St Tropez isn’t the best race for Altair. Altair is best in strong winds and the race is cancelled when the winds are strong because the smaller boats in the regatta are endangered. We won the regatta a few times but not as many times as we should have.
The most memorable race was at St. Tropez on a lay day. The regatta runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Thursday is a day off, or a Lay Day. Traditionally boats challenge each other for a ‘gentlemen’s race’ from St. Tropez to Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach that honors the original race. We’ve been challenged and won many times but none grater than this.
The seas were so rough on this day that judge boats wouldn’t go out to sea. We were challenged by Mariquita, a professionally run (24/7/365) sloop. We radioed them and said that we will be out on the course for the start and if you have the courage, meet us.
They met us.
Great race and we beat them on the water, a rare feat.
Traditionally, the owner of Club 55 provides a luncheon for the yachtsmen after the race. At lunch, he announced that Altair would be the victor of this race for all time and that the trophy would be retired.
Voila!