The first race was at 1300 on Friday. The weather was forecast for 20-30 knots out of the SW with rain. We were not dissapointed. The committee set a medium distance course from Shilshole to Blakely Rocks, Pt Wells and then a short loop around bouys in Shilshole Bay. The wind was 30 knots at the start. We started with a No. 3 jib and a reefed main. It was a sloppy beat to race rocks. We were in company with some J109's and ahead of Zorra(C&C115) and Grace E(J35). Declaration of Independence(DOI, Express37) and Absolutly(40ft One Tonner) were way ahead. We set the heavy No.1 for going downwind and had a fast run, hitting 10 knots a number of times. While taking down the No.1, I touched the leeward mark and in rerounding, we lost a place to Shada(J109). The wind moderated to around 20knots and we had an easier beat and short spinaker run before the finish. We finished ahead of Grace E and Zorra was behind but dropped out after a sail problem. We were 7 out of 9 entries.
Saturday was a beautiful morning, but there was no wind. After a couple hour postponement, the RC started a race. The wind was about 5 knots, but shifty in direction. After the first lap, the RC abandoned the race because of a shift in the wind direction. The RC reset a new cours and started us on a shorter course with less wind. Near the leeward mark, the wind got lighter and the current threatened to sweep us past the mark. We ghosted to the finish ahead of Zorra. Even though there was another hour of time before the time limit expired and most of the boats were able to finish, the RC once again abandoned the race. No races scored for saturday.
Sunday was a bit grey and rainy. The RC again set up buoy races in Shilshole Bay. The wind was light at first, but eventually filled in to ten knots. And again it was shifting from SEto SW and back. The RC got off four races in rapid succesion. We had a couple good starts and some good legs and some not so good legs. It was a lot of fun and the courses short enought that there was lots of action. Our best race was the last one. We rounded the leewared mark ahead of Zorra, Grace E and close to J Tripper(J109). We ronded close to the mark and got inside J Tripper and rolled over them on the beat. We stayed right and could almost lay the buoy end of the finish line. Absolutly and Shada went left toward the Committee boat end of the line. We seemed to have more pressure and when we tacked and shot the line, we felt that we were ahead of Absolutly and maybe in third. But when I looked at the results, we were in a three way tied for 4th place with Absolutly and Shada! Absolutly rates the same as us and Shada owes us a little time and finished slightly ahead.
The crew did great and we had plenty of practice in sail handling.
One scary thing happened on the first night as we were coming into the slip after the race. I started turning into the slip and put the diesel in reverse. I was not slowing down fast enough so I increased the throttle. The boat went forward faster. I missed the end of the finger pier and the neighboring boat, but hit the end of the slip putting a good sized dent in the wood on the dock. I discovered that the control cable to the transmission broke and the engine was stuck in forward. I was really bummed and we fiqured out a way to get underway for the next morning. Early the next morning, I was waiting for a ride to breakfast and I noticed something laying on top of an electrical box at the head of the dock. I looked and it was a used control cable. Nobody was around to claim it and I assumed that it was left there for someone who could use it. I finally picked it up and it found that it was a exact match for the broken cable. I installed it Saturday night. I consider it my miracle cable!
Committee boat and mark boats waiting for the wind to fill in on Saturday.
Waiting for the wind to fill in on Saturday.
Boats trying to finish on Saturday. Just before the race committee abandoned the race. We were already finished.Results:
http://www.seattleyachtclub.org/Sailboat/Sailboat_Racing/racing2009/2009%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Results.htm
Link to Jan Andersons pictures of the Friday race:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75869001@N00/sets/72157622655798004/show/
3 comments:
Someone was very nice to provide the cable. Reading the blog appears that it was a normal early fall weekend, one day of medium to high winds and two with much less. Good photos tho.
I guess that's the end of the season, eh? Sounds like a good fall weekend of racing
No, not the end of the season. Another race in two weeks, Winter Vashon on Dec 5th, Duwamish Head on Jan 7th and then two (or more)races a month thru June. THEN, the race season slows down for a couple of months. Of course, there is always Shaw Island in July, Vashon Challenge in August.....
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