The other great event that occurs on this weekend has a shorter tradition then opening day. In 2002, Sloop Tavern Yacht Club of Seattle started the Race To The Straits. This is a two day race from Shilshole Marina to Port Townsend and after a nights stay, race back to Shilshole. Each day of the race is 30nm. The rules for this race is that all boats shall be sailed singlehanded(one person) or doublehanded(two people). The class breakdown was further refined for flying sails or non-flying sails as well as a Jack and Jill category. I raced singlehanded with flying sails(spinnaker). This year there was 106 entries making it one of the larger regattas in Puget Sound. Boats are also started in reverse order, where the handicap is applied at start. The first start for the slowest rated boat is at 0800, I started at 0930.
The weather forecast for the first day was for light south winds changing to NW winds in the afternoon rising to strong wind in Admiralty Inlet. The forecast was pretty accurate. The fleet drifted north and in the late afternoon off Point No Point, the northerly filled in as the current was starting to flood. The wind rose to 15-18knots by the time I reached Double Bluff at about 1719. I knew that I could not get to Port Townsend against the NW winds to 25 knots and strong flood current before the time limit expired at 1900. I took my time at Double Bluff and started the motor and bashed into the waves for three hours arriving at Point Hudson Marina at 2019. I went to the party and found out that no one finished the complete race before the time limit expired, so times were calculated based on the short course to Double Bluff.
Sunday morning the winds had abated and the forecast was for SW winds 10-15 all the way back to Seattle. We started into light south winds of 7-9knots. All was well until the fleet reached the first roadblock at Marrowstone Pt. The current was ebbing at about 3 knots. Many boats anchored to wait until the wind increased or the current decreased. I chose not to wait. I worked the back eddy west of the point and launched off into the flow. It took three times before I was able to finally get around the point. But I was in the first group of about a dozen that made it. I short tacked up the Marrowstone Island shore until I felt that it was a good time to cross Admiralty Inlet to round the Double Bluff buoy. The winds increase to around 10-12 knots for awhile and it rained some. After Double Bluff, I tacked immediately toward Hansville and worked the shore there. After rounding Point No Point, the wind died. I could see it blowing just beyond, but could not get to it even with the now flooding current. So at about 1630, I realized again that I could not make the finish at Shilshole by 1900, so I started the engine. Most of the fleet had already had the same thought and was heading south under power. Another day for using the short course option.
I motored for only about a mile when I got into the wind. And it blew hard. The motor home was miserable. The wind against the current set up some steep tall waves. Off Presidents Point, the boat was taking a terrific beating, going through several waves and pounding heavily. I finally arrived at Brownsville at 1930. I was tired, wet and tired and glad to be home.
Preliminary results show that I was first in class. This is subject to change as more people turn in their Double Bluff rounding time reports. Results are posted at http://www.styc.org/
Total distance traveled for the weekend: 100.5 nm.
The basic course for the race. Shilshole, Double Bluff, Port Townsend and the reverse for the second day.
The wind built up quite strong near Double Bluff.
This race fills the Pt Hudson marina on Saturday night.
My route on Saturday from Shilshole to Double Bluff.
My route on Sunday from Port Townsend until I started the motor off Pt No Pt. I tacked many times to get around Marrowstone Pt and many more to get downt the shore of Marrowstone Island.
3 comments:
Must have been pretty brutal for so many boats to drop out. Congratulations on your ability to stay on the course.
Most dropped out on Sunday because it did not appear that there would be enough time to finish by the time limit of 1900. Only two boats finished the full coarse on Sunday and that gave everyone else in their division DNF's even if they did record their Double Bluff time.
I could see the wind south of me, but could not get to it. I also did not know it was blowing as hard as it was. A number of boats went into Edmonds and Kingston to wait it out. The small boats with small outboards had it the worst.
yup. Current master. Nice win.
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