2023 AYC Two Bridge Fiasco Race
by J/Boats 3 Sep 2023 17:16 BST
Patrick Hylant and 12-year-old daughter Greer sailing their J/122E MOXIE © Will Keyworth Photography
In the first weekend of August, the Annapolis Yacht Club held their wildly popular Two Bridge Fiasco for a fleet of fifty-five passionate doublehanded sailors.
Inspired by friends out west that have popularized the 300+ boat Three Bridge Fiasco on San Francisco Bay, the event was created by AYC during Covid so sailors could get in some sailing once the Maryland Government (ironically based in Annapolis as the capital of the state) had lifted the restriction on recreational boating. To sail the event safely, it was organized as a single or doublehanded event. With inauspicious beginnings, three years later it's now wicked popular and has a wide variety of different crafts competing... pretty much if it floats and has a sail, you'll get assigned a handicap rating and off you go... liferafts with squaresails are welcome!
The basic layout of the course is quite simple. One mark is set up in the Severn River at the Naval Academy Bridge and the other mark is set up just west of the center spans of the Bay Bridge just outside of the river on Chesapeake Bay. The starting line is just inside the mouth of the Severn River.
Pursuit-style PHRF racing has the slowest-rated boats start first and fastest last.
Based on the rules of engagement, this is where it gets cool and 'Fiasco-ish!!!"
You can start going either direction! Go to the Bay Bridge mark first or the Severn River Bridge mark first and finish from the opposite direction as you started.
Lots to consider taking into account the current, waves, wind shifts (speeds and direction), and whether the wind is a building breeze or dying?!
The inaugural event saw Jeff Todd's J/22 HOT TODDY and Zeke Horowitz's J/22 sailing with their wives. Ironically, both J/22s started in opposite directions and finished overlapped in opposite directions for first to finish!! This year a Viper 640 on port tack had to give way to a J/22 on starboard gybe at the pin to finish 1-2 in the fleet!
As one might've guessed, the "2BF" has proven to be quite popular with J/Boats sailors. And, the double handers range from J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, and J/80s up to the mighty J/122E!
As mentioned already, it was Drew Mutch's J/22 JUST WING IT (appropriate boat name, eh?? LOL) with a nail-biter finish, with David Schoene's J/70 UNO MAS taking third, Jeff Todd's HOT TODDY in fifth, Kevin McKee's J/80 FOR REAL FOR REAL in ninth, Jessica Oswalt's J/22 MUSKRAT LOVE in 11th, Sam McGuire's J/24 THE UPGRADE in 12th, Isaac Breen-Franklin's J/70 FOREIGN AFFAIRS in 13th, Doug Wallop's J/30 CANNONBALL 2.0 in 15th, Ben & Briana Jatlow's J/88 WILD THING in 16th, Patrick Hylant's J/122E MOXIE in 17th, and Bill Walker's J/92S WAR WAGOON in 18th... that was the TOP 20, with J/Teams accounting for 11 of those spots! Not bad!
Said Will Keyworth, "It was awesome seeing my friend Patrick and his daughter Greer in their new J/122E racing doublehanded even with the Code zero."
More information here.