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great pics btw...
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Whew, tough day yesterday... Went with a 12, 12. An incredible day on the water, none the less.
The light air made any mistakes an instant two boat loss. The fleet is really close, so any little slip up and someone is there to take advantage.
Out of the three starts (one GR), we had two killer starts... The third... not so much!
We are still working on choreography during maneuvers. Things go pear shaped pretty quick when one person misses a step in any maneuver. I dropped the tiller on one tack after spinning the boat hard through the wind. An auto tack ensued, and over we went.
On the positive side, the boat is ripping in a straight line. Paul has gotten the set up dialed and has left everything up to the crew to get the boat around the course.
Today is a late start, 4:00pm 1st gun, then a 5:30 Bridge-to-Bridge race. I'm at work, so time to focus and get some tasks done!
S18' Skiff - USA Black
18' Skiff - CT SailbattensComment
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Patience grasshopper, patience...
In the mean time
Spectators enjoy a nice day on the aqua
Our most excellent pilot, Kieth Edney!
One of the many fans flocking to the beach yesterday!
The All White Team in a high orchestrated movement to the right.
Panasonic finds her groove!Comment
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You get what you pay for!
Nice work by aA who drove outta the pleasant warmth of Sacramento yesterday to work the video unit,
such as it is...we'll get an edit done soon...
Last edited by Photoboy; 08-25-2010, 01:59 PM.Comment
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Where are the chicks?Comment
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My bad,Originally posted by Big Brass Balls View Post
Right here.
Intro video in works
Full interview tomorrow........
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This is what happens when technology sneaks up from behind and forces you to learn new stuff.
The Girls are up 1st...More stuff tomorrow...Comment
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Keep the good stuff comming!! Thanks for sharing with those of us stuck behind a desk today............
http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/l..._cam/index.phpComment
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Okay, so yesterday was one for the books. As Paul put it, there is always a day at this regatta that is considered "THE" day. Yesterday was "THE" day.
(Although, if the fog backs off today, there might be two "THE" days...)
We rigged up in gusty conditions on the beach. Everyone was quiet as we rigged. Looking out at the water, the ebb had begun churning up serious white caps. Sand was being blown down the beach in big heavy gusts.
With the boat rigged and still rolled sideways, we had a crew meeting to discuss our strategy. In these conditions it is really easy to get hurt, and it was definitely boat breaking weather. Should we hold off to fight another day?
Naaaah, let’s go see what happens!
Everyone was a bit tense and left the beach late. Only 8 boats made the start on time and we made our bear away off the beach as the gun went.
We started about 4 minutes late and headed for the left side where the water was relatively flat. Making two tacks up to the starboard layline, we stuck a tough bear away and prepped for hoisting. Paul turned around and asked if we wanted the kite up in this breeze. Charlie ducked his head under the boom and said “All the boats are down”. Not a single lead boat was upright; it was a graveyard up ahead.
So that made our decision easy… We two-sailed down the beach and hit a few gybes until we began sailing through the fleet that was starting to right themselves. As we sailed into the graveyard, we were notified that the race had been abandoned.
It was the first abandonment of the SF Skiff Regatta since its inception. It was that windy just past the fog line.
So back to the beach we went, where all the crews sat around nervously considering the Bridge 2 Bridge. By the time we had to get off the beach to make the start, the fog had rolled in and “calmed” the wind down a bit. Let me tell you, it was an optical elusion. By the time we got out there the breeze was back up in the high 20’s.
We decided the inside would be the place to go, as the flat water would allow us to drop low in our traps and push as much speed out of the boat, without having to worry as much about pitch-poling in the steep ebb chop on the outside.
Paul and Charlie nailed the timing on the start and we had our kite up and drawing at the gun, 20 boat lengths in front of the next skiff behind us. We dropped down in our wires and began taking off on big puffs in the flat water just past the south tower.
As we took off on a monster puff, we heard the all too familiar “BANG” as the pole exploded right in front of the dolphin striker. The pole had twisted in the boat’s nose cone which unloaded the weather wing wire, leaving nothing to keep the pole in line.
That was the end of our day. Yandoo smoked past us with Thruloh Fisher leading the outside boats.
Getting back to the beach, the carnage was widespread. Chad possibly broke a rib, Howie busted some battons and Fritz looked like he had gotten into a bar fight. Panasonic blew up a rudder, and almost everyone had a hard crash story to tell.
My regatta is over and I’m back at work. Jody is in the middle today and Johnny is driving again. Three races are scheduled, and it looks like it’s going to be another full on day.
Time to get back to work!
Until next year,
Skip
Harken BlackLast edited by ninerslr; 08-29-2010, 06:32 PM.18' Skiff - USA Black
18' Skiff - CT SailbattensComment
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Great sailing, great stories, and great fun! We will definately be back next year! Thank you to Pressure-Drop for all your support during this event (and others) and congratulations on the incredible coverage and photos!
Team Harken Black, a.k.a "Trunk Monkey II"Comment
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Pressure-drop.us ~It's not the size of the website, it's how you use it! ~Comment
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