2026 MRSA Spring Fling
The Magothy River Sailing Association’s Spring Fling brought a difficult mix of light air and strong current on Saturday, reshaping what was intended to be a distance‑style triangle race just north of the Bay Bridge. The J/99 Bay Retriever made the trip up from Back Creek to take part in the event, which allowed boats to start at any of three marks and sail the course in either direction within a set time window.
Early forecasts suggested steady breeze and manageable current, but conditions shifted as the morning progressed. The leftover chop from an earlier 10-15 knot breeze remained, even as the wind faded.
Bay Retriever enjoyed the last of the usable wind during the hour‑and‑a‑half sail to the southernmost mark, sailing mostly upwind and against a strong southerly current. By the time the crew began their race around 11 a.m., the wind had dropped significantly while the current continued to run hard.
The team chose the counterclockwise option, which required two close‑reaching legs partly into and across the current before a downwind leg with the current toward the finish. With only 3-6 knots of breeze, lingering chop, and a strong opposing flow, progress was slow from the outset. After about ninety minutes, it became clear that the first mark was still roughly two hours away, making it unlikely the full course could be completed within a reasonable timeframe.
The decision was made to retire from the race. Once headed home, the crew set the spinnaker in an attempt to keep the boat moving, but even that wasn’t enough in the fading breeze. The kite came down shortly after, gear was packed away, and the rest of the trip back was under power.
Despite the early exit, it was still a welcome return to the water and a chance to shake off the offseason. With spring underway, more racing – and hopefully more wind – awaits.