TYC Race Against the Tide

February 10, 2013

Racers at Tiburon Yacht Club's second race in their three-race midwinter series competed against each other in the usual ways on Saturday. However, they also had to race against a raging ebb, and they had to race against time, to finish before the tide went out too far, shutting them out of their docks. The crews prepared their boats for the race at high tide, an almost 7-ft high tide. The harbor breakwater was awash, and crowded with pelicans and gulls taking advantage of this season's bumper herring crop.

Before the first warning at 1300 hours, the race committee postponed to wait for the wind to perk up a bit. Then the racers were off on a twice-around course that would allow the RC to finish the boats after one lap if the light breeze petered out. A jibe mark out in the Richmond shipping channel demonstrated the river that was flowing fast out to sea. Race boats had to crab their way to it sideways. The red and green buoy looked like a powerboat taking some sea lions for a brisk ride up the North Bay.

Two divisions sailed, divided by their PHRF numbers. The first division got around the course fine, and RC let them keep going for another lap. However, the two J/105s, Natural Blonde and Joyride, dropped out at that point. They needed to get back to their docks before the water level dropped too far. J/105s draw 6.5 feet, so we're not talking about unusually deep draft boats. The slower second division were finished as their crossed the line the first time.

Bill Hoehler's Joyride, in the foreground, and the Laser 28 Sonata. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Shirley Vaughan and Jerry McNulty, doublehanding the Hawkfarm Red Hawk, sailed sans spinnaker and so were given an extra 18 seconds a mile, allowing them to correct out over two of the three boats that finished ahead of them… ©2013 norcalsailing.com

…including Pat Broderick's Wyliecat 30 Nancy. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Alice Shinn's Laser 28 Sonata finished first – and kept first place once the math was done – in Division 1. Once again Ian Matthew's C&C 29 Siento el Viento finished first in Division 2. For results and series standings, see www.tyc.org.