2010 StFYC Woodies Invitational Regatta
By: Tom Reed Jr. (USA 111)
Posted: June 11, 2010
The Woodies Invitational Regatta, hosted by the St, Francis Yacht Club has been a milestone for our fleet now for 39 years. Known as a heavy weather regatta with 50+ classic sailboats duking it out for the top position; only feet away from the breaking waves and rocks of San Francisco’s city front.
This year’s regatta did not disappoint. 13 Folkboats put their game faces on and showed up at the starting line. Friday night’s race was a beautiful one, lighter winds then normal, mellow currents, and our fleet heading to the shore for what we call a classic loose beach race. Mike Goebel in USA 109 took a commanding lead, leaving the rest of us to settle out the details behind. Eric Kaiser in USA 122, I in USA 111, Peter Jeal in USA 113 and Bill DuMoulin in USA 112 kept it close and interesting. At the final windward mark it was 109, 122, 111, 113, & 112. Peter and Bill stayed high to gain the inside position downwind, and the three of us rounded the final mark together. It paid off for them and the top 5 were:
USA 109, 122, 113, 112, 111
Saturday morning brought the fog and some interesting current conditions. Race #2 started much the same way, except for the fleet heading offshore for the ebb. Goebel once again got out front early (And stayed there). Dave Wilson in USA 106 followed closely by Jeal. A little ways back were Keldsen, Kaiser, Herrmann, DuMoulin, Andersen, and myself. Downwind was pretty uneventful with Kaiser staying out for the straight line approach, and the rest of us working the shoreline. Kaiser made big gains outside, allowing him to round just behind Jeal and Wilson. The second windward mark rounding showed little change in the fleet positioning, however de Lappe in USA 121 made some significant gains and rounded just behind Andersen and Myself. As Fred sailed away from me, and Brock sailed right up my transom, it was safe to say that I was more then annoyed. With that said my crew member; Scott looked back at me with words of wisdom and said;” It’s like business. You just need to do 1 thing better then the rest !” I laughed and went about the rest of the leg. Scott could not have been more correct in his life. As a last minute decision; because of position with Andersen and de Lappe, we went to the right gate and tacked shortly after our rounding with clear air in what I believe was 7th place. I am not exactly sure what was going on, but it was good and I would take it anyway that I could get it. What seemed to be a river of stronger current and a port tack lift put me back in the mix. The top 5 were:
USA 109, 111, 122, 113, 106
After a nice BBQ at the club, the fleet headed back out for Race #3. By this time the current had changed, so back to the beach we went. The wind had picked up a bit. The fleet liked the middle of the line, and every once in a while I get lucky. I stayed low on the line, okay 1 second off and I would have been early or just run over the pin end boat. (I actually had to luff up around the anchor line). It didn’t look like a good call at first, but 30 seconds into the race after reaching the current relief and the rooting of spectators’ from the end of the Fort Mason Piers, we made it look like it was our plan from the start. As quickly as I got ahead, Dave Wilson took it away. I was too busy keeping myself from getting run over by the boats behind to remember much of the race, but it was definitely fun. The top 5 were:
USA 106, 111, 109, 122, 112
By the end of racing on Saturday, the standings were very close. Goebel was clearly in first with a 1,1,3 followed by myself and Kaiser tied for 2nd with 9 points each. Then came Jeal with 13 points and Wilson with 16. Then came Sunday…….
Sunday was a new day, same ebb tide, and a little more wind in the first race. My crew and I had a little discussion heading out to the course about needing an act of God to catch Goebel and needing to stay with Kaiser. Sounds like a plan, right? Not so easy……I was going for a committee boat end start, and with a minute and a half to go, tacked over and came to a dead stop. Not the act that I was looking for, as I watched the entire fleet start from way back. Then a second gun was fired, and I knew that it wasn’t us because we had yet to cross the line. Slowly the committee started calling the boats over. There was the act that we needed……Goebel, Kaiser, de Lappe and the list goes on……Kaiser headed back and started just about even with me, while Goebel didn’t hear his sail number and continued to race. By the time that Goebel heard his number he had a long way back to the line, I even think I saw him put up the pole to do it. Jeal and Wilson jumped in the lead, commanding every move. The top 5 were:
USA 106, 113, 108, 122, 111
Now that opens up a whole new can of worms…….Eric took the lead, I was in second, (Only 1 point behind) and 106, 109, 113 were mixing it up for 3, 4, 5….. The last race started just like the others, the top 5-6 boats got out front early and lead the pack, with Goebel rounding first. Tight group racing downwind; when just before the leeward mark rounding Jeals’ 4th crew member was bounced off the foredeck and into the drink. No worries, crew member was wet, but safe; however Jeals’ position was not. Peter made quick work of fishing him back onto the boat, and continued racing. Goebel was out front, Kaiser and Wilson beating each other up for 2nd & 3rd, while Herrmann and I fought for 4th & 5th. Jeal managed to fight his way back to 7th. The top 5 were:
USA 109, 122, 106, 108, 111
Three days of racing, parties and a lifetime of stories to tell. The racing was fun, but as we all know, the stories will be the best of it. Congrats to Eric Kaiser and the Crew of USA 122 for taking the win on a hard fought battle. See the final results for the completed series scores.
