It’s April and the countdown to the start of the 2024 Newport to Ensenada Race is rapidly approaching. The N2E is a racing, as well as a spectator event…with boats of all sizes from up and down the coast jockeying for position at the start…truly something to see.

If you’re not racing, join us on our Race Committee boat and view the boats as we help check them in. You can help on one of the NOSA Start Line boats.

Want to enjoy Mexico but not sail or drive south of the border? This is your official heads-up that Taco Tuesday starts on May 14. There is fun racing for 15 Tuesday evenings in a row, plus the nightly party and raffle when everyone is back at the club. What does Staff Commodore Rhonda Tolar and her team have in store for us this year? By the way, in 2008 (our first Taco Tuesday), we had 45 boats registered. In 2023, we had 56 boats registered. The series keeps growing!

Another reminder to get your California Boaters Card, your “license” to operate a power boat. In addition to being a law, it’s also about safety. The material you study and the test you take focus on boat handling and the rules of the road. Did you know that vessels approaching each other head-on are always supposed to pass each other port to port — or left to left, just like on the road.

We use Excel to score the boats as they finish racing. This process enables us to have the race completely scored before we arrive back at the dock. The “scorer” is an official member of the Race Committee and is on board Corinthian Spirit for every race. If you are an experienced Excel user and would like to become part of the Race Committee on-the-water team, let me know.

Sail Fleet, Paul deCapua