2020 SSS Corinthian

[Photoboy]

Things got a bit sporty on Saturday during the SSS Corinthian Regatta on San Francisco Bay.

After a light start, the fleet was met by increasing winds on the central bay and blustery conditions
along the City Front. Lots of carnage and retirements. Few boat carried a kite from Blackaller towards
Southampton. Big puffs at Blackaller and crossing tacks with others against a strong flood led to some interesting
situations including Moore 24 Topper's Crew going for a swim. Moore details to follow...

[Photoboy]

2020 Corinthian Teaser



A few selects to whet your appetite whilst the 2nd 1/2 of editing continues.
The 1st 60 selects have been posted HERE
Over 1,200 images take Saturday, but who knows, may I will finish the 1st round before results are posted!

( and with that, BOOM... PRELIMINARY RESULTS POSTED









Above, Will Baylis's Diam 24' 11 led the race from early on and was 1st to round Blackaller
Lower image, Daniel Alvarez's JS 9000 Jetstream had the conditions that they excell in and made the most of it and were the 1st
to get round Blaskall










Above, Bill and Melinda Erkelen's new to them Hobie 33 Sleeping Dragon is their replacement boat
for the Wolfpack and will be their ride for this years Pac Cup, their 5th one together and husband and wife!
Just below is Jim Antrim and Buzz Blackett on the new Antrim 27' carbon edition IO which they will be sailing to
Hawaii this year, and competing directly with Sleeping Dragon








Above, Colin Moore's Wabbit, Kwazy hanging on in freesh winds.
Fred Bouju's Diam 24, Ocealy's 3 was on Trevor Baylis's tail most of the day
Truls Myklebust's F27 Raven was the 1st single handed Multi to get around Blackaller

[Charlie Tuna]

It was a good warm up for the windy season yet to come!

[Alan H]

That was ~Windy~ going up the CityFront. Like...I guess it was "fun".
More like..."that was a challenge!"..with the satisfaction of having met it.

Low point of the day was Hedgehog, Olson 29 forced up on the rocks by the Saint Francis. ...a bad situation in every way.
https://www.facebook.com/834939745/p...989746?sfns=mo

High point of the day was me going from DFL in the ENTIRE fleet my last two races, to first-to-finish in my division. Nothing like a haulout to speed up the boat.

[Photoboy]

2020 SSS Corinthian: An 18 Mile Adventure To Usher In Another Season


Melinda and Bill Erkelens and their new to them Hobie 33' Sleeping Dragon


2020 SSS Corinthian Regatta

118 boats, mostly double handed participated in this year’s edition of the Single-Handed Sailing Society’s Corinthian Regatta, host by… The Corinthian Yacht Club! While the forecast cast on many local news stations warned of dire or near dire conditions with winds in the 40’s and low 50’s and a possibility of rain, the weather turned out just splendid. The skies crystal clear and wall to wall sunshine to start the race. The starting area in Raccoon Strait jam packed with boats from all 15 divisions for the scheduled 11:00 start.


Karl Robrock teamed up with Bart Hackworth for this regatta on his Moore 24 Snafu and won the division.
The two will be sailing to Hawaii this summer in the Pac Cup



Cinde Lou Delmas & Bill Fergerson teamed up on Alerion Express Another Girl to take Div 9 honors!



Chris Kim & Carl Plant won the J-105 division aboard Vuju Star


With the pressure gradient system winding up offshore with a northwest bent, the starting area was well sheltered, Mt Tam and the Marin Headlands deflecting most winds aloft and the Belvedere Peninsula adding another layer of deflection. Tee shirts and shorts were the order of the morning in the cove, and when the 1st start of the day, the multi’s began, there was just enough breeze, mostly in puffs to eek out to the strait’s entrance before sailing into a big hole. Upon seeing that, the members of next groups that were paying attention saw an opening right at Belvedere Point. Julia and Will Paxton on the Express 27 Motorcycle Irene were 1st to exploit the crack in the force field and rode it out towards yellow bluff for a healthy jump on the fleet.
The course d’jour, would be Course 1, Start to Little Harding, down to Blossom Rock, then up to Blackaller before heading downwind to Southampton before heading back to Little Harding and then finish at the club. 18 miles of shorthanded bliss!


Cousin Duo Will and Julia Paxton won the Express 27 Division with fearless abandon



The projected breeze did fill in just before Little Harding and ramped up in a major way as the boats set kites and launched into the central bay, many having issues with the wind gusts, which were in the mid to high 20’s. Near Blossom the pressure was even stronger and many boats either doused early or had mother nature bring down their kite for them. There were 25 DNF’s in the races and most of them occurred during that 2nd leg.



One of the unfortunate casualties of the day, David Herrigel's new to him Olson 29 Hedgehog end up on the
beach at the end of the spit near the GGYC after losing a tacking incident to another boat. The boat was pulled off
by Towboat USA which has a boat nearby at Gashouse Cove, Damage was minimal and the Hedgehog will sail another day!


The 3rd hitch against the flood and the wind proved to be a challenge, and the decision to go for the cone behind Alcatraz or hug the City Front determined placement or the next rounding. With more sea room, the boats taking the central by route enjoyed the luxury of not having to short tack against numerous others doing the same. Additionally, the protection along the City Front usually gained in southwest winds was not in play, the north west wind sending set after set of chop down the seawalls which reverberated over and over, making for some tough sledding.


Trevor and Jack dominating the day



Setting the pace, was Trevor Baylis and Jack Halterman on the Diam 24 “Eleven” with just over 1 hour elapsed between start and Blackaller Buoy, followed shortly thereafter by the sister trimaran Fred Bouju / Erwan Menard on the Diam 24 Ocealys 3. 3 additional multis would round Blacker before the 1st Mono, in the form of Melinda and Bill’s Erkelens new to them, Hobie 33’ Sleeping Dragon, some 28 minutes after Eleven.



Aiden & Sean Collins sailed the gorgeous Alerion to Div 17 victory



The downhill run toward Point Blunt and Southampton Shoal did not draw a lot of kite flyers due to the prior experiences the occurred on the previous central bay crossing, but for the few who did set, the ride was a fast, white-knuckle transit until Angel Island wind shadow took command. The lee of the island proved to be a race reset for the fleet members who did not steer wide of the hole. The NW wind direction did not provide for the usual bend in pressure the happens with thermal breeze and the parking lot filled up quickly. For some of those becalmed, were entertained by the presence of a gray whale that was transiting the area, surfacing with feet of the amused sailors. The wind would eventually fill in allowing the restart to begin and racing to resume and whale watching to become a distant memory.


Patrick Broderick kicking ass and naming names with his Wyliecat 30 Nancy



Another regatta and another win for Gordie and Ruth on Arcadia!



With Southampton punched on their dance card, Little Harding was the next on the to do list, and the fleet split on the options, Raccoon Strait or back around Angel Islands fickle backside. The former probably the longer route, but the wind was filled in enough to allow a smooth transit, even with the flood pushing the boats easterly. Eleven would be the 1st to finish with and elapsed time of 3h 42m 48s. Daniel Alvarez and Rob Blackmore would become the 1st Monhull to finish with and elapsed time of 3h 48m 25s but would correct out 2nd to the aforementioned Sleeping Dragon in the DH Sportboat Division.


The big correction winner of the day was Rachel Porter and her side kick Richard on the Cal 20 Can o Whoopass that transited the course in 4h 28m 50s but corrected out to 3h 32m 19s.

Full Results

Gallery

[Single Hander]

Bummer about Hedgehog, but it probably could have been much worse!

[Alan H]

I have to say that the Alerion 28's sure looked like "The Ticket" in my PHRF band on the way up the Cityfront.