Single Handed Richmond Race

Crew: Nathan

Writeup posted with permission

Course: Berkeley Circle->Alcatraz->Harding->Brothers (passing Red Rock
to Stbd)->BYC (passing Red Rock to port)

Nathan's brilliant execution:

        Leave RYC in very light air, motoring

        See Ergo without engine, go over to them to offer a tow at least
out into the breeze, throw helm over to circle around, watch engine spin
on its mount and then fall off (don't think it sucked up any water as what
stopped it was the kill switch popping out- checking again tomorrow and
running it to Sea Power on Monday if necessary. The pull is easy and it
sounds like it's about to start but doesn't catch- I might have just
flooded it with fuel trying to restart it).

        Ergo tows Elise out past the RYC breakwater- their engine started
this time.

        Sail to start, still arriving in plenty of time.

        Start, not particularly well but not disastrously.

        Reasonable upwind to Alcatraz, beating Ergo and Archimedes (both
of them doublehanding.

        Stay ahead on way to Harding.

        Lose to Ergo+Archimedes during a long set between Harding and
Racoon Strait (Nick was having some trouble driving)

        Catch up to Ergo+Archimedes coming out of Racoon Strait and
heading along the Marin shore towards TYC.

        Lose them when they gybe out early and I stay inshore.

        Destroyed by the time I reached the Brothers- was expecting the
wind to come sharply aft and it didn't so I had seriously overstood.
Also, I need to research the current up there in the other channel: I
think the Richmond side channel was going in the opposite direction from
the San Rafael-side one.

        Sail back up to BYC, wishing I had the #3 the whole way (blowing
about 17-20, jib marked for up to 20 but obviously with no weight at all
on the rail that's hard).  Went easy on the jib (cracked off a little),
no problem sailing but not that competitive.

        Sail back to RYC.