SEPTEMBER 23, 2025
BEAUTIFUL SUNSET SAIL
When I got to the harbor early in the afternoon, there was a
building Easterly. By 4 o’clock, the
Easterly had switched to a healthy Westerly breeze but the question still
remained: which of the winds would prevail at 6 o’clock? As we left the harbor, we noted a fog bank
over Aptos, which can be a precursor for an Easterly wind. We set the offset
mark towards Blacks just in case the Easterly prevailed. At 5:45 it was apparent the Westerly coming
from 230-250 degrees was dominant and we announced the course W3M. This is a course not on the course card but
entered into Regatta Hero to be used when a slightly longer course is needed
than W5.
Both fleets got off to a clean start and tacked their way to
Schuyler, then Mile and back to S/F. We
all finished just as the sun was setting.
For all the predictions of light
wind and fog, it turned into a beautiful
sunset sail.
For Fleet B:
PHRF CORRECTED RESULTS:
PLACE BOAT PHRF ET CORRECTED
FLEET A: COURSE W3M
DISTANCE 2.909NM
1 SAGITTARIUS 120 36:27` 30:37
2 PACIFIC
HIGH 96 35:52 31:12
4 MAIN SQUEEZE 72 35:55 32:25
5 WIND II 213 45:37 35:17
6 ROSIE 162 45:12 37:20
FLEET B: COURSE W3M
DISTANCE 2.909NM
1 ZOOP 144 35:25 28:26
2 GOLD RUSH 126 36:34 30:27
3 PERFECT
36 144 37:34 30:35
4 SIMPATICO 165 38:44 30:44
5 BIG MAC 222 42:22 31:36
6 SAILING
PAIR A DICE 180 41:14 32:30
7 TARA 243 45:26 33:39
8 NIDAROS 118 39:45 34:01
9 PACIFIC
SPIRIT 165 43:38 35:38
10 AVATAR 132 43:40 37:16
11 TOAD 150 44:48 37:31
“ZOOP SCOOP” by Paul Tara
A LATE BLOOMER?
Wind
checks prior to the start indicated 250° early on, then backing to 240° with a
lighter breeze on the beach. No hint of a further veer. No fog. No
foulies. Plus, cirrus over Monterey. I thought, “Hmmm….seems like another Fancy
Dancer, but she’s late (then, they are always fickle). Better keep an eye
on the left, especially the C&C 35 Gold Rush, which likes the port end.”
These suspicions were borne out. A look at the tracks for both
fleets shows no advantage to the right on the beat to Schuyler, with boats on
the left, outside, gradually being lifted on port. Aboard Zoop, in a virtual
match race with Gold Rush, neither boat tacked onto port until we were almost
to Mile Buoy. By Schuyler, we had already eaten up the 5 minute head start of
the A fleet tail-enders.
Our
match race continued, until we managed to scrape Gold Rush off on “Lark”, the
tail-end SC 27, on the way to the finish. I mention this because, after
all the hints about sailing the shortest course, if you view the track, it
looks like both Zoop and Gold Rush got to the bar way too early. That’s because
Lark doesn’t show a track. But she’s there, first in front of us, then between
us, then behind. Here’s a hint for slower boats; when racing handicap,
it’s a mistake to over engage with an overtaking faster boat. Your competitor
is the clock, not the boat. Especially when you’re not even racing in
the same fleet. The best tactic is to figure out how to let them pass
as painlessly as possible. Or, to quote from “16 Tons”, a Tennessee Ernie Ford
hit from the 1950’s, “If ya see me comin’, better step aside, …..”
“TILLER
TOWRDS TROUBLE”
The
term tiller is derived from the handles of horse-drawn plows,
that were used to “till” the soil; they use the same method of control; push
right to go left, push left to go right.
Thanks Paul
NOTIFICATIONS:
1) Jack and Jill regatta is this coming
Saturday. Get your crew together for
this fun event.
2)
There was a whisker pole found in the water
outside the start area as boats were preparing for the race. It was retrieved
by Mark Mccord on Big Mac.
3)
NEXT TUESDAY IS THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH WHICH MEANS BARBECUE
POTLUCK AT THE CLUB AFTER THE RACE!
BRING YOUR BEST GRILLING FOOD FOR THIS AWESOME SOCIAL EVENT!
Barry Keeler
Sailing Pair A Dice
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