<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">V15 Folks,<br><div><br></div><div>I went up to Bradford Island in the Delta to check out the BVBC's property and see how suitable it would be for a V15 camping regatta in 2014.</div>
<div><br></div><div>The quick and dirty is that it is approximately 1:30 from the city. The camping facility is awesome with lush grass, a great BBQ area, and actual toilets. The sailing course is just off the docks, should have great wind with flat water, but may experience occasional shipping traffic and powerboats. The docks are rough but serviceable. BVBC would have to install a wider ramp to accommodate V15 dollies, but they appear willing to do this. I think it would make for an awesome venue.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Check out the BVBC page: <a href="http://bayviewboatclub.org/delta.html" target="_blank">http://bayviewboatclub.org/delta.html</a></div><div>BVBC Photos: <a href="http://bayviewboatclub.org/deltaphotos.html" target="_blank">http://bayviewboatclub.org/deltaphotos.html</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>The long:</div><div><br></div><div>We have been getting great turnout for Tomales Bay and there appears to be renewed enthusiasm for Huntington. It seems that the short course weekend camping regatta might be a sweet spot for the V15 fleet. John Super has been trying to get us to hold a regatta on Bradford Island in the delta for ages so I thought I would see if it was an appropriate site.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Bradford Island is about 1.5 hours from here in the Delta. It is accessible only by ferry. People should be able to operate on a schedule similar to Tomales where they arrive Friday afternoon (last ride at 5pm) or Saturday morning (starts at 9am) and leave ~3pm Sunday afternoon. The ferry holds 9 cars but they say they will make as many trips as necessary to take the people in line. Fare is $8/car for a round trip. Getting on and off the ferry is a little rough and I would recommend higher clearance vehicles like trucks, SUVs, and crossovers. A low clearance vehicle would likely bottom out. We will need to pack in everything for the weekend including potable water. After the ferry stops running there will be no way off the island except by powerboat.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Driving around the island there is a scattering of trees, scrub, and the occasional cow pasture. I didn't see a single other vehicle on the road the entire time I was out there! The BVBC campground is really beautiful, "like a little oasis" as my friend said. It has lush well trimmed grass openings dotted with willow trees and surrounded by enormous stands of blackberries. There appears to be plenty of room for as many people as we can muster. The facilities include a large concrete pad good for BBQing and a set of remarkably civilized toilets. We would need to cook there, but food is something we do well and I think that the camping, cooking, and socializing would be a high point of this venue.</div>
<div><br></div><div>There is a large body of water directly off the dock that John assures me gets great consistent breeze in the summer. A shipping channel goes through it, but John states he would monitor vessel traffic and plan the races accordingly. I don't believe this will impede safe and successful racing. Another possible nuisance could be power boaters. It is hard for me to judge how much they would interfere. From doing the DDR and spending a weekend in a houseboat up there I believe they would be an occasional and not constant nuisance.</div>
<div><br></div><div>The docks are the roughest part of the equation. They are dilapidated but serviceable, capable of tying up a bunch of v15s over lunch. The launch ramp is too narrow to accommodate a v15 and BVBC would have to expand it to fit a v15 dolly. Staging could probably occur at the roadside immediately adjacent to the dock as there appears to be essentially no traffic on the island. We would just have to move trailers etc... into the campground once boats were rigged.</div>
<div><br></div><div>John recommends late summer when the insects have calmed down. Sometime in August seems best.</div><div><br></div><div>Here are my pics from Bradford Island: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#/" target="_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#/</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>A few specific shots:</div><div><br></div><div>Looking out at the race course: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#lh:17-IMAG0121_ZOE006_SHOT.jpg" target="_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#lh:17-IMAG0121_ZOE006_SHOT.jpg</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>The campground from the road: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#lh:15-IMAG0124_ZOE006_SHOT.jpg" target="_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/sc/smwcrhr0o59f8c0/HB2_q-crSL#lh:15-IMAG0124_ZOE006_SHOT.jpg</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>What do you think? Let's discuss this at the party this weekend. Let me know what questions/comments/ideas you have.</div><span><font color="#888888"><div><br></div><div>Pete</div><div><br></div>
<div><div><br></div><div>
<br></div></div></font></span></div>
</div><br></div>