Thanks to Sam Hopper & Piper Easton for this report:
Team Saltine has had an incredible year of growth and success. From competing at the J/24 World Championship to receiving the Kelly Holmes Moon Grant, our journey has been filled with highlights. We traveled to Miami, ⅗ of our team in the PNW Offshore, Swiftsure International Yacht Race and Van Isle 360, and even acquired a second J/24 that we’re currently restoring with big plans in the works. We coached two youth teams in preparation for the Sears Cup and hosted the Area L Sears Qualifiers. On top of it all, our trimmer, Piper Easton, stepped up to become the new Fleet 27 Captain—and to cap off the year, we proudly hosted the District 19 Championship!
Fleet 27 has seen a major resurgence. Once a thriving and active fleet, it had dwindled over the years. But recently, we’ve experienced exciting growth and renewed momentum. We race every Thursday night on the Columbia River with 13+ boats on the line. So when our District 19 Governor reached out to ask if we’d like to host the Championship, we eagerly accepted. It was the perfect opportunity to celebrate our Fleet’s progress, welcome new sailors and encourage more teams to travel and participate in major events.
The regatta was a great success. We had nine boats—all from Portland—compete in nine exciting races across a range of wind conditions. The Columbia River served as a beautiful and dynamic race venue. Portland Yacht Club generously hosted the event and provided incredible support throughout the weekend. For context, Island Sailing Club currently owns eight J/24s in Portland, which members can use to learn, train, race and even travel. Most of the privately owned boats are kept at McCuddy’s Marina. Having PYC as the host allowed teams from ISC and McCuddy’s boats to mix and connect in ways we don’t always get to during weekly racing.
