Adverse current and mild weather delayed the start of both days in the Singlehanded Sailing Society’s Vallejo 1-2. Saturday’s singlehanded race from Richmond Yacht Club to Vallejo Yacht Club was postponed for half an hour while the Race Committee waited for breeze to appear. Once off and running, most of the fleet came to a stop at the Brothers Islands, at the south end of San Pablo Bay, and fought the ebb current to maintain position. Some put out anchors, while others gave up and motored home or onward to Vallejo.

In 90 feet of water next to the pier across from the Brothers, Svenska’s anchor wasn’t holding. Note the Peterson 34’s hard dodger and lovely flower arrangement. ©2007 norcalsailing.com

Still life with spinnakers and lighthouse. ©2007 norcalsailing.com

One boat just seemed to keep on moving, right by everyone else, including the trimarans. Not surprisingly, Sapphire got the first gun at Vallejo YC. A neck-and-neck battle had ensued just before the finish line between Sapphire, which kept first place in the Sportboat Division, and  Dan Newland’s Newland 368 Pegasus XIV, which corrected out fourth after the Black Soo Mirage and the Olson 30 Naked Lady.

Following soon after Sapphire and Pegasus XIV, Wingit (right) and sistership F-27 Peregrine Falcon had another close battle, but Wingit had already DNF’d, and Bill Gardner’s ‘Falcon took first both days.©2007 norcalsailing.com

Sunday morning offered similar crisp, sunny, and windless fall weather. The irony, of course, was that instead of an ebb, the doublehanded race back to Richmond would be sailed in a flood. A shoreside postponement seemed likely. But as 10:00 rolled around, msny sailors were surprised by the single gun fired and the C-shape hoisted, instead of the double gun and candy-striped pennant signaling a postponement. “Surely the RC will at least postpone the next fleet, to space out the starts,” they thought as each fleet drifted back up toward the Mare Island Causeway instead of downriver to the starting line. But no postponements were forthcoming, the anchor drill was repeated, and it took well over an hour for most boats to actually start racing. At least the skippers had someone to talk to this time.

The northerly zephyrs at the start seemed to suggest spinnaker usage, but the current was stronger. ©2007 norcalsailing.com

Firefly, a Dehler 34, and the Express 27 Taz! wait for breeze.©2007 norcalsailing.com

Competitors had ample opportunity to admire Dragonsong’s beautiful graphics, while her crew practiced setting and raising the anchor. ©2007 norcalsailing.com

A nice, steady, easy southwesterly did finally fill in, and those who had hung in were rewarded with a pleasant sail to the finish line off Richmond YC’s seawall. Finishers took their own times to email in to the SSS, and results are now online at www.sfbaysss.org. The trophies for this regatta and the entire SSS season will be presented at Oakland YC (in Alameda) on Wednesday, October 17, at 7:30 pm.