THE RACING This edition, slimmed down for the time of year, takes us to SYC's Chili Mdiwnters, new Umpired Team Racing on the Estuary, the Berkeley Midwinters, DRYC's Drumstick Regatta, the Big Sail, SDYC's Hot Rum Series, and the revival of the US Windsurfer Class. We end with slender Box Scores and beefy Race Notes.
MARThA BLANchFIeLD
Sausalito Chili Midwinters Heat Up Sunday, December 3, and it's Race 2 for Sausalito Yacht Club's Chili Midwinters. Competition is heating up in three fleets that count nearly 30 contenders. Changing weather patterns with gray skies, calm water and nigh on not much wind; oh, but the clouds — quite the display overhead. Mastering those conditions was Tim Hutton of the J/100 H-Pod. This crew earned second-to-finish in Spinnaker A division in both November and December and presently ranks first. "Winds have been light both months, but we've been fortunate to get to the right on weather legs early on, as the breeze has been filling from the west." In December's competition, Craig Page with the C&C SR 33 Kuda Wuda pulled far into the lead right off the bat and sailed away to claim a first (Kuda Wuda didn't race in November). Coming in third was the effervescent J/105 Hazardous Waste with sprightly skipper Dana Sack. In Non-Spinnaker D things are thick with 13 registrants, so good starts are crucial, according to Michael
The Schumacher 36 'National Biscuit' greets sea life at Harding Rock.
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Chammout. Skipper to his recent acquisition of Sapphire, an Alerion Express 33, he and crew had a great event in November and led the pack while fending off challengers. "In December, however, I kinda blew the start and crossed late with several bigger boats gassing us, so had to immediately tack for clear air." He smiles. "Starting out behind, especially in light air, is pretty demoralizing, but it's not over till it's over, and my crew wasn't giving up." He opted to chase frequent shifts and stay lifted. This can be risky, as frequent tacking can be punishing in light air and demanding of perfect execution, but Chammout asserts the crew was amazing, chasing the shifts with attentive sail trim, never over-sheeting, easing to just the right twist to catch the vertical gradient, and not losing focus. Also chasing was the Scott Lamson senior and junior syndicate aboard the Hanse 415 Amicizia, which took second. Third was scooped by Bob Lalanne on the Alerion 33 Leilani. The Spinnaker C fleet brings six to
the line. Earning a one-point tick for the twelfth month of 2023 with the rating of 123 was the Wyliecat 30 Nancy, helmed by Santa Rosa Sailing Club's Pat Broderick. SYC hometown racer John Squire on the Catalina 36 MkII Andiamo claimed a second, and little Sweet Pea (rating 186) battled to earn that third. Rounding at Harding Rock turned out to be tough for most — nearly all had to go wide to compensate. Those who nailed it sailed effortlessly past Wally the sea lion and Sally the shorebird, who were taking a rest on the buoy. Sweet Pea had a decent start and managed to stay with the fleet on the upwind leg. "Our 50-year-old Islander 30-2 is generally the slowest, so this position was not bad," notes Jan Hirsch. However, on approach to the mark, the crew's hurdles included avoiding a port tack vessel that did not give way and forced Sweet Pea to make a last-second evasive tack (despite a call for room). Moments later an attempt to avoid contact with that same vessel (which was rapidly overtaking from the stern) had to be executed. "Due to these maneuvers plus more current than wind, it took us three attempts and greater than 10 rather painful minutes to round." All sailors are OK with very minor damage resulting, but perhaps in the future the skipper of that boat will buy the Sweet Pea crew a beer or two. Hirsch summarizes: "Filing a protest is really a pain for everybody involved, especially in a beer-can race and without significant damage. The other boat had a lot of people on board. Maybe the person on the helm just could not see us." The series will continue on January 7. See www.sausalitoyachtclub.org. — martha blanchfield Umpired Estuary Team Racing Encinal and Island YCs have brought umpired team keelboat racing to the East Bay. On December 3, Santana 22 sailors on the Estuary paid $20 per boat for a day of 2v2 team racing, with seven short races averaging 10 minutes each. On-the-water umpiring resolved protests immediately. A national judge led a post-race debrief on the racing rules afterward. Umpired one-design keelboat team races for adults are rare on the Bay. They are often invitation-only and