Blake Island Race-6-12-2010-WSSA No. 6

Saturdays race was Bremerton Yachts Club's, Blake Island Race. This is the sixth race of the West Sound Sailing Association's(WSSA) seven race series. This race starts near Pt Herron in East Bremerton, goes out Rich Passage, around Blake Island(either way) and returns to the finish at Pt Herron for a total of 17 NM. There is also a shortened course option that finishes at Orchard Pt on the return for 12.5 NM.

This race is probably my most enjoyable race. Maybe because I have won it many times, but also because of the tactical challenges involved with the current and wind shadows from the nearby land.

This race was my first sailboat race win 35years ago in 1975. I had been racing for two years and had actually placed well in the Blake Island race in 1974. But in 1975, I had just bought a new(to me) 22 ft boat two weeks previously and found it much faster that my older boat and in the Blake Island race, I sailed a smart race and beat a field of about 25 larger faster boats. Of course, there was a outcry that it was not possible to own a boat for such a short time and do so well, so my handicap must be in error. So after my handicap was changed by a large amount a few months later and I still could do well, and owed larger boats time, the noise subsided some.

This years race was started at 0935 to take advantage of a strong ebb current changing to flood in the early afternoon. The weather was fantastic, clear sunny skies, but the wind was quite light from the NW at the start. Also, even though the current was ebbing, close to shore where the starting line was set, there is a back eddy and the current was actually setting the boats away from the line.

We got a good start near the pin end and tacked as soon as possible toward the east to get into the ebb current. Dulcinea(J105) and Tantalus(Express 37) started farther down the line near the boat ent and stayed on the western shore(against the current?). Tantrum II(Schock35) and us continued to tack up the eastern shore. Near Waterman, the wind really died and we found ourselves out of the main river of current. Tantrum pulled ahead and Dulcinea, Tantalus and Reign Maker(C&C40) passed us. We entered Rich Pass in last place in our class. At this point we also noticed that the boats that started in the two classes behind us were mostly still setting on the start line!

In Rich Passage, it was time to get to work. We could see the wind just past Pt Glover, but the important thing was to position the boat in the most favorable current. Reign Maker slid left and when we got to the wind, we easily past them on starboard tack. We short tacked up the Bainbridge Island shore riding the strong ebb. The other boats went right into the less favorable current. We tacked between Orchard Rocks and the Bainbridge Island shore and gained on the fleet. Reign Maker followed us through the gap. As we exited the pass, we stayed on port tack that took us away from the shore on the left. Tantalus continued too far left and found themselves in the backeddy and light air near Beans PT. Dulcinea and Tantrum headed way right past the Manchester fuel docks after making the decision to go counterclockwise around the island.

We stayed on port tack and as we approached Blake Island, we were lifted up into the new NW wind. We could see slick areas ahead, but when we got to them, they collapsed and we had ripples on the water. We worked the boat hard, kept our speed up and continually gained on Reign Maker and Tantalus. We set the spinaker near the state park boat moorage and reached across the top of the island. We had a good run down the east side and stayed close to the shore to avoid the north flowing current out of Colvos Pass. As we neared the SE corner of Blake Island, we saw Dulcinea on the Southworth shore and Tantrum much farther back. We now had favorable current along the south shore of the island. The wind came forward, so down with the spinaker and up with the jib. The wind was spotty until we cleared the west end of the island. The wind came up to about 5 knots and came farther aft until we could set the spinaker again. As we neared Orchard Pt at the entrance to Rich Pass, we could see the comittee boat anchored out. Time for the shortened course. As we approached the finish line, I became concerned about the now flooding current flushing us past the line or setting us into the boat. So we jibed to port and reached up to ensure we made it across the line.

We were first to finish and were far enough ahead to correct on everyone behind us. We owed time to everyone but Tantalus. Only nine boats out of 19 starters finished. When we motored home, several boats were setting near the west entrance of Rich Passage.

We did well by staying focused and putting 36 years of experiance in racing this race to good use. Local knowledge rules!

Thanks to the my crew of Jim, Walter, Kathleen and Michael.

Results can be found here when they are posted:

http://www.wscyc.net/new%20site/WSSA/index.htm

Division 2 and 3 boats stuck at the start.

Photo: R. Johnson

Here we are finishing at Orchard PT.

Photo: R. Johnson

Our course for the day. We went clockwise around Blake Island.