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race report
Captain Midnight and Aprhodesia
Aphrodesia, a Cal 27, and Captain Midnight, a Columbia Challenger, on the run up the San Joaquin River. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Franks Tract Regatta

August 10, 2011

We know about race rivalries like the St. Francis and San Francisco Yacht Club, but one little known yacht club race battle is up in the Delta out on the San Joaquin River with river rival clubs duking it out for a coveted trophy with a tractor on top.

Franks Tract Tractor Trophy
A change of pace from the 'Auld Mug', it's the Franks Tract tractor. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The Stockton Sailing Club and Andreas Cove Yacht Club have been fighting it out in the annual Franks Tract Regatta since 1981, and although other clubs have claimed the prize they have been the most upset to lose or elated to win. The race began its life as a loop around Bradford Island through False River, which borders Franks Tract to the north. The course had its twists and turns. Legend has it that an old tractor was submerged when Franks Tract flooded, and lies in wait somewhere for a hapless competitor to hit it.

Chart
The racing area. ©2011 MacEnc Inc.

Etchells and Express
The Etchells and the Express 27 stuck to each other like glue. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Captain Midnight
One of two Challengers visiting from Stockton Sailing Club. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Nina, Paragon and Elli
The Newport 28 Elli, the Catalina 27 Nina, and race organizer John Gilfillan's beautifully restored Thunderbird Paragon. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Nowadays the event consists of three races over one weekend on the San Joaquin River, with the overall winner taking home the tractor trophy. Although ACYC won it in the first year in 1981 and in a few other early years, the Stockton Sailing Club has been beating them soundly lately. This year they signed up new member Peter Yates and his Wylie 34 Coyote to be the ringer in an attempt to bring home the tractor.

Coyote
From Bethel Island, the 34-ft Wylie Coyote. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

It didn't work, as Coyote and crew couldn't keep up with Andy Goodman on the Express 27 Loose Cannon, and overall winner Bill Canepa on the SSC Columbia Challenger Faith corrected out over everyone. Peter left saying something about weeds on the prop and how damn fast those little boats were.

Bill and his knot meter
Bill was all smiles showing his max speed. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Two races were sailed on Saturday. With good breeze in the morning, race organizer John Gilfillan assigned a long course. Unfortunately, the breeze died and the race stretched out for three hours. The second race on Saturday was a quickie, with the Delta breeze back on track.

post-mortem at the club
Post-race post-mortem at the Andreas Cove clubhouse on Saturday night. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Andreas Cove Yacht Club
Andreas Cove YC at sunset with the two Challengers rafted up in the foreground. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

On Sunday, John kept the course to 8.5 nm so that the Stockton Sailing Club contingent could make it back upriver before suppertime. ACYC is located at Owl Harbor, on Sevenmile Slough, two and half hours down the river from Stockton.

Race Committee on the levee
Hot duty for the race committee, Commodore Patty Maisch and Stan and Roxie Jones, on the levee. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

For more, see www.andreascoveyc.org.

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