Our
3-Bridge Fiasco on WylieCat 39 CHECKERED PAST was entertaining, to say the least. For the record I counted 303 entries, 260 starters, 63 finishers including only 2 multihulls, and an astounding 21 finishers from Richmond yacht Club. There were 15 Moore 24's of 26 that finished. And 9 of 19 Express 27's
https://www.jibeset.net/show.php?RR=JACKY_T004563020&DOC=r1&TYP=html
It appeared the winning times came from starters who went to Crissy first, Red Rock second, and Yerba Buena 3rd. Big congrats to Julia Paxton/David Liebenberg for posting the best time of the day, finishing at 3:26 p.m, in their Express 27. And also to Jim Quanci on GREEN BEEFALO, finishing 1st of the singlehanders at 4:58 pm, one of only 3 singlehanders to complete the course. Jim sailed to Red Rock first and Crissy last.
Dishonorable mention goes to Racoon Straits, who allowed no finishers to pass through. Also to the two non-finishers who neglected to report their DNFs as required, precipitating a Coast Guard meltdown as being "unaccounted for entries." Good grief, does the SSS really need a middle-of-the-night Coast Guard search in the Bay for missing sailors who didn't read the rules? The last dishonorable mention goes to the multiple racers who again disregarded the Richmond Long Wharf Restricted Zone and gained tidal current advantage, as well as sailing a shorter course. Most racers respected the Restricted Area boundaries. But I would ask the skippers of OUT OF CONTROL and PUNK DOLPHIN "Why you no follow race instructions?"
On CHECKERED PAST we started at 9:56:42 on port tack in 10-12 knots of northerly and the beginning of a building ebb. We trimmed the mainsheet and hardened the choker to beat towards our chosen first mark: Red Rock. Reasoning was: we really wanted to get around RR before the prevailing breeze faded and before the ebb increased so much it would "shut the gate." A significant number of boats chose this direction, including those that rounded Crissy first, and we all laid Alcatraz, and endured a small light area in the lee, south of Pt. Blunt.
Past Point Blunt we continued on a lifting port tack, with the 10 knot NNW puffs being lifts and the 6 knot lulls being headers. CHECKERED PAST seemed to being going well, but so was GREEN BUFFALO, a couple of O-25's, two J-70's.
Rounding Red Rock to port at 12:05 pm, we had 2 knots of ebb and 8 knots of north wind, making things exciting to round cleanly without hitting anything solid as the current tried to sweep us ashore. GREEN BUFFALO was just behind, and our group headed downwind for TI, most choosing to head for less South Bay ebb over the Berkeley Flats. We could see more wind to starboard and sailed direct to the tip of Treasure Island enjoying more breeze than the inshore boats. At TI we sailed along the riprap shoreline in 20 feet of water, and close aboard the construction barges at Clipper Cove.
We passed under the Bay Bridge at 1:45 pm in 6 knots of breeze from astern, enjoyed a second mark rounding treat, and noticed ahead the CG in a large RIB warning off competitors from the restricted zone 100 yards off the Buoy Tender docks.
After rounding the SE tip of Yerba Buena at 2:10 pm we hit the windline and enjoyed 12 knots of northwesterly as we laid up the City Front on starboard, making 6.2 knots through the water and 9 knots SOG. Whee! Things were looking good until they weren't and the wind died between Alcatraz and Pier 39. Our group drifted in ebb westward and apparently we were all going to be swept by Crissy, our last mark, and out the Gate. 2 knots of southwesterly breeze up high allowed us to round Crissy and then slow to one length advancement every 2 minutes.. Boats heading for the beach faired no better, and the last of the ebb meant everyone anchored to avoid being swept back into the restricted area inshore of the South Tower.
CHECKERED PAST was doing well in these drifting conditions and we were first to reach Anita Rock, only to be stymied by the current. Here we are just before anchoring abeam of Anita Rock.
photo by Louis Benainous
Out came the anchor, with Kim paying out 75 feet of rode in 20 feet of water, and there we sat for the next 20 minutes. Then it came, better late than never, the afternoon seabreeze from the west. It was light, but enough to carry a bunch of trailing boats to the finish, all crossing the GGYC line to the sound of Synthia ringing her gong.
All in all, a fine day. We won our division, what ever it was. But the best was yet to come: Sailing home at sunset, the windows of homes in the Berkeley Hills reflected orange like somebody threw a switch. Stunning beautiful to be on the Bay. Thank you to SSS, Jibeset and the RC for having the results posted in just minutes, not hours or days! Yay for them. ~sleddog