This was our second year bringing the U35 SCR (Storm Castle Rock) crew to the Commodores Cup at Kelowna Yacht Club, and after a 5th-place finish last year, we came back hungry for a podium.

It started rocky — literally. Before Race 1, we noticed our motor mount had split. We taped it and hoped for the best, but mid-race, while leading, we heard a splash and watched our motor drop into the water. Crew member Jacob L hauled it back aboard with one arm, while our competitors on Squirrely watched in disbelief. Minutes later we ran aground near the windward mark, broke free, and still snuck a photo-finish 2nd place.

Between races, gracious members of KYC built us a new motor mount on the spot. When our old Mercury gave one last puff of smoke and died, we scrambled — luckily, I'd just bought a Santana named Razzle Dazzle with a spare motor aboard. Twenty pulls later, it roaredto life.

Race 4 was the one that mattered. We had a clean start with minimal boats around us, then on a port tack upwind we came within six inches of Squirrely's bow — the whole crew was screaming at me not to go above, and somehow it worked.

A bad rounding at the windward mark dropped us to 5th, but a lucky wind shift lifted us past two boats while others got headed sailing away from the mark. With our spinnaker still catching air in the dying breeze with over 50 boat lengths behind, we crawled past Fossil Squared and then Always Something — undefeated all weekend — to take the gun. Word came over the radio: no more races today. That first-place finish locked in 2nd overall, by a single point.

We also took home the Regattatude award for best sailing vibes on the water. Huge thanks to my crew — Emily A, Finn LP, Jacob A, and Jacob L — for a wild, unforgettable regatta and our best finish yet. I'm already looking forward to getting back out there on Razzle Dazzle.

Tyler Roos

Sailing School Director of NOSA