Big Ocean Small Boat

Quick post about a quick trip. Headed out for a hypothetical rounding of the Farallones aboard Bob and Shana’s Tayana 37 “Charisma”.

The usual sailing luck: Really calm where you want it windy (i.e. between mile 3 and mile 25 of the trip to the islands) and really windy where you don’t (i.e. groveling in the usual spot by the south tower, learning how hard it is to gybe and/or douse–doublehanded–an a one acre cruising chute that you’ve never flown before and have rigged by tying the tack to the bow pulpit).

Heather and I took Shanti out for a quick sail and to meet Bob and Shana in the cove just north of Ft. McDowell on the east side of Angel Island. We rafted up to them, which was convenient, but having the rigs swinging into each-other when the ferry wakes came through the cove was a bit nerve-wracking.

Bob and Karin came out on Charisma too, so it was an OCSC basic keelboat reunion for the better halves.

Heather and I took a spin around San Pablo Bay before returning to SFYC, where I managed to knock off a couple quick chores before calling it a day.

Took the afternoon off to sail the j/30 down from Westport Connecticut to Raritan Yacht Club with Jerry.

Incredible trip. About 9.5 hours, six bridges, and almost 11 knots over the ground at Hell Gate. Hey, is that the UN? Hey, is that the Statue of Liberty?

Delivered Charisma back to Berkeley from Santa Barbara over the Memorial Day weekend.

Once-in-a-lifetime weather (which hosed the Spinnaker Cup over the weekend). Tons of wildlife.

Read about it on Bob and Shana’s blog.

Just like the Coastal Cup, but not carrying a spinnaker around Point Conception equals “less terror”.

Somewhere to the west of California

Plus two and a half days kicking it on Santa Cruz Island that was just incredible. This was better than BVI. Seriously.

Fry’s Harbor.

Actually, nevermind. It was awful. Don’t go. With all due respect to one of the most overrated bars in SF: Warm Beer, Cold Women, Stay Away.

Read about it on the Charisma Blog

Apparently, selling the 5-0 affected me more than I thought. It’s a bummer to be the guy who sells a boat because you are just not using it. Screw “hard to rig”, the boat was a blast. My favorite 505 moments:

1. Nailing our first wire-to-wire tack in San Pablo bay. Like big wall climbing on El Cap, it’s a “who the hell is this guy I am” moment.
2. Hoisting the ratty old kite on 5567 (“Tall Mad”) for the first time and grinning ’til it shredded. Which wasn’t that long.
3. Passing $150K J/Boats west of Alcatraz in 18kts with the full abdominal stretch-out in effect off the wire. Don’t forget to wave.
4. Paddling a swamped 5567 back into SFYC through Racoon Straits by moonlight after being out for far too long in a maintenance-deferred high-performance dinghy.
5. Waving off would-be rescuers in 7886 (thanks, though) on our way to our 3-crash practice limit

The day after daylight savings ends and we get a late start. No matter, time seems to stretch out on a beautiful day like this. We are trying out a spare cruising sail from Charlie/John/Eben on Elusive. But it came without battens, so between that and the high-cut #2, we really looked pretty ramshackle.

Pull out from SFYC at around 1PM, head for the gate. Call Bob and Shana aboard Charisma just as someone sees their red sails. Head over and do some side-by-side sailing. After everyone gets a turn on the tiller under the Golden Gate Bridge, hoist the 1.5 oz chute and run down to alcatraz to say good by as Charisma heads home to Alameda. Short sleeves from dock to dock.

Thanks for the great pictures Shana!

Leeward heel! Horrible trim!

Running down from the gate.

Beautiful day on the bay.