2015 Rites of Spring - A short narrative
by Pressure-drop.us on 17 Mar 2015
Rites of Spring - 2015 Rites of Spring Pressure Drop . US
2015 Rites of Spring - The Oakland Yacht Club's annual early season shorthanded started off with boats milling about the Bezerkeley Flats hoping the anticipated die off of easterlies would transition to some form of westerly, but after some delay, the RC sent the crew off on courses which were sailable, and the Flats were enjoying at least some semblance of northerlies. Greg Nelsen Azzura 1000, Outsider quickly engaged into a duel with the J-111 Swiftness skippered by Reuben Rocci and marched off towards Southampton Shoal for the fast boats engaging on course seven, a 14.8 nm jaunt that would stretch out to Little Harding, Blossom an then the finish.
Mr Nelsen, sporting the latest in life preserver fashion wear would guide Outsider through the impending glassed waters with 1.5 knots of adverse current to reach Southampton just before Swiftness in Division A. All looked well as they bore off to ride the tide and slide down to Point Blunt and hope on the westerly due in early afternoon.
Mark Eastham sailing his Corsair F-31, Ma's Rover saw an opportunity in Raccoon Straits and led what would soon be a small following of boats hoping a NW wind would greet them at the other end. To quote Grampa Gustafson in the Grumpy Old Men films: 'You can wish in one hand and crap in the other, see which one fills up first'.
Meanwhile, the boats with lesser waterline and sail area were sent on course one, a 12.2 tour including Quarry Point, Harding Rock Sr. Blossom then finish.
It didn't matter. They all sailed into the same mill pond as the others, where they met up with dozens of Spring One Design Regatta participants who where still hoping for a start. Things were looking grim and numerous boats opted for an early afternoons auxiliary powered ride back to the harbor from which they came...
During some downtime, we ventured about to see what other items of interest might be had....
Then, late in the afternoon, after several other regattas had given up for the day, a whisper of wind filled, and those who stuck it out were slowly rewarded. Having rode the smallish ebb to Harding and Harding JR, the kites eventually filled, and filled some more...Their prayers had been answered and a pleasant NW eased onto the bay, providing a steady power supply to the parched but faithful remaining on course.
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In the end, the first boat to the finish line, was Scott Oliver's Merit 25, Double Agent which finished at 16:43:37 a 4:03:37 tour on course seven, (3:22:11 corrected) first in division and second corrected behind Jeff and Pat Sullivan's Pearson Commander Nemisis, sailing the shorter course one and finishing at 17:03:23 and correcting out to 3:16:03
Congrats to all who stuck it out and had an amazingly smooth, warm and pleasant run to the finish line!
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