Final Report from SF Opti Regatta

After two fantastic days with 14-20 knots of breeze, ebbing currents and fantastic training and racing, San Francisco gave us on the last day a heat wave. Having spent a great amount of time training and sailing in San Francisco over the past years, this was the first time it was glass.

The sailors got rigged and we had a postponement on shore for a while before we were sent out. Hoping for wind, we headed to the same racing area outside Angle Island, but we had to anchor not to drift away. After pizza for lunch on paper plates again and more food for Cameron (he can eat!) and Alex, we were asked to tow over to Sausalito waterfront where there was a little bit of wind (a small patch).

The race course was set up as a windward leeward and the current was so strong against the wind that the sailors were 100 feet below the starting line until 15 seconds when they could head up. After a general recall, the start went and the sailors flew upwind, way past layline and then we had the downwind. The front of the fleet went towards shore hoping for less current while our team of Cameron who rounded in 15th, Alex who was 25th, Graham in 30th and Ellie about 35th all went downwind on the rhumb line where there was more wind.

All our sailors gained big with Cameron rounding in 5th place and the others gaining boats. It was one of the slowest and hottest down-winds our sailors have every done. The last upwind was quick with some of our sailors being washed upwind so fast, they were reaching to the finish line after overshooting the layline.

Unfortunately the race committee decided to start a race at 3.25 and without any wind and too much current, we realized that with the long commute to the airport and traffic, Golden Gate Bridge and flights at 7.30, there was no way we could make the last race. It was the right decision as were left before the rest of the boats had struggled to get around and towed in.

It was an amazing weekend, worth all the travel, the training and what a great way to start the season. We met some terrific people, got some new friends we will be staying with when we return to San Francisco for one week in June and we must thank San Francisco YC for hosting us, lending us a coach boat for the whole time without cost and for great race management. From our experience, this is worth doing again next year.

Tine