South Beach YC Friday Nights

May 8, 2011

So you want to do race committee? South Beach Yacht Club held the second race of their Friday Night Series on May 6 – a windy and cold evening that saw carnage and glory in a few short hours. With 25-30 knots blowing down from AT&T Park, five divisions got off the line with what looked like every boat reefed (and a lot double reefed).

Bob Turnbull 's 1D35 Jazzy and Theresa Brandner's J/105 Walloping Swede. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Division E start. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Aboard Bob Lugliani's Express 37 pHat Jack. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The first casualty was the J/109 Queen Bee, which blew a jibe a little to close to the race committee trawler, Anabel. They wrapped their kite around Anabel's antenna mast and tore the sail to shreds.

Queen Bee jibes as she approaches the committee boat. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The aftermath. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Then the Catalina 30 Grinnin' Bear lost their rudder about a third of the way into the race. With no water coming into the boat, they were able to anchor and wait for a tow.

Grinnin' Bear safely anchored. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Anabel checked on them to make sure everyone was all right, and when heading back to the dock somehow found the walkabout rudder and brought it in.

Boat hooks come in handy for so many things. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The proud fishermen with their catch. "She's a big 'un." ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The Friday Night race the week before was a whole different ball game, with moderate breeze at the start which lessened the lower the sun sank behind the City.

The start of Division E. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Setting the pole for the run on Curie, Todd McPherson's Beneteau First 32s5,. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Curie off on the downwind leg to the Alameda side of the South Bay. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The J/120 Jolly Mon finished just after sunset. Many more were not so fortunate, coming in close to the time limit of 2130, or even later. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The next race is May 20. Will there be too much wind? Or not enough? The racers and the race committee will take their chances. See www.southbeachyachtclub.org for results so far or to sign up.