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Cheers - Bryan
Berkeley Midwinters 2018-19
- Thread starter BobJ
- Start date
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
More impressive than her holding tank was the way Surprise! took off in the Berkeley Midwins yesterday. Whew! Fast! Here she is, first at the start and then again after rounding the windward mark the first time.
It was, as Bob mentions, windy, else I would have taken better photos; more photos, one each of Greg and Jan and even Chris, whose Express 27 seemed to like the conditions. I double reefed before the start, and was glad I had throughout the short two hours. I watched Jan throw something overboard. Was it a winch handle or a gift to the water gods? That race was a lot of fun. May there be more like it this series.
It was, as Bob mentions, windy, else I would have taken better photos; more photos, one each of Greg and Jan and even Chris, whose Express 27 seemed to like the conditions. I double reefed before the start, and was glad I had throughout the short two hours. I watched Jan throw something overboard. Was it a winch handle or a gift to the water gods? That race was a lot of fun. May there be more like it this series.
everydaysailor
New member
No surprise regarding Surprise!, nice job Bob - and the rest of us for getting out there and getting around in one piece. My march to the start was kinda ugly from Pier 39. Rig was loose enough that I decided to tighten it underway. Getting wet with outboard popping out with high rev cavitations yadda yadda...
Stupidly did not lead reefing line pre start so was forced to perform light acrobatics on 1st downwind leg. Still super overpowered with spinouts but with only one reef in the winter main....
The boat likes breeze but upwind with no weight was painful.
I still had a damn good time. Especially the ride home.
I will likely haul out at Brickyard after Dec race so if anyone is hanging out lemee know.
Cheers!
Stupidly did not lead reefing line pre start so was forced to perform light acrobatics on 1st downwind leg. Still super overpowered with spinouts but with only one reef in the winter main....
The boat likes breeze but upwind with no weight was painful.
I still had a damn good time. Especially the ride home.
I will likely haul out at Brickyard after Dec race so if anyone is hanging out lemee know.
Cheers!
everydaysailor
New member
oops- yeah, Chris J on PC Xpress.
Daydreamer
SAILOR
December 9th turned out to be a fine day for sailing and racing on the Berkeley Circle.
Three singlehanded and five double handed boats mixed it up.
I made a mess out of my first spinnaker set and didn't bother with the second.
Here is Dura Mater looking good.
Three singlehanded and five double handed boats mixed it up.
I made a mess out of my first spinnaker set and didn't bother with the second.
Here is Dura Mater looking good.
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Bob, we always miss you on the water. Chris Jordan was fired up. He arrived late and finished first. His boat is fast and he clearly knows how to get it going! Thank you, Greg, for the nice photo of my boat. I had a really good time, and felt proud of myself for raising and dousing two headsails in one race without falling off the boat.
Here's my story du jour:
A couple of years ago Bob Johnston gave me a racing sail. This is a gorgeous sail, the kind that would make Dura Mater feel proud to show up at a race. Bob called it "a little black dress" for Dura Mater. I was reluctant to accept such an generous gift, but Bob wanted it out of his storage locker and into my dining room. So, one morning as I was rigging DM for a Sunday afternoon race out of Berkeley, he showed up on O Dock with this long sailbag and threw it on my boat's bow.
"C'mon. Let's just see if it fits." So we did and it did. Then we motored out to the start and raced, and it went very well. Dura Mater went fast upwind, then we sailed back in with the spinnaker up. Huh. That was a lot of fun. The only problem with this sail is that, without crew, I can't see around it to other boats, buoys, container ships or islands. It's real low and almost the same length as Dura Mater, hence the "racing sail" moniker.
I asked Skip his opinion and he said that my boat with that sail and only me aboard would become a death trap (or something to that effect). But like I said, Bob wanted it out of his storage locker and Connie wouldn't have it in her dining room. So it's been in mine for the past two years. And it looks great over there next to my Navik Windvane, which almost fits right in with the china cabinet. But I digress.
This past weekend, the second Berkeley Midwinters, the forecast called for "up to 10 knots". It sounded like a perfect day for something new. I decided to invite crew to join me on Dura Mater, with an eye toward using Bob's sail. Now I don't invite just anybody to sail with me aboard Dura Mater. In fact I would rather not have anybody sail with me on Dura Mater. It's the whole "Don't Touch That!" response that occurs when anyone else is in the same cockpit, cabin or general proximity when she and I are moving on the water together. It's simply annoying. "Why are you here?" But I did want to sail with that black sail again, because, well, who wouldn't?
Now every invitation to sail with me on DM is carefully considered. I don't invite just anybody to come aboard. So I carefully considered my options. Then I emailed Bobbi Tosse and asked her to move Dura Mater and me from the Single to Double Handed divisions. Jonathan Gutoff helped me turn DM around in the slip so we would be upwind the morning of the race. Then I invited someone to be my crew. I suggested a judicious arrival time, one that would allow us time to switch out the old for the fast new headsail before leaving for the Midwinters. I arrived early to clean DM's bottom with my new extension brush and swiped at the bugs in the cockpit. Shortly before 10 am I thought to check my phone, only to find that my crew had sent me a late text with no good excuse.
I responded by text, but my would-be crew had clearly turned the phone off. Then I made myself a cup of tea, sat in my cockpit and sulked for awhile. After that it was time to motor over to Berkeley, where DM and I chased after Jan and Greg for a couple of hours, not particularly fast nor slow either, but it felt just right. I watched Jan's beautiful spinnaker when it finally unfurled and waved to Greg as he circled me after finishing. He looked incredibly cool and handled Nightmare easily, as if she was a dinghy. After that I stayed out on the bay until it started to get dark and quite cold. The wind was gentle and it was quiet out there on the Olympic Circle, just east of the ebb. Later that night the black sail went back to the dining room, where it waits for another day. It was, in the long run, a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
You still have DM's "little black dress?" You should feel complete freedom to toss it in a dumpster, although DM told me she kinda likes wearing it.
Here's where this got started.
Tell us about the new drifter - I assume you didn't take a marker to the old blue and white one. Does it have a history?
The history about the little black dress: It was owned by a lawyer on the right coast who bought new racing sails every year. He then sold off the prior set on the J/29 Owners' website. His boat was a J/29F (not a J/92) and its genoas would be a little short in the hoist, but would work.
Ragtime! came with a 100% jib and no tracks for a genoa. She was underpowered upwind when it was light. I estimated that a J/29F's #1 genoa would sheet to the aft stanchion bases - not a good idea structurally but it was just an experiment (right?) and I promised I would use the genoa only in light air. The lawyer was actually selling two genoas - the black one (an Ullman Technora 155) and a light #1 (a North 3DL 155). He wanted $350 for the Ullman and $200 for the 3DL. I bought both and took them to Synthia to change the sail numbers. Synthia also changed the draft stripes to dark blue, because Rags!
If you've read the "Downwind Issues" post in the Archives, these were the two 155's that became twin headsails for the 2008 SHTP. But before that: Mark (Alchera) Deppe, another J/92 owner, and me, used one of the genoas (still sheeted to the stanchion bases) in that year's J/Fest... in the Spring... when it's windy... on the Cityfront. Rags was way overcanvased, we had to skip the second race because we couldn't get it down, and we created a bunch of spider cracks in the gelcoat around the stanchions. (Don't worry, the spider cracks were completely repaired during the refit.)
It turned out the light #1 was a little too light and basically exploded during the SHTP. It went in the dumpster next to the Tree in Hanalei Bay. But the little black dress soldiers on, next to the china cabinet in Philpott's dining room.
.
Here's where this got started.
Tell us about the new drifter - I assume you didn't take a marker to the old blue and white one. Does it have a history?
The history about the little black dress: It was owned by a lawyer on the right coast who bought new racing sails every year. He then sold off the prior set on the J/29 Owners' website. His boat was a J/29F (not a J/92) and its genoas would be a little short in the hoist, but would work.
Ragtime! came with a 100% jib and no tracks for a genoa. She was underpowered upwind when it was light. I estimated that a J/29F's #1 genoa would sheet to the aft stanchion bases - not a good idea structurally but it was just an experiment (right?) and I promised I would use the genoa only in light air. The lawyer was actually selling two genoas - the black one (an Ullman Technora 155) and a light #1 (a North 3DL 155). He wanted $350 for the Ullman and $200 for the 3DL. I bought both and took them to Synthia to change the sail numbers. Synthia also changed the draft stripes to dark blue, because Rags!
If you've read the "Downwind Issues" post in the Archives, these were the two 155's that became twin headsails for the 2008 SHTP. But before that: Mark (Alchera) Deppe, another J/92 owner, and me, used one of the genoas (still sheeted to the stanchion bases) in that year's J/Fest... in the Spring... when it's windy... on the Cityfront. Rags was way overcanvased, we had to skip the second race because we couldn't get it down, and we created a bunch of spider cracks in the gelcoat around the stanchions. (Don't worry, the spider cracks were completely repaired during the refit.)
It turned out the light #1 was a little too light and basically exploded during the SHTP. It went in the dumpster next to the Tree in Hanalei Bay. But the little black dress soldiers on, next to the china cabinet in Philpott's dining room.
.
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Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Thank you, Carliane! Let's go out on Kynntana and play with some sails. Or come out on Dura Mater with me and we can wave to all the Express 27s as they pass us twice.
Bob, that is a terrific story about the black sail. I appreciate it even more now and I'll give it a little wave every morning on the way to the kitchen.
Does my bumble bee have a history? Alas, Boaters Resale of Texas doesn't have the same sense of history that we in the SSS enjoy. They sold it to me for $165 before tax. Shipping was $30. I like those people. They got back to me right away, and on a Saturday evening!
It was variously described as both a jib and a drifter online and I was, indeed, able to use it almost close hauled on Sunday. I used my spinnaker blocks but next time I'll attach a block further back, at DM's aft cleat, and see how it feels that way.
I have a second jib halyard that I'd never used before Sunday, and tried it with the Bumble Bee. I gybed carefully at the leeward mark and was able to go through the wind, where we went from being on a reach all the way 'round to a close haul! It is a really versatile sail. Of course it helped that DM is such a forgiving boat, galumphing along like a St Bernard.
Hey, Greg! Here's a photo I found on my phone of you and Nightmare returning to the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge upon your arrival from Hanalei Bay this summer. 8.7.18
Attachments
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Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Back in 2014 I invited Carliane to do Drakes Bay with me because I was a big fat baby and afraid to do it singlehanded. She agreed but because neither of us were savvy to the effects of current in the Bonita Channel we spent the better part of the day stuck there, fighting our way against the flood. Sigh. Lesson learned. At the end of the day we motored through the dark into Drakes Bay. Allen Cooper foolishly responded to our radio hail, and we bribed him to let us raft up to Krissy. He invited us into his (warm, comfortable) cabin reluctantly, and only when we promised rotisserie chicken (thank you, Carliane). He hardly knew us, these loud desperate women, slightly nervous in the dark. Well, I was nervous anyway. I don’t think Carliane is scared of anything. After that I decided that I felt comfortable sailing alone to destinations where no Dura Mater has gone before. Thanks for the gift of fortitude, Carliane.
Al Germain sailed on DM in a Berkeley midwinters that was so foggy we couldn’t see two boat lengths ahead. It was also very windy, which was unnerving. I stood at the bow with the air horn while Al steered. He was impressively calm. Later I asked him, how had he stayed so calm? He shrugged and smiled that enigmatic little smile of his: “Well, it’s not my boat, is it?” Point taken, Al.
Pat Broderick sailed with me in that same Midwinters series, and when he stepped aboard he looked around for my instruments. I hung my head. No instruments aboard Dura Mater. But wait! Yes there is a fish finder over there on the portside companion way. An actual, installed instrument! He nodded sagely. We would sail by tell tales. He would show me how. So we sailed, in light air this time. He taught me how to sit on the low side, loosen up the outhaul, lessen the tension on the jib halyard and trim until not only the telltales on the jib flow but also the telltales along the leach of the main. Constantly trim the main in and out. Ohhhh! So that’s how you do it! That’s how the Broderick wins, and now his secrets are out. Thank you, Pat.
I’ve sailed with Skip out of Santa Cruz. When Skip steps aboard your boat you just hand him the tiller. I mean, Duh. The boat was putty in his hands. We sailed out to the mile marker and then over to Capitola where he did figure eights around the moored boats in 25 knots. The harbormaster came onto the wharf to watch protectively over his clients. Who could blame him? After all, he recognized neither Dura Mater nor the person at the helm from that distance. No sailing advice from Skip that day except to switch out my boom for a beefier size. I’ll do that one day, but not this day. Skip is a man who sails joyously for the sheer pleasure. And oh, yes, he knows all the other stuff, too. I’m sure of it because I read it in a book. Or maybe I haven’t read the book yet. Well, there should be one. Book By Skip. Maybe one day he’ll finally write it down. Because if he doesn’t it will be lost. Not to nag.
Yesterday Dura Mater participated in the Berkeley Midwinters with Philippe, who was great fun to have aboard! I think people were trying extra hard yesterday, because we moved around the course expeditiously. As we headed to the windward mark for the second time Philippe gently suggested that DM doesn’t point as well as Stink Eye or the Express 27s or even (ahem) Nathalie’s Figaro. So don’t follow their leads, said Philippe. Fall off a bit for speed.
“See? You’re keeping up with that Express 27. Well … at least you were for awhile…. “
He tried to stay positive, but he kept looking behind us.
“Are we LAST?” he asked incredulously. PJ is not accustomed to bringing up the rear. I heard the defensive tone in my voice: “Remember: Our rating is 213.” What I meant was: ‘Surely with you aboard, oh, Jamotte, we will prevail on corrected time.’ But alas! We did not.
It wasn’t for lack of trying, either. DM tried her best. The spinnaker was raised in wind above 10 knots for the first time in history. That was a no brainer. My crew was determined. I will admit that it was quite pleasant to have someone aboard to boss around.
“Release the clutch!” “Prepare to tack!” “Move your legs!” Those legs were everywhere, clogging up the cockpit. I worried about clocking him with the boom but he ducked and weaved like Ali behind me. I didn’t have to share the cushion because he could see above the cabin top without it, and he re-packed the spinnaker between sets. I didn’t get sweaty once the whole day because he did all the work.
“Raise the sail!” “Gybe the pole!” It was slightly boring for me. He was effortlessly obedient. Having crew makes a huge difference. I wonder if he’s that way at home? I’ll have to ask Jolie. Hahaha.
Anyway, I learned anew to love my boat for her own unique charms, which don’t seem to be in the racing arena. But we get out there. And now DM and I say adieu for today and thank you again to some of our illustrious crew from yesterday and years past.
Al Germain sailed on DM in a Berkeley midwinters that was so foggy we couldn’t see two boat lengths ahead. It was also very windy, which was unnerving. I stood at the bow with the air horn while Al steered. He was impressively calm. Later I asked him, how had he stayed so calm? He shrugged and smiled that enigmatic little smile of his: “Well, it’s not my boat, is it?” Point taken, Al.
Pat Broderick sailed with me in that same Midwinters series, and when he stepped aboard he looked around for my instruments. I hung my head. No instruments aboard Dura Mater. But wait! Yes there is a fish finder over there on the portside companion way. An actual, installed instrument! He nodded sagely. We would sail by tell tales. He would show me how. So we sailed, in light air this time. He taught me how to sit on the low side, loosen up the outhaul, lessen the tension on the jib halyard and trim until not only the telltales on the jib flow but also the telltales along the leach of the main. Constantly trim the main in and out. Ohhhh! So that’s how you do it! That’s how the Broderick wins, and now his secrets are out. Thank you, Pat.
I’ve sailed with Skip out of Santa Cruz. When Skip steps aboard your boat you just hand him the tiller. I mean, Duh. The boat was putty in his hands. We sailed out to the mile marker and then over to Capitola where he did figure eights around the moored boats in 25 knots. The harbormaster came onto the wharf to watch protectively over his clients. Who could blame him? After all, he recognized neither Dura Mater nor the person at the helm from that distance. No sailing advice from Skip that day except to switch out my boom for a beefier size. I’ll do that one day, but not this day. Skip is a man who sails joyously for the sheer pleasure. And oh, yes, he knows all the other stuff, too. I’m sure of it because I read it in a book. Or maybe I haven’t read the book yet. Well, there should be one. Book By Skip. Maybe one day he’ll finally write it down. Because if he doesn’t it will be lost. Not to nag.
Yesterday Dura Mater participated in the Berkeley Midwinters with Philippe, who was great fun to have aboard! I think people were trying extra hard yesterday, because we moved around the course expeditiously. As we headed to the windward mark for the second time Philippe gently suggested that DM doesn’t point as well as Stink Eye or the Express 27s or even (ahem) Nathalie’s Figaro. So don’t follow their leads, said Philippe. Fall off a bit for speed.
“See? You’re keeping up with that Express 27. Well … at least you were for awhile…. “
He tried to stay positive, but he kept looking behind us.
“Are we LAST?” he asked incredulously. PJ is not accustomed to bringing up the rear. I heard the defensive tone in my voice: “Remember: Our rating is 213.” What I meant was: ‘Surely with you aboard, oh, Jamotte, we will prevail on corrected time.’ But alas! We did not.
It wasn’t for lack of trying, either. DM tried her best. The spinnaker was raised in wind above 10 knots for the first time in history. That was a no brainer. My crew was determined. I will admit that it was quite pleasant to have someone aboard to boss around.
“Release the clutch!” “Prepare to tack!” “Move your legs!” Those legs were everywhere, clogging up the cockpit. I worried about clocking him with the boom but he ducked and weaved like Ali behind me. I didn’t have to share the cushion because he could see above the cabin top without it, and he re-packed the spinnaker between sets. I didn’t get sweaty once the whole day because he did all the work.
“Raise the sail!” “Gybe the pole!” It was slightly boring for me. He was effortlessly obedient. Having crew makes a huge difference. I wonder if he’s that way at home? I’ll have to ask Jolie. Hahaha.
Anyway, I learned anew to love my boat for her own unique charms, which don’t seem to be in the racing arena. But we get out there. And now DM and I say adieu for today and thank you again to some of our illustrious crew from yesterday and years past.
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Thanks for having me aboard. It was a great day to sail and I enjoyed my time on Dura Mater. I would be happy for more as opportunities arise ...
Daydreamer
SAILOR
I saw a max of 14 out of the NW.
Filled in around 12:15
Good sailing.
There is always a mistake. Yep I really ran the S/F line during the windward leg. DOH!
Dura Mater looked good with her secret weapon crew. I thought it was one of her better finishes
Nice job with the kite.
Filled in around 12:15
Good sailing.
There is always a mistake. Yep I really ran the S/F line during the windward leg. DOH!
Dura Mater looked good with her secret weapon crew. I thought it was one of her better finishes
Nice job with the kite.
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+1
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
I saw a max of 14 out of the NW.
Filled in around 12:15
Good sailing.
There is always a mistake. Yep I really ran the S/F line during the windward leg. DOH!
Dura Mater looked good with her secret weapon crew. I thought it was one of her better finishes
Nice job with the kite.
Well, I’m not surprised! I watched you hauling in that massive genoa as you turned to port and said aloud to Philippe: “Look at that! How does he do it?” You looked like a crab fisherman pulling in a full net. FAST. Very impressive.
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Apres Midwinters there is the Snow
Received this message from Elton Cassels, crewmember on Steve Katzman's Dianne in the Berkeley Midwinters. Second place in the Sunday series, behind Motorcycle Irene, who is hard to beat on any course.
"It was a windy wet rainy, and well, really wet Saturday on Racecourse. (Did I say windy?) it blew 25 + pm the gusts, and rained buckets."
After the races, putting the boat away in the yard and driving 3+ hours, Steve and Co arrived back in South Lake Tahoe to find this:
Received this message from Elton Cassels, crewmember on Steve Katzman's Dianne in the Berkeley Midwinters. Second place in the Sunday series, behind Motorcycle Irene, who is hard to beat on any course.
"It was a windy wet rainy, and well, really wet Saturday on Racecourse. (Did I say windy?) it blew 25 + pm the gusts, and rained buckets."
After the races, putting the boat away in the yard and driving 3+ hours, Steve and Co arrived back in South Lake Tahoe to find this: