The Pacific Northwest held their 2025 Thunderbird Regional Regatta in Port Townsend during the Labor Day Weekend. Port Townsend Sailing Association once again hosted a fun and competitive sailing event with 10 boats competing, from Gig Harbor, Seattle, and Port Townsend. While the conditions were light, PRO Eric Rimkus did a masterful job of finding fair race conditions and 5 races were held.
Day 1 included 2 races, held off the Point Hudson Marina in very light conditions. The first start began in light conditions that dwindled to nothing before the first leg was completed. This stopped the entire fleet, except for Gary Davis’s Swan who seemed have their own private breeze wherever they went. Alas, that race was abandoned and the fleet waited for breeze to fill. Eventually there was sufficient wind for 2 races to be held, both of which were won by Fandango.
Day 2 races began off of Fort Ward where there was a light breeze off of the straits. After 1 race in that location, the PRO moved the fleet and course to the Port Townsend city front where the last 2 races of the regatta were run before cheering crowds from downtown Port Townsend. Gig Harbor’s own Fandango, Thunderbird hull #9, was superbly sailed by the Storkman family and their longtime teammate Doug Peterson. They were almost untouchable and once again won the Regionals, in convincing fashion with a scoreline of 1,1,2,2,3. The well sailed Corvo (nee Jaunty, nee Tita) was a dominant 2nd for the series with scores of 2,5,1,1,5. Third was claimed by long time Tbird sailors Garth and Wendy Wilcox, and Jacob Lampe, on Ken Lane’s Roadrunner. Forth went to Falcon, Roland Nikles well sailed boat from Port Townsend, and 5th went to Dale Dunning’s team on Owl.
Perhaps one of the more exciting races was the last race where Bob Denny’s Kuma San, with Dave Grubb driving, led wire to wire with an excellent strategy along the city front.
