Dan's Blog: Race To The Straits May 7 and 8.

Two great boating events occur each year on the first weekend of May. One is the opening day of boating season. This event has been happening for many years and includes boat parades through Montlake Cut, crew races and a lot of pomp and circumstance.

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 about 100 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 about 0752, I started at 0929. The reverse start is unusual in a sailboat race, but makes the race more interesting. There are no signals from the committee boat to warn you of the impending start. You need to know your starting time and keep track of how much time to the start. Also with the reverse start, any boat that you pass, you have beaten. Any boat that starts behind you then passes you has beaten you!

This year had a breezy weather forecast of 15-25 knots from the SW with the wind switching to the NW in the afternoon. I was a bit apprehensive about flying the spinnaker alone in 25 knots of wind. But fortunately by the I started, the wind had lulled to about 13 knots. I set the heavy spinnaker and had a great downwind run. I sailed straight downwind and worked toward the right to avoid issues with the current at Double Bluff possibly setting me to the left. The most wind I remember on the run was about 22 knots and a boat speed of 9.6 knots through the water. There were four other J35's racing doublehanded. I managed to stay ahead of all of them except "Fast Feather II" who sliped by me at the Double Bluff mark.

As I neared Double Bluff, I could see the Puget Sound convergence zone at work. The south wind was dying and a light north wind was filling in with rain. I got to work and got the spinnaker down and a jib up just as I entered the new north wind. I managed to pass the buoy about 25 yard away by sailing so far right on the downwind leg.

A lot of boats were head up toward Whidbey Island on a nice lift. But it also took them out of the favorable ebb current. I opted to foot of a little and get back into current. It seemed to pay off as I passed a lot of boats. The rest of the beat was an exercise in trying to keep in favorable current and good winds. The new wind was only about seven knots. I managed to pass a lot of boats on the beat and when I reached Marrowstone Point, I noticed the fleet had split with a few boats heading directly toward the finish and a lot of boats getting flushed toward the straits with very little wind. I choose to sail out of the river and toward the finish line. It worked OK, and I passed a lot of boats, but the wind filled in again and some of the boats made out really well. When I finished, I noticed that one of my competitors finished ahead of me. So, I got second for the day on Saturday. There is still the combined score from both Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday dawned with clear skies and no rain. Did I tell you that it rained almost all night? The mood on the dock was subdued, partially from the partying the night before but also from the weather forecast which did not predict much wind. But when we got to the starting area, the wind was puffing to about ten knots. I got a good start and headed toward Marrowstone Pt where the current was ebbing at about three knots. I stayed close to the point and got around. I then headed closer toward the island looking for current relief. The wind was reachy and I had a spirited luffing duel with "Tantivy"(J109) and a sister ship, "Fast Feather II". As I got toward the end of the island, I found myself almost alone as most of the other boats had headed across Admralty Inlet. I jibed and had a nice reach toward Double Bluff. As I closed with double Bluff, the winds got lighter, but there was a back eddy helping out.

I got passed the Double Bluff buoy and headed toward the Hansville shore where I jibed to port and sailed close along the shore to Point No Point. I passed a number of boats farther offshore in the adverse current. I jibed around Point No Point and joined the parade down the Kitsap shoreline. Near Apple Tree Point, the wind appeared to be dying ahead and a group of boats started heading across the sound. But wait! The boats near Kingston appeared to be beating into a new wind. I headed that direction and put up a jib. After a mile, the wind came aft again and I put the spinnaker up again. It was a nice reach and as it built, I was able to head low enough to finish without jibing. I finished in the first fife teen boats and did not see any of the singlehanded boats ahead or around me.

This was another great Race To The Straits. The sunny weather of Sunday made up for the rain on Saturday. Even though boat days had their share of fluky winds, it was actually more consistent than some of the past years.

Results(when they are posted) can be found here: http://www.styc.org/