SF NOOD Regatta

June 27, 2011

Sailing World's Sperry Top-Sider National Offshore One Design Regatta took a long hiatus from racing on San Francisco Bay, but returned to San Francisco's St. Francis YC for the second year in a row last weekend. Racers got typical summer on the Bay conditions, with Saturday slightly windier than Sunday. Both days featured big breeze and plenty of knock-downs. Several divisions raced on the Cityfront or west of Alcatraz, while others tore up the Berkeley Circle.

Good to see that the new black Wild Cat got her rig straightened out, after dismasting in the recent Hobie Cat Regatta. ©2011 Erik Simonson/www.pressure-drop.us

Among those on the Circle were the Moore 24s. Gruntled "crushed the competition." Said Simon Winer, "All you needed was a main, a #3 and a kite. We went into the first race Sunday one point ahead of Hodges." ('Hodges' was Dave Hodges sailing on Scott Walecka's Adios.)

Gruntled chasing Wet Spot. ©2011 Erik Simonson/www.pressure-drop.us

Gruntled won that race. "The second race started and we had a general recall. We repeated our start. Hodges got called over early. Then we heard 'number 68'. That was us - we were over early too. Once we cleared ourselves, we went right for clear air and banged the corner. Then we tacked and banged the other corner. We went from last place to first place in that race." The regatta is a counter in the Moore 24 Roadmaster Series.

More Moore action, left to right: Adios, which came in second, Mooretician, and Topper Ii. ©2011 Erik Simonson/www.pressure-drop.us

Three races were sailed on Saturday, two on Sunday, with an early finish so that everyone could get to the awards party back at St. Francis YC. Since they were sailing on the Berkeley Circle and not the Cityfront, Richmond YC boats chose to crack off, crack a beer and head home to Richmond rather than bash to weather to get to the party.

A pit stop at RYC, putting the boat away before heading to the party at St. Francis: Bill Erkelens, Jr., of Eclipse (ex-Eight Ball, ex-Eclipse) fraternizes with the enemy, Simon Winer (middle) and Claire Arbour of Gruntled. Also on Gruntled: Bart and Becky Hackworth, and Ben and Tess Landon. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Fleets varied widely, from IRC boats down to kiteboarders, and multihull divisions including Wetas and F-18 catamarans (all of these raced on the Cityfront). The largest fleets belonged to the J/105s and Laser Radials, with 17 boats each. Our favorite boat name of the regatta belongs to Kyle Larsen's Laser Radial, Opti-Gone.

Another good boat name: the Corsair 24 Nowhere Fast came from somewhere in Colorado. ©2011 Erik Simonson/www.pressure-drop.us

For results, stories, photos and more, see www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/san-francisco.