Latitude 38 Latitude VOLUME 432 J 2013 WE GO WHERE THE WIND BLOWS JUNE 2013 VOLUME 432 GREAT VALLEJO RACE — FOR STARTERS EXCEPT AS NOTED EXCEPT WWW.PRESSURE-DROP.US ALL PHOTOS ERIK SIMONSON / PHOTOS ALL Spread: (l-r) The glory of the Great Vallejo Race. Inset: Daniel Thielman's 'Tai Kuai' was the fi rst monohull to fi nish and fi rst in the big boat division. Second only to the Three Bridge Fiasco in size and popularity, the Great Vallejo Race — held May 4-5 — sets the stage for the racing season on San Francisco Bay. And the 114th running of the grand old dame of Bay Area sailing events didn't disappoint. The 181 boats that showed up for Saturday's start GREAT VALLEJO RACE it was diffi cult to make headway against the ebb,” said Tina Lund, crew on Jeff McCord's N/M 36 Quiver. The PHRF 3 winner hit the west side of the North Bay hard, along with Daniel Thielman’s R/P 44 Tai Kuai, Tony Pohl’s Farr 40 Twisted and Dan Alvarez’s JS9000 JetStream, all of which won their divisions. A massive hole stretched all the way from Tiburon to Richmond so anyone staying west made out as the breeze fi lled in. Of course that wasn’t true for every boat, but later divisions managed to break through on the westerly that fi lled in from behind. “Once the wind was blowing, Basic Instinct was just fl ying,” said Sau- salito's Memo Gidley, whose Elliott Urs Rothacher's 'BridgeRunner' ran down the competition to be the fi rst across the new fi nish line near the ferry terminal. off Treasure Island were treated to one of the most beautiful sailing days in recent memory. Typically a downwind run to the always friendly and accom- modating Vallejo YC, this year's forecast called for a light-air sun bake all the way up, countered by a forceful gale for Sunday's return race. Wrong on both counts. Under bright, sunny skies, the Golden Gate wind machine switched on early as a fi nger of cool stratus clouds divided the Bay into north and south. The fi rst of the 23 divisions started in a 15-knot westerly, but by the time the fi nal class of multihulls crossed the line more than an hour later, the breeze had piped up to well over 20 knots. "We barely got the reef tucked in min- utes before the gun," noted Jeff Mear- ing, trimmer aboard Jerome Ternynck's Extreme 40 SmartRecruiters. "Before I realized what time it was, we were sheeting hard and launched at the pin end." It's worth noting that the 'uber cats' hit boat speeds in the 20s almost immediately. Up at the front of the parade, early fl eets were the fi rst to encounter the ebb that persisted throughout the afternoon as the Bay began to empty its contents into the Pacifi c Ocean. “As soon as we got out of The Slot, we hit light air behind Angel Island and Page 88 • Latitude 38 • June, 2013 — FOR STARTERS 1050 won PHRF 4. “We were liter- ally planing for most of the race." While not everyone had the pleasure of planing their way to the Napa River, it was an unusu- ally quick trip for the entire fl eet, with most boats spending less than four hours on the 21.5-mile course. If they'd had a fl ood cur- rent, it would have been even quicker. “What an amazing race,” said BridgeRunner’s Urs Rothacher. “We had to pinch ourselves, ef- fortlessly gliding up San Pablo Bay with the speedo stuck at 22 knots." The SL33 and Smart- Recruiters fi nished within three minutes of each other, less than an hour and a half after they'd crossed the start line. Tai Kuai was just 15 minutes behind. Zhenya Kirueshkin-Stepanoff's Melges 24 'Rusal- ka' screamed to second in the competitive eight- boat Sportboat 2 division. The top three boats When you're racing against an corrected out within three minutes of each other. ebb current to a destination located matter where they were, racers couldn't on a shoaly river, it should come as no stop talking about what a great day of surprise that arriving at low tide might sailing they'd just had. mean losing a little bottom paint to the mud. Couple that with breeze-on condi- tions and it can get downright exciting. Sunday morning's NOAA forecast Now imagine shoehorning 181 boats for San Francisco Bay and San Pablo into a small yacht club harbor. Yikes! Bay looked less than appealing: chance But as they always do, Vallejo YC's of rain and southwest winds 15-30 members worked tirelessly to fi t every- knots in the afternoon. Considering the one they could (a handful of deeper draft normal attrition rate for the two-day boats had to anchor out but volunteers race, and of course the bleak forecast ferried crewmembers to the party and and fl ood current, it's impressive that back). 139 boats made it to the start of that Nearly everybody took the mud in day's race home. stride and without hesitation said they Rarely is sailing across San Pablo love the race. “It’s one of my favorite Bay a treat, but on this day it was. races,” said Express 27 winner Will Pax- After a light-air postponement, then ton of Motorcycle another when a Irene. boat got caught One of the rea- up on the start sons is the jam- "I looked back and buoy, the same 23 min' party VYC saw the whole fl eet fl eets made their members throw way downriver. for the fl eet. A big storming toward us." "It was a little outdoor tent, fi sh fluky heading and chips, piña back,” said Mo- coladas dispensed from a Slushee ma- torcycle Irene's Paxton. “We were happy chine, a live rock n' roll band and a jam- to see the lighter conditions and had a packed — and fully stocked — bar gave great start but got shuffl ed to the back of racers plenty of opportunity to let off a our fl eet before we got out of the Strait. little steam. And for those wanting more In any case, we managed to pick several intimate conversation, any number of good shifts heading down San Pablo 'Green Buffalo' charges up the fl eet. boats in the raft-up were offering mai Bay and managed to fi nd our way to the tais and margaritas to passersby. No front." June, 2013 • Latitude 38 • Page 89 THREEGREAT BRIDGEVALLEJO FIASCO RACE — But not far enough to take the fi rst Broderick on the Wyliecat 30 Nancy," went inshore near Pinole trying to fi nd gun at the fi nish line. That honor went reported Sykes, who corrected out better current." to the doublehanded team of Marc to third in the Shorthanded division, Slowly but surely, Pegasus nibbled Sykes and George Mann on the former's behind Nancy and Cookie Jar. "Nancy away at Nancy's lead until they were J/35 Pegasus. beat us down the river and went up the fi nally ahead. "We beat them across "We had a really good race against Pat breakwater side of Carquinez Strait. We the line by a minute but owed them Top row (l-r): 'Heart of Gold', 'Always Friday' and 'Iolani' enjoyed the transition from chilly to warm near The Brothers; the 'Topzy Turvy' crew fl ipped over the great conditions; Dan Alvarez's 'JetStream' crew pushed it to snag fi rst in class; it's hard to not get inspired while blissfully sailing along on 'Inspired Environments'. Middle row: 'Bodacious+' plowed a path for 'Basic Instinct'; looking like a fi sh in water, 'Ahi' was in her element; how do you fi t more than 150 boats in a small Page 90 • Latitude 38 • June, 2013 — FOR STARTERS 12," laughed Sykes. "I wasn't sure if we wrong. Racers got what Sykes called A s the kick-off to this season's were fi rst to fi nish, but then I looked "video game sailing," with fl at water YRA Party Circuit, the Great Vallejo back and saw the whole fl eet storming and steady 20 knot winds that eased Race once again proved why it's one of toward us. It was a spectacular sight to to about 15. "It was one of the nicest the brightest jewels of the San Francisco see!" days of racing back from Vallejo I've ever Bay racing scene. In the end, the forecasters were had," he added. — dave wilhite & latitude/ladonna harbor? Very carefully!; 'Gypsy Lady' led the colorful fl eet; 'Zeehond', 'Alexandria' and 'Wuvulu' show their true colors after passing under the Richmond Bridge. Bottom row: 'Leglus' stretched her lovely legs; things got a little wild on 'Escapade'; 'For Pete's Sake' and 'Jarlen' make tracks bound for Vallejo; 'Tinker's trouble from a previous race didn't stop her skipper from patching her up in time for Vallejo; 'Intruder' says, "See ya up the river!" CHRIS MENDONCA June, 2013 • Latitude 38 • Page 91 GREAT VALLEJO RACE GREAT VALLEJO RACE GREAT VALLEJO RACE 1 (5/4) Schmidt. (8 boats) PHRF 9 — 1) Downtown Uproar, J/24, Darren PHRO 1 — 1) Tai Kuai, R/P 44, Daniel Thielman; 2) PHRF 5 — 1) Lady Jane, Jeanneau 39i, Gregory Cumming; 2) Shut Up & Drive, J/24, Val Lulevich; 3) Double Trouble, J/125, Peter Krueger; 3) Deception, Dorn; 2) Summer & Smoke, Beneteau 36.7, Pat Pat- Flight, J/24, Randall Rasicot.