Wednesday, May 23, 2007
SUNDAY 20 MAY 07-- A BEAT TO THE GATE AGAINST FLOOD CURRENT AND A TACKING DUEL WITH CORTO MALTESE
My friends from Chicago, Marc and Sarah, joined us for an afternoon outing after their regular annual participation in BAY TO BREAKERS in the morning. We left port about 2 pm, raised single-reefed main and put out small jib and headed out into the central bay.
Marc and Sarah were enjoying the brilliant sunshine and nice breeze on the bay as we headed west against the flood current.
The pier 39 flags signalled a breeze of 15-20 knots as we passed.
BEAR BOAT passed to starboard, headed east, and looking good.
This small sailboat was crossing the bay and regularly getting pulled to weather with sails flogging as she passed behind us.
This lovely large sailboat passed to port, headed east....
...as did TEHANI, both flying full canvas.
Way off in the southwest, some J-boats were finishing a race, heading for the finish line under spinnaker.
ISIS, a J80, was headed across the bay on a beam reach with both jib and asymmetrical spinnaker flying.
This J-boat was dousing her spinnaker after crossing the finish line.
As we continued westward, Olivier and Brooke on CORTO MALTESE were crossing the bay way in front of us, something we didnt notice until reviewing our photos after the outing.
Several lovely ketches were enjoying the bay waters, like this one heading west...
....this traditional, perhaps wooden, ketch sailing across the bay from NW to SE...
... and also this ketch with sailboat company further in the northeast.
The breeze softened in the north half of the central bay-- meaning we had the summer slot winds south of Alcatraz, like we used to have 5 or so years ago, rather than blustery winds all over the central bay-- and we were just ghosting along when we passed in front of this small catamaran, not sure as we approached if she was prepared to give us right of way as the leeward boat.
Behind us, this large and sleek 60-65 foot sloop was headed west toward Sausalito and looking good.
ADVENTURE CAT2 was heading west ....
.... followed by ADVENTURE CAT.
A beautiful Catalina 42 names SASHAY passed astern of us.
Now, suddenly we notice Olivier and Brooke on Corto Maltese passing behind us, heading west into the light wind zone that we were tacking away from, and we shouted to them: "No wind ahead!" Not sure how they went from being way ahead of us to being behind us.
They soon tacked toward us, and thus began a tacking duel, which Marc and Sarah much enjoyed, leading eventually to us sailing side by side with CORTO MALTESE, both blasting across the bay on port tack close reach with ANTICIPATION still slightly in the lead.
We tacked away to the west a bit later,as CM was pointing a bit higher and we were getting closer and closer.They eventually followed, whereupon we tacked to the southeast and they were forced to duck us. Unfortunately, after a few more tacks, Corto Maltese was pulling ahead of us-- seemed like she was less heeled-over than ANTICIPATION in the strong breezes in the south half of the bay, and that may have given her better boat speed.
Olivier was at the helm and getting the most he could out his boat.
After a few more tacks, they were a number of boat lenghts ahead of us, but they eventually came about and headed for home port before reaching the gate, as we continued beating toward the gate, watching this lovely cutter crossing the bay behind us.
Several tacks later, sailing through winds shifting in velocity and direction, we finally sailed out the gate on starboard tack near midspan.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, sailing northward at first and then coming about and heading for home port on broad reach starboard tack, pulling the jib out to full for downwind power, and enjoying views of the city as we blasted home.
After dousing the sails in the lee of pier 35, and then motoring into port and docking, we went below to share some wine and cheese and crackers and veggies and hummus as our dinner.
Another day of great sailing and companionship and conversation!
My friends from Chicago, Marc and Sarah, joined us for an afternoon outing after their regular annual participation in BAY TO BREAKERS in the morning. We left port about 2 pm, raised single-reefed main and put out small jib and headed out into the central bay.
Marc and Sarah were enjoying the brilliant sunshine and nice breeze on the bay as we headed west against the flood current.
The pier 39 flags signalled a breeze of 15-20 knots as we passed.
BEAR BOAT passed to starboard, headed east, and looking good.
This small sailboat was crossing the bay and regularly getting pulled to weather with sails flogging as she passed behind us.
This lovely large sailboat passed to port, headed east....
...as did TEHANI, both flying full canvas.
Way off in the southwest, some J-boats were finishing a race, heading for the finish line under spinnaker.
ISIS, a J80, was headed across the bay on a beam reach with both jib and asymmetrical spinnaker flying.
This J-boat was dousing her spinnaker after crossing the finish line.
As we continued westward, Olivier and Brooke on CORTO MALTESE were crossing the bay way in front of us, something we didnt notice until reviewing our photos after the outing.
Several lovely ketches were enjoying the bay waters, like this one heading west...
....this traditional, perhaps wooden, ketch sailing across the bay from NW to SE...
... and also this ketch with sailboat company further in the northeast.
The breeze softened in the north half of the central bay-- meaning we had the summer slot winds south of Alcatraz, like we used to have 5 or so years ago, rather than blustery winds all over the central bay-- and we were just ghosting along when we passed in front of this small catamaran, not sure as we approached if she was prepared to give us right of way as the leeward boat.
Behind us, this large and sleek 60-65 foot sloop was headed west toward Sausalito and looking good.
ADVENTURE CAT2 was heading west ....
.... followed by ADVENTURE CAT.
A beautiful Catalina 42 names SASHAY passed astern of us.
Now, suddenly we notice Olivier and Brooke on Corto Maltese passing behind us, heading west into the light wind zone that we were tacking away from, and we shouted to them: "No wind ahead!" Not sure how they went from being way ahead of us to being behind us.
They soon tacked toward us, and thus began a tacking duel, which Marc and Sarah much enjoyed, leading eventually to us sailing side by side with CORTO MALTESE, both blasting across the bay on port tack close reach with ANTICIPATION still slightly in the lead.
We tacked away to the west a bit later,as CM was pointing a bit higher and we were getting closer and closer.They eventually followed, whereupon we tacked to the southeast and they were forced to duck us. Unfortunately, after a few more tacks, Corto Maltese was pulling ahead of us-- seemed like she was less heeled-over than ANTICIPATION in the strong breezes in the south half of the bay, and that may have given her better boat speed.
Olivier was at the helm and getting the most he could out his boat.
After a few more tacks, they were a number of boat lenghts ahead of us, but they eventually came about and headed for home port before reaching the gate, as we continued beating toward the gate, watching this lovely cutter crossing the bay behind us.
Several tacks later, sailing through winds shifting in velocity and direction, we finally sailed out the gate on starboard tack near midspan.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, sailing northward at first and then coming about and heading for home port on broad reach starboard tack, pulling the jib out to full for downwind power, and enjoying views of the city as we blasted home.
After dousing the sails in the lee of pier 35, and then motoring into port and docking, we went below to share some wine and cheese and crackers and veggies and hummus as our dinner.
Another day of great sailing and companionship and conversation!
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 9:41 PM 
