & wing ...	smile ...
Michael's hard at work.	Meanwhile ...	the chase is on.	Picture time ...	smile.
Dave & Dave	Hapopy P.H. crew ...	working hard.	Harry leads	The Battle
P.H. beats to finish	ditto Mas Tiempo	Close astern	Concentration.	Pacific High finish
Mas Tiempo finish	Gary covers ...	finishes 3rd	Califia finish.	Mark boat man ...
Charles Hodgkins.	John's happy	Fred too	Hi Mary	Island Girl ...
Hi Frank ...	looks good ...	backing in ...	crowd awaits ...	almost there.
The fleet is in!	Good eats	Karen & Barbara	Rick & Karen	going fast
Race Tales	Relaxed	Richard, Gina & Nanci	Master Chefs	Master eaters!
Table 1	Table 2	Table 3	Table 4	Table 5
Team Serenity	The Cake!	Land Yachts	Pandora's Logos	Kathryn's present to Rick & Sandy
Mostly gone Sunday

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