January 6, 2013

Twice this weekend we said to our fellow crew in midwinter races, "The race committee will postpone for sure – they always do when the wind is this light." Twice we were wrong.

Saturday's Golden Gate Yacht Club Seaweed Soup Regatta had a luckluster easterly at around starting time. With what little breeze there was coming from the 'wrong' direction – and a stong ebb – we thought for sure that a postponement flag would be hoisted instead of the 11:30 warning signal. But the race committee went ahead on time with a long windward-leeward course starting from west to east, twice around for most fleets.

The new J/70, Eos, battled the Wyliecat 30 Uno (left) and the Sydney 32 Relentless off Fort Mason. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

During the starting sequence, racers were advised that that swimmers would be crossing from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park, crossing the course of the leg of the race. Each swimmer was accompanied by a kayak or powerboat to watch over them and make them easier to spot. As the swimmers and sailors intersected, it was clear that the swimmers were going faster! Fortunately for the sailors, a reverse current close to shore carried the boats in the direction they wanted to go.

This swimmer was on a collision course with one of the race boats, but corrected course and took her transom. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

To get back to the leeward mark toward the Golden Gate Bridge, 'all' the racers had to do was head out into the ebb further away from shore. Some made it around the course without too much trouble, while others seemed to find every wind hole.

Paul Cardon, trimming the main on Bruce Nesbit's Olson 34 Razzberries, observed that, "The wind came from every direction today." ©2013 norcalsailing.com

A front pushed wind ahead of rain, and finally crews were able to climb up from the leeward rail to the windward one. Most boats finished before getting drenched, but the race deck waited patiently for Capo Gatto, a Nonsuch 30 Ultra, which finished almost half an hour after the nearest competitor. "Thanks for waiting for us," they said over the radio. You can find results at www.ggyc.com.

Sunsail 1003, Streaker, and Origami raced with SYC Sunday. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

On Sunday, a three-knot northerly fluttered the race committee flag on Mercury, Sausalito YC's RC boat, anchored west of Angel Island. Again, many racers assumed that a postponement would replace the noon warning. Again, they were wrong. SYC picked a daring course – all divisions were sent across the Bay to Blackaller Buoy off Crissy Field, then back to an inflatable mark substituting for our dear departed Pt. Knox buoy off the west shore of Angel Island, then a short leg to the finish. What's so daring about that? Besides being a fairly long course (7 nm) for a light-air, strong-ebb day, the northerly made for a downwind start and finish! In an era of windward-leewards, this was a welcome change of pace. The wind eventually topped out around eight knots. All boats that came out to race were able to finish, and the rain had long since passed through. What a delightful weekend of sailing!

Over on the City side: the Wauquiez Centurion 40s Willow and the Sunsail Beneteau F40 prepare to round Blackaller. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Results of the SYC midwinter should be posted soon at www.sausalitoyachtclub.org/racing/raceresults.