May 13-14, 2006

The Race, sponsored by Whidbey Island Naval Sailing Association, Clifton View Homes, Oak Harbor Yacht Club, Sail Northwest and Northwest Marine Productions, has existed since 1981. It begins just outside of Deception Pass at the north end of Whidbey Island, sailed south through Admiralty Inlet to Possession Point, then north up Saratoga Passage to end 65 nautical miles later in Oak Harbor. It is preceded on Friday night by a BBQ for the participants, with 19 boats registered this year, 100 sailors and supporters enjoyed dinner at Cornet Bay. The skipper's meeting follows to explain the sailing instructions for this race and the rules of the road for the Traffic Separation Zone in Admiralty Inlet, physical separation from US Navy vessels and the Washington State Ferries. By the time you are done with this event you are well acquainted with the rules required to sail day or night in the Puget Sound area.

Using the PHRF handicap system allows newer, longer, faster boats to sail with older, shorter, slower boats in parity. A faster boat must give so many seconds per mile of racing to a slower boat in the same race. The amount of time (handicap) has been awarded based on different performance features of the boats and adjusted locally by how they perform against other boats in the region. With 19 boats racing the fleet was divided into two classes by the greatest difference in handicap between boats so that the fast boats raced the fast boats and the slower boats raced the slower boats with first overall going to the best corrected time for the course.

The race starts much like the Oklahoma Land Rush with the entire fleet crossing the start line at the same time. This year that was done in very light air conditions, a near flat calm. A few of the boats chose to go near the beach and were rewarded by the first thermal breezes of the day. In some cases they moved from the back of the fleet to pass ten boats or more by Partridge Point.

The normal afternoon westerlies filled in as the fleet entered Admiralty Inlet and spinnakers were launched for a fast colorful ride to Possession Point with most boats reaching 10 MPH or more (fast on a sailboat) most of the way. At Possession Point the North West wind crossing Whidbey Island becomes a turbulent mess with many windless holes waiting to trap in dead air the unwary. This happened to about a third of the fleet with some boats stalled for more than an hour. When you escaped the Possession Point problem the race became a tacking dual up Saratoga Passage with wind coming and going through out the night. Starting at 9:00 AM at Deception Pass the first boat to cross the finish line was GRINS, skipper, Dave French of Oak Harbor Yacht Club finished the course in 13 hours 50 minutes 58 seconds. The last boat to cross the line was Melusine, skipper, Jim McAlpine at 27 hours 06 minutes 45 seconds. After the handicaps were considered the fourth boat to cross the line at 14 hours 16 minutes 15 seconds, Shenanigans, skipper, Joe Flowers would take first place in Class "A" and first overall for the race. The class "B" winner would be Nightwind, skipper, Tane Hendricks, Milltown Yacht Club. Round Whidbey is not an easy race to win but it is a great race to participate in. My thanks to the volunteers that make up the Race Committee, BBQ helpers, photographers, dock line handlers and sponsors who enable this race to take place. For more complete results and pictures click on the links above.

Rod Hubbard, WINSA representative and race organizer.

Race Committee: Pat McKinnon (PRO), Arvid Mostad(Start RC Boat), Rod Hubbard (Race Coordinator), Mary Hubbard (BBQ), Jim McAlpine (Finish RC Boat), Marilee McAlpine (Finish RC), Eric Geyer (BBQ), Wendy Geyer (BBQ), Joan Gerteis (Photography & Start RC), Jan McKinney (Start RC), Sharon Burkett (Start RC & Photography), Mike Schott (trophies), Oak Harbor Yacht Club (Award Ceremony facility).