Golden Gate Drifter

December 4, 2010

Zero wind and 5.4 knots of ebb were the key numbers in today's Golden Gate Yacht Club midwinter, the second in this season's series, and the 40th edition of the Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Regatta. The wind did perk up enough to get all the divisions started, with just little postponement breaks between divisions to allow each fleet to clear the line. The Race Committee sent all divisions on a windward-leeward course, allowing them to stay close to shore, starting everyone in a west to east direction.

Lazy Lightning soon after the start, trying to fill their spinnaker. ©2010 norcalsailing.com

Jennifer McKenna crewed on Tim McDonald's Tartan Ten Lazy Lightning. "It was a long day, but we had a good crew: a nice combo of experienced and inexperienced sailors. It was my first time sailing on Tim's boat although I had crewed with him many times on the J/105 007. My job was to help Ron, who was brand new to foredeck, and we made a good team. We must have hoisted and doused the spinnaker at least 10 times, probably more - I should have kept a tally.

"The strong ebb and the shifty and sometimes non-existent winds were a major challenge all day, yet we stuck to it and finally finished. It was totally worth it that Tim hung in there - it turned out to be a challenging yet fun day on the water." Tim added, "It drug on at times but it was a lot of fun and a true team effort."

Lazy Lightning much, much later, with (l-r) Q, Deception, and Harp, approaching the finish after 4 p.m. ©2010 norcalsailing.com

The adverse current proved too strong for a lot of the competitors. Some had anchor drills, others just hoisted the iron genny. Others, like Lazy Lightning, said, "Never say die," and stuck it out. At least they were spared the rain which fell elsewhere in the Bay Area during the morning.

Steve Wonner's Wyliecat 30 Uno got the gun for PHRF 3 just before 4 p.m. ©2010 norcalsailing.com

Shortly after Uno's finish, the RC blew the horn three times and hoisted these flags. The top one is an abandonment flag, but only for the divisions whose flags are below it: E, G and H (Catalina 34s, Knarrs and Folkboats). ©2010 norcalsailing.com

Results are available now at www.ggyc.org/raceresults.php (scroll down to find the midwinters). Andy Costello's J/125 Double Trouble was the first boat to finish at 13:46:25; Lazy Lightning was the last boat to finish at 16:13:52, on a day when being DFL was a very honorable thing.