Three bridge Fiasco - 2010 Edition
This great event is coming-up again shortly (January 30th).
- Only five boats needed for class trophies!!
I've got it on my calendar... anyone else?
3 Bridge Fiasco - 2011 Edition
As of now it is 11 Days, 22 Hour(s), 57 Minute(s) and 51 Second(s) until the start of the 2011 edition of the 3 Bridge Fiasco.
Anyone coming? I am really looking forward to this year's race as I skipped 2010 due to a wet weather forecast... (Grrrr... - what a wimp!) And it actually turned out to be dry.
So far there are 188 boats signed-up. One of them is the 'Mephisto Cat' which will run in the 'SINGLEHANDED, PHRF - Non Spinnaker' class.
I imagine that there will be 250+ boats participating once the big day comes... Perhaps even more since the weather might bring a bit of sun. We were just shy of 400 boats in 2009.
There are two other Pearsons already signed-up; A Pearson 36, and a Triton. No other Ariels or Commanders. - All it takes is 5 boats to establish a class with its own trophys for podium positions!
EDITs:
It is now: 10 Days, 20 Hour(s), 30 Minute(s) and 47 Second(s) and we have 207 boats - No additional Pearsons yet!
>>> 8 Days, 22 Hour(s), 44 Minute(s) and 26 Second(s) to go... 233 boats signed up. Might just get to 300...
>>> 7 Days, 22 Hour(s), 37 Minute(s) and 36 Second(s) to go... we are at 250 boats already!
>>> 4 Days, 16 Hour(s), 54 Minute(s) and 4 Second(s) to go... We are at 300 Boats!
2011 Edition of the 3 Bridge Fiasco
Two days to go and I'm almost ready. 369 boats is the total count.
The Express 27, J/105 J/24, & Moore 24 fleets are HUGE! Many multihulls also.
There is an odd bunch of Pearsons:
Pearson 28-1 (This could be a Triton - or?)
Pearson 36-2
Pearson 385
Pearson Commander (The Mephisto Cat / C-155)
Pearson Triton
Only 2 boats have a higher PHRF rating (are slower) than the Commander (- Both Cal 20's). It will definitely be a Loooong day. Strong currents and light winds are in the forecast. I just hope I can finish before they call the race at 7:00 pm.
As usual, I managed to start a project at the most inopportune time... I replaced the hatch rails on the companionway hatch yesterday. I'd already made & tested the fit for the new wood rails and had been building up the varnish... But I'd been procrastinating on the actual installation. Of course, for some reason I had to get this done now... (I'll post this project on the Mephisto Cat thread after the race).
Watch this space for the results.
1 Attachment(s)
2012 Three Bridge Fiasco - Race Recap
Sorry this is sooo long! (I seem to have hit the word count limit for one post!)
I arrived at the marina at around 6:15am still sort of half-asleep and I’m headed to the dock when I barely avoided cracking my skull… There was slick ICE everywhere. I managed to stay on my feet (and on the ramp), but I could almost hear the cartoonish sound effect that is typically used when a character performs the typical slipping dance in such instances…
Once I was well awake; I went on to find the docks AND the Mephisto Cat covered in a similar sheet of ice. It was definitely chilly at the Berkeley Marina that morning. I put on my gear, and cranked on a heater (on shore power) while I got ready to shove off. Not too long after that, I was off; still in the dark, just before 7am.
One of my chores on the way out was to verify my waypoint indicating the end of the Berkeley Pier ruins on my way out. – Just in case… I expected to come back well after sunset, and the navigation light is quite hard to make out against the city lights… The light is 3.5 miles into the Bay at the end of the old pier and only the end is marked, but the ruins extend to all the way to the shore and are quite hard to see at night…
The race distance is 21 miles (as the crow flies), the shortest distance a sailboat can hope to sail is typically around 30 to 35 miles… So it is always a long day.
I slowed the engine almost to an idle just past Alcatraz Island to physically check the current and hoist my Mainsail. I then proceeded to the starting line area in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club. I arrived there with plenty of time to get ready for the start.
Nemesis (C-151) appeared at about this time and after the morning greetings and a quick comparison of strategy notes; I headed off to check the current at the pin. At that time, I got the camera out to take a picture of Nemesis in the morning light, but it just made a funny noise and then died… I fiddled with it for a bit and then chucked-it below… I had a good amount of time before the start – but not much to spare.
- The picture did come out – you can see it on Nemes’Gallery thread. Here:
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...-C-151-Nemesis
Quite a few of the 334 boats participating in this race were already gathering. (This race has a reverse handicap (pursuit) start format, where the slow boats start first based on their rating and whoever reaches the finish first is the winner….)
As I was scoping out the current at the pin (a light to moderate ebb…), I ended-up in a deep thought re-considering my FIASCO race strategies - for who knows HOW LONG… – I was in a deep ‘think’ scheming about what the wind would do throughout the day, as well as the progress of the tides & currents around the course when, surprisingly, I heard the preliminary warning gun from the race deck.
My Mainsail was up and ready – BUT my headsail was still tied-up on the bow, the motor was still in the well, the plug was... – stowed away somewhere – and I was sailing WAY far away from where I wanted to be at the start. -Well done!!! I sat motionless like a deer in headlights for a second while I formulated a plan…
I had exactly 11 minutes & 3 seconds to correct my fumbling oversights and get back on track for my start … It was clearly going to be a frantic start… (my start was at 9:01:03 am)
- Done in by the mediocre crew – AGAIN!
There was a bit of breeze at that point, maybe 6-7 kts. from the NE, with a light current, fortunately. This made my location blunder much less deadly. I pointed the boat in the desired course; and having the ability to sail; I focused on putting the motor away and left everything else for worrying about at a later time…
Once the motor was down below, I focused on getting into position. I was about 150 yards out from my desired position (based on the now forcibly updated start strategy), when I realized that the bottom hank on the headsail had snagged so my sail was not hoisted properly. Off I go onto the bow again… I quickly sorted the sail out, got back on the helm and looked at my watch. I had less than a minute before my start and this would be enough time to get me where I needed to be. (The start line is the small orange line at the bottom of the Satellite picture of the race area below.)
As I’d missed the time-check due to my frantic pre-start activities; and since it seemed I would actually manage to be the first boat across the line on my start, I held back a bit – just in case my watch was off sync with the race deck and then gybed around the pin crossing the line at a time I believe to be about 10 seconds after my start time.
Due to my frantic duties on-board, I did not know where any of my direct competition was. But the line was fairly clear for me at the pin. After covering some distance towards the west, I recognized ‘Nemesis’ just behind me on a quick glance before I focused on trimming my sails. I was not happy about how botched my start – but I was pretty satisfied with the recovery effort. - It could have been ugly…
I set my sights on Blackaller buoy (Golden Gate mark - west of the start) per my plan, and I was racing…
I had a Santana in the crosshairs which was furthest along having gone on the very first start. I did not notice if any boats had chosen to head east first, but the majority must have as there were only a few of us heading in a clockwise direction. In any case – at this point, I was happy with my race strategy and I was no longer so concerned about alternatives - for the moment.
On rounding Blackaller (About 11 minutes after the start), I came about to sail towards the North-west – I had a big portion of the bay in front of me… I could not help noticing how clear & sunny the day was; green hills against blue bay water… It was a spectacular day for a sail…
I could tell that I was making good progress on the Santana despite hurried sail trim & poor control of the helm (as I located, and installed the plug in the well, organized my lines, and sorted the cockpit out). The next decision was to decide which way to go around Angel Island as I was headed right for its middle right behind the Santana.
I was still gaining on the Santana when he suddenly tacked to the North, towards Sausalito. I quickly decided this was a mistake and continued resolutely on my course. It wasn’t long before the little Santana was pushed way off. I did not see him again. I continued on while the wind swung around gradually to the north (a lift towards the straits!) and I stayed on that tack for much longer than I’d initially thought prudent. After that lift, there was no question about which way to round Angel Island.
After about a half hour on this tack (09:35), I finally came-about wishing to avoid getting caught in the lee of the Island – not getting too greedy - making sure to tack back after gaining a bit of ground to the North. I repeated this a few times and made it to the western end of the straits, where I was joined by what I think was a double-handed small-ish ‘Cal’ boat (10:15).
This boat’s presence made me feel a bit lonely… Where was everyone? Had everyone else chosen to go the opposite way? I looked behind to see a bunch of boats off in the distance… and a big bunch of boats piled together close to the start line.
In any case; I was moving… and that’s always good news on this race. And being lonely was a GOOD thing! The little ‘Cal’ & I tacked through the straits and I must admit that they clearly did a better job there… We were right on each other until about half way through when we took a different approach; I chose the island side of the strait, and suffered from it…
They stayed close to Tiburon and enjoyed quite a nice lift there.
Grrrr….