Tweet
The New Year's 1st Midwinter's got off to a crisp clean, start with Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Regatta hosted by the Golden Gate Yacht Club. With the weather system that scoured the atmosphere the day before just a memory, brilliant sun and unlimited visibility greeted sailors getting back in the groove after the holiday break.
With a gentle flood building along the shore, and the predicted westerly a bit tardy, crews were forced to relax and enjoy the warm sun for a bit until the breeze finally cooperated, with 1st start at 12:20 for PHRF 1.
The RC elected on a short beach front course for all fleets, the 6 mile Course 8 for the 1st 4 fleets and a 3.4 nm Course 1 for the next four fleets. No sense in sending the boats out into the central bay, when wind (6-8 knots) would not provide enough oomph to power the boats back, as was the case in December.
Plenty of challenges and strategic opportunities still presented as the 8 fleets intermingled and danced along the city front, up to Blackaller and back do to Mark 6 off Fort Mason. For the lower raters, that would be twice around and for the higher raters just once. While some boats moseyed out into the deeper water for a bit more current, many stayed a bit closer, reducing actual distance sailed. With a bit of current relief below the spit, the natural tendency was to hug the shore when traversing westward. The one caveat, and not a new one, has been, and still is, "that yachts shall not pass through the start/finish line except when starting or finishing".
That minor detail evaded the attention of 8 boats in the 1st two divisions, and would be brought to their attention upon returning to the club post race. C'est le vie! The post race cocktails and food spread plus mingling helped ease the pain in a big hurry with crews enjoying the fine weather and good company!
With Decembers point tally washed away with a complete abandon for all boats , the series totals remain up for grabs in all fleets, with 2 more races to go before spring rolls in, replacing midwinter's with spring in the subject line, and a bit more punch in the wind speed. One thing that nobody in attendance this weekend will complain about, was the weather, and comparing to conditions elsewhere in the country, it didn't blow.
Series Results
Race 3 Results
Gallery
Comment