April 28, 2015

The 2015 OYRA racing season got off to a rousing start with Saturday's Lightship Race. The start coincided with a 2.6-knot ebb and was blessed with mid-teens west wind, so the 42 boats starting hurtled toward the Golden Gate Bridge, with most passing under the span in less than 15 minutes. Almost everyone stayed on the conveyor belt in the middle as they passed Land's End and sailed into the washing machine awaiting them beyond Point Bonita.

Rune Storesund's C&C 35 MkIII Mesmerize in the big sloppy waves near Point Bonita. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

A mixed 8-ft swell, wind in the mid to high 20-knot range, the resulting wind waves, and more square waves than most racers remembered challenged the fleet. Several boats retired with blown sails or other damage. The 'wash cycle' had begun.

Getting a closer look at the waves from the leeward rail. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

The wind clocked around to a northwesterly, which allowed boats exiting Land's End in the middle or further north to fetch the Lightship Buoy without tacking. They paid a price however, battling the short, steep chop created by the ebb and wind, while benefiting from the ebb flushing them out. One crew member commented, after the third swell that broke over the bow washed him onto the cockpit sole, "It's like being inside a washing machine on heavy-duty cycle." Most boats arrived at the Lightbucket in two hours or less, with Buzz Blackett's Antrim Class 40 California Condor leading the way.

Once around the buoy, it was a quick beam reach back to Land's End through the same badly formed chop. The 'rinse cycle' had begun. One boat, which shall remain unnamed, proved it was possible to fill an open transom cockpit with water several times over when it was pooped by breaking swells. Most boats stayed with white sails until they were inshore of the shipping channel or even inside Land's End. Some stayed white all the way to the finish.

The majority of boats opted for the Marin side, dodging the waning ebb and crossing over near the bridge. Past the South Tower, the wind moderated and the counter-current along the Presidio created the day's first comfortable sailing. Cockpits, decks, and crew turned salty white as they dried out in the bright sun and flat water. Now the question was, "How much precious water to use back at the berth to wash off the salt?"

California Condor at the finish in front of St. Francis Yacht Club. ©2015 Slackwater SF

California Condor finished in slightly less than two and a half hours, and the other Division 1 boats in less than three hours. Everyone finished within about four hours, making for a swift, if uncomfortable season opener. For results, see www.jibeset.net.

— Pat Broderick

Click here for a photo gallery of the starts and finishes.