Elise had a crew of four for the event: Nat, Nathan, Juan, and Mark M (special guest from Xena). The wind was #1 weather and a predicted adverse current both ways (flood on the way out, ebb on the way back).
While the event is scored for us as a class event, the context is an OYRA PHRF race. In the interest of getting north as early as possible, we started near the pin end (on stbd tack- the mixed fleet was dense enough to make a port tack start risky even though we wanted to get out to the right fast). Our start turned out to be pretty good after a few tense moments in the last 20 sec.
It took us quite a while to get our tacks up to speed, and as a result we suffered a bit (particularly out until Land's End). As for the previous weekend (DH Lightship) starboard tack was better VMG but much of the fleet preferred to get north (especially until passing Bonita). At first, we were in the south with Ray (El Raton) and Mark L (Xena) but then Mark split off for the north. After passing the gate, we followed Ray into the rounded Baker Beach area, feeling some very helpful ebb. Because Ray had gone in earlier, he also met the beach earlier and had to come back out- at that point, we deliberately stayed a bit further left/south and enjoyed the current all the way out to Seal Rocks.
From there to about the last set of cans before the lightship, we split tacks mostly as the wind dictated. We were consistently able to maintain pace with El Raton (close crossings each time we split tacks, albeit with us behind). Out near the last set of cans, we observed a growing cloud formation on the south side and decided that the NOAA-promised left shift was due. Therefore, we went south for the last (bigger) split with the group. It panned out in both direction and velocity and we had a healthy lead over the fleet as we rounded the lightship.
The wind was greater than the previous weekend and we had a fantastic trip back to the gate. At first, the wind angle was very tight and we (plus other boats) were driven a bit to the north (on stbd tack) for lack of ability to point any higher without giving up and dropping to jib. Gradually the wind came around and we were able to point towards the South Tower. El Raton was closest and was working consistently to the right (eventually coming abeam of us at a considerable distance toward Seal Rocks). He was attempting a hard-south reentrance to the bay (to catch flood or at least relief from the ebb). The cost is a much greater distance sailed. We opted to continue more or less for the gate because we had lots of power and were blasting along fast enough to be less concerned about the current. Zipping around the beach in obviously favorably current, we weren't sure the extra distance was going to work out for him. Also taking a southerly track was Desperado.
We were satisfied with our approach up until about a hundred yards before the gate, when we hit a wall of adverse current and less wind. We watched Ray and Mike closing fast as we got to the gate. Immediately upon reentering the bay, we had a roundup which cost us Ray and Mike. We maintained the spinnaker as long as we could (rather than just go to jib and follow them in, we were hoping for a last minute lift because we were far enough behind them and far enough in front of the next boat back that we had nothing to lose by trying for the long shot).
It didn't work out, but we got to keep the 3rd. The big thing for us was the proof through close contact for many miles with people like Ray who really know how to work the boat that we're getting our trim, coordination, and balance worked out.
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