AUGUST 11, 2026 PERFECT EVENING FOR A SAIL

 

AUGUST 11, 2026

PERFECT EVENING FOR A SAIL

With dismal predictions for the wind, I was pleasantly surprised to see a 12-13 knot wind filling the bay.  We saw the wind was from 240 degrees and set a line square to this and called for course W4 again.  The wind stayed with us for the whole course with all boats finishing. It was a perfect evening for a sail!  See the Zoop Scoop below for the full recap.

 

Spinnaker Fleet track can be reviewed at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=11.8.2026%2017:55:00&language=en

A Fleet track:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=11.8.2026%2017:55:00&language=en

B Fleet track can be seen at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20B&race=11.8.2026%2018:00:00&language=en

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:  COURSE W4 DISTANCE 2.929 NM

PLACE                BOAT                                 PHRF                  ET                         CORRECTED TIME

SPINNY FLEET:

1            PEGASUS                                       150                      32:42                  25:23

2            INTERLUDE                                   141                      33:28                  26:35

3            SAGITTARIUS                                120                      32:30                  26:38

4            ROSIE                                              162                      35:29                  27:34

5            DOUBLE ESPRESSO                     99                         32:53                  28:03

6            KEMOSABE                                    81                         37:55                  33:58

FLEET A:

1            ZOOP                                               144                      34:23                  27:21

2            ABORIGINAL                                 33                         29:19                  27:42

3            FLEXI FLYER                                 96                         34:07                  29:26

4            GOOD TIMIN’                               141                      36:27                  29:34

5            WATTS MOORE                            150                      37:08                  29:49

6            MAIN SQUEEZE                           72                         33:31                  30:00

7            QUIXOTIC                                     57                         35:21                  32:34

8            WIND II                                          213                      49:37                  39:13                                                              

FLEET B:

1            BIG MAC                                         222                      40:10                  29:20

2            SIMPATICO                                     165                      38:07                  30:04

3            PACIFIC SPIRIT                             165                      39:57                  31:54

4            TARA                                               243                      44:18                  32:26

5            NIDAROS II                                    118                      39:48                  34:02

6            SAILING PAIR A DICE                  180                      42:52                  34:05

7            TOAD                                               150                      43:03                  35:44

 

ZOOP SCOOP BY PAUL TARA:

QUIZ

Last Week:

What kind of boat is this (see photo):

a) a custom Merritt 25

b) a Moore 24 Quarter-Tonner

c) a home-built MORC racer

 

Answer: c) but another trick question: it’s a Moore 24 MORC racer — not home built.

 

As this is being written, there are OVER 70 Moore 24’s entered in the class’s 50th anniversary Nationals at the end of September.  Unique among them will be, Color Blind, #49, one of only three built with this modified companionway to satisfy the minimum headroom requirement of the MORC (Midget Ocean Racing Club) Rule.  All three initially went to the East Coast. George Olson originally designed Grendel, the class’s prototype, for competing in San Francisco MORC races. Subsequent rule changes, like this one, made her obsolete.

 

Rating rules have always been one of the most dominant influences on yacht design, resulting in all sorts of strange characteristics and terms. For example, the term “Quarter Tonner” (an IOR Level Rating Class similar in size to a Moore 24) has nothing whatsoever to do with weight. It’s an anachronism from the days when English yachts were rated (and taxed) using an estimate of the number of tuns (wine casks) they could carry. As might be expected, this encouraged some fairly extreme design choices, resulting in what became known as the “plank-on-edge” type.  A 50 footer might only have a beam of 6’ with a draft of over 12’.  Lots of tons (75% ballast/disp!) but few tuns. Just imagine a SC 50, with half the freeboard, more sail area, a 20’ bowsprit, and a 6’ of beam.  Yike! 

 

This Week: 

Moore 24 minimum class weight is:

a) 2,875 lbs.

b) 2,125 lbs. 

c) 2,050 lbs

 

THE RACE

Spectacular is the only way to describe the conditions.  Full power across the course, with no spray on deck. Fog edge straight to Aptos with no hint of an easterly. Usually, when the fog line is straight that close in, the westerly holds well into the evening.  Aboard Zoop we experienced a first.  While beating to Schuyler, we were drafted by a Surf Ski kayak. He was able to stay about 4’ astern for several minutes — smiling the whole time.

 

Spinnaker Fleet seems to be growing. They had 6 boats, including Sagittarius. She finished first, but didn’t leave a track. On the beat Rosie broke away onto port first and almost made it pay, but couldn’t quite get past Kemosabe on the lay line to Schuyler.  If she had, her race might have been much different.  Expect the number of boats in this fleet to increase as the Moore 24 Nationals approach.

 

A Fleet had 8 boats.  For the first time in weeks, Watts Moore failed to achieve a perfect port tack start — the rest of the fleet actually decided to show up on time!  Aboriginal got the starboard end, and proceeded to sail away upwind with a much higher VMG.  This put her far enough in the lead that her wind shadow wasn’t a factor for Zoop, which managed to just hang with Main Squeeze to the layline.  Once around, it was all down to not sailing any extra distance, and not engaging with other boats. Gold Star in this fleet goes to Perfect 36 (which won jib & main in Sunday’s Day on the Bay Regatta).  She took a DNF because she thought she was OCS. She was not. But, in my opinion, she did right thing.  Not every boat has the latest technology to tell her where the line is.  She’s a great competitor and deserves extra respect from the fleet.  Honorable mention goes to Relma, Moore 24 # 5, which made her racing “re-debut” after years on the hard, with owner Walter Oliveri at the tiller.

 

B Fleet had 7 boats. Like Rosie, Big Mac was first onto port, and she did make it pay. She rounded Schuyler right with the larger boats and sailed two very smart reaches to correct out first over Simpatico.  Overall, Big Mac sailed a tenth of a mile less distance than the rest of the fleet. Plus, in those conditions, there’s not a lot to choose, between a Moore and Big Mac when jib-reaching. The Gold Star goes to Toad, which fouled Tara in a port/starboard and immediately executed a penalty turn. “Spin and sail on,” is the college sailing coaches credo. 

 

Thanks Paul

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

AUGUST 4, 2026 JUST ENOUGH TO FINISH

 

August 4, 2026

JUST ENOUGH TO FINISH

Predictions for the evening were dismal!  I was surprised when I arrived at the harbor and saw the flags flying, but would it last?  Reports were that there was 15 knot breeze further out from shore. As we left the harbor and arrived at the S/F area there was a good breeze coming from 240 with no sign of weakening and no hint of an Easterly developing.  We set the line and called for course W4 which seemed a little ambitious but we could always shorten course if needed.  All fleets got off to a clean start and the wind stayed with us, though it seemed to be lightening as we sailed downwind to the finish with wind that was just enough to finish.

REGATTA HERO:

I love this app, but sometimes it has glitches which can happen from user error.  I noticed for this evening that we had the countdown announced on the app and then I noticed that my mark roundings were not being announced, so we got our finish time just for backup. As it turns out my battery had gone dead and I did not even have a track.  It is good to get finish times especially if something seems to be amiss.

Spinny Fleet tracks can be reviewed at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Spinny%20Fleet&race=4.8.2026%2017:50:00&language=en

Fleet A tracks:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=4.8.2026%2017:55:00&language=en

Fleet B:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20B&race=4.8.2026%2018:00:00&language=en

 

PHRF corrected results:  course W4  distance 2.92nm

PLACE                BOAT                                 PHRF                  ET                         CORRECTED

SPINNY FLEET

1            PEGASUS                                       150                      41:03                  33:45

2            GONZO                                           150                      43:38                  36:20

3            KEMOSABE                                   81                         52:10                  48:13

FLEET A:

1            WATTS MOORE                           150                      46:05                  38:47

2            MAIN SQUEEZE                           72                         43:36                  40:06

3            HEARTBEAT                                  12                         40:57                  40:22

4            PERFECT 36                                  144                      47:45                  40:45

5            ZOOP                                               144                      48:03                  41:03

6            INTERLUDE                                   141                      49:05                  42:13

7            WIND II                                            213                      52:38                  42:16

8            SAGITTARIUS                                120                      48:53                  43:03

FLEET B:

1            SIMPATICO                                     165                      48:05                  40:03

2            BIG MAC                                         222                      52:11                  41:23  

3            AVATAR                                           132                      49:05                  42:40

4            SAILING PAIR A DICE                  180                      52:35                  43:39  

5            ABSOLUTE 05                               117                      50:46                  45:04

6            TARA                                               243                      57:44                  45:54

7            AZOR                                               243                      57:46                  45:56

8            NIDAROS II                                    118                      52:18                  46:33

9            MAKANI                                         147                      56:01                  48:52

10          KICKS                                             180                      58:19                  49:33

11          PACIFIC SPIRIT                             165                      58:00                  49:58

12          YES DEAR                                      243                      1:10:15             58:08  

 

ZOOP SCOOP BY Paul Tara

QUIZ

Last Week:

 Isobars are like contour lines on a topographic map; air molecules seek to equalize pressure by:

a) staying put

b) flowing downhill to lower pressure

c) flowing uphill to higher pressure

Trick Question!! Both a) and b) are correct!  If the surrounding pressure is equal, i.e., there is no gradient, air molecules may remain stationary. But not for long. As soon as there is a gradient, air molecules will flow “downhill” towards lower pressure.

 

This Week:

What kind of boat is this (see photo):

a) a custom Merritt 25

b) a Moore 24 Quarter-Tonner

c) a home-built MORC racer 

 

 THE RACE

Tuesday, as we left the Harbor at 1700, the edge of the fog was as straight as a ruler, extending from Wilder Ranch to Aptos. The wind was SSW around 10 knots. Under the fog it was significantly further left than our “standard” westerly. Forecasts had mentioned a “southerly surge” of stratus. Also, the port end of the starting line was heavily favored.  These factors encouraged us to conduct an experiment — we knew we were going against the conventional wisdom — to sail out into the shift before tacking onto port. For the first ten minutes of the beat we looked golden, laying Schuyler on port, well above the fleet.  But then, that leverage turned into a double-edged sword.  As we emerged from under the fog, the “normal westerly” header kicked in and turned our lead into their lead.  Conventional wisdom 1, Zoop 0. What’s interesting about this week’s racing was how consistent that pattern was over all three fleets. Boats that went out initially looked very good, but then faded as they approached the mark. I’m still curious. Was it the fog, an oscillation, or that same old persistent geographic shift?   

 

In A fleet, Watts Moore made another perfect port tack start at the port end and never looked back. Further back in the fleet, the leg to the finish proved challenging for some boats who sailed extra distance.  But not for Watts Moore which, did a good job of jibing into the shifts.   In B fleet, Big Mac, started at the port end, looked really good to start, but Simpatico, starting at the opposite end, was first onto port tack and stuck with the conventional wisdom to round Schuyler in the lead.  Off the wind, she sailed the most direct course, resisting engaging in a luffing match with Nidarous after rounding MB, which paid big dividends. But, the big B Fleet mystery remains, was PAD in stealth mode? 

 

Thanks Paul!

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

 

 

JULY 28, 2026 I NEED A BETTER CRYSTAL BALL

July 28, 2026

I NEED A BETTER CRYSTAL BALL

There were predictions for strong breeze for the evening but my first view of the flags at the harbor showed a weak Easterly early in the afternoon.  The strong winds were further out in the bay.  As we left the harbor at 5pm, the westerly wind was coming all the way into the start mark area.  As the clock ticked down, the Easterly was just beginning to form.  We blew the 15 minute horn at 5:45 and proceeded with the normal start time.  Assuming the Easterly would fill in, we called for course E3.

 The poor spinnaker fleet started the race in a very light Easterly. As the Easterly strengthened, the fleets were compressed together.  As we rounded Blacks in Fleet B, the wind seemed to be dying even more so we shortened course to finish at Gov for all three fleets.  Rather than having everyone bobbing in no wind, it would be better to be at the BBQ!  As we round GOV a beautiful Easterly filled in with 10 knots of wind to sail back to the finish.  Once again, shortening the course was not the right decision. I need a better crystal ball.

Spinny tracks can be seen at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Spinny%20Fleet&race=28.7.2026%2017:50:00&language=en

Fleet A tracks can be reviewed at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=28.7.2026%2017:55:00&language=en

B Fleet track:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20B&race=28.7.2026%2018:00:00&language=en

 

PHRF adjusted results: Course E3   Shortened course distance 1.84nm

PLACE                BOAT                                 PHRF                  ET                         CORRECTED

SPINNY FLEET:

1            INTERLUDE                                   141                      46:19                  41:59

2            ICHIBAN                                         150                      48:16                  43:40

3            GONZO                                            150                      48:20                  43:44

FLEET A:

1            WATTS MOORE                             150                      43:10                  38:34

2            ABORIGINAL                                 33                         41:40                  40:39

3            MAIN SQUEEZE                            72                         46:12                  43:59

4            PERFECT 36                                   144                      51:23                  46:58

5            RIO                                                  141                      53:46                  49:26

FLEET B:

1            YES DEAR                                       243                      50:58                  43:30

2            SIMPATICO                                     165                      48:60                  43:56

3            SAILING PAIR A DICE                  180                      49:57                  44:25

4            NIDAROS                                        118                      48:05                  44:28

5            ABSOLUTE 05                                117                      48:59                  45:23

6            PACIFIC SPIRIT                             165                      51:43                  46:39

7            KICKS                                             180                      53:14                  47:42

8            TOAD                                              150                      52:26                  47:50

ZOOP SCOOP by Paul Tara

QUIZ

Last Week:

Barometric pressure measures:

c) the weight of the atmosphere 

Air molecules have weight. Standard barometric pressure (1 atmosphere) at sea level is around 14.7 PSI.

 

This Week:

 Isobars are like contour lines on a topographic map; air molecules seek to equalize pressure by:

a) staying put

b) flowing downhill to lower pressure

c) flowing uphill to higher pressure

 

THE RACE

Zoop did not sail.  I watched the race in real time on the app. Pretty cool — a lot more entertaining than staring at jib telltales would have been in that breeze.  The story of the evening was the big shift to the right, which caught many headed left initially.  But in A, Main Squeeze clearly had a plan. She started on port behind the fleet, and headed out to the right, rounding  BP ahead of both Aboriginal and her mascot, Watts Moore.  Her plan apparently did not extend to the run however, where she jibed out on port initially, then over-stood the layline to the red ball.  Her lead slipped away as Aboriginal and Watts Moore slid by on the inside, sailing a better angle. 

 

As a general rule of thumb, the strategic factors that result in good upwind legs, are not beneficial downwind, i.e., whichever side of the course is favored upwind, the opposite side is usually favored downwind. Upwind, foot into the shift (header) then tack on it.  Downwind, sail away from the shift, then jibe into it. If in doubt, stay close to the most direct course.

 

In B Fleet the plot was similar, but with some twists. Absolute started on port, went right, and rounded first, but appeared to also over-stand the red ball, allowing Nidaros and the pack to gain.  Then, after passing the red ball, she made a very strange maneuver, which ended up with her doing a 360 — no clue (possible foul exoneration?). This allowed Nidaros to take the lead.  But the Gold Star in B belongs to the Santana 22 Yes Dear.  They ran out of runway and were OCS at the port end, jibed around, restarted on port behind the fleet and followed Absolute out to the right. They rounded BP third, close astern of Nidaros.  On the run, they stuck to the straight and narrow, finishing with the overall shortest distance sailed by quite a bit.  Now, if they could just please edit their RH registration info and enter the correct PHRF?  I believe S-22’s rate slightly slower than 100. (fixed!)

 

Thank you Paul!

I hope to see you sailing next Tuesday!

Barry Keeler

Sailing  Pair A Dice