2020 Singlehanded Farallones - Your excuses here:

[Philpott]

Dura Mater and I got wet motoring over to the start, then the slugs fell out of the mast slot when I tried to shake out the reef at the start. Got out the gate well enough, and turned the wrong way. Floated around out there, couldn't tack to starboard because, as Bob said, that would have meant sailing to Half Moon Bay.

So back we came and I stood in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club with Tom Boussie and Steve Saul watching all the spinnaker wraps. ALL the spinnaker wraps. Clearly people have not read Andrew Evans' recommendations closely enough:

"After singlehanded broaching lots and lots and lots of times, I’ve learned a few lessons that I thought I’d pass along. You can download my paper here: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7718709_68878570_6221527 "

I have a short iphone video of each of you crossing the finish line. Even Daniel after midnight. While I cogitate about the appropriate music, and in the meantime, here's a photo of the most recent version of a Singlehanded Sailing Society Race Deck, thanks to Tom's ingenuity and classic vehicle. I love this club.



photo by Tom

 

[todd22123]

Jackie- You made it farther than I did.

On Waterwings I ramp launched, rigged, and made the start in time, which seems like a lot, but getting better. I put the reef in the main before the start, probably not necessary, as the wind was <15, I think, no wind instrument, and the float was not submerged completely on the reach to the start. We started port tack about a minute late, still won the start, as Raven headed for A off St Francis for the start rather than X off GGYC, ended up tracking back to X, and Wingit was a few minutes sailing time east of the line at the start. Inside of a few minutes, all three were on port tack making good progress for GG bridge.

The leech of the mainsail on Waterwings was flapping, and I saw there was a 8 inch tear extending forward, several feet above the reef, most likely from over tensioning while putting in the reef. This was the type of tear that seemed like it could easily extend way farther forward, so I dropped the main and retired less than 5 minutes into the race.

Fortunately, Marchal sailmakers was in the loft, outside of regular business hours, and I brought the main to him. He said that he is now busier than average, even though most of business was down previously. This may be related to your spinnaker wrapping observation.

 

[jamesmcn]

I have a few:
* Only 2/3 of my deck is painted. As a result:
* My new jib & genoa tracks are not yet securely bolted to the deck
* Nearly all of the rest of my deck hardware is in an undisclosed secure location
* My new windows have not yet been fabricated, nor installed
* I'm undecided on footwear - my Ronstan zip boots aren't very grippy anymore. I haven't decided if I want another set of dinghy boots, or some sort of water shoes yet. Or maybe vans?
* The last time I raced single handed was at a Naval Academy regatta in a Laser, more than 20 years ago.

That said, I'm the new owner of the boat formerly known as Tainted Love. It completed the SHTP in 2000. I feel that I owe it to the boat to try to participate in an SSS even this year. All of the above will be addressed as quickly as reasonably possible. Rectifying the final point is the entire purpose of purchasing the boat.

 

[brianb]

My excuse for a truly stupid start: I opted to make a software change to the autopilot just prior to the start. I pulled away from the dock and realized I had loaded the wrong version. A quick 180, back to ggyc dock, pull it all apart, reload, and out to bend the sails on. With a few minutes to go I was making way to the line at the wrong end. Started at the wrong end, but managed to get moving in the direction of the Bridge.

 

[BobJ]

I believed the forecast and set up for a port set. I could have pulled the sheets around but decided I'd set first and then jibe. The inevitable snafu delayed things just enough that the WylieCat (yep) jibed inside of me and slipped ahead. While I was trimming all the way back, Don was probably finishing a novel. He beat me by about a minute and a half after 11 hours on the course.

(Edit) I just thought of a better excuse: I didn't have the bottom cleaned. (No, I really didn't!) I think Philpott noticed when she stopped by on Friday, but she was gracious and didn't say anything.
.

 

[Jonathan Gutoff]

I left something at home in the Delta that's very important for keeping warm and dry during a race. And it was cold and wet at 0700 at RYC. Has it always been that cold?

 

[everydaysailor]

I left the #1 on the dock. Started with the 4 and later tee'd up the 2 but thought better and went with the 3. Then went to the 2. All slowish/sloppy changes. Forgot to rig forward netting and dragged 2 head sails. Believed forecast and flew heavy kite all the way back.
After the final jibe inside the bridge got greedy and released the kite too early from the sock and laid it over hard. Broaching was highly likely if you kept your kite up trying to lay the finish. Wind angle/speed/shifts and gusts were impressive. Thank you South Tower Demon, may I have another! The smart kid in the class on a blue Alerion doused at the North tower and glided in under white, er, black sails.

The spin sock was crucial.
I pulled off the final hairy gybe with its help (the previous 2 outside the gate went fine without socking).
After broaching it allowed me to "douse" and reset without going forward or re- rigging. Further, had it been rigged on the Starboard side I could have recovered quicker by simply socking it.
I finished under reefed kite (1/2 sock) without worry of further mishap. Not sexy but safe.
A fine day. Thank you Tom and all the rest that make these days possible.
Chris Jordan
The Pork Chop Express

 

[Philpott]

Video of Finishes in order of appearance and dishevelment

I took 65 short little videos, small enough to send over email. Then I realized that I would have to send out emails to a lot of people, all of you, and that would require a lot of cutting and pasting. Instead I threw them onto Movie Maker.

Then, instead of attaching some poached Kinks songs (I was thinking of 'Superman' and 'So Tired (of waiting for you)', I left intact the noise of the wind off the city front last evening. And there was some wind. Here you are, in all your glory:

https://youtu.be/GF1QvoUT9jM

 

[Werewolf]

Thanks for posting this Jackie! I almost caught Nina there at the end - maybe if the race had been 1/4 mile longer. Hats off to Robert though, that was quite the competitive spirit.

 

[brianb]

Pretty nice Jackie. Next year I will film your finish.

 

[Philpott]

Pretty nice Jackie. Next year I will film your finish.

Thanks, Brian. It will probably look like Daniel's finish. I must say, though, whatever lights he had on masthead could be seen all the way from the bridge.

 

[Philpott]

Will Lee s/v Sea Wisdom, was late to the start of the 2020 Singlehanded Farallones race, and almost a full week late to finish. Here he is on Sea Wisdom, on his approach to the islands



He described the conditions: "I wanted to do the SHF but it was so last minute that I already made commitments to family. The trip back so far has been super relaxing on a BroadReach, the condition is 10-15 knots of wind, sea state is at minimum. I could even take a nap at the bow of the boat (clipped in)."

 

[Philpott]

Last night there was a zoom awards meeting for Farallones participants. I forgot to tell a Daniel Willey story. He wasn't there last night and doesn't read the forum, but here it is anyway:

A few years back Dura Mater and I won our division in the Farallones race. This astonished everyone, including me, but my trophy continues to impress, right next to a model schooner constructed by some long forgotten relative, foisted upon me by my brother in law. Here it is:



The reason we won in 2016 is because the other five or six boats in our division floated around for hours, then returned to the bay so they didn't have to stay out until early the next morning. Daniel was one of the sailors out there in 2016, and he decided to come in with everyone else (but us). As everyone knows, Daniel is a very tenacious sailor.

During this past Farallones race DM and Galaxsea were the only boats in our division. Whoever floatest longest had a good chance of winning the division (the 'OMG I love you, but you are a slow boat, honey' division). Daniel knows that I can be determined myself. However, when I realized that we were closer to Duxbury than the islands, and that Daniel was even further north, I decided to come back into the bay. I figured he was headed for Drakes Bay for the evening, where he would cook himself a nice hot dinner and wait until morning to return. I considered it myself, but the day started with a southerly and that is verboten in Drakes Bay.

Instead I tucked into the GGYC and videotaped everybody as they arrived, bedraggled and sweaty, as evidenced.

It was dark by this time, and at about 9:30 we raised Galaxsea: "Galaxsea, Galaxsea, this is the SSS Race Committee. Do you read me?"

Daniel radioed back: "Yes, I'm about to turn on my engine." Then there was a long pause. "Wait a minute! Is that you, Jackie?"

Jackie: "Yes, I'm at the GGYC, ready to go eat a hot meal and go to sleep on Dura Mater."

Daniel: "Oh! Well, then, I'll continue on and circle the islands!"

Jackie: "By all means, do so! What is your ETA, please? We'll set our alarms and wait for your radio call upon approach to the Bridge."

And so we did, and there he was, clear as a bell on the radio and under the bridge. And Galaxsea won her division in the annual SSS Farallones race. Congratulations, Daniel.