Monday, September 17, 2007
SATURDAY, 15 SEPT. 07-- MORE ROLEX BIG BOAT RACING -- GREAT FUN TO WATCH!!!!
Michael and Greg joined us for an afternoon sail and we left port about 1 pm to head out to watch more of the Rolex Big Boat racing on the bay.
Winds were still moderate, but blowing a bit harder than the prior two days.
As we headed out to the north, we quickly spotted part of the IRC fleet beating upwind, like PHANTOM MIST here...
... and InfraRed here-- with many of the crew not on the rail for some reason.
Futher out on the bay, VELOS was blasting downwind, flying an asymmetrical spinnaker.
WHITE FANG, another IRC racer, was blasting upwind on starboard tack, heading for the cityfront....
...as was BLADE RUNNER.
OCELOT, another of the IRC fleet, was blasting downwind, flying a symmetrical spinnaker.
She was on a beam reach point of sail, flying jib as well as spinnaker, with the spinnaker pole pointing forward. Note that she is churning up quite a bow wake, and she's probably doing over 15 knots.
Most of the crew was on the rail to keep the boat as flat as possible on this point of sail.
'zamazaan' another of the IRC fleet, was also flying downwind under symmetrical spinnaker, here on starboard tack broad reach....
...and here performing a textbook gybe onto port tack, with the main sail in process of moviing to the starboard side of the boat and the spinnaker pole shifted to the port side of the boat-- beautifully done!
TKO, another of the IRC fleet, was also blasting downwind, creating a big bow wake, and flying an asymmetrical spinnaker attached to a bowsprit extending out from the bow.
ACABAR was heading for her leeward mark, and here was struggling a bit to douse her spinnaker.
Here's a brief video clip showing the spinnaker douse.
WHITE DOVE and two other IRC boats were blasting downwind, flying symmetrical spinnakers.
A bit later, we caught sight of SOUTHERN CROSS and STEWBALL, two of the new Melges 32 fleet, first timers in the Rolex BBS regatta.
A bit later, as we continued beating slowly toward the west, we spotted two of the Express 37 fleet blasting downwind: another named STEWBALL and also SPENDRIFT V.
More action along the cityfront with the J120 boats beating upwind.
PEGASUS, one of the Melges 32 fleet was blasting downwind at high speed on beam reach and also flying assymetrical and jib.
Another Melges 32, SOUTHERN CROSS, was also blasting downwind on the same tack.
Six of the seven boats of the 1D35 fleet were also blasting downwind, all flying symmetrical spinnakers... ZSA ZSA obviously now far behind the fleet.
Way across the bay, much further north, ASTRA was blasting toward its leeward mark and looking good.
We finally managed to beat our way to the windward mark and watched some J boats rounding the mark and blasting downwind under spinnaker.
Such a beautiful sight -- colorful spinnakers flying downwind!
We were northeast of the windward mark as these three boats headed downwind after rounding the mark.
Soon we spotted one of the really big boats headed for the windward mark with her port rail in the water! So exciting!
VELOS, a beautifull 73 footer, shot past us within a stone's throw-- looking spectacular! Every crew member on the rail except the helmsman to try to balance the boat,
She passed us and entered the sun-sparkled bay waters behind us.
She's well-heeled-over and looking great!
A short time later, she was flying her huge asymmerical spinnaker and heading for the finish line.
A short time later, we spotted this Santa Cruz 52 and the lead 1D35 approaching the windward mark....
... followed a bit later by several other 1D35 vessels.
Soon these 1D35s were heading for the finish line in front of the St. Francis Yacht Club.
SWIFTSURE, a Schumacher 54 vessel, rounded the mark a short time later and headed toward the finish line, flying a symmetrical spinnaker.
We started tacking back and forth near the windward mark and eventually saw ZSA ZSA approaching the mark with another vessel.
She rounded the mark and was slow in raising her spinnaker....
... but finally set the spinnaker nicely and headed for the finish line as a couple of other boats approached the windward mark.
We were downwind of the windward mark as these two J120s rounded the mark and set spinnakers: DESDEMONA and CHANCE, both looking good!
We came about and headed back toward the mark, and soon spotted ASTRA, the boat on which my friend Olivier is crew boss, was in process of setting her spinnaker as she rounded the mark.
Another beautiful sight as a number of colorful spinnakers were flying downwind-- 'eye candy for sailors' as Greg put it!
Astra's spinnaker was going up, and jib was coming down as she passed us.
TKO and another boat were approaching the windward mark.
More beautiful spinnakers downwind and heading for the finish line-- what a great sight!
A bit later, WHITE FANG was approaching the windward mark....
.. as was 'zamazaan' -- both looking good with crew on the rail.
We headed downwind of the mark and later spotted INFINITY rounded the mark alone with a slight twist in the spinnaker....
...but was soon flying it beautifully as her jib was being doused.
We headed back around the windward mark again to await more arrivals, and meanwhile spotted NALANI, a small catamaran, powered by a kitesurfer kite-- first time we've seen this kind of vessel on the bay. Is this some new comcept?
We've spotted kites being used to supplement traditional sails, but never a vesel powered solely by a kite.
We soon headed back toward the windward mark and noticed HASTY HEART, a large center cockpit Swan, heading downwind from the gate.
Soon we spotted the J105 fleet approaching the mark....
...with the leaders soon flying downwind under spinnaker and heading for the finish line.
'elan' was setting her spinnaker as she rounded the mark.
Later a closely bunched group of J105s were approaching the mark together.
We were downwind of the mark again as these boats were rounding the mark and heading toward us under spinnaker.
We quickly got out of the way, and watched as more beautiful spinnakers were flying downwind toward the finish line.
The spinnakers were closely bunched with some boats on starboard tack and some on port tack to pass Anita Rock and avoid going off the course.
A bit later, we spotted GASLIGHT, beautiful gaff-rigged charter schooner out of Sausalito heading for the cityfront.
We watched a couple of stragglers heading for the finish line, and as soon as they passed, we headed for home port.
The city was enjoying brilliant late afternoon sunshine as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.
We readied for landing as we approached the marina, doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port, happy to have spent over 4 hours
watching the great racing sights on our beautiful bay!.
Michael and Greg joined us for an afternoon sail and we left port about 1 pm to head out to watch more of the Rolex Big Boat racing on the bay.
Winds were still moderate, but blowing a bit harder than the prior two days.
As we headed out to the north, we quickly spotted part of the IRC fleet beating upwind, like PHANTOM MIST here...
... and InfraRed here-- with many of the crew not on the rail for some reason.
Futher out on the bay, VELOS was blasting downwind, flying an asymmetrical spinnaker.
WHITE FANG, another IRC racer, was blasting upwind on starboard tack, heading for the cityfront....
...as was BLADE RUNNER.
OCELOT, another of the IRC fleet, was blasting downwind, flying a symmetrical spinnaker.
She was on a beam reach point of sail, flying jib as well as spinnaker, with the spinnaker pole pointing forward. Note that she is churning up quite a bow wake, and she's probably doing over 15 knots.
Most of the crew was on the rail to keep the boat as flat as possible on this point of sail.
'zamazaan' another of the IRC fleet, was also flying downwind under symmetrical spinnaker, here on starboard tack broad reach....
...and here performing a textbook gybe onto port tack, with the main sail in process of moviing to the starboard side of the boat and the spinnaker pole shifted to the port side of the boat-- beautifully done!
TKO, another of the IRC fleet, was also blasting downwind, creating a big bow wake, and flying an asymmetrical spinnaker attached to a bowsprit extending out from the bow.
ACABAR was heading for her leeward mark, and here was struggling a bit to douse her spinnaker.
Here's a brief video clip showing the spinnaker douse.
WHITE DOVE and two other IRC boats were blasting downwind, flying symmetrical spinnakers.
A bit later, we caught sight of SOUTHERN CROSS and STEWBALL, two of the new Melges 32 fleet, first timers in the Rolex BBS regatta.
A bit later, as we continued beating slowly toward the west, we spotted two of the Express 37 fleet blasting downwind: another named STEWBALL and also SPENDRIFT V.
More action along the cityfront with the J120 boats beating upwind.
PEGASUS, one of the Melges 32 fleet was blasting downwind at high speed on beam reach and also flying assymetrical and jib.
Another Melges 32, SOUTHERN CROSS, was also blasting downwind on the same tack.
Six of the seven boats of the 1D35 fleet were also blasting downwind, all flying symmetrical spinnakers... ZSA ZSA obviously now far behind the fleet.
Way across the bay, much further north, ASTRA was blasting toward its leeward mark and looking good.
We finally managed to beat our way to the windward mark and watched some J boats rounding the mark and blasting downwind under spinnaker.
Such a beautiful sight -- colorful spinnakers flying downwind!
We were northeast of the windward mark as these three boats headed downwind after rounding the mark.
Soon we spotted one of the really big boats headed for the windward mark with her port rail in the water! So exciting!
VELOS, a beautifull 73 footer, shot past us within a stone's throw-- looking spectacular! Every crew member on the rail except the helmsman to try to balance the boat,
She passed us and entered the sun-sparkled bay waters behind us.
She's well-heeled-over and looking great!
A short time later, she was flying her huge asymmerical spinnaker and heading for the finish line.
A short time later, we spotted this Santa Cruz 52 and the lead 1D35 approaching the windward mark....
... followed a bit later by several other 1D35 vessels.
Soon these 1D35s were heading for the finish line in front of the St. Francis Yacht Club.
SWIFTSURE, a Schumacher 54 vessel, rounded the mark a short time later and headed toward the finish line, flying a symmetrical spinnaker.
We started tacking back and forth near the windward mark and eventually saw ZSA ZSA approaching the mark with another vessel.
She rounded the mark and was slow in raising her spinnaker....
... but finally set the spinnaker nicely and headed for the finish line as a couple of other boats approached the windward mark.
We were downwind of the windward mark as these two J120s rounded the mark and set spinnakers: DESDEMONA and CHANCE, both looking good!
We came about and headed back toward the mark, and soon spotted ASTRA, the boat on which my friend Olivier is crew boss, was in process of setting her spinnaker as she rounded the mark.
Another beautiful sight as a number of colorful spinnakers were flying downwind-- 'eye candy for sailors' as Greg put it!
Astra's spinnaker was going up, and jib was coming down as she passed us.
TKO and another boat were approaching the windward mark.
More beautiful spinnakers downwind and heading for the finish line-- what a great sight!
A bit later, WHITE FANG was approaching the windward mark....
.. as was 'zamazaan' -- both looking good with crew on the rail.
We headed downwind of the mark and later spotted INFINITY rounded the mark alone with a slight twist in the spinnaker....
...but was soon flying it beautifully as her jib was being doused.
We headed back around the windward mark again to await more arrivals, and meanwhile spotted NALANI, a small catamaran, powered by a kitesurfer kite-- first time we've seen this kind of vessel on the bay. Is this some new comcept?
We've spotted kites being used to supplement traditional sails, but never a vesel powered solely by a kite.
We soon headed back toward the windward mark and noticed HASTY HEART, a large center cockpit Swan, heading downwind from the gate.
Soon we spotted the J105 fleet approaching the mark....
...with the leaders soon flying downwind under spinnaker and heading for the finish line.
'elan' was setting her spinnaker as she rounded the mark.
Later a closely bunched group of J105s were approaching the mark together.
We were downwind of the mark again as these boats were rounding the mark and heading toward us under spinnaker.
We quickly got out of the way, and watched as more beautiful spinnakers were flying downwind toward the finish line.
The spinnakers were closely bunched with some boats on starboard tack and some on port tack to pass Anita Rock and avoid going off the course.
A bit later, we spotted GASLIGHT, beautiful gaff-rigged charter schooner out of Sausalito heading for the cityfront.
We watched a couple of stragglers heading for the finish line, and as soon as they passed, we headed for home port.
The city was enjoying brilliant late afternoon sunshine as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.
We readied for landing as we approached the marina, doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port, happy to have spent over 4 hours
watching the great racing sights on our beautiful bay!.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 3:44 PM 
