On Simpatico, our Master Mariner's Regatta weekend started with a practice on Friday May 26, the day before the race. At 1:30 p.m., while jibing around Blossom Rock, our main boom exploded. Even as it was happening, it was apparent there would be no possibilty of repairing it. A ready made replacement was also out of the question as Master Mariner rules call for no new materials.

We got back to the dock in Point Richmond at 2:30. We sat down for our annual crew dinner in the library of the Corinthian at 8:30. In the intervening six hours, our crew (with no professional help) built a brand new wooden boom from scratch.

Crew members scrambled everywhere; home for hand tools, to the lumber yard for two 16 foot pieces of clear Douglas Fir, to various chandlereys to amass enough sail track, epoxy and stainless steel fastners to do what needed to be done. Back at he dock, everyone had a tool in their hands. As hardware came off the old, shattered boom, it was immediately put onto the evolving one.

The thirteen men and women of our crew have always been tight but the esprit de corps generated by Friday's accomplishment really pumped us up for the following day's race. We got a great start, aggressively raced the course, dealt with the usual snafus, and took the gun at the finish.

Craig Swayne on Black Witch and Gene Buck on Ouessant also trophied as they had the year before. All three of these old woodies will be on view at the Boat Show.

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