Santa Cruz June Open - Matthias Kennerknech

Last weekend the Santa Cruz Yacht Club hosted the 505 fleet for some great racing. Even though a lot of the boats are already in the container going to the worlds we still had a turn out of 12 boats at the starting line. PRO Beau Vrolyk introduced the concept of a pursuit race to the fleet that he would try as a non-counting race at the end of the day. Everyone seemed excited to try it.

The weather pattern in Santa Cruz over the last week was nuclear, during the week the breeze came up into the 30s and almost hit 40 during parts of the day. Even Friday it blew, the forecast for Saturday was a bit of the same and everyone was preparing for a tough day on the water. Turns out a forecast is just a forecast. The breeze started the day left of "normal" around 10 knots. Throughout the day it picked up a bit to 15kts and shifted back to "normal". After a bit of a course flag snafu (course 5 was hoisted, there were only 4 courses in the SIs) the RC figure out that they had the FD SIs still on board, a quick cleanse of those and off we went on a double sausage course. The story for Saturday was whether to go left for potential breeze or go right for the geographical advantage. Both scenarios paid at different times of the day which kept the racing interesting. The "black boat" lead the day after three races. Rob Woelfel followed right behind. Bruce decided to try single handling a three sail reach when Dave's trap adjuster line broke in race 2.  Pat Diola showed speed as well finishing the day in third. Reeve was kind enough to strap a two boat trailer to his VW golf and bring the "blue boat" up for Paul and Skip to sail. After racing the yacht club hosted a great burrito night. With the new beautiful deck done and an unusually warm evening the sailors enjoyed sharing stories and some skippers were even heard asking for a second burrito.

Sunday's forecast was for lighter breeze than Saturday, once again a forecast is just a forecast and the racers were greeted with a building breeze that finished the day around 18-20 knots. Two races were scheduled for the day, Rob W started the day strong with a bullet. Patrick finished second yelling something about eating less burritos as Matthias followed behind. Justin showed good boat speed all day. Reeve had speed bursts and Skip was going strong for his first time in a 505. Race two was sailed in defcon 1 reef state and the big boys showed they can carry their weight in the breeze. Dave pulled the correct call on the first down wind and jibe set passing 2 boats down wind to take the lead. With a foul in the spin halyard Dave had a bit of trouble dousing at the last leeward mark and gave up the lead. Rob W came in right behind Dave and Justin wasn't far behind them. With the breeze still strong Beau decided to try the experiment. Here are the basics:

-          3 stage start, 3 groups of boats.

-          Last 3 finishing boats for the event started at the hoist of the prep flag

-          The bulk of the fleet would start at the prep down

-          The three leading boats would start at the gun

This makes it a 4 minute gap to the first starters and a 1 minute gap to the fleet. Course was once around which brought the whole fleet together at the leeward mark and made it a real tight race to the finish on the last weather leg. Interesting concept; fun to have everyone close together.

Thanks to the RC and their volunteers for another great event. See you at the next one.

Results 

Ps: It's written from a crew's perspective since they do all the work in the boat besides holding the little stick in the back of the boat.

Diaz/Lawrence Win 2012 ECC's LEHYC

The 2012 505 East Coast Championship was sailed at the Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club June 8-10th.

Santa Barbara - Mike Holt

For the second year running the class held a regatta in Santa Barbara. This time 14 boats turned up for some highly competitive and tight racing. Saturday was held in light, even for the East Coast, conditions, 5-8 knots out of the West, with warm and sunny conditions. The very lightest teams occasionally saw the wire at times towards the end of the day but the rest of us became familiar with the insides of our boats.

Saturday was completely dominated by Andy and Howie winning all 4 races with only Brian and Ted ever heading them at any mark. They managed to end the days with 3 2nds and a 3rd along way clear of a tight pack of boats. Don Smith who has now sailed more events this year than n the last 10 years, sailing with Chris Rabb in Howie's B boat notched a 2nd in race 1 and raced competitively all day. Reeve and Holt also had a strong day as did Pat and AJ.

Saturday night was spent exploring Santa Barbara and its delights and come Sunday morning not all heads were as clear as they should be. The weather was slightly different, with the fog lingering longer and in an opposite move to what we are used to with Santa Cruz or Long Beach this seemed to mean more wind. The first race of the day started with the wind moving much more than Saturday catching many out who were doing the West Coast "hit the beach" game. Jeff Nelson, trading down and sailing with me for the weekend picked the way around the course best to win. Then for 2 races it was back to the Andy/Howie show in the gradually building breeze but racing through the fleet was close and the overall standing were starting to get interesting and I am sure everyone was trying to remember their scores and the boats around them's scores too.

So to the last race and the breeze was at its best for the weekend, around 15 knots and a 3 lap course was posted. Dave and Bruce pulled off a Port tack start but it was not enough to get them to the top first. Jeff and I managed that, pushing hardest to the beach to lead from Brian/Ted, Andy/Howie and Dave and Bruce. Three dizzy laps later and we crossed first, of course followed by Andy and Howie, then Dave and Bruce. With the dust settled, Andy and Howie had run out comfortable winners, Jeff and I had pulled up to 2nd, winning the tie breaker with Brian and Ted who took 3rd.

It was great to see so many of the new sailors mixing it up at the front, Holt and Reeve sailed well all weekend to end up 4th and everyone had a good race along the way, Rich and Bob a particularly sting 2nd in race 7, James and Ian racing at the front for a lot of race 5, Bill and Stine racing at a new level in the Waterat. The conditions in Santa Barbara are very different to the other venues we go to and require slightly different skills. They also ran a very good event, with good courses and race management, many thanks to the team at SBYC.


Results

Wickford Regatta - Whit Duncan

Eight boats found their way to the west passage of Narragansett Bay last weekend for the 2012 Wickford Regatta. The breeze started out from the Northeast but was quickly shut down by an approaching southerly. The southerly and the northerly seemed to fight each other for the majority of the day. In fact, the seagulls were thermalling in the updraft created by the converging breezes. Eventually, the southerly finally won the battle and brought us 6-10 knots and the race committee was able to get four races in on the first day. We started with rabbit starts and a 30 second gate and raced on short windward leeward courses for the entire day.

The breeze was fairly consistent but with small shifts that had to be managed well with respect to the rest of the fleet and the next oscillation. More often than not we found ourselves looking at a compass reading of 240 degrees rounding the leeward mark which meant it was important to find the right shift to take up the course. Zagol/Buttner dominated the day with great boat speed and they always seemed to be on the right side of the shift. Or if they missed a shift they were able to manage the fleet and find their way back into the mix very quickly. The fleet was sit running downwind and it was possible to sail very deep angles since the breeze was just too light to wire with. As always, Wenderoth/Murphy were sailing well in the light air and despite a small blemish in the second race they found themselves in second behind Zagol/Buttner after the first day.  Olav found himself in third followed by Komar.

At first, day two appeared to be a repeat of day one, however the southerly filled in a little earlier and slightly stronger. The race course was the same as day one in terms of breeze and direction. Olav found his way to the right in the first race where a righty and some breeze were waiting for them which put them in the top of the pack at the weather mark. They successfully wire ran on the downwind on the same side of the coarse but it didn’t necessarily pay as they were passed by Wenderoth/Murphy who went for the sit run approach. On race two, Duncan/Taylor followed the likes of Olav and the two boats battled whole race. On the first run the entire fleet was able to wire run for the fastest leg of the regatta. However, by the time the second downwind came along, the only boat still wire running was Olav. He converged with Duncan/Taylor right at the finished for a good battle at the end of the race. The last race was dominated by Wenderoth/Murphy with their light air boat speed however Olav squeezed out the win on the last run. Several boats were scored as DNS for gating too late, however with no gate bouy or horn to signify the end of the line it left all the competitors a little puzzled.

Congratulations to Wenderoth/Murphy for their first regatta victory. A big thanks goes out to the Wickford Yacht Club for hosting the event. As always, they put on a great event and hopefully we will have a bigger turnout in the 505 class next year. We might also see an event happen in the middle of the summer in coming years when the class is not sailing BBR in Marion. A few summers ago the club hosted the West Passage Regatta which had some great breeze and some great sailing. Next, it’s off to the training event in Larchmont followed by ECCs in Little Egg Harbor.  Hopefully, we will have a fleet of 30 plus boats…

Also, the award for the best looking boat on the water (including all other fleets) goes to Delfosse/Marini in 7773. Duane recently completed a full renovation of his Waterat and she is looks beautiful. 

Results

All photos are copyrighted by and courtesy of Nelson Weiderman.

2012 King of the Bay - Mike Holt

Over the last weekend, May 5/6 a strong fleet of 17 505's descended on St Francis Yacht Club for the annual King of the Bay event. This time run as part of the Elvstrom/Zellerbach regatta.

The fleet assembled was a truly impressive one, multiple World Champions and we added up 25 wins at the North American Championship combined. The KOTB is sailed every year on the Bay at a time of the year when the wind is fresh and the conditions testing. Bragging rights for top West Coast heavy weather sailor are tied down for a year and boats and crews are tested to the limit. This year did not disappoint in any way. The breeze turned up, as did the waves on the afternoon ebb tide and somewhat unusually sunny and warm weather graced us with its presence! The racing was expertly run by the StFYC team, led by Tony Chargin as the PRO and the countless amazing people out helping him, lay marks, pull flags and rescue sailors when needed. It is easy to forget the assistance all these people bring and racing in the Bay just would not be possible without it, so many thanks from all of us to them.

So, the racing, what you have come here to read about, right. We had three races each day, following a pretty typical pattern, starting light and building to strong as the day goes along and the heat builds up inland. Race one got away in 10-12 knots slowly building and the flood tide still running. Meaning a longer beat and a tough layline call. Howie and Andy nailed it and led from start to finish in a short, sharp two lap race. Mike and Jeff followed on their heels in 2^nd and Mike and Carl nipping at theirs in 3^rd. Race two was next up and now 3 laps, the tide was starting to turn and getting the right side of tide lines was critical, a bit of boat speed to get you there was handy too. Mike/Jeff had that to lead at the top chased by Mike/Carl, Howie/Andy and Augie and Fritz. Up the second beat Jeff allegedly somewhat out of practice paused to splash around a little letting Carl and I through into the lead. Not wanting to waste the opportunity we pushed on to win from Mike/Jeff with Augie/Fritz taking 3^rd. Race 3 saw the ebb running hard and the breeze in full effect. A bay ebb chop was also building and clearly showing where the current was strongest! Mike/Jeff again lead the way, but Carl and I were able to pass on the first down wind and hold them off for the next two laps. Unfortunately for the race and as it turned out the series we could not close this one out, taking a swim yards from the finish. Mike/Jeff obviously laughing too hard at our splash, over stood the finish letting Howie/Andy through for the bullet. Mike/Jeff got 2^nd and we crossed the line in 3^rd with the spinnaker wrapped around the spreaders... All in all a great day of racing and tight throughout the fleet with many close finishes.

As ever, after racing StFYC fed and watered us with cold beer and chili, much needed after a good day on the water. 

Sunday opened much like Saturday, warm, sunny and no breeze. But after an hour or so wait a good breeze again filled in and we were treated to 3 more superb races. Race 4 was very much a deja vu for us. Mike and Jeff sailing away leaving us all to watch and wonder how the hell they do it. We finished 2^nd with Augie/Fritz in close contact in 3^rd. Race 5 and the ebb starting to run lead to a general recall and when we finally get away I will forever have the image of Hubert and Xavier screaming off the line, putting the big lever to full effect. After the spray cleared from that Mike and Jeff again lead from Carl and I with all the usual suspects in close attention and some more very close finishing. So, into the last race and ho hum very boring Mike and Jeff.... But wait, they get the final run wrong, wiring out to the right while behind we all gybe set for current relief. As we come back together we are ahead and Mike/Jeff are neck and neck with Howie/Andy, just managing to cling to 2^nd on the line to win the crown by one point. 

Congratulations to Mike and Jeff who despite the one point win really dominated upwind and a big thanks to everyone for making the event and having one of the strongest turnouts for a West Coast event in a non Worlds year for a long time. Particularly to Augie and Tyler for making the trip from the East Coast. Those of you that did not make it, what can I say, you missed a good one!

Next up is Santa Barbara May 19/20 where it seems we will also have plenty of boats racing.

Hampton Trapeze - Jay Smith

The 2012 Hampton Trapeze was true to its name with crews having a view from outside the boat the entire weekend.

Coming off the 5o5 Spring Regatta in Wrightsville Beach, a venue that did not produce its typical 15-20 knot sea breeze, the Hampton Trapeze was a welcome change. Winds were light in North Carolina providing mostly sit running. In Hampton, a predominately southerly breeze that built throughout the day kept crews on the wire up and downwind. Temperatures were near 80 degrees under sunny skies. The overall conditions, plus some tidal advantages, offered three and half great days on the water. This is the second consecutive Hampton regatta with quality conditions that will undoubtedly fuel the friendly wind/no-wind rivalry with West River.

Formal racing was preceded by a day and a half training session with Gary Bodie. These clinics gave novices a chance to tune against class leaders. Bodie lead the six-boat fleet in a variety of up and downwind drills starting in ascending and descending sail number order and also with rabbits. All scenarios initiated opportunities for boats to remain close together. Bodie was able to coach sailors on boat speed, basic handling and set up. The sessions also allowed more novice sailors to remain close enough to leaders to visually compare sail shape, point of sail and weight distribution – elements that the less experienced typically hypothesize on how the leaders actually address. The training provided intimate, immediate on-water feedback on what each boat was – and was not – doing correctly.

“I discovered that I have been neglecting the jib and that this was the largest source of our point problems,” said Jim Englert of boat 7776. “I was also gravitating to a lead too far forward. As it stands now, the best the boat has felt for us is when we have the jib tacked as far down as we can at the bow and our leads are all the way back. I now have some concerns that I cannot get my leads far enough back on the jib with my current system. Every time we are in that no point mode, we have the leads in a more forward position. It was good learning.”

Charles and Jay Smith of boat 8952 were able to use the training session to improve their sail shape by putting on a lot more ram. “Our ram doesn’t match the numbers on our card so we think it may not be calibrated correctly. Either way, the additional ram provided the sail shape we desired,” said Charles Smith. “We have a 16-to-1 system to set the vang, which is less than most teams,” said Jay Smith. “To make it easier, I set the vang from wire. We’re now cranking on the vang on to match the leech of Tyler Moore and Henry Amthor. I would say with the ram/vang combo, we're starting to learn how to think beyond the numbers.”

Post racing, the fleet spent time Sunday afternoon doing more tuning. Having practically applied the pre-race training, Sunday’s session focused on upwind pointing and honing downwind jibing skills. Comments from participants proved that everyone walked away feeling more accomplished and with positive “home work” with could leave each boat more prepared and faster during upcoming events.

Hampton also offered a chance to welcome new members to the fleet. Dave Burchfiel of boat 8822 brought Evan Trudeau on board as a first time crew. Trudeau was trapping and wire running on his first day out – proving that favorable conditions, quality training and an welcoming class can help grow the fleet.

A special thanks to Jane and Tyler Moore who again opened their home to sailors, their families, children and dogs, all of which had a great time. Good wind and Hampton hospitality made the event fun for all involved.

PCC's in Color

More great pictures from the windy 2012 PCC's in San Diego.

Amie Huebner's Gallery

Mark Burge's Gallery