Saturday, May 9, 2015

Oregon Offshore Preview

J/42 sailing Oregon Offshore (Astoria, Oregon)- Every May, the Corinthian Yacht Club of Portland sponsors the Oregon Offshore Yacht Race from Astoria, OR to Victoria, BC. The event has been a classic "feeder" race, taking enthusiastic offshore sailors from the friendly confines of Portland, Oregon up to the Seattle/ Victoria, BC region for some excellent sailing in the summers-- e.g. Vic-Maui, Seattle NOOD, Swiftsure Race and so forth.

The conditions in the Northwest at this time of year can range from tempestuous to downright placid and billiard table flat.  The Oregon Offshore can be challenging, especially the long stretch from the start to the first turn at Cape Flattery.  The race goes 193 nm race, starting off Astoria, Oregon at the mouth of the famous Columbia River (famous for it’s massive waves that come up over the sandbar just off Cape Disappointment), then head north up around Cape Flattery (the NW tip of the spectacular Olympic Peninsula), then head down ESE through the notorious Straits of Juan de Fuca to the finish line at Victoria, BC, Canada.

The top J’s entered have either been class winners or overall winners at some point in the last ten years or so.  Those boats include the J/122 ANAM CARA sailed by Tom Kelly and crew from Portland, Oregon.  They will be up against their friends on the J/46 RIVA sailed by CYC's own Scott Campbell from Portland.  Finally, Tom Keffer has again entered his J/42 VELOCITY and she hails from Hood River, OR, and is a long-time Oregon Offshore veteran.  With the fleet starting on Thursday afternoon, May 7th, you can track the fleet’s progress here.   For more Oregon Offshore sailing information