SCYA Midwinters

We raced this past weekend in the SCYA Midwinters, a two day, three race regatta. In addition to the racing, it was exciting seeing fleets racing all over Long Beach Harbor and even outside the breakwater.

Thanks to the crew of Dave Lyon, Jim Merk and Liz Roberts on Saturday and Larry Palmer, Jack and Carolin Lusby, Liz Roberts and Dave Lyon on Sunday, we placed fourth in our class for the regatta. Congratulations to Windhaven on taking first in our class with their two first and a second on the three races. Also thanks to the Race Committee at Seal Beach Yacht Club for their work in organizing and hosting this event.

Based on the weather forecast we arrived at the dock expecting to be sailing in foul weather gear and being wet part if not most of the day. As is often the case, the meteorologists were off a bit and the only time we got wet was when the helmsperson took a wave over the bow. We had good wind of about 15 knots gusting to 18-20 at the start of the first race. Jim Merk helmed the first race with the rest of us taking the positions as trimmers for the jib and main.

We good a decent start and were off to the first mark which was upwind as the race committee usually like to set a course with an upwind leg early. We were tacking close-hauled as we headed up to the first mark when we heard a long boom as the light #1 jib ripped from the leech about two thirds of the way to the luff. We scrambled to get the sail down and on the deck and get the #2 up and flying. As this was not a planned sail change, we lost a few minutes with the maneuver. In addition, with the conditions as they were, it would have been the right sail to have up for the rest of the day but it was not to be.

On the next leg a downwind run, we used the spinnaker pole as a whisker pole to get the jib out and flying as much as we could and started to gain on most of the boats in our fleet but we had just lost too much time at the start and with losing the #1 jib and we crossed the finish line fairly low in the standings.

We utilized part of the break between the two races to enjoy the delicious sandwiches that Liz brought, she even slipped some jicama in for those that need encouragement to eat their veggies!

Captain Stephen assumed the helm for the second race with the others assuming the roles of trimmers and photographer. We got a good start for the second race as we headed for the committee boat from the leeward side of the line. The wind had lightened to about 12 knots so the race committee shortened the course a bit and we missed the light #1 jib even more. With our better start and no unplanned sail changes, we stayed raced close with the rest of the fleet and overtook Blue Goose at the rounding of the second mark and headed for the finish line. Although we crossed the line ahead of them, Blue Goose beat us on corrected time but we beat Attitude Adjustment which left us tied with them for third overall in our fleet.

The forecasters got it better for Sunday as the wind freshened overnight and the clouds rolled in to make it cool and overcast. The winds were 18-20 knots gusting to 25 and so we didn’t miss our injured #1 jib. Larry Palmer helmed the single race that we had on Sunday.

As we only had one race set for Sunday, the race committee was able to choose a longer course that included three upwind legs and two downwind legs. As we had been on Saturday we were close-hauled to the first mark with a series of tacks to make the mark. As we neared the mark, our jib sheet came loose and we had to tack so we could re-secure it and then continue to the mark. As we had done on Saturday we gained on several of the boats on the downwind leg before we rounded the mark and made the long close-hauled beat to the third mark. One of the exciting things about racing in Long Beach Harbor is having to dodge things like bait barges, freighters (both moving and anchored) and the occasional oil island. We were battling closely with Blue Goose and closing on them with every tack. As we did on Saturday, we overtook them on the second downwind leg and passed them as we rounded the last mark and headed for the finish line.

Thanks again to the crew, and the Race Committee at Seal Beach Yacht Club.

Mille’s next race is Saturday, February 27th and is the fourth race in the Winter 6 Pac series hosted by Pacific Sailing.