MAY 26, 2026 STRONG NORTHERLY

 

MAY 26, 2026

STRONG NORTHERLY

Predictions were for strong winds through the whole evening.  Time to swap out the 155 for the 135 jib which we accomplished with extra hands and timing for the lulls.  As we left the harbor, it looked like the wind was getting lighter but the lull was short-lived as nature filled back in with full force.   I can’t remember ever seeing such a strong Northerly in Santa Cruz.

  When we went to hoist the Main sail, we discovered the core of the main halyard was exposed, so there would be no racing for us.

Fleet A can be reviewed at:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=26.5.2026%2017:55:00&language=en&defaultspeed=5&loop=no

 

TRACK FOR FLEET B CAN BE REVIEWED AT:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20A&race=26.5.2026%2017:55:00&language=en&defaultspeed=5&loop=no

 

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

FLEET A:  COURSE N2  COURSE DISTANCE 3.289 NM

PLACE                   BOAT                                   PHRF                     ET                          CT

1             PERFECT 36                                      144                       33:48                    25:54

2             GONZO                                              150                       34:13                    26:00

3             ZOOP                                                  144                       34:20                    26:26

4             TRUE LOVE                                      72                          30:39                    26:42

5             INTERLUDE                                      141                       34:36                    26:52

6             RIO                                                     141                       34:56                    27:12

7             HALL PASS                                        141                       35:19                    27:35

8             MAIN SQUEEZE                               72                          31:39                    27:42

9             ANIMAL HOUSE                               96                          36:23                    31:07

 

FLEET B:  COURSE  N3  DISTANCE 2.772 NM

1             AZOR                                                  243                       32:43                    21:29

2             SIMPATICO                                        165                       30:86                    23:19

3             PACIFIC SPIRIT                                 165                       31:13                    23:36

4             NIDAROS                                           118                       32:40                    27:13

 

 

ZOOP SCOOP BY PAUL TARA:

A BAD ROLL (of the Dice)

Our indomitable PRO’s boat, Pair-A-Dice, suffered a broken main halyard this past Tuesday and was unable to compete. What a bummer — they won B Fleet last week. In spite of this, Barry and crew set the starting line, changed the course for B fleet, and retrieved the red ball before heading back into the Harbor. THANK YOU BARRY.

 

ROCK AND ROLL

SCYC’s Mike Holt, with Mackenzie Cook and Jack Halterman aboard, sailed Mike’s SC52 Rosebud in this year’s Swiftsure race last weekend. It was windy. As in winDEE. They blew up two kites and rounded down while Mackenzie was at the masthead. Their topmast now reportedly has extra taper induced by Mackenzie’s embrace.  Rosebud is soon to take up residence in her slip on E dock next to Heartbeat.  

 

BIG FOAMY NORTHERLY

Late spring, post-frontal northerlies can be some of the coldest, strongest breezes we experience off Santa Cruz.  This one was a classic —  Tuesday there were actually snow closures on some Sierra passes.  But, in addition to the breeze, there was an unusual amount of foam on with water, something I, personally, have never seen before. It seemed to be generated by the shorebreak, with the offshore picking it up and blowing it in streaks even out as far as Mile Buoy. This made it seem even windier than it actually was. Today, Wednesday, rafts of it are floating in the Harbor, but there is no stench and the aerators are not on. The expert opinion onboard was that it might be due to some biological phenomenon, since it was also occurring on the beaches in Aptos.  Anybody have a clue? It can’t be spilled beer.

 

WELCOME TO A FLEET!

No boats started in the spinnaker fleet. But, for the first time Perfect Thirty-Six sailed in the A Fleet and was rewarded with the win, by 6 seconds, over the Moore 24 Gonzo. Another new participant was Hall Pass, Brett Gripenstraw’s SC27 (Aborette?). There were some interesting similarities with the two fleets, even though they sailed different courses.  In both cases, the eventual winners , P36 and Azor, made early port tacks ducking transoms to get inshore on the way to Gov, where they exploited the starboard tack lifts coming off the beach.  This paid big dividends for Azor, as she rounded close to her larger competitors and hung on for an easy corrected time win. In the A fleet, the Express 37’s steamed away from the fleet on the way to Gov, but their speed advantage seemed to diminish on the reaches to Schuyler and MB.  At MB, Gonzo had the corrected time lead with Zoop and P36 in close pursuit.  P36 rounded wide, went low, (right through our lee) and straight to the finish while the rest of us, including the 37’s, over-stood, and spent precious seconds reaching off to the finish.  Apparently, it turns out, in yacht racing, it really does pay to actually know where you’re headed. 

 

Thanks Paul!

We will see what next Tuesday delivers for us.

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair a Dice