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Thread: 2020 Singlehanded Farallones - Your excuses here:

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    3,485

    Default 2020 Singlehanded Farallones - Your excuses here:

    Dura Mater and I got wet motoring over to the start, then the slugs fell out of the mast slot when I tried to shake out the reef at the start. Got out the gate well enough, and turned the wrong way. Floated around out there, couldn't tack to starboard because, as Bob said, that would have meant sailing to Half Moon Bay.

    So back we came and I stood in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club with Tom Boussie and Steve Saul watching all the spinnaker wraps. ALL the spinnaker wraps. Clearly people have not read Andrew Evans' recommendations closely enough:

    "After singlehanded broaching lots and lots and lots of times, I’ve learned a few lessons that I thought I’d pass along. You can download my paper here: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7718709_68878570_6221527 "

    I have a short iphone video of each of you crossing the finish line. Even Daniel after midnight. While I cogitate about the appropriate music, and in the meantime, here's a photo of the most recent version of a Singlehanded Sailing Society Race Deck, thanks to Tom's ingenuity and classic vehicle. I love this club.

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    photo by Tom
    Last edited by Philpott; 06-28-2020 at 02:05 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Fremont, CA
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    157

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    Jackie- You made it farther than I did.

    On Waterwings I ramp launched, rigged, and made the start in time, which seems like a lot, but getting better. I put the reef in the main before the start, probably not necessary, as the wind was <15, I think, no wind instrument, and the float was not submerged completely on the reach to the start. We started port tack about a minute late, still won the start, as Raven headed for A off St Francis for the start rather than X off GGYC, ended up tracking back to X, and Wingit was a few minutes sailing time east of the line at the start. Inside of a few minutes, all three were on port tack making good progress for GG bridge.

    The leech of the mainsail on Waterwings was flapping, and I saw there was a 8 inch tear extending forward, several feet above the reef, most likely from over tensioning while putting in the reef. This was the type of tear that seemed like it could easily extend way farther forward, so I dropped the main and retired less than 5 minutes into the race.

    Fortunately, Marchal sailmakers was in the loft, outside of regular business hours, and I brought the main to him. He said that he is now busier than average, even though most of business was down previously. This may be related to your spinnaker wrapping observation.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    South Bay
    Posts
    14

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    I have a few:
    * Only 2/3 of my deck is painted. As a result:
    * My new jib & genoa tracks are not yet securely bolted to the deck
    * Nearly all of the rest of my deck hardware is in an undisclosed secure location
    * My new windows have not yet been fabricated, nor installed
    * I'm undecided on footwear - my Ronstan zip boots aren't very grippy anymore. I haven't decided if I want another set of dinghy boots, or some sort of water shoes yet. Or maybe vans?
    * The last time I raced single handed was at a Naval Academy regatta in a Laser, more than 20 years ago.

    That said, I'm the new owner of the boat formerly known as Tainted Love. It completed the SHTP in 2000. I feel that I owe it to the boat to try to participate in an SSS even this year. All of the above will be addressed as quickly as reasonably possible. Rectifying the final point is the entire purpose of purchasing the boat.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    37.205346,-121.963398
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    My excuse for a truly stupid start: I opted to make a software change to the autopilot just prior to the start. I pulled away from the dock and realized I had loaded the wrong version. A quick 180, back to ggyc dock, pull it all apart, reload, and out to bend the sails on. With a few minutes to go I was making way to the line at the wrong end. Started at the wrong end, but managed to get moving in the direction of the Bridge.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    3,485

    Default Video of Finishes in order of appearance and dishevelment

    I took 65 short little videos, small enough to send over email. Then I realized that I would have to send out emails to a lot of people, all of you, and that would require a lot of cutting and pasting. Instead I threw them onto Movie Maker.

    Then, instead of attaching some poached Kinks songs (I was thinking of 'Superman' and 'So Tired (of waiting for you)', I left intact the noise of the wind off the city front last evening. And there was some wind. Here you are, in all your glory:

    https://youtu.be/GF1QvoUT9jM
    Last edited by Philpott; 06-29-2020 at 02:20 PM. Reason: first youtube, thanks, Bob

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    4

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    Thanks for posting this Jackie! I almost caught Nina there at the end - maybe if the race had been 1/4 mile longer. Hats off to Robert though, that was quite the competitive spirit.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2007
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    Pretty nice Jackie. Next year I will film your finish.

  8. #8
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    Jan 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by brianb View Post
    Pretty nice Jackie. Next year I will film your finish.
    Thanks, Brian. It will probably look like Daniel's finish. I must say, though, whatever lights he had on masthead could be seen all the way from the bridge.
    Last edited by Philpott; 07-01-2020 at 07:28 AM.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2010
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    Will Lee s/v Sea Wisdom, was late to the start of the 2020 Singlehanded Farallones race, and almost a full week late to finish. Here he is on Sea Wisdom, on his approach to the islands

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    He described the conditions: "I wanted to do the SHF but it was so last minute that I already made commitments to family. The trip back so far has been super relaxing on a BroadReach, the condition is 10-15 knots of wind, sea state is at minimum. I could even take a nap at the bow of the boat (clipped in)."
    Last edited by Philpott; 07-03-2020 at 07:35 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    Last night there was a zoom awards meeting for Farallones participants. I forgot to tell a Daniel Willey story. He wasn't there last night and doesn't read the forum, but here it is anyway:

    A few years back Dura Mater and I won our division in the Farallones race. This astonished everyone, including me, but my trophy continues to impress, right next to a model schooner constructed by some long forgotten relative, foisted upon me by my brother in law. Here it is:

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    The reason we won in 2016 is because the other five or six boats in our division floated around for hours, then returned to the bay so they didn't have to stay out until early the next morning. Daniel was one of the sailors out there in 2016, and he decided to come in with everyone else (but us). As everyone knows, Daniel is a very tenacious sailor.

    During this past Farallones race DM and Galaxsea were the only boats in our division. Whoever floatest longest had a good chance of winning the division (the 'OMG I love you, but you are a slow boat, honey' division). Daniel knows that I can be determined myself. However, when I realized that we were closer to Duxbury than the islands, and that Daniel was even further north, I decided to come back into the bay. I figured he was headed for Drakes Bay for the evening, where he would cook himself a nice hot dinner and wait until morning to return. I considered it myself, but the day started with a southerly and that is verboten in Drakes Bay.

    Instead I tucked into the GGYC and videotaped everybody as they arrived, bedraggled and sweaty, as evidenced.

    It was dark by this time, and at about 9:30 we raised Galaxsea: "Galaxsea, Galaxsea, this is the SSS Race Committee. Do you read me?"

    Daniel radioed back: "Yes, I'm about to turn on my engine." Then there was a long pause. "Wait a minute! Is that you, Jackie?"

    Jackie: "Yes, I'm at the GGYC, ready to go eat a hot meal and go to sleep on Dura Mater."

    Daniel: "Oh! Well, then, I'll continue on and circle the islands!"

    Jackie: "By all means, do so! What is your ETA, please? We'll set our alarms and wait for your radio call upon approach to the Bridge."

    And so we did, and there he was, clear as a bell on the radio and under the bridge. And Galaxsea won her division in the annual SSS Farallones race. Congratulations, Daniel.
    Last edited by Philpott; 07-17-2020 at 10:51 AM.

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