Race to Monterey

[Philpott]

This from the First Newsletter of the Singlehanded Sailing Society, June 27, 1977:

"There will be three annual races. 1) Farllons race to be held every Easter weekend. 2) Lightship race 3) Drakes Bay/Monterey race. This race will alternate between Drakes Bay and Monterey each year. We plan to have the Drakes Bay race this year sometime in September."

There was a Drakes Bay race in 1977 following the first Farallones, and plans called for a Monterey Race for the September 23, 24 1978 weekend, but there is no evidence that it ever occurred.

This from the Cat Whisperer:

There was indeed a SF-Monterey SSS singlehanded race in 1978. It started Friday, Oct.13 at 1400. It was a slow slog, with WILDFLOWER finishing 4th nearly 24 hours later. F2F was ARROW, Jack Halterman's 36 foot tri. Norton Smith, overall winner of the first SHTP, was also an entrant with his SC-27 SOLITAIRE.

[Lightspeed]

The more I think about this race the more I like it. It is the LongPac backwards with a break in the middle.

[Philpott]

The more I think about this race the more I like it. It is the LongPac backwards with a break in the middle.

Or maybe a three legged race: a Trifecta! From SF to HMB; From HMB to Santa Cruz; From Santa Cruz to Monterey. Maybe starting with this year's HMB, with the last two legs unsanctioned and reckless! If it's reckless Synthia might do it!

[Daydreamer]

Or maybe a three legged race: a Trifecta! From SF to HMB; From HMB to Santa Cruz; From Santa Cruz to Monterey. Maybe starting with this year's HMB, with the last two legs unsanctioned and reckless! If it's reckless Synthia might do it!

That would be fun too!

They should have Santa Cruz open by then.

A straight shot to Monterey would probably be an all nighter, yes/ no ? Depends?

Nice interim to the long pac.

[Philpott]

They should have Santa Cruz open by then.

Harbor's open

http://www.santacruzharbor.org/docum...veyResults.pdf

[pogen]

There are already two downwind races run SF to the MRY bay -- Spinnaker Cup in the spring (around Memorial Day) and Windjammers in the fall (around Labor Day).

I've done both -- the big issue for shorthanders is to me the tough slog home upwind. It can take days, and is hard shorthanded. It's kind of scary to go to sleep so close to shore and shipping traffic.

Both of the named races have seen big declines in recent years in entries. They both have Shorthanded divisions now though. I'm sure they would add SH/DH split if we worked with the OAs to add one or the other to our calendar.

[Philpott]

This is a singlehanded proposal, not a shorthanded proposal. And the difference lies in having to say "please" v just doing it.

[pogen]

This is a singlehanded proposal, not a shorthanded proposal. And the difference lies in having to say "please" v just doing it.

Well one problem with racing as I see it is dilution -- too many events competing for peoples time and attention. And there are only so many 3-day weekends on the calendar.

Against that would be space and mooring at the destination . I know it sucks to come limping in way after dark and then have to struggle because all the good parking spots have been taken already to the glam-crew boats.

[BobJ]

Or maybe a three legged race: a Trifecta! From SF to HMB; From HMB to Santa Cruz; From Santa Cruz to Monterey. Maybe starting with this year's HMB, with the last two legs unsanctioned and reckless! If it's reckless Synthia might do it!

This is a good idea. Our SSS HMB race is 9/24. That's late in the season and close to the date of the original SSS Monterey Race. Conditions for the return should be milder than for the Spinnaker Cup in May. The SHTP racers will be back and ready for something else by then. I'm leaning towards a second leg directly from Pillar Point to Monterey (vs. the stop in Santa Cruz), then a leisurely return with possible stops at Moss Landing/Elkhorn Slough*, the Capitola Yacht and Surf Club, another overnight at HMB Yacht Club, etc. I'll take a couple extra days off work. Other thoughts?

* Phil's Fish Market and Eatery, a bit of kayaking on Elkhorn Slough - say no more.

[Philpott]

the Capitola Yacht and Surf Club

I love that place.