Single Handed Sailing Society Richmond to South Beach Race Wrap Up

September 18, 2010

by Mike Bruzzone

 

Course:

 RYC start between race deck and Richmond Potrero channel marker #8.

North of Richmond Channel marks for Chevron wharf restriction under San Rafael Bridge south to north Brother Light Station to port under San Rafael Bridge north to south through Racoon Straights east to west Little Harding to port under Bay Bridge south to north Alameda Naval Air Station Entrance Buoy #2 to starboard McCovey Cove South Beach south harbor entrance finish

 

Tides:

 0830 3.0f

1127 s

1437 1.9e

1722 s

 

Wind west @ 9 - 12 knots.

 

Playing field; 7 e27 (5 double handed + 2 single handed) plus 7 other sport boats in division start superset.

 

Start Potrero channel off RYC breakwater start deck to north and channel marker 8 to south. 

 

Richmond channel was slack to flooding with tide east to west and what side to start on?  Leeward north with apparent up and in dirt or weather south outside of between fleet and next mark but in free air.  

 

Went with weather side of start fleet with free air. 

 

Started just south of Great While who leveraged their apparent position to get slightly ahead from leeward with Take 5 directly behind us both. 

 

Desperado was mowed over quickly by Azura 31 who started same time in sport boat fleet and GW moved ahead for an extended early lead.

 

Leeward start was an interesting option and we tried several times before start; with wind yes, but the wind was north of west and in the channel which means no.  At start left likely suspects El Raton and Verve in the dirt of overtaking weather fleet early.  El Raton would strike back.

 

Top of #1 entire race had to stay south and west of Potrero Channel north entrance buoys on SSS Chevron wharf restriction. 

 

Aiming for deep channel set after first restricted mark at 90 degrees apparent before the San Rafael Bridge easing to DDW by Brothers Light Station. 

 

 

Great White implemented better set and made 25 yards more on their 25 yard lead on Desperado.  El Raton and Take Five in pursuit.

 

In ebb transitioning from slack and Brothers Light Station to port, on our way to early ebb on west Marin shore.  

 

At Brothers Light Station weather chute take down then Port lay line to Marin shore was a header and GW and ER decided their port to starboard Racoon Straights approach earlier. Desperado tacks San Rafael shore most on v line through bridge for California City, with e27 & fleet to leeward.

 

Back under San Rafael Bridge in channel off skirt Paradise Cay on the way to CA City wind showed light under Kyle Point. 

 

Decided to stay off shore shooting for Hospital cove to south racoon starboard to port approach on building ebb through straights.  But watched for the wind filling at Kyle Point which it was.  And would have preferred cutting the distance but stayed in the wind for south side. 

 

When GW tacked starboard to port Racoon east to west mid way, Desperado continued past for southern most approach.  With ER grabbing early northern side most east west approach; which worked on most ebb and building wind.  ER closed on their starboard tack out from Caprice Restaurent but Desperado crossed ahead on port.

 

ER tacked port to starboard at Caprice on GW line to Little Harding which was the early as possible lay line to Little Harding . . . which I think GW made without tacking?   

 

Desperado continued on port to play southern outskirt SFYC Cove, in wind, and increasing north side ebb tide build all the way up to Belvedere point.

 

With GW #1 on shorter 'lay line' course to Little Harding, Desperado was #2 and with ER in 3rd tempting the shorter distance lay line to Little Harding,

Desperado's port to starboard tack at Belvedere Buoy to Little Harding meant 5 degree sheet easing lay line that kept us at speed in building wind and #2 position (still) at Little Harding.  ER ended up short tacking twice for the lay line.

 

With GW leading and in Increasing ebb now to NAS entrance in south bay, Desperado followed GW on lay line course to west face of Alcatraz for ebb tide back of island relief . . . before ebb push again across city front north main channel sailing for city front east main channel.

 

Before Alcatraz saw J105 Fleet heading down wind in ebb relief just off SF shore.  So did ER, who stopped chasing Desperado and GW from upwind position.  ER heads up more to west on apparent speed for on SF shore relief course; gybe from star to port on shore west of Pier 39.  Another gutsy move.

 

Sailing up means sailing down.  ER got to shore and by Pier 39 looked pretty good. Desperado was mid bay sailing 120 degrees and west of Blossom Rock aiming for through Bay Bridge span and then too NAS entrance leeward mark. 

 

GW west and to the inside decided to protect including for shore relief against ER.  Both sailed right up and under and into the wharf.

 

There was nothing we could do but sail our run line course to leeward mark which was mid bay east of the SF shore relief.  There were increasing wind gusts in the middle; fog was entering the GG and wind speed was only a mater of time

 

Wind lightened under SF city east waterfront shore, GW & EL had luffing confrontation between a couple of piers and I popped my first beer on the race course.

 

With wind in the middle and all boats in the same adverse ebb tide sailing to leeward mark Desperado continued on straight line course working for Alameda side. 

 

ER won shore side luffing match with GW and was now in second place.  But always and again sailing down from the weather position south of Bay Bridge. 

 

Desperado passed under Bay Bridge just east of the west side cement abutment.

 

Wind was increasing in south bay and heading from DDW to 85 degrees at leeward mark.

 

ER from weather on apparent change closed to within 5 boat lengths of Desperado at leeward market with GW third and T5 fourth.  All fleet was consolidating from behind in ebb on building wind.

 

At NAS leeward mark Desperado headed up onto starboard for west shore in dirt of J80.  ER tacked out of bad air onto port in max ebb but east of lay line.

 

South bay ebb tide with all boats to finish Desperado played between west of ER and more west finish line. 

 

Experiencing some westerly shear lifts on port into McCovey Cove, ER was further east on port in south bay main stream, did not see shears, overshoot north in ebb push sailing back up ebb tide to finish.

 

A hotly contested race.  Top three boats always close.  Certain all others were in boat to boat race what ever position. 

 

mb