October 9, 2014

Eric Mueller filed this report from Saturday's Islander 36 Nationals:

What a wonderful weekend! It started with an early morning motor from Coyote Point up to Golden Gate Yacht Club on October 4. The weather was clear, and a gorgeous sunrise greeted me as I was heading up the South Bay. Serenity arrived around 0940 to await crew set to arrive at 1030. I went up and said my hellos to Pat and Gary Salvo, who had opened up the club and were sitting waiting for wind. Bobbi and the crew were there from Berkeley YC waiting to send off the OYRA boats. With the dead calm, there was much grumbling and reviewing of weather forecasts hoping for some wind.

Serge showed up with a huge pile of munchies, quickly followed by Ali with her great enthusiasm and a bottle of wine. We started setting up the boat while waiting for the wind to show some signs of life. The rest of the Islander fleet slowly trickled in, and Jim of Osprey, who had graciously offered the use of his 135% (we only have a 110%) moored up next to us. He not only let us borrow the jib, he and his crew helped get the 110 off and the 135 on the roller furler!

The wind finally picked up in the early afternoon into the teens, and everyone kicked into high gear to get the racing started. We headed out and raised the main and jib in short order. We lined up and got a middle-back of the fleet start on our way to Blackaller. The course was a nice triangle over to Harding Rock. We were doing fairly well, adjusting the car leads for the new sail as we went. We rounded the first mark on our way to Harding with two boats in our wake. Not bad for a new crew and sail. Ali was feeling a little out of it, so we agreed she should take it easy. This left Serge running around like a madman with my help for the remainder. We rounded Harding in fifth and pretty much stayed there. For two of us, I think we did an outstanding job on the tacks. My strategy could have used some help. I was concentrating on keeping us going.

The second start for a quick windward-leeward was much improved, and we were starboard at the pin end second row with better than half the fleet behind us. Just as we were crossing the start line a port-tack boat came across and caused some problems. I hollered "Starboard!" to a worried look. The boat in front of me turned up, and I ducked as the port-tack boat came head to wind. He must have been a little worried. Unfortunately having to duck him cost us a couple of spots and we were fourth on the first weather leg.

We held onto that for about half of the downwind leg. We did not have the manpower to rig the pole, so we free-flew the jib wing-and-wing. We did try and slow down Some Day a little but without the pole just did not have the speed. Back to weather, we gave him a run for the money and managed to keep the lead to a couple of boat lengths finishing fifth in our second race. Thank you to Ali for the beer and munchies at the end of the day. Talk about your great crew!

The only failure we had was the mainsheet winch. It seized on the final upwind leg. I am still trying to figure out the problem. The main slipped and we had to tighten it up. Thank goodness for the mainsail track system. There are some expected rig tuning issues still to be worked out, as we seem to point slightly better on a starboard tack than on port. The wonderful loan of a sail from Jim gave us at least a chance in the light winds. Definitely owe him a case of beer or a nice bottle of wine!

Incredible thanks to Serge who got more than he bargained for and to Ali who soldiered through despite not feeling well. I hope they both left with smiles. Two fifth places is great for new crew and shorthanded to boot. How often do you get sunny, warm, medium wind on the Bay? It was just a fantastic day on the water!

- Eric Mueller, Serenity, Islander 36

Kit Wiegman's Cassiopeia won both races to become the new Islander 36 national champion. For much more, including complete results, see www.islander36.org/nationals14/nationals14.html.