2010 WBRA Race #3 & #4 @ Mid-Bay 5/01/2010
By: Brock de Lappe (USA 121)
Posted: 5/10/2010
The start of WBRA races on Saturday, May 1st, were delayed for over an hour due to lack wind. The committee boat from the Sausalito Yacht Club was anchored in the mid-bay, approximately a half a mile west of Alcatraz. The leeward mark was set off the NW end of Alcatraz. The challenge that day was a 4.4 knot flood tide, making it difficult for the fleets to even remain in the starting area until the wind finally came up. In the first race, David Wilson in USA-106 approached the pin end of the line on port and was able to tack over for a starboard start just ahead of Brock (121) and Eric (122), both of whom got swept by the tide below the pin. At the leeward mark, only David (106) and Chris Herrmann (108) headed to the City on starboard tack, the remainder of the fleet went north on port hoping for some late ebb relief. Unfortunately all that happened was that they lost wind and when they tacked back on starboard they were right back at the leeward mark. As a result, only David (1st) and Chris (2nd) were scored with a finish, as all the rest of the fleet received DNFs for finishing more than 30 minutes after the first boat.
The attached video shows the start of WBRA race 4, beginning with the Knarr fleet. There’s a bit of a pile up at the pin, with several boats being swept low by the strong flood tide. It was Chris Perkins (USA-141) who managed to pull off the optimal pin end start for the Knarr fleet and be first over to the City for tide relief. Knowing what to do is one thing, executing is quite another. For the Folkboat start, I approached the line early, hoping to guard the pin end of the line. My timing was bad however, and I ran out of space and had to throw in a pair of tacks. Once again, I was swept below the pin at the gun…agonizing. And of course it helped to have my son Daniel say, “You did it again Dad !” On races like this, there is just one way to go, and if you are further back in the train you are eating bad air all the way. You know what they say, practice, practice, practice. David Wilson (USA-106) scored the win, with Peter Jeal (USA-113) and Chriss Herrmann (USA-108) taking 2nd and 3rd. The video finishes with the trip back to Gas House Cove Marina in the City, showing USA-121 and USA-56 tacking back into their berths. Folkboats race without the weight of carrying an outboard motor, and returning to the marina can be a challenge if there is either too much or too little wind. All in all, a beautiful day on the Bay.