Aug. 16/17 DRAKES BAY RACE

[Philpott]

As I recall, the idea was to float this idea (Drakes Bay) and see whether members like it. To see if they sign up for it. Enjoy it. Have fun doing it. See if they like it enough to do it again. Another option was to sail to Coyote Point and do an overnight.

[Wylieguy]

Hoowhee! . You Wileyguys and competitive racers are sure whiney. I'm just happy there's a real live singlehanded event coming up and that it's offshore. Shorthanded means well but it's not singlehanded now, is it? For those of us who don't play well w others, a race for singlehanders put on by an organization that is called the Singlehanded Sailing Society is such a peachy idea that I'm not going to complain about a thing. I'm just going to sign up and do it. Oh, yeah! I've already registered. Have you?

Jackie, I don't think it's whining when the SSS jumps in on top of an already scheduled race and complicates things this way. I would point out that the SSS is not the only singlehanded/shorthanded ocean racing organization around. You can enter OYRA in the shorthanded division: sail single/double, use your autohelm, put up twin jibs, enter for the series, enter for an individual race, just like the SSS. You could have signed up for the OYRA Drakes Bay race up to Thursday prior to the race. The Spinnaker Cup had a shorthanded divison if you wanted a real ocean experience. By the way, so does the PacCup, which may be the "real" ocean experience. If the SSS wants an additional ocean race, I think the thing to do is schedule is separately so there's another opportunity to sail another short handed race on the ocean. I'm frankly hurt by your calling me "whiney" and don't know why asking the question should provoke that response. Pat Broderick

[Philpott]

But, Pat! None of those races have uniquely singlehanded events that score singlehanders separately. Singlehanders are at a real disadvantage because they are scored together with "shorthanders/doublehanders". You know this. I don't have to tell you this. And since you mention jibs, today I turned Dura Mater around in her upwind slip on O dock in Berkeley and poled out my jib with Bob's spinnaker and the sheets you gave me. Whoa! Really pulled that big fat stern of hers away from the dock. According to OCSC the wind just the other side of the seawall was 19 knots. Aside from the spinnaker whacking into my forestay once or twice, and falling into the water once, and the lines getting tangled on the wrong side of the clews, well I think it was a successful effort. At the dock. Let's see if I can do it on the way back from Drakes Bay. Singlehanded.

[Philpott]

Seriously. Am I mistaken here, or does shorthanded not commonly/generally/usually mean doublehanded? Two people on the boat, right? Isn't it kindof a misnomer to mush doublehanded and singlehanded sailing that way? And another thing: the definition of 'shorthanded" (1794) is "short of the regular or necessary number of people" (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1988). Now that suggests inadequacy of any boat without a crowd on board. And that makes ME feel whiney.

[brianb]

Shorthanded are races your insurance company sanctions. Single handed not so much.

[Wylieguy]

But, Pat! None of those races have uniquely singlehanded events that score singlehanders separately. Singlehanders are at a real disadvantage because they are scored together with "shorthanders/doublehanders". You know this. I don't have to tell you this. And since you mention jibs, today I turned Dura Mater around in her upwind slip on O dock in Berkeley and poled out my jib with Bob's spinnaker and the sheets you gave me. Whoa! Really pulled that big fat stern of hers away from the dock. According to OCSC the wind just the other side of the seawall was 19 knots. Aside from the spinnaker whacking into my forestay once or twice, and falling into the water once, and the lines getting tangled on the wrong side of the clews, well I think it was a successful effort. At the dock. Let's see if I can do it on the way back from Drakes Bay. Singlehanded.

Jackie, There is only 1 truly singlehanded SSS race - the Farallones (not counting the Hawaii race which is a very special event). The Vallejo 1-2 is only half singlehanded. All of the rest are single/double, even the LongPac, and if you look at entries, the majority are sailed doublehanded, especially the crown jewel 3-Bridge race. To answer the question in your next post: shorthanded as it's used for sailboat races around here means either single or double. It has at least since I began sailing MORA in the 1970s and continues with the SSS, OYRA, and other race authorities. Brian's right about the insurance folks, and a strict interpretation of Coast Guard regulations might suggest singlehanding doesn't allow for proper watch keeping.

[pogen]

OK, the Race Chairs have spoken:

Drake's Bay Race Announcement

[Philpott]

That was anticlimactic. Carliane and I were proud of ourselves as we crossed the start line first in our division. And then we got out the gate neatly. We were feeling optimistic. After that it was a slow slog. Carliane felt positively hateful toward one of the red Bonita channel buoys, as the growing flood along the coast kept us in one place for way too long. Finally, shortly before Duxbury, our gps told us that we would arrive in Drakes Bay at 12:15. In the dark. Sailing into a unknown anchorage. Sigh. So we turned on the engine and along the way Carliane pointed out the velella, the molamola (ocean sunfish) and chryosaura jellyfish. And there were lots of murra birds. It was quite nice having a marine biologist aboard, educating me. This was no race for heavier boats. As we limped out of Drakes Bay Dave Morris called out: "Use your biggest 150!" Ah. Thanks, Dave. I need a light air 150. Instead of my 7.5 oz jib. Even a 150 wouldn't have helped us much on the way home. Glass. Glass. More glass. When Randy Leisure on Tortuga put up his spinnaker it helped a lot until the wind changed. John Kearny on Neptunes Car was incredibly tenacious along the coast returning with that beautiful spinnaker of his. I sure hope he was able to finish. Not much offshore, and it wasn't hot like Doug Soderstrom predicted, and then, once inside the gate ... it was typical summer wind 17-18 knots all the way back to Berkeley. And I appreciated the fact that I could partially roll up that jib of mine.

[pogen]

Saturday was a good day for Mola spotting.







I saw 4 or 5 big ones, 4' to 5' range, and two young ones just the size of dinner platters.

[solosailor]

Lots of Mola for sure. Almost hit a few. Some huge ones 5+ feet for sure.