Blake Island Race- Tale Of Two Winds

Last Saturday was the Blake Island Race. It was the sixth race of the seven race WSSA(West Sound Sailing Association series. This race starts near Pt Herron, through Rich Passage, around Blake Island(either direction), leave Bainbridge Reef Buoy #4 to port and finish off the Port Orchard marina. This race is sponsored by Bremerton Yacht Club and has a history of at least 40 years. I like this race, it was my first racing win in 1975 with my Tanzer 22, "Rascal Too".

The forecast for the day did not look real favorable. The models I looked at showed light S to Sw winds and the possibility of rain and maybe even thunder showers! While we were lining up for the 1030 first warning, the winds were very light from the SW and we hovered around the left end of the line. But as the time started counting down to our 1045 start, the wind shifted around to very light out of the north. We scurried over to the now favored right end. We approached the line on starboard, squeezed out one barger and had a great start on time.

We sailed about a quarter of a mile on starboard before tacking to port above most of the boats that started in the earlier classes. After tacking to port, we sailed toward the eastern shore to get a boost from the ebbing current. As we approached Rich Passage, the wind increased to about 7-8 knots and with good ebbing current, we quickly passed Pt Glover and tacked toward Blake Island.

We had one long port tack between Orchard Rocks and Bainbridge Island and rode the current towards Blake Island intending to leave it to starboard. As we sailed into the open water, we noticed the rest of the fleet stalling at the east end of Rich Passage. When it did start filling in for them, it was out of the SW. As we aproached the east end of Blake Island, our northerly winds started easing and right on que, the wind shifted to the SW along with black clouds and rain. It quickly built to about 15 knots. We had a good beat against the ebbing current along the east shore of Blake Island. We could see some boats approaching Blake Island behind us, but it was hard to make them out with the distance and the heavy rain.

We set the chute and had a fast reach along the south shore of Blake Island and toward Bainbridge Island to buoy #4. The winds built to a puffy 20 knots. After rounding buoy #4, we close reached into Rich Passage with the #1 genoa. We could see that the wind was still blowing strong around Pt Glover, so we changed to the #3 jib. Sure enough, the wind continued blowing strong. We had a fast beat. We kept to the right side of the course sailing close to shore looking for relief from the still ebbing current. We finished off the Port Orchard Marina at about 1413. The next boat to finish was "Dulcinea" (J105) about 14 minutes behind us. The pesky Thunderbird "Swan" finished close enough to us to correct on us by about 80 seconds. So, we were first in class and second overall with "Swan" first overall and "Dulcinea" second in class and third overall. When the results are finalized, they can be found here: Blake Island Race 2012 Results

Bremerton Yacht Club reserved the party float at the Port Orchard Marina and had a great time of socializing, drinks, brats and awards after the race. Just before we finished, the sun came out making the social event a fun affair.

I am not supossed to name boats that had difficulties(I have been called insensitive and various other things in the past), but several boats seemed to be surprised by the sudden increase of the wind. Some boats finished overcanvassed without reefing or changing to a smaller headsail. One boat reported a ripped #1 jib.

The next race is June 30th at Brownsville. It will be the final race of the series. The top boats are very close in points. "Great White" is one point ahead of "Dulcinea" for the overall championship. But "Swan" is lurking about four points back. A lot can happen!

This was a challenging race for us and it was a suprise that it was mostly beating or close jib reaching, very little spinaker work was involved. Thanks to my crew of :Walter, Kathleen, Dave and Rainer for staying focused and working well together.

No track charts today, nor any pictures. Just this video from the GoPro mounnted on the Redneck Engineering levelling camera mount.

"What Is WSSA"?- The Unauthorized History

WSSA stands for West Sound Sailing Association. Formed in 1978, it joined the yachts clubs of West Puget Sound and Kitsap County into an organization and sponsored a series of races to determine a "Sailor Of The Year". Initially, the clubs that formed WSSA included: Port Orchard, Sinclair Inlet, Bremerton, Brownsville, Poulsbo and Port Madison. Over the years, this list has changed dramatically: Brownsville and Poulsbo dropped their racing programs(Poulsbo reinstated theirs about four years ago), Sinclair Inlet Yacht Club has ceased to exit, and a club named Eagle Harbor Yacht club sponsored races for a few years but, the club may have ceased to exit. West Sound Corinthian was formed in 1981 and added it's own race.

Each club sponsored a race(or two) and for a few years, the WSSA organization sponsored a weekend regatta that moved to different locations each year. In the early years, the WSSA series started with the first race in February at Port Madison, no races during the summer and two races in the fall with the final race being the Poulsbo Race. Some of the races (Brownsville, Sinclair Inlet, Bremerton, Port Orchard and Poulsbo) usually sponsored a post race dinner/social event.

The race format included two or more classes based on handicap and later a cruising class was added. Standard scoring was used with as many as two throw outs used when the series included up to nine races. Most of the clubs had their own races or regattas prior to the formation of WSSA and some were the result of  the formation of WSSA. From the early 1980's, until at least 1999, the WSSA series was a qualifying race for the Seattle Yacht Club Gran Prix event.

The WSSA races are usually quite challenging. The outcome of many of them are determined by who can negotiate the currents of Rich Pass, Agate Pass and the entrance to Liberty Bay. The final results of the series is often not determined until the final race.

Here is a complete list of WSSA "Sailors of The Year" for 1978-2011:

Past West Sound Sailors of the Year, and their Yachts
2011	Matthew Gardener-Brown		DULCINEA	J-105
2010	Matthew Gardener-Brown		DULCINEA	J-105
2009	Steve Trunkey		EGRESS	Hotfoot 27
2008	Dan Wierman		GREAT WHITE	J-35
2007	Dan Wierman		GREAT WHITE	J-35
2006	Matthew Gardner-Brown		DULCINEA	J-105
2005	Arnie Jarlock		TENSION	Tartan Ten
2004	Arnie Jarlock		TENSION	Tartan Ten
2003	Arnie Jarlock		TENSION	Tartan Ten
2002	Bob Lubowicki		CARENE	X-Yacht 119
2001	Jim Snow		YANKEE	Ranger 37
2000	Paul Faget		EGRESS	Hotfoot 27
1999	Dan Wierman		GOOD NEWS	Bystedt 30
1998	John Kerrigan		NEW HAVEN	Baltic 38
1997	Paul Faget		EGRESS	Hotfoot 27
1996	Dan Wierman		GOOD NEWS	Bystedt 30
1995	Jim Snow		YANKEE	Ranger 37
1994	Dan Wierman		GOOD NEWS	Bystedt 30
1993	Jim Snow		YANKEE	Ranger 37
1992	Ted Morneau & Jim Wright		FLITE'	Olson 40
1991	Paul Faget		EGRESS	Hotfoot 27
1990	Ted Morneau & Jim Wright		FLITE'	Olson 40
1989	Jim Snow		ENDEAVOR	Catalina 27
1988	Dan Wierman		GOOD NEWS	Bystedt 30
1987	Bob Verger & Rich Koch		ELAN	Catalina 38
1986	Milt Michaelis		SHADOWS	Erickson 34T
1985	Gary Davis		SWAN	Thunderbird
1984	Jerry Lowrie		FAST BREAK	Ranger 28
1983	Jerry Lowrie	FAST BREAK			Ranger 28
1982	Paul Estep	ELAN			Catalina 38
1981	Jerry Lowrie	FAST BREAK			Ranger 28
1980	Jim Snow	ENDEAVOR			Catalina 27
1979	Dick Ziglar	D2Z			Catalina 27
1978	Steve Nelson	MAAKEN			Custom Miller

The demographics of this list of winners is interesting:
16 Total Winners

6 Are still active racers

3 Have raced the series since the beginning.

1 Has raced in every series

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that many different styles and sizes of boats has won the series. It has not always been the fastest or largest boat.

WSSA has also been involved in sponsoring seminars and presentations. They have hosted talks from designers(Bob Perry), sailmakers (Keith Lawrence) and various sailing movies.

More info on WSSA and the series can be found here: WSSA Homepage

This was a short(unauthorized) history, others may be able to provide more information.

Spam-Hot & Spicy

Recently, I read a post on another blog where the writer linked to an online magazine article: What's In Your Spam. In the article, the author pokes fun at Spam, what is in it and states that it is "the go-to food for Depression-era Okies and would-be subterranean nuclear holocaust survivors." Obviously the writer has some snobby, preconceived notions about what Spam is and who eats it. I would think that he would be surprised at some prominent people that eat Spam. One of the best American mountaineers eats Spam on his climbs and he jokes about it in a movie during a climb of Mt Everest. I don't eat Spam very often, but I do like the long shelf life that it has and that it can be taken places where refrigeration is not available(camping, boating, mountain climbing) and since it is pre cooked, it can be eaten cold. I have carried Spam on my boat during lengthy voyages and particularly like the idea that it can stay fresh long after the ice has melted. In my youth, my mom occasionally fed us Spam, probably for it's ease of cooking(she worked long hours) and it's cheap cost. I would rather eat Spam than the liver from a forced fed goose! I hear that that is considered a delicacy by some people! And probably very expensive!

My choice of Spam is a version called Hot & Spicy Spam.This version of Spam originated from a chain of restaurants in Guam named "Shirley's".

Spam was a treat in the Pacific Islands after it was introduced during World War II. It lasted well without refrigeration. Shirley mixed Tabasco sauce with Spam and used it in her restaurant for rice and other dishes. The Hormel company heard about this, worked with her and actually packaged Hot and Spicy Spam, mainly for sale in Guam and other islands. They also test marketed it in Hawaii and some southern states. It is still available in Hawaii, I bought some during my last vacation there. It is also available in the Navy Commissary at Bangor for those that can shop there.

When I was working in Guam, we usually ate breakfast at the "Shirley's" restaurant next door to our hotel. Unusual dishes were offered for breakfast at "Shirley's" and I found that fried rice really stuck with me and gave me strength through the day when I was working long hours on the ship in the high heat and humidity. Fried rice at Shirleys could contain shrimp, chicken or Spam. Yes Spam! And it could be regular Spam or Hot and Spicy Spam! I preferred the Hot & Spicy Spam version. I have some Hot & Spicy Spam stockpiled and occasionally make the fried rice with it. You do need to like hot food to enjoy it! The recipe for the rice was on the can.

Besides Hot & Spicy Spam fried rice, Spam also is good in scrambled eggs. I have cooked scrambled eggs with Hot & Spicy Spam for friends with rave reviews.

 

 Hot & Spicy Spam a version of Spam that is often the butt of jokes and ridicule.

This is fried rice made today from brown basmati rice, eggs, stir fry veggies and diced Hot & Spicy Spam. I picked up this recipe while I was working in Guam a few years ago. The restaurant next to our hotel was named Shirleys. She had several restaurants around the island.

And don't tell me that I need some sauce to put on this rice dish. I like it naked, the rice that is, without anything on it! And it really hits the spot after a long day of activity like riding the bicycle.