November 4, 2013

The women skippers and coed crews of Island YC's Jack & Jill +1 triplehanded race were treated to stellar conditions on the Alameda Estuary, despite predictions of high winds and a cold front. The wind direction and velocity exemplified typical – and desirable – Estuary conditions. The adequate and mostly steady breeze followed the course of the waterway that divides the island of Alameda from Oakland, making for a beat up to the weather mark near Jack London Square, with excellent lifts on port tack, and a run back down to the leeward mark near the Park Street Bridge.

Judith Maurier's Alerion 28 Scrimshaw, Deb Fehr's Santana 22 Meli'ki, and John New's Islander Bahama 30 Wuvulu with Vivian Snyder at the helm. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The race committee chose short courses of 4 miles for the spinnaker division and 3 miles for non-spinnaker, getting everyone back to the clubhouse at Alameda Marina in time for hot chili, cold drinks and warm camaraderie.

Faster Faster! and Nice Turn, a Cal 2-29 skippered by Jocelyn Nash, beat up the Estuary together. ©2013 Nathan Bossett

An experienced racer finished first in the spinnaker division, but this was Dawn Chesney first race since a car accident in February sidelined her. She and boat partner Steve Bayles and +1 Janet Frankel got the gun with their J/24 Dire Straits, and they held onto their position after the PHRF math was done.

Ben and Lucie Mewes race their house. ©2013 Nathan Bossett

Lucie and Ben Mewes, plus crew Nathan Bossett, were first to finish in non-spinnaker on their liveaboard and soon-to-be cruising VanDeStadt 41 Georgia, but Kathy Williamson on David Ross's Merit 25 Faster Faster! was close on Georgia's heels and easily corrected out.

Kathy is a regular crew on Faster Faster!, but this was her first time at the helm in a race. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

IYC's next race will be the first in their Island Days midwinter series, next Sunday. See www.iyc.org.

Dave poles out the big #1 jib on the run down the Estuary. ©2013 norcalsailing.com