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Cookie Jar
George McKay, singlehanding the Moore 24 Cookie Jar, was among the drifters who wouldn't make it to the finish on time in Sunday's pursuit race. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Great Pumpkin Regatta

October 29, 2012

Sometimes procrastination is a good thing. On both days of last weekend's Richmond Yacht Club Great Pumpkin Regatta, the postponement flag went up to wait for wind. And on both days the wind filled in for some great racing.


The big boats' first start on the Deep Water course. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Saturday was the buoy racing day, with race committees setting three windward/leeward courses on and around the Olympic Circle for three races on each course. Race one was a light air affair in a steady 8 knots of breeze. In race two the breeze picked up but not enough to change down headsails yet. But by race three at around 1500 hours, it was windy enough to make the sportboats plane and the big boats heel in 15-18 knots of westerly wind. The talk back at the club was it couldn't have been a nicer day.

Fugu
The Wilderness 30 Fugu changed down jibs between races 2 and 3. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Party
Groovin' at the Saturday night dance party. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Sunday was the pursuit race, with about every size and type of boat signed up. The course starts southeast of Southampton Shoals and goes around Alcatraz and Angel Islands and which way to go is up to you. The RC had to postpone the 1200 start to wait for wind. But unlike Saturday the breeze was being fickle and the postponement lasted two hours.

Flight
The crew of the J/24 Shut Up and Drive sculled and paddled to get to the starting area. ©2012 norcalsailing.com


"Nice to see the Cat in the Hat," said Richard Von Ehrenkrook of Can O'Whoopass, referring to the postponement flag. Cal 20s start the pursuit race first. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

The majority of the boats went clockwise, to Alcatraz first, where they realized it was a bit windier out there than it looked. And combined with a good ebb current the boats went crashing around Alcatraz and off on a fast white-sail reach to Angel Island.

Alcatraz
The ebb swept several boats into the lee of Alcatraz. Who would escape? ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Dianne
The Express 27 Dianne romps along in the windy reach west of Alcatraz. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

The run through Raccoon Strait was a mellow affair with plenty of breeze to push the boats against the ebb. But once the boats popped out in the North Bay the wind slowly died, and the strong ebb made it difficult to get across to the finish area near the Richmond breakwater.

BridgeRunner and Oreo
Proof that PHRF does work. One of the slowest-rated boats, the Santana 22 Oreo, and one of the fastest, the SL33 BridgeRunner, converged on the finish line simultaneously. In the background, you can see Eric Willis' Nacra F20 Curved Wood got the gun for finishing the pursuit race first. ©2012 Stephen Buckingham

Unknown to many the RC added a new twist this year in the form of a yellow offset mark to the south of the finish line. Some of the racers didn't read the Sailing Instructions or understand the configuration, and sailed all that way for nothing. The 1700 deadline loomed as a big bunch of becalmed boats slowly tried to claw their way up-current to the finish, but they ran out of time. A sad end to a bright, sunny day for some, but this was one of the best weekends so far this year to be out sailing your boat.

Libra
These kids didn't mind being leeward weight on the Express 27 Libra. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Wild Rumpus
"It's raining and forty degrees in Seattle. That's why we're here!" said the crew of the Santa Cruz 27 Wild Rumpus. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

The boats that went the other way (counter-clockwise), found a wind hole at Angel Island. None of them made it through. Out of 173 monohulls, 29 were able to finish Sunday's race, as were 7 out of 18 multihulls. For results from both days, see www.richmondyc.org.

BenchRacing
Barry Stompe of Iolani, Gordie Nash of Arcadia, and Richard Von Ehrenkrook of Can O'Whoopass bench-racing at the awards party. Arcadia won first monohull in the pursuit race. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

Selene
The crew of the Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 Selene won a prize for best costumes on the water. ©2012 norcalsailing.com

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