2017 OYRA Light Ship

[Photoboy]

CLICKY
1st 1/2 of Lightship images posted!

[IOR Geezer]

http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/c...On-A-Beach-Cat

They do seem a bit crazy.

Not as crazy as the Malingri's, they are certifiable.

[Flat Stanley]

Balls o' steel, right there!

[Photoboy]

Nathalie Criou has traded in her Express 27' Elise for a much more modern and roomier Beneteau Figaro 2 Envole'e
and provides us with an insight to conditions for this years 54 boat, 8 division OYRA Crewed Lightship Regatta



The forecast for the lightship was definitely on the light side - 5 knots but it turned out to be wrong for the better! Upwind, we enjoyed winds between 9 to 13 knots and downwind between 16 to 25 knots! A perfect forecast in other terms. The current was tough and the flood wasn't anemic at all this time around. So on the way out, we stayed north and ventured out into the main channel only so far as the current permitted - we opted for the north side of the channel as the wind was to veer north so that meant less distance and the wind speed was forecast to be better and historically this is usually the case.

It started to ebb as we progress down the course but there was still flood at the mark as we sailed faster than the current change propagated. Gybe set at the mark to stay on the North part of the channel on the way back. We head stay reached and went all the way to the shore to grab the early flood river that sling shoted us around Point Bonita. The wind got light before the bridge so we stayed sheltered from the ebb hugging the north shore - at the bridge, people who chose to cross the channel under the bridge were literally not moving! The ebb was a punishing 3.5 knot current where we were so it must have been worse in the middle of the deep water channel! Brutal!

The funnel brought heavier wind at the bridge as planned and the bay enjoyed some 20-25 knot breeze which the Figaro can head stay reach in without any problem courtesy of twin-rudder and wide beam - it was tough to sail the boat to rating in the lighter air as the boat has a really tiny genoa but we started to pick up boats in the medium air which was very satisfying finishing middle of the fleet for the boat's first offshore crewed race!

Plan for the Figaro is to qualify next weekend for the Solitaire Urgo le Figaro which is scheduled to start early June. It is a solo 4 leg coastal/offshore race along the Atlantic coast of France, Spain and England.

-nat







Zachary Anderson's Shock 40' Velvet Hammer completed the 25'nm course in in 03:27:09
14:09 in real time and 11:16 ahead of closest boat, Hill Blackett's Class 40' California Condor
Taking both line honors and PHRO 1A Division title.

Formerly Secret Squirrel, the canting 40' Shock is still a work in progress, as Zachary explains:


"Last year the lightship was the coming out party for the Shock 40, boats first time in the ocean in many years. We got beat by a well sailed Farr 40 boat for boat. There were just too many knobs and buttons to push. we did not know what configuration to be in, what sail to have up, or what numbers to sail too. Over the last year we have been learning a lot and building a team. The team at Quantum has been great partners and we are on our second generation of headsails and spinnakers. We have developed a great crew. We started with the Motorcycle Irene core (Will Paxton, Evelyn Hull, and Angie Liebert) and have added amazing sailors like David Liebenberg, James Clappier, Kent Gregg, and Rob Dubac. It's been magic.



With a year of racing and training we have started to figure out which knobs and buttons to push when. It's a complicated boat and we are still on the steep part of the learning curve but, we are getting much more consistent. We are preparing to do Coastal Cup in a few weeks and recently entered the 2018 Pac Cup.

I was a little bummed that we took second overall, but was really happy it was an Express 27 that beat us. John Kearney on Salty Hotel has put together a great team.

It is a great boat to race, but the ride from the finish to RYC is often the best part of the day. We turn on the stereo, break out refreshments, and light up the boat. Everyone gets to drive and everyone has big smiles. I think we hit 16 knots with the bow guy driving on the way home."





Wayne Koide' Sydney 36' Encore would cross the finish line just 5 seconds ahead of the much lower
rated Olson 40' Andrew Zimmerman'sDivine Wind yet correct out 05:17 ahead of same and 39 seconds ahead of the Columbia C 32' Chris Kramer's Six Brothers to claim
PHRO 1B




In PHRF 2, Laurence Baskin' Express 37' Bullet would take the bullet, with an impressive 04:11:05 elapsed, more
than 5 minutes in advance of the nearest competitor, Jack Peruach's E-37 Elan




Stampeding to the finish, Jim Quanci's Cal 40 Green Buffalo left the herd behind to win PHRO 3A by more than 7 minutes!





John Kearney's Express 27' Salty Hotel won the E-27 heavy PHRO 3B Division.
edging Rebecca Hinden's Bombora bi 1:33 on corrected time





Always shorthanded, Bob Johnston emerged from tax season hell to double hand his J-92 Ragtime
with Dave Morris to a corrected time victory over Chris Cartwright /Kira Maixner on the J 88 Ventus
and Richard Leute/ Steven Taylor sailed J 44' Acey Ducey in SHS1




Carmen Maio and Andrew Lacenere sailed an impressive race aboard the Moore 24 Slight Disorder
with a near 11 minute corrected win over the DH E-27 team of Chris Jordan & Charlotte Jordan on Pork Chop Express
in SHS 2



With no competition in multihull division, Damien Campbell's Corsair 31 Trident victory was uncontested.

Jim Goldberg's video aboard the J 109 Junkyard Dog


Full Gallery


Results

[Single Hander]

There is a nice article on Natalie in this months L-38!