NEVADA YACHT CLUB FALL SAIL RACE
VESSEL 1 WAS A 33' RANGER SAIL BOAT WITH 4 PEOPLE ON BOARD.  VESSEL 2 WAS A 28'6" CATALINA YACHT SAIL BOAT WITH AN OPERATOR AND UNKNOWN PASSENGERS.  VESSEL 3 WAS A 18' HUNTER MARINE SAIL BOAT WITH 1 PERSON ON BOARD.  THREE BOATS CROSSED THE STARTING LINE ABOUT THE TIME OF THE STARTING HORN.  VESSEL 1 WHICH WAS FARTHEST LEFT OF THE THE THREE.  ALL PASSENGERS WERE ALL ON STARBOARD TACK.  THEY HAD BEEN SAILING OFF THE WIND SLIGHTLY BEFORE THE START AWAITING THE HORN.  AS THE RACE STARTED OPERATOR 1 TURNED THE BOAT TOWARD THE WIND TO SAIL CLOSER TO THE MARK.  SUDDENLY THE HEAD SAIL LUFFED AND THE WIND CAUGHT IT FROM THE PORT SIDE PUSHING THE BOW TO STARBOARD.  EITHER THE WIND HAD SLIGHTLY SHIFTED, WHICH ISN'T UNUSUAL ON LAKE MEAD OR THE ROTATION OF THE BOAT AROUND THE KEEL ALLOWED THE SAIL TO LUFF.  ONCE IT FILLED FROM PORT IN THE WINDY CONDITIONS STEERAGE WAS LOST AND THE STARBOARD SIDE OF VESSEL 1 COLLIDED WITH PORTSIDE NEAR BOW OF VESSEL 2; THEN THE BOW OF VESSEL 2 COLLIDED WITH THE STERN OF VESSEL 3.  NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.  ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO VESSEL 1 $100 GEL COAT SCRATCHES.  ESTIMATED DAMGE TO VESSEL 2 $1988.00 BOW STEM BENT OFF TO PORT, GLASS DAMAGE PORT SIDE, GLASS DAMAGE ON BOW.  ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO VESSEL 3 $835.00 ALUMINUM TOW RAIL ON STERN BROKE, MINOR FIBERGLASS DAMAGE.
BOULDER CITY                  