We began shoveling the snow out of the boats at around 9:00 in the morning, 8 February. We were expecting about 30 boats for the Interclub (IC) Midwinters. In a regatta like this one we need a lot of support boats. There are boats devoted to pumping out capsized ICs and then boats at all the marks.

This year we had a kerosene heater aboard the main committee boat and extra race committee volunteers to enable rotating them off one of the other boats on to the toasty warm committee boat. At 11:00 the air temperature was 27 degrees, the water 31 degrees and the wind was from the west at 14 knots. That's a wind chill index of 15. Of course if you're a mark boat going 15 knots into the wind it feels like 11 degrees. Where snow remained on the boats it didn't melt during the day despite the bright sunshine. Cold, cold, cold.

In the sailing Instructions we find, "Regatta Format-- Each team shall consist of A and B divisions. Each division sails a number of races followed by an intermission allowing rotation of division skippers and crew. This cycle repeats as many times as possible."

While one team is racing the other team was likely warming up in the Severn Sailing Association (SSA) club house, by the fire, by the crocks of chili, and pots of hot chocolate. It's crowded in there and there's the festive mood of a ski lodge. Lots of laughing and renewing old friendships.

"They're coming in, " someone says and the idle team scrambles to get their gear on and get out to the bulkheads to do the switch. Teams huddle. "The left side was favored towards the end of the last race," says one skipper to another. "The boom vang is a little loose," one crew says to another crew.

Most teams consist of a man and a woman. The weight works out best that way. This is definitely a co-ed regatta with many teams consisting of husband and wife, boy and girl friends, brothers and sisters or just good friends.

The Interclub class is very deep. Deep means the racing is close with talented sailors found even at the bottom of the score sheet (I lost count of the former all-Americans at this year's event).

The fleet is packed like a swarm of bees all the way around the course. First and last place is often separated by only a few minutes and it takes an experienced race committee to record the fast and furious finishes correctly.

There were 18 races, 9 per division. Team Scituate (Massachusetts) consisting of Steve & Jane Kirkpatrick and Chad & Kelly Demarest repeated as Midwinter Champions. The first Annapolis based team of Hal Gilreath, Aimee Graham, Wayne Pignolet, and Barb Evans finished fourth.

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