What a way to start the New Year! The weather was perfect for the start of the Icicle series - sunny skies, a light breeze and the temperature just right! The water was low, so some boats were left at their slips, but thirteen of us were able to reach the bay and race. With the current coming in, approaching the first mark got a little dicey for Rope Yarn Sunday, but we squeaked by.

The reach to the next mark saw Bill rose's Round Up leading the pack. Bill got so engrossed in the race that he went swimming!!! His crew rose to the occasion and retrieved him without a lost minute!! He got the nickname of manatee at the clubhouse social after the race. The winners received their Mount Gay prizes after the race and the rest of us celebrated their success.

The weather channel predicted rainy and heavy airs from the south. Boy, were they wrong!! The reality was much different, with a heavy overcast and a dying wind. The lousy weather and Key West Race Week limited the fleet to eight racers, but it didn't seem to affect the party crowd after the race. Dexter Reed's key limes added a great taste to the rum and coke.

The winds on the first two legs were fun, with enough wind to keep the racers moving. The final leg was sailed in dying airs. It went from shifty to almost nothing. Bill Rose in Round Up appeared to sail into left field, but it proved the winning move.

Another weekend for the Icicle Series to shine - sunny skies, a light breeze and the temperature just right! Sixteen boats raced in these wonderful conditions. With the current coming in and a spotty Southeasterly breeze, the first leg became sort of a crap shoot for all the racers.

The reach to the next mark saw the spinnaker boats head for the ship channel and the favorable current. The last leg home was the best. The rum was awarded to the winners after the race and the rest of us celebrated their success.

This Icicle race lived up to the name - A cold breeze from the north, which made us all shiver. The sun was out, though, which made the day enjoyable. The wind was shifty in direction and velocity and there was a current leaving the bay, which made the racecourse selection difficult. Bill Rose on Round Up got it dialed in on the second leg and put the rest of the 12 boat fleet to shame.

The last leg saw Rope Yarn Sunday start to make a move on the leading Non-Spinnaker boats. She caught one and almost another before the finish. The warm Club House was welcome, as we celebrated another fine racing day on Galveston Bay.

This final Icicle race was plagued by very low water - boats ran aground in the channel outside Landry's! The weather improved all during the race. It was great by time the racers headed for the final party. The winds were the same as in Icicle race 4, except we didn't have the current to deal with.

Three spinnaker boats and five non-spinnaker boats comprised the fleet. Karl DeHam on Lonestar J really came on strong during the last leg and led the fleet to the finish. Island Time led the non-spinnaker boats to a close finish. The after race party featured hot dogs for a change, and the excellent weather moved a lot of the race crew onto the lawn.