As sailors, we have these expectations of how the wind and waves should interact in a variety of wind ranges. At this year’s VISA the expected normal interactions rarely if ever occurred. As a sailor you were better off forgetting normalcy and just sailing. VISA has a reputation for high winds and gusty conditions, this fall, it was calm. That coupled with boat traffic that was taking advantage of the perfect fall weather made for roll of the dice conditions. The Race committee worked very hard to keep the course square in the persistently shifting wind, if 2 gusting to 4 can be classified as wind. That said, it took keen intuition and boat handling to make it around the course without an emotional melt down. The wonderful thing about this regatta is that every boat took their knocks and had their moments of inspiration. At the end of the day Saturday we were all baffled and exhilarated. On Sunday the wind firmed up just a touch; the fall revelers slept in and kept their boats at home. A sense of order returned, but with the wind taking brief breaks at inopportune times. What got us all through the regatta was the incredible hospitality shown to us by the members at VISA. They worked tirelessly in the kitchen, there were beverages on ice and I’ve never been to a regatta where I was constantly asked if I needed anything. It was truly a pleasure and an amazing regatta.
| Skipper | Boat# | R 1 | R 2 | R 3 | R 4 | R 5 | Final | Place |
| Covington | 11134 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 4 |
| Heffernan | 8705 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 6 |
| Forman | 10888 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 5 |
| Heine | 11388 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 2 |
| Driver | 11384 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| Thorn | 10978 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 7 |
| Johnson | 11336 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 3 |
| Leonard | 11 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 8 |
Serenity and The Surreal
At moments it was beautifully quiet on the water. But at the start of the first race this faux paddle-wheeler lumbered through the line, and then returned later in the afternoon. It was so strange and such a bad fake that you had to laugh.
