The Great Pumpkin Regatta - Fun for all!

by Pressure-drop.us on 31 Oct 2015 In 1966, Linus began his quest for the next best thing since Santa slid down the Chimney. 'Every Halloween, the Great Pumpkin rises from the pumpkin patch and delivers presents to all the good children' He proclaimed.

Linus was not far off the mark.

Every year for the past couple decades, the Richmond Yacht Club has hosted The Great Pumpkin Regatta, the fall bookend to their popular spring event, The Big Daddy. Take a series of buoy races on Saturday, throw in a festive costume party with an awesome band, add some adult beverages, some contests and finish strong with a well attended reverse start pursuit race and you have a winner.

'We really strive to make the pursuit race not only fun for all but also challenging and level for all' indicates Gail Yando, this year’s race Chair Woman' We like to see youth in attendance and families sailing together, along with getting out those who don't race often or are completely new to sailing. This regatta has become our most popular across the board' Gail adds.

The Pursuit race begins in the Berkeley Flats and has two weather marks, Alcatraz and Angel Island with a finish at the mouth of the Potrero Channel in Richmond. The direction in which you round is up to you, you naviguessor. The highest rating boats start first and the low raters last. It's a gamble and a strategic quandary mixed in with wild costumes and pumpkins set afloat for retrieval that evolves into a mass parade as the boats converge en masse at the finish.

And the number reflect that. With 151 boats showing up for the Sunday Pursuit Race, despite the fact the YC is currently undergoing a major $ million dollar renovation, and ran the event within the confines of an auxiliary festival tent and the races offices, temporarily being orchestrated from a double wide trailer.

The weather gods could not have shone more favorably on Sunday's event. Despite forecasts in the light to little range with additional breeze kicking in late, a westerly, post frontal system filled in well for the noon first start. So well, the early starters almost universally made a mad dash to Raccoon Strait and it's usual fickle winds and sticky currents. As the 4.0 knot max ebb was scheduled for 2:00 at the Golden Gate, it certainly seemed like a great idea. Until it wasn't.

Almost as quickly as it had ramped up earlier, it faded with just a few of the smaller boats wiggling through the Strait before it dropped to ghosting conditions. The mid-raters which had not yet committed, tacked off for the building breeze in the clockwise direction.

As the 1:00 PM hour approached, the first rounder's began to approach Alcatraz in a new building breeze and the rapidly increasing ebb. Almost as if a switch was turned on, the stretch of water between the two islands was awash in a parade of boats, the biggest initial parade belonging to the clockwise contingent, then soon thereafter, the flood of counter clockwise boats. It's a spectacle and a joy to witness....

'There is nothing quite like it, bang for the buck wise' Says Bill Erkelens Jr, who along with wife Melinda treated friends and family to the tour du bay for the day 'The Great Pumpkin Pursuit is on the top of the list for to do races on bay, it's competitive, but just a lot of fun for everyone'

As the mass criss-cross between Alcatraz and Angel Island began to wane, the newest quandary arose. Which fleet will fare better, those transcending the backside of the massive Mt Livermore's wind shadow or those working their way against the currents and eddies of Raccoon Strait?

And in the end, it was close. Walter Smith's Bristol conditioned Cal 40' Red Head was clear ahead of the CCW's while Bill Erkelens Sr's D-Cat Adrenaline was leading the charge of CW boats. With just one hour four minute and change on the clock, it was Adrenaline taking overall and multi honors. Robert Bloom, who has owned and sailed his J-35 Jarlen for a generation was able to work the currents and wind to his favor and take the monohull division and bragging rights for 2015.

The ensuing additional 149 finishers came in rapid fashion, and the RC no doubt had their hands full for the next 45 minutes as a magic dance of kites and crews worked their way across the finish line and another sun soaked celebration at Point Richmond.

You could almost her Linus exclaim: See, I told you the WAS a Great Pumpkin...