June 24, 2013

Summer Sailstice couldn't have picked a nicer day than June 22 for a celebration of sailing on the longest (weekend) day of the year. That is, if you happened to be at Encinal YC in Alameda, or on the Estuary.

If you were out in the middle of San Francisco Bay in the YRA's Party Circuit race, you had a completely different experience. Comments from returning sailors escalated from "howling," through "nuking," to "honking." Kristen Walthour, crewing on Dan Alvarez's JS9000 JetStream said, "We did a little deep sea diving and some bucking broncos." On Barry and Sylvia Stompe's Hughes 48 yawl Iolani, they reefed the main for the first time ever during a race.

Tony Castruccio, sailing the J/30 Wind Speed said that the only boat which could handle a spinnaker in their SF 30 division was George Ellison's Schumacher 30 Shameless. "Everyone else wiped out," said Tony. "I didn't think the waves could get that big. We reefed before the start, and didn't shake it out until the last downwind leg to the finish. We showed everybody the keel at the leeward mark. I've never been that horizontal." You can see results of the Summer Sailstice race at www.yra.org. But that's not what this story is about.

While the racers were bashing their brains out in the Slot, five teams back at EYC were enjoying the shade of a tent to construct boats from scratch out of plywood. They had one day, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and a $150 budget, to construct and launch their hopefully seaworthy craft, which they would then race on the Estuary, with much amusement and encouragement from onlookers.

Team Klein. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The five teams, Berkeley Marine Center, Team Liberty, Team Klein, AYSF, and OCSC varied considerably. The first, BMC, was led by boatyard owner Cree Partridge, and was clearly the most professional team. OCSC had signed up only two days before the event and had only two people on their team compared to three on the others. Team Liberty added an ama with a fender in it for flotation. Team Klein seemed to be the most challenged with their design and build – and never launched. AYSF (American Youth Sailing Force) had arrived an hour late, traumatized by their experience the night before of attempting, heroically but unsuccessfully, to save a woman trapped in a minivan which sank in the San Francisco Marina.

Team AYSF. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Despite being shaken by Friday night's horrific incident, the young men of AYSF attacked the competition like they do everything else, whole-heartedly. They were the only team to water-test their boat, long before the launch deadline. Once they were satisfied with the seaworthiness of their boat, they finished it out and spray-painted it in orange, blue and black. Their design was minimalist, built for speed, and double-ended.

Decorating the ama of Team Liberty's boat. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

OCSC slapped a coat of varnish on their beautiful rowing dory, the only team to do so. Team Liberty hand-painted graphics on their boat – and the ama – naming her HMS Molly, after a long-haired dachsund. At 4:30, the four completed boats were launched. OCSC toyed with a Mistral rig and sail. HMS Molly put up a bed sheet, but both would-be sail crews decided against it, so they were all row-boats. Much discussion ensued about the course for the race, but in the end all agreed to a twice-around course to a mark about halfway across the Estuary.

BMC launches their beautifully constructed craft. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

AYSF stretched out an early lead. Those guys are really fit, their boat looked light, and they rowed like crazy. AYSF and OCSC had two crew each, the others had three. The ama on HMS Molly did not cooperate and was soon separated from the main hull. The finish order was AYSF, OCSC, BMC, Molly.

Team Liberty's HMS Molly. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

"The sixth annual boat building contest was one of the best," commented organizer Ariane Paul. "We had five very committed and enthusiastic teams. Team Klein made a nice boat but didn't finish in time for the race."

The contest is judged on five categories and voted on by all the teams and independent judges:
1) completing on time
2) seaworthiness
3) beauty of design
4) Corinthian spirit between teams
5) The race

Bottles of rum were awarded to
3rd Place: Team AYSF
2nd Place: Team
1st Place: Team BMC

The winning team from BMC: Steve Kibler, Dean Gurke, and Cree Partridge. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

"Congrats to all for a fine competition," says Ariane. Be sure to watch the video!