Frostbiting is about improvising…. The weather forecast was for a solid 6 – 9 knots from the SE all afternoon, and things looked promising as Owl set a nearly square starting line not far off the Boat Haven break wall. As several boats beat to windward, testing the oscillations and gusts, Falcon set a “weather mark” at the 70 foot line, 1.2 miles upwind (somewhat SW of the Tower).  Over VHF-68 we agreed to go to the “weather mark” (a small, yellow tetrahedron),  then off to the Green buoy (entrance to Kilitsut harbor) and back to the finish.  It’s an ambitious course, approximately 4 miles.  We are not sailing AC 75’s.

 

Noone could locate the “weather mark” in the winter light.  The lead boats, Owl and Kuma San opted to go for the Tower as the weather mark and a quick course modification was announced over VHF.  Kuma San showed superior speed and won the upwind leg to the Tower, followed by Owl, both opting for the left side of the course.  Dorado outdistanced Falcon on the right side. From the Tower there was a close reach to the Green Buoy, and with the wind dying at the Green Buoy, the fleet closed ranks somewhat.  Owl passed Kuma San to take the lead.

 

The last leg home was sailed in a dying and variable breeze.  A westerly began to assert itself against the prevailing SE wind to the point where the steam stack at the pulp mill rose straight up for hundreds of feet.  Kuma San opted to sail low towards the finish line and was punished for it by the wind gods.  Dorado sailed high, heating it up, looking for speed and more pressure in the East.  Owl tried to split the middle: sailing low, but with an eye to the stronger breeze on the right. Dorado pressed its wind-advantage and steadily gained on Owl, forcing Owl to heat up to reach the same wind. Ultimately these two carried their duel towards the ferry terminal for longer than they should have before breaking back for the finish. This allowed Falcon and Tzieu to make up ground down the middle, riding some weak gusts down towards the finish line.  A 360 degree tour of the Bay was had, and the wind joined right in.  By the end, the westerly asserted itself just long enough for boats to finish.

 

The weather was sunny, Baker and Rainier and the Olympic peaks watched over this reshuffling of the fleet. A great day was had. Come join us next week.

 

Order of finish:
1. Dorado
2. Falcon
3. Owl
4. Tzieu
5. Kuma San
6. Blew Bird
7. Murrelet
DNF Andiamo Again