Hobiecat fleet races off Vista Park

The wind was fierce, fiercer than it had been for many years, according to Vancouver area resident Kelly Havig, who has been coming to Skamokawa Vista Park for one weekend every July for more than 20 years to participate in a Hobiecat regatta.

"It's chaos!" she exclaimed. "It's pretty windy. We're having a blast out there."

She had come onshore because her 17 foot single person Hobiecat had suffered some damage and she was set on doing the problem solving that would get her back on the Columbia River.

Havig and another fan of the sport, Della Hoag of Seattle agreed, speed and sailing challenges increased with the strength of the wind and made the whole experience more fun.

"It's just a blast," Havig said about sailing on a Hobiecat. "You go really fast. It's a thrill and excitement and you're in control of your destiny with the wind. If you screw up you get wet."

Last year, the event became the Todd Christiansen Memorial Hobiecat Regatta, according to Hoag. Christiansen had been active in the sport and was a good and fair competitor.

"He was a wonderful guy," Hoag said. "He would help anyone fix anything. He was really involved in this before he passed away a year and a half ago."

They've created a perpetual trophy out of one he won years ago. It will go to the winner of the long distance race on Sunday.

There was also going to be an auction later that night. The event had become a fundraiser for youth who wanted to get involved in the sport.

"This is one of our favorite places to come," Hoag said of Skamokawa Vista Park. "The camping is good, the facilities are good, the wind is usually good, the water is warm. It's fresh water and not salt water, and it's usually sunny and warm. We like watching the ships go by. "

Hoag's husband was out on the river with their 16 year old daughter.

"A lot of families come down," she said. "There are about 27 boats here this year."

The Hobiecats are catamarans and come in several sizes. Most are manned by two people but some can be handled by just one person.

Look for them next July. They'll be back.