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| Wiver Wun at RYC | August 6 |
| Story |
| Another one for the record books!
This was a great race! From our perspective, we started below the middle of the line (thanks Ron and Brenda for starting us!), and were surprised to see chutes going up while still in the channel from the boats who started at the upper end - there was some south in the wind. We set after clearing the ferry, and were tight reaching to try and make the bouy off of the Chevron dock. The ring pulled out of our clew, so we doused our flapping spinnaker. Luckily we had a spare up forward, otherwise we would have turned around and gone back to the club. it took a while to get it out from behind the forward hatch and hook it up. I think we rounded ahead of Sarah - who cleared the green mark but then doused to go back and round the red one, and Zane who I don't think had set his chute at that point (the reach was fast, but a struggle). Tim appeared to be first around and going fast. I thought it might be too early in the tide cycle for good flood - but we had plenty. San Pablo Bay was epic! Short steep waves and spinnaker reaching in 15 plus knots of wind got us up to Wabbit speeds quickly. After poking our bow into a few waves we closed our hatch, which kept the fire hose out of the inside of the boat. It lightened up and the waves went away in Carquinez, so we were able to relax a bit. I think it started building after the Concord Naval Weapons station. We stayed to the left after that facility, as did Sarah. She hit the shoal before we did. We haven't been aground on that shoal for a while - did it in the same place during a recent Ditch Run (note to self, stay right after the weapons station....). We had some discussion about why the fleet was so far over to the right, but it didn't sink in until we saw Sarah screech to a halt. We got off first thanks to John Groen getting off the boat on the leeward side and walking us forward after we dropped the chute - in about 18" of water. I was straddling the deck and hull in the middle of the boat.. So we didn't take on water, but it did slow us down by several minutes - I think Ethan got by us there and was a ways ahead when we got sorted out, and we were now ahead of Sarah. Then we actually looked at the chart to make sure we wouldn't hit the mud again, and were successful in that regard. The wind picked up after we passed New York Slough, and we had a great race with Sarah - trading the lead multiple times between us. On the final reach we stayed high - the leaders in the distance were low, and Ethan right in front of us was low. This year there was enough wind that we didn't fall into holes, and the flat water planing was great fun (Tim's GPS said he hit 15 in that flat water!). We pulled a bit ahead of Sarah, and after her twing broke she dropped her chute and we stretched a bit more - and we rolled over the top of Ethan. We dropped our chute a bit before the finish, as it looked rather dicey as to whether we could make it. So although we were pretty far behind the first three, we came fourth and were very happy with that! The day was a bit cooler than in the past, and a bit windier than we have yet seen going to Rio Vista. We made it in about 5 1/2 hours, so we averaged a bit over 8 knots. Zane brought up the rear but won the cruising division. Hauled out and a fine bbq at the Delta Marina - thanks to Anna and Treacy for finishing us, and for those who got the bbq together and helped Anna clean up the picnic area when we were done. |
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