Race Committee:
The InterClub Race Committee was manned by Tony Shaffer, Encinal Yacht Club, Les Clark, Aeolian Yacht Club and SlackWater_SF, BAMA. Tony Shaffer provided the powerboat, Ohana.
The starting sequence initiated on time (12:25 per GPS). We postponed before the first division crossed the starting line. A 90 degrees windshift required the change of starting line position and the chosen course. Winds increased from 4-8 knots before the start up to 8-12 knots for the race. Tide switched to a strong ebb for the final windward leg to the finish, favoring boats that stayed on starboard from the leeward mark.
Two Catalina 34's were over the line early. Both Catalina 34's returned to start cleanly. One Catalina 34 took a Retired After Finishing (RAF) about 7:00 p.m. the Saturday, 04/09/05. Apparently, the boat's stern hit the finishing mark, although it was not visible to the Race Committee in the pictures. Pictures of the finish sequence are on http://spaces.msn.com/members/InterClub2005/ (Click on pictures. or look for and click on
) in a slideshow format, dsl or cable bandwidth is required. ( slackwater_sf@hotmail.com )
Three Sigma, F-27 Square Top
----- Original Message -----
From: Christopher H
To: bama
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: [BAMA] InterClub - Results of Race#1 04/09/05Nice breeze for the race, 8-12. The wind shifted from the NNW (richmond)
to the West (gate) , about 90 degrees, as we tried to start the first division.
Small postponement, ..., different course.
The Three Sigma gang would like to say THANK YOU for putting on Saturday's IC-1 race. The weather you ordered was spectacular, and the course, fantastic (thanks for NOT sending us to the black wind hole known as Southampton Shoal!!!).
Three Sigma enjoyed a spirited race with Larry Olsen's Green 35,"Hummdinger", to the weather mark (Alcatraz). After clearing Treasure Island we went left, as there clearly was more wind there. Unfortunately an incoming container ship had us sail much further left then we wanted. After the ship passed, Hummdinger tacked inside us, and was able to get to the mark a boat length ahead.
Once around Alcatraz, my crew had the chute up and drawing almost immediately. However, it the light winds we were unable to really get going, and could only watch as Hummdinger inched ever so slowly away.
As we approached "24", it was clear that the next leg would be a beam reach. With Hummdinger's sprit and asymmetric she was going to have a BIG advantage. When Hummdinger jibed for the mark, she took off like a scalded cat (tri, actually). We rounded about a minute behind, and trimmed our symmetric for all it was worth. Much to our surprise, we were able to carry the spin all the way to "3", toppiing out at over 15 knots. It was a GREAT ride.
As expected, Hummdinger was able to stretch her lead considerably. In an effort to make up lost ground, we kept the chute up until the last possible second, rounding "3" not far behind a WylieCat 30 that we "assumed" was the lead mono hull. Soon after rounding, we watched as Hummdinger got the gun. GREAT JOB LARRY!!!!!
We were unsuccessful in catching the WylieCat (they started 25 minutes ahead of us), and crossed the line 43 seconds behind. As we headed for home, we felt that we had sailed well, and had a great time. It truly was an enjoyable day.
Oh yea, and that WylieCat that we "ASSUMED" was the first monohull to finish........NOT EVEN CLOSE. A look at the results show that the first mono to finish was the Beneteau 40.7 "Phantom Mist". She finished 23:23 AHEAD of Hummdinger!!!!! That thing has a phrf rating of 27....YIKES!!!
Cheers!!!
-Chris H.
F-27 "Three Sigma"