They set sail that day for a 3-minute cruise

The 3rd annual Jack to Jack Yacht Race, in which some 60 miniature sailboats plied the treacherous waters of Sonoma Creek in Glen Ellen, was a sunny success on March 25. The fundraiser is hosted by the Jack London Yacht Club and its clubhouse, a.k.a. the Jack London Saloon.

Heats of seven boats put in deck-side, and the crafts bobbed randomly to the nearby finish line just past the Arnold Drive bridge. Crowds of people lined each side of the bridge to watch the action. Nearly as many cued up at the bar for a good-luck Bloody Mary. Dress theme throughout: nautical chic.

“This is so much fun,” exclaimed Jana Conley, who serves as a board member for Jack London Yacht Club (JLYC). “The weather today is perfect and the rain we had this past week makes it ideal for racing.”

Despite the typical breezy wind of March and billowy clouds, the warm sun and blue skies made for an almost perfect spring day for the event.  “This is our signature event,” said Conley. “All the boats are replicas of Jack London’s yacht, Snark.”

Amid the heavy crowds cheering and reveling, many with food and drink in their hands, Ellen Toscano (who sang the national anthem to kick things off) coordinated the live auction, urging attendees to donate and pledge support. As donations poured in, Toscano praised the generosity of the people, asking that they help JLYC reach a goal of $50,000.

Presiding over the festivities were the club’s founders and co-commodores, Ana Dominguez and Jim Burch.

Squire Fridell was Master of Ceremonies, and Terry Koehne and Chris Gallagher hosted a live stream (!) for Sonoma TV. DJ music was provided by JayDub & Dino.

“This was unexpected because I really didn’t think it was going to be so much fun,” said longtime Sonoma resident Lisa Coleman. “I definitely want to do this again!”