TexasNOOD0924
Even the best, most dedicated race committees can’t make the wind blow, nor could the fervent wishes of the crews of the 124 boats entered in the 2004 Sailing World Texas NOOD regatta. Faint breezes welcomed the fleet at the 11 a.m. rendezvous and the AP was hoisted on both circles. Shortly after 1 p.m. both circles saw the wind build to 5 knots as a cloud formation passed overhead, and mark boats were sent to weather. As the A circle mark boat reached what would have been the weather mark, the breeze dropped back down and after a brief wait, the A circle RC sent their racers back to the dock with the promise that, if the wind came up, they’d head back out. On the B circle, two classes got starts, but before they reached their first weather mark, the wind shifted and died, and the B circle RC sent their fleet back to the dock as well. Local weather experts blamed the remnants of Hurricane Ivannow a tropical storm that made landfall east of Houston early Friday morningfor the lack of wind, explaining that the storm had sucked all the energy away from Galveston Bay. At 2:45, the RC blew off racing for the day, a decision welcomed by almost all involved. Racing in the Texas NOOD will continue (or begin, actually) on Saturday.
