The Barefoot Around Alone Race
Sunday, June 4, 2023

We had 22 boats registered for the race - a fantastic turn-out! The forecasted wind was promising. We were looking forward to a fun and exciting race, but just as the race was getting underway, the initial 10-15 knot winds started to fade along with the early morning sunshine. As the winds gradually slowed a light rain began falling and what had been an adrenaline flowing start soon turned into a wet, light air challenge. As the lead boats rounded the halfway mark at the dam, the struggle to find any wind began. Then as the late starters and slower boats approached the dam, wind was all but non-existent.

 

The racers waited, bobbing around like rubber ducks in a bathtub, hoping for enough breeze to get them back to the start/finish line. Unfortunately, no such breeze appeared and one racer after another cranked up the iron jenny and motored back to their home ports. Only two of the 22 registered captains were able to finish the race.

A special congratulations to Davis MacLeod on winning the Barefoot 2023 Around Alone Race. He combined patience and skill to get his Melges 24 across the finish line on a day when the wind gods abandoned us. A second congratulations goes out to Bo Scott who came in second on his Catalina 22. Awards were given to the two intrepid winning sailors at the dirt-up after the race while the rest of us commiserated while enjoying some food and sodas.

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