Weirdly Windy Seaweed Soup

November 5, 2011

A rare occurence happened in last Saturday's Golden Gate Yacht Club's Seaweed Soup midwinter race: a combination of sunshine and plenty of early wind made for spring-like Bay conditions in the beginning of December - no postponement needed.

The Santa Cruz 50 Deception and the Farr 36 Wicked in PHRF 1. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

"We like a lot of wind but this may be too much," remarked Mike Mannix of the Catalina 38 Harp. The breeze topped out in the mid-20-knot range and because of the northereasterly direction and plenty of fetch the ebb chop built up to summer Bay standards. The Weta skippers left their boats on their trailers. "At least I don't have to pack it up again," said one.

The Wyliecat 30 Uno, Jeanneau 35 Sun Fast Mon Desir (rounding up), and Santana 27 Arcadia in PHRF 4. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

The fast boats were sent on a triangle-sausage course with Knox and Harding Rock buoys as the windward marks. The one design and mid to slow-rated boats were given a shorter reaching course to a mark behind Alcatraz and back. "How come the wind seemed to go away for the runs?" was the only negative comment from one of the fast boats. The tired crews made it back to the club in plenty of time for a late lunch and drinks at the club, and the wind lightened up just in time to make deliveries back to East Bay marinas a little easier.

A group of PHRF 3 boats. Hank Easom's 8-Meter Yucca, on the far left, won the division. ©2011 norcalsailing.com

Results are available at www.ggyc.com.

The Antrim 40 California Condor leading Deception at the inflatable buoy serving as 'A', the leeward mark, in front of St. Francis YC. ©2011 norcalsailing.com