Delta Ditch Run 2022--Richmond to Stockton

[Mike Josselyn]

Checking in to see if any other U20s are planning on doing the Delta Ditch Run on June 11th.  We used to have a number of U20s racing but participation has declined over the past several years to just one boat.  The 67 mile downwind race from Richmond CA to Stockton CA is a great event for U20s as it is 90% downwind with many opportunities for fast planing runs.  Looking for some excitement and a long distance race...this will be your best opportunity--none other that I know of in the country.  Great party afterwards.

If interested, I can explain the logistics, launching, and transportation issues.

https://stocktonsc.org/on-the-water/regatta/ddr/

[Donna Womble]

Peabody is planning to race again this year, and we're already familiar with logistics. Looking forward to finishing this race - we dismasted at high speed in 2015.

[Mike Josselyn]

How did it go this year.  Heard it was a windy day so must have been fast.

[U20 Site Moderator]

Jeff just sent me a video of Donna and team hauling the mail!

https://youtu.be/gBsGWcmK4YQ

[Mark Allen]

Looks awesome Donna! corrected time says 7.5 hours for 65 miles, that would be about an average of 8.7 knots. That's a lot of smiles.

[Donna Womble]

Ditch run was a lot of fun. Unfortunately we noticed the headstay was uncomfortably loose.

See it here: https://flic.kr/p/2nrNNDt

So then, we (naively) raced Peabody the following weekend in a double-handed buoy race in Monterey. It was forecast 12, gusts to 18. Ended up being 18 gusting to 30 knots. A massive puff came down from the sky, and capsized us while going upwind.
Keel was fully airborne, mast hovered just above the water

We got the boat back upright in short order. Unfortunately the mast step has failed, compression post is bent, and longitudinal stringer was fractured.

Boat is at Elkhorn Composites, mast is at Ballengers. Craig and Buz are now my best buddies, they assure me it will be ready in time for High Sierra Regatta.

I have lots of pictures of damage and ongoing repairs, and I am most definitely supporting our North Americans sponsor!!!

[U20 Site Moderator]

Wow! Sorry to hear this Donna. Looking forward to seeing the pics. You certainly live in the right part of the world to get a U20 repaired!