Sequoia Yacht Club Summer Series Race #4

Saturday was the 4th Summer Series race on Smokin' J. The wind was out of the west at around 10-12 knots—strong enough to move us around on the upwind legs but light enough for the spinnaker really make a difference with our speed on the downwind legs. High tide was at noon, and the race started at 12:30pm, so it was pretty much slack at the start and ebbed during most of the race—not a big factor overall. The sun was shining the whole time, and it was warm enough for shirt sleeves.

Skipper Stan's crew was Sandi, Norbert, Ann, and me. We all got there early to set up the boat. I started rigging the spinnaker for a starboard-side set, but since I didn't know the course, I didn't complete the set-up. I also repacked the spinnaker, because it wasn't packed correctly the last time it was used.

When Stan returned from the skippers' meeting, he drew out our course and posted it on the cabin wall. The start was between channel markers 3 and 4, then up to day marker 12, out to race marker S, down to race marker Y, back to 3, back up to S, and back between 3 and 4 for the finish. We had to round some of the marks to port and some to starboard, and it was about a 7.5-mile course.

Stan confirmed that we'd do a starboard set on a port tack for the first downwind leg, so I finished rigging the spinnaker halyard and the pole. It was good that I'd just done all this in a beer can race only 3 days before, so it was all fresh in my mind.

Stan made the position assignments and strategized our course. For the upwind legs, Sandi and Ann would be on jib sheets, I was on the main, and Norbert would take the helm after Stan got us started. For the downwind legs, I would do foredeck with Sandi on the mast, and Norbert and Ann would do pit.

We motored out the channel, practiced some tacks and gybes, and started timing the start. It was a good start, along with Kapalua, Primordial Sloop, Yellow Brick Road, Linda Carol, and Sweet Pea. We headed up to 12, rounded it to port, and headed out to S. As we did, I brought the spinnaker up and started getting it ready.

We were on a close haul and the jib was tight against the rails, so I was having trouble grabbing the lines where I'd attached them (at the top of the bow pulpit) to attach them to the spinnaker. Norbert came to my rescue and sat out on the bow pulpit, detached the lines, and handed them down to me between the jib and the lifelines. I was literally lying on the bow all the way forward with my arms up under the jib. (Next time, I'll rig the triple one stanchion back, so I can get under the jib more easily.) As soon as that was done, we rounded S to starboard and hoisted the chute. It filled immediately, and we lowered the jib without a problem. We were flying!

We flew down to Y, doused the sail perfectly, and rounded Y to starboard. Since I was tired, Stan changed the assignments for the next downwind leg. I went below to repack the chute, and Norbert rigged the sheets for the second set. He would do foredeck, and I'd do pit. The trip back to 3 was short and sweet. We rounded it to port and headed back up to S.

We rounded S to port and raised the chute without issue. Phew! Packing the chute in close quarters can be iffy. That set lasted all the way back to the finish line and down the channel. We did gybe twice as we turned through the channel... both good gybes. And we were able to relax at that point.

When we got back to the yacht club, we learned that Kapalua had rounded one of the marks on the wrong side, so they were disqualified from the race. Their tactician, Ron, told us that if they'd gone back to round it correctly, they'd have lost the race anyway, so they just kept going.

When all of the finish times and corrections were calculated, it turned out that Primordial Sloop won in the spinnaker class. Yellow Brick Road was a minute and 20 seconds behind her, and we were only 11 seconds behind Yellow Brick Road. So we missed second place by only 11 seconds! I thought that was damn good!

Once again, I had no time to take pictures during this race. These are pictures from other days out on the water.

Great race, friends! I'm already looking forward to the next one!