Vallejo Race Saturday

May 2, 2011

The 112th running of the Great Vallejo Race looked like it was doomed to be a no wind failure on both days. Saturday was a long day with anchoring drills, groundings, and getting swept back and forth on the ebb current. The majority of boats bailed and motored to Vallejo Yacht Club.

This pier north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge provided shelter from the ebb. Some boats anchored here, while others just sailed around waiting for enough wind to poke their noses out and continue north. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

While anchoring Rob Mcfarlane's Tiger Beetle got tangled up with the Express 27 Wile E. Coyote. "We were fending off and one of their crew somehow ended up on Tiger Beetle. We all introduced ourselves and offered him a beer but he wanted back on Wile E. He was able to hop back on his boat a little later." Too bad because the big N/M 45 was the party boat to be on for the sail/motor to Vallejo.

The cast of thousands on Tiger Beetle enjoyed a cold brew while anchored. They saved the gas-powered blender and banana daiquiris for the raft-up. ©2011 Rich Hudnut, Jr.

Al Germain on the Wyliecat 30 Bandicoot had the longest day while singlehanding. "I got stuck at Red Rock fighting the ebb until the wind finally filled in. After a nice run I got to the finish with two minutes to spare before race deadline. Or so I thought. I guess my watch was wrong and I didn't make it in time after all." Most boats didn't finish, and Al's would have been one of the fleets with only one or two finishers.

Bandicoot (in pre-start maneuvers) and the Mini Transat Team Open Sailing sailed in the Shorthanded Division, which had no finishers on Saturday. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The wind finally did fill in from the northwest after 1630 (much later than expected), and those who hung out and waited were treated to a great downwind run up San Pablo Bay in 15-20 knots.

Cam Lewis's Elliott 6.5 Timmy on a snortin' white sail reach. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

On Belay enjoying the lively broad reach up San Pablo Bay once the wind filled in. They were the second J/24 to finish, after TMC Racing and before Downtown Uproar. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Lani Spund's Santa Cruz 52 Kokopelli2 was the first boat to finish at the reasonable hour of 16:27:41. ©2011 Christopher Harvey

Paul Kamen's Merit 25 Twilight Zone finished at exactly the deadline time of 20:00:00, and was the only boat in PHRF 8 to do so. Most boats made it to Vallejo before dark by either motoring or sailing or a combination of the two, and had a good time partying at the club, where they all wondered, "Will there be wind tomorrow?"

Twilight Zone at the entrance to Mare Island Strait, where the wind died again. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

No, this isn't the San Joaquin River just shy of the Stockton Sailing Club finish line of the Delta Ditch Run. It's just Mare Island. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The Express 27 Dianne, the Express 37 Snowy Owl, and On Belay drifting on a flood current a few yards from the finish. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Preliminary results are posted on the YRA site. Note that a lot of the boats shown as DNC on Saturday were actually DNF. For more photos from Tiger Beetle, see Rich Hudnut's photo gallery. Christopher Harvey took pictures at the finish line; you can see more of his photos here. Continue on for our report on Sunday's racing.