Strategy = pre race email string. Result = what happened

This is obviously a big race in a small and focused crowd between top talent on a diverse race course.

Tides at GG

28 Sa 0003 4.3E 0419 0722 3.0F 1038 1240 1.7E 1552 1852 2.5F 2147

Wind Speed

Start to Weather Mark and back inside GG Bridge;

Top of #1 to bottom #3. All boats keep #1 anticipating light west of GG Bridge entrance which wasn’t.

West and East to Bay Bridge; < 10 and then < 8 and < 5 knots from south in flood apparent. In estuary some lite puffs from behind greater then flood apparent but mostly 105 to 85 degrees kite reaching. Strategy is simple on late ebb to slack to flood . . . it’s the short races that counts in a weather sprint and downwind cover.

Strategy: Win the start YRA 10 likely north committee boat start. Starboard Approach and 1st to tack to Port.

I start and quickly trade off with Marcia to keep my weight on the rail.

Result; three or four boats down the line for a conservative start on a long race.

1st race up middle sprint to bridge.

Strategy: Deciding course building lite ebb which is North side of course toward Blunt and then just south of Angel island staying in ebb and not in relief, directly passing between south of little Harding and north of Harding heading for the Sausalito side building ebb.

Steve as second heavy weight trades driving with Marcia as the wind increases beyond Marcia’s strength to play the traveler and mainsheet.

Result: Mr. Happy and El Raton make Blunt exactly with Desperado in third position gets cut off by a Chevron Tanker making hard turn West to North at Blunt.

To avoid Desperado tacks Port to Starboard into less middle bay ebb where most of the fleet are sailing.

Mr. Happy and El Raton make 10 minutes on everyone ahead of tanker getting to Sausalito side ebb first. Desperado slips into four way tie with from south to north Great White, Magic Bus, Peaches and Desperado farthest North.

2nd race through mid bridge.

Strategy: Through GG out to Bonita where there are no upwind tactics just stay in the best tide to the mark. We will be able to see if we're going to have to make a headsail change at the bridge looking west to see if the wind lightens in the ocean.

Potential for change from 3 to 1 approaching last 3/4 mile to Bonita channel marker is a real gainer if the wind lightens outside the gate . . . so everyone else please visualize this move in advance.

Result: Port to Starboard tack ½ mile off Sausalito Shore inside Mr. Happy and El Raton Line too slightly south of mid span for tack back onto port and out mid channel. Sticking with helmsperson Steve everyone else continues to hike over top of #1.

3rd race mid bottleneck channel to weather mark.

Strategy: Starboard to port approach under GG Bridge slightly south of center. On this course heading we can figure out how much the ebb has filled in and, if so, right through GG bridge span slightly North of middle not to get set south toward Mile Rock. Likely there will be sufficient ebb

Just outside Gate north of middle Starboard tack Swan 44 forces us momentarily back onto port, they sail by and we tack back to port. Under bridge and through straits wind increases, Steve’s back on the rail as second heaviest and lite foredeck Dave drives through the straights to Bonita and around.

4th race great rounding and set.

Objective: Approaching Bonita there will be a slightly south and west, or slightly east and north tactical call to get around Bonita to Port.

Result The call was slightly east and north which we did on ebb push up to the weather mark.

El Raton rounds first by a lot. Mr. Happy over stands slightly from west and south. Great White rounds and then Peaches gets to Bonita a couple of boat lengths ahead of Desperado.

Cross function cross training in wind foredeck Dave drives round the mark and Marcia does foredeck.

5th race most apparent best VMG back to bridge in tide change which will be the major decision.

Objective Here's where the strategy increases because there likely will still be lite ebb going east back into bay under GG Bridge. We'll need to work over toward south for Crissy Field Back Eddy.

Meaning we'll have to pick where to cross over from north to south side back into bay. Like exiting bay imagine entering bay could end up as a straight line parade; with VMG the primary concern.

Result: Outside gate fleets ahead hit south of bridge at south end Baker beach hard.

To hard south where Desperado plays the fringe north between last of ebb and first of flood south side all the way to north of nude beach very close to shore in a huge flood. Desperado on starboard continuing to shore Great White passes just ahead on port from the too far right and south course.

Steve’s driving again now and I’m trimming in surfing conditions north of Peaches and Great White where Desperado uses surf speed on some rather large wave crests to get ahead of Peaches sailing too far south.

Peaches grabs for the early lead over Great White and Desperado by bailing south side first and ends too far middle before passing back under the bridge but after the bridge the mid bay position works in wind.

Desperado sails boat lengths from the north end of nude beach for starboard to port gybe in huge flood playing a range to the south tower. Before bridge Peaches ends up too far out and Great White moderately out.

The right call was north side where Magic bus made up 10 to 15 minutes on everyone; who was also engaged by that Swan 44 on the way out which took them out. The tough call not to cover from behind was Magic Bus’s to make coming from behind after an encounter of the Swan kind who tried both the north and south and north side on their way to Bonita. 6th race stretch to Bay Bridge in best tide

Strategy: In bay we work south of GG mid span and under toward SFYC looking for Crissy field back eddy, slack or early flood. It may be so slackish that straight line parade might continue until we get into the apparent wind reach past Pier 39 toward bay Bridge.

Result: At South Tower bay entry on port inside Great White to weather on port who then heads into mid bay. Desperado gybes port to starboard just past GG bridge.

Had Desperado stuck with the down mid bay strategy would have sailed less distance in more wind. There was more flood coming back in and less ebb then I expected entering the bay for down wind leg. .

On Starboard inside sailing for Alcatraz decided move toward shore looking for ebb relief. But there’s no difference in tide between mid bay and shore and more wind in middle. In fact its flooding early. After GG and before Bay Bridge Peaches catches up by 5 minutes and Magic bus makes another 10 minutes on all other boats on mid bay approach to Bay Bridge..

7th race Bay Bridge to Estuary Entrance.

Strategy: Passing under BB if it’s flooding we sail for Alameda Estuary entrance slightly north to compensate for flood. But it may still be slackish.

We do not over stand to the south which is a real time waster. Likely passing under on the TI/YB side but not necessarily inside the eastern most tower.

Result: Desperado passes inside eastern most side and hugs south side of Yurba Buena in the only available land influenced breeze. Now stays ahead north of former leaders; Mr. Happy, El Raton and Peaches who over stand to south in flood and no wind.

Some how Magic bus who was with them moves north before no wind and Desperado chases down into Estuary; entering mid south of channel stays in deepest water.

Former leaders enert estuary sail south breakwater in boat friction enabling Magic bus and Desperado to move ahead. Wylie Coyote moves in past former leaders on full friction covering on south shore.

8th race play the correct side.

Strategy: In the estuary with flood right down the middle looking for apparent advantages, free wind clear of weather obstructions, clear air astern from other boats, clear air ahead not to pack up with other boats. Imagine it will be a classic north side approach at Jack London and stay there judging the approach to finish.

Result; mid to north side with intermittent 5 knot puffs from south in flood apparent plus infrequent puffs from behind greater than in-flood apparent boat speed.

9th race after 1st mile or so make a decision between Todd dry dock side to move to Jack London side.

Result; Mid channel to north side at Jack London Sq. Desperado passes magic Bus at mile 2 past second north side container dock before north dog leg to power plant. Magic bus makes luff moves and Desperado appeals just to sail straight and we’ll follow them concerned about trailing boats.

Desperado sails over top of Magic bus after first quick and a second longer luff holding the weather side of the light puff's advantage which are south all the way to finish.

10th race minor refinements to finish.

Wylie Passes Magic Bus at Jack London Square, and then north of Desperado who continues to play mid to north side

On north side Wylie to weather gets stuck under taller rig of a leeward Cal 40. Wylie takes spinnaker down on reach leg which has been 105 to 80 degrees. Desperado keeps spinnaker up for last ¼ mile and crosses first.