Where is Point Stuart?

[gybetime]

The Corinthian Race SI describes Point Stuart Buoy as R "4" R 2 (note that on some older charts this is labeled R "4" iso R 6s)
On the chart I have the closest one I see is R "4" Fl R 2.5s. Is it the Point Stuart Buoy? I have attached the picture of this area of my chart:

Thanks a lot!

 

[Critter]

The Corinthian Race SI describes Point Stuart Buoy as R "4" R 2 (note that on some older charts this is labeled R "4" iso R 6s)
On the chart I have the closest one I see is R "4" Fl R 2.5s. Is it the Point Stuart Buoy? I have attached the picture of this area of my chart:
View attachment 861
Thanks a lot!

That's right. R "4" R 2 doesn't make sense. It seems to be a typo in the SIs. Allen put in this alternate mark last year in case there wasn't enough wind to push out to Little Harding against the flood.

 

[BobJ]

Pt. Stuart is the point on Angel Island closest to Belvedere. I assume the idea of the alternate course is to still start to the SW but once around the buoy, you could go East around Angel Island (with the flood). The Pt. Stuart buoy has the same designation as your buoy E of Pt. Blunt: R "4" Fl R 2.5s, but is on the opposite side of the island. On my chart it appears to be quite close to shore, which is a concern.

 

[Jonathan Gutoff]

The Point Stuart buoy is off of Angel Island right across Raccoon from the CYC. It is red. The Peninsula Point buoy is off of Belvedere. It's green. Plenty of water around Stuart but a rock inside Peninsula Buoy (but the SSI's have no restriction to go in there)

Pt. Stuart is the point closest to Belvedere. I assume the idea of the alternate course is to still start to the SW but once around the buoy, you could go East around Angel Island (with the flood). The Pt. Stuart buoy has the same designation as your buoy E of Pt. Blunt: R "4" Fl R 2.5s, but is on the opposite side of the island. On my chart it appears to be quite close to shore, which is a concern.

 

[gybetime]

Thanks a lot, I completely missed the "NW corner of Angel Island" bit. The chart clearly states "Pt Stuart" in black and yellow
That what I believe the course is, right?

 

[BobJ]

That's my understanding. The starting line is West of where your line starts, but with enough flood and light wind you'll end up being about right.

 

[Wylieguy]

Damn! I lost 3 paragraphs! Here goes again.

The Red #4 buoy at Pt. Stuart is just off the NW corner of Angel Island. There is actually a deep water ship channel that goes through Raccoon Strait. It hasn't been used for decades, but back in the 1970s and into the 1980s tankers passed through Raccoon on their way up river. That made for some interesting sailing if there wasn't much wind! Atomic subs coming and going to Mare Island also used Raccoon, along with their flotilla of CG escorts.

What we call YRA 15 or "Little Harding Rock" is actually Raccoon #2 and Pt. Stuart is Raccoon Red #4. Peninsula Point Green #3 is the other side of the Raccoon channel. There's no Red#6, but Bluff Point on the SE corner of the Tiburon Peninsula is Raccoon Green #5.

Older charts will show Pt. Stuart, Red#4 up on the bluff above the point. The little weathered building that housed the light is still there. About a decade ago the CG installed the Red #4 buoy and discontinued the light on the bluff. Hence the red buoy #6 that surprises some sailors because it wasn't there before. Sure did me when it first appeared.

There is room between the Red #4 buoy and the rocks, but I'd favor the buoy side. There's almost always a S-to-N current along the W face of Angel Island, both Flood and Ebb. This current meets the current coming/going in Raccoon just about where the buoy lies. On a flood there's not a problem, you just turn the corner and join the water going NE through the Strait. During the ebb, however, this conjunction creates a swirling condition because ebbing water coming through Raccoon tries to turn the corner to the S and meets the current along the face coming from the N.

For courses in this area that have a leg heading from out in the middle (say Harding or Blossom) into Raccoon to finish at the CYC during the ebb, you'll often see local boats hugging the W face of Angel.

 

[gybetime]

Thanks a lot. One more related question. The SI states restricted area "Daymark Fl R 4s 15ft 4M "2" at the outer end of the Berkeley Pier – and the Berkeley shore Buoy R "2CR" Fl R 4s".
I found the Daymark Fl R 4s 15ft 4M "2", but can locate the Berkeley shore Buoy R "2CR" Fl R 4s.
Here is the chart I'm looking at: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18649.shtml

 

[BobJ]

I can't either but the point is that you can't sail through any breaks in the pier - you have to go around the daymark at the west end.

 

[Critter]

Thanks a lot, I completely missed the "NW corner of Angel Island" bit. The chart clearly states "Pt Stuart" in black and yellow
That what I believe the course is, right?
View attachment 863

No, your next mark is Blossom to starboard. It would be a disaster to send the fleet through that little gap so close to the start.
Well, to be perfectly accurate, you could leave Angel Island to starboard on the way to Blossom, but you'd be adding miles to the course.

 

[Critter]

Thanks a lot. One more related question. The SI states restricted area "Daymark Fl R 4s 15ft 4M "2" at the outer end of the Berkeley Pier – and the Berkeley shore Buoy R "2CR" Fl R 4s".
I found the Daymark Fl R 4s 15ft 4M "2", but can locate the Berkeley shore Buoy R "2CR" Fl R 4s.
Here is the chart I'm looking at: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18649.shtml
View attachment 864

That's another unfortunate typo. The buoy description from the next restricted area (Castro Rocks) somehow got duplicated at the end of that line. The description of the Berkeley Pier restriction should end after "... and the Berkeley shore".
As Bob wrote, just don't sail through any gaps in the pier.

 

[BobJ]

No, your next mark is Blossom to starboard. It would be a disaster to send the fleet through that little gap so close to the start.
Well, to be perfectly accurate, you could leave Angel Island to starboard on the way to Blossom, but you'd be adding miles to the course.

That's why I was concerned about the Pt. Stuart buoy being so close to shore. So it's just a passing mark (or some such)? If you do get swept back through Raccoon Strait (or decide to go that way) do you need to round it?

 

[Critter]

That's why I was concerned about the Pt. Stuart buoy being so close to shore. So it's just a passing mark (or some such)? If you do get swept back through Raccoon Strait (or decide to go that way) do you need to round it?

I wasn't at the skippers meeting, so I don't know if the question was cleared up last night. But as I read the SIs, course 2 requires that you leave Pt. Stuart buoy to port whichever way you decide to go to Blossom. Your string will just barely touch it if you take the conventional route, so I guess it's a rounding mark either way.
That's a nasty flood late Saturday morning. Good luck to everyone!

 

[BobJ]

Three of the starts have 24-25 boats each. I hope they give us a nice long line.

I was trying to behave myself last night so I didn't ask, but it's pretty clear you'd have to round the mark to port if you wanted to go back through Raccoon to Blossom. Man I hope we aren't forced to do that . . .

 

[todd22123]

Nice photo of "Bobby the J" on Pressure Drop.

http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/showthread.php?4157-2015-SSS-Corinthian&p=40958#post40958

 

[skatzman]

Point Stuart was right where it was supposed to be and leaving it to port was a non-issue. My compliments to the Race Committee on a job well done. After the race DIANNE tied up to the first side tie in the Corinthian and Jeff and I were heading up for some postrace festivities. The harbormaster ran out to our sidetie, advised us to leave. I explained we were just off the SSS race and wanted only a drink and to chat with our fellow racers. While the harbormaster showed me a better place to tie up he explained that his boss was discouraging boats from coming into the harbor and we'd need our yacht club cards to register. We had no cards with us, it seemed we were not really welcome at the Corinthian so we left. The harbormaster was very polite, but my feeling is his boss was not supportive of SSS racers coming to his club. What's up with that?

 

[Gamayun]

I had the same thing about a week ago. They are getting positively militant about having a CURRENT yacht club card. Of course, if you won the Robgatta and are running to the office to pick up your mug, then they will welcome you with a smile....for a few minutes anyway ;-)

 

[solosailor]

While the harbormaster showed me a better place to tie up he explained that his boss was discouraging boats from coming into the harbor and we'd need our yacht club cards to register. We had no cards with us, it seemed we were not really welcome at the Corinthian so we left.\]

That is not good. I've always felt we were very welcome at the Corinthian YC. On race day you don't have to be a member of squat nor show any cards as you are guests of the Commodore.

 

[BobJ]

I was told before the race (by someone in the know) that the Corinthian Yacht Club knew we would be coming in afterwards and would be striving to be more welcoming. I guess someone at CYC didn't get the word.

My guess is the overflow from Sam's drives them nuts, but still.

 

[Philpott]

I was told before the race (by someone in the know) that the Corinthian Yacht Club knew we would be coming in afterwards and would be striving to be more welcoming. I guess someone at CYC didn't get the word. My guess is the overflow from Sam's drives them nuts, but still.

I tied up briefly at the club (way after Dianne, I'm sure, because that is a fast boat) and smiled widely at the fella at the dock. I think he was on his way over to ask me to go away, but my gregarious greeting either disarmed or alarmed him into backing off. Dura Mater is obviously not a candidate for a slip at the Corinthian. He went to confer with someone else, whom I heard say "there is a singlehanders race." So that got cleared up a bit. I stayed until Carliane told us that her engine would not start. That's when Bob Johnston decided to escort her to Treasure Island, and I decided to escort him. A Flotilla of sorts, or the Cavalry. Rob, a member of the support staff at Corinthian, jumped into his orange zodiac and motored out to help, too. Of course, by the time we arrived out there, Carliane had jumpstarted her own engine. Yup. Preparation for the 2016 race requires a sailor to be self sufficient. Lock your expensive automobiles, everybody ;-)