Rich Passage Ramble Race 4-13-2013

Saturday was the annual Rich Passage Ramble Race sponsored by West Sound Corinthian Yacht Club and is Race #3 of the seven race West Sound Sailing Association Series. This race is a race from the Port Orchard Marinas through Rich Passage, around Blake Island and Bainbridge Reef Buoy #4, leaving both to port. From buoy #4, the race continues again through Rich Passage to the finish at Port Orchard Marina. Along the race, competitors experience strong currents, protruding land masses and speeding ferries. This year the weather forecast was for strong SW winds and thundershowers. As it was, the forecasters got part of the forecast right.

As we lined up for our 1015 start, the wind was about 15-20knots from the SW. We got a fair start and had some issues getting the spinnaker all the way up. We set the heavy, 1-1/2 oz spinnaker and after clearing our rigging issue, we took off toward Rich Passage under great control and good speed. Gusts would roll through accelerating us. Some boats reported broaching in the gusts, but we did not have any issues. Our maximum speed through the water was 10.6 knots and we maintained speeds in the mid to high "nines" for much of the run.

As we entered Rich Passage, we headed toward the left side of the pass and had to head more left when a ferry appeared ahead. We dropped the spinnaker near Pt Glover and went close hauled with a full main and the #3 jib. The wind was about 20knots and far enough to the west that one tack took us between Orchard Rocks and Bainbridge Island and to Blake Island. We stayed in the shallows close to the south shore of Blake Island for current relief and rounded the island in the lead.

The reach from Blake Island to buoy #4 was a parade with one boat slipping past us and another closing on our stern. As we entered Rich Passage the current was against us causing our pack of boats to compress. After Pt Glover, we headed to the right side of Rich Passage and short tacked in the shallow water along Bainbridge Island and Pt White. We passed the boat that was ahead and sailed to the East Bremerton shore. Again, we short tacked in the shallows along the shore. We gained on the boats behind. We finished at 13:12:39. One Division I boat finished close enough to correct on us and one Division II boat also corrected on us to give us 2nd in class and 3rd overall. With all the reaching on this course, our results are good. Complete results can be found here: Rich Passage Ramble Results

This race was very fast. We went around the course in slightly less then 3 hours. The wind stayed in the high teens to mid 20's for the entire day. The part of the forecast that was not correct was the rain. It did not rain at all during the race and was actually sunny and warm.

Thanks to my crew of Jim, Walter and Ranier. They did an awesome job and helped me concentrate on steering the boat.

Postscript: Last years Rich Passage Ramble was run in opposite conditions from this year. Last years race was sailed in moderate but steady north winds and it was a fast race. Last year the historian announced that I had finished last years race in the fastest time ever, finishing at 13:28:02. This year our finishing time of 13:12:39 is faster than last years, so it must mean another new record. Maybe someone will confirm it.

Our track for the day. We went counterclockwise around Blake Island and crossed our track at Bainbridge Reef. 

 

 

Here is a video I made during the race. I was using my "Redneck Engineering" homemade self leveling mount for the GoPro. I am using a different movie editor and was frustrated trying to shorten the audio, so there is a couple of minutes of music with no video at the end.

Boats behind us are broaching at about 6:48 in the video. It got our attention.