I was entered for the Single Handed Sailing Society's Half Moon Bay race in October, but found out a couple of days before that I couldn't officially race because Little Cat didn't have safety lines around the boat. To cut a long story short, I decided to run the course anyway with a DNC (did not compete).
My friend, Stephan, came along and we started well back from our fleet so as not to get in the way of the competing racers. For once there was wind blowing along the shore on the start away from the Golden Gate Yacht Club, but not out towards Alcatraz where we were lurking behind the fleet. We got stuck for ages and finally crossed under the bridge second to last with the front runners on the horizon.
We finally picked up a 10 knot breeze at Mile Rock, and headed offshore to pick up the forecast sea breeze. Soon after, we hoisted the assymetric and had a beautiful spinnaker run for more than 20 miles. When we turned in for the run to HMB entrance, the wind freshened and was gusting over 20 knots by the time we crossed the finish line surfing at 12 knots. We were no longer last in the fleet and had a great sail on an absolutely beautiful day. Overall, we averaged 3.3 knots in 0 - 8 knots of wind in the first 3 hours of the race, and averaged 7 knots with the assym over the last 3 hours - this is in about 12 knots true most of the way.
I dropped off Stephan at the public boat ramp where he was picked up by Jen, and spent the night anchored inside the break water. Motored back to San Francisco the next day in almost no wind - another beautiful clear day. Total distance 79 nautical miles.
My friend, Stephan, came along and we started well back from our fleet so as not to get in the way of the competing racers. For once there was wind blowing along the shore on the start away from the Golden Gate Yacht Club, but not out towards Alcatraz where we were lurking behind the fleet. We got stuck for ages and finally crossed under the bridge second to last with the front runners on the horizon.
We finally picked up a 10 knot breeze at Mile Rock, and headed offshore to pick up the forecast sea breeze. Soon after, we hoisted the assymetric and had a beautiful spinnaker run for more than 20 miles. When we turned in for the run to HMB entrance, the wind freshened and was gusting over 20 knots by the time we crossed the finish line surfing at 12 knots. We were no longer last in the fleet and had a great sail on an absolutely beautiful day. Overall, we averaged 3.3 knots in 0 - 8 knots of wind in the first 3 hours of the race, and averaged 7 knots with the assym over the last 3 hours - this is in about 12 knots true most of the way.
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| Heading out in the morning |
I dropped off Stephan at the public boat ramp where he was picked up by Jen, and spent the night anchored inside the break water. Motored back to San Francisco the next day in almost no wind - another beautiful clear day. Total distance 79 nautical miles.
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| Pillar Pt on the way out |
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