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Midwinter Wrap-up

Last Saturday’s well attended Manuel Fegundes Seaweed Soup Regatta hosted by the GGYC reminded everyone in attendance what midwinter racing is all about — patience with more than a dab of frustration.

Tim Knowles’ Lilith eaks out a lead over Mike Manix’s Harp.

© Zac Turpin

The diminishing morning breeze collapsed completely prior to the first warning gun and racing was delayed for about an hour until some semblance of wind returned. Once under way, racers faced light-air sailing, strong currents, dramatic wind shifts and the possibility of being swept out the gate. Although most boats finished, frustratingly, twenty-two boats got DNFs. If you didn’t see it all live and in slow motion, you can read the results here. On the upside, the air temperature was pretty incredible for this time of year and the sunset was spectacular.

Bright and sunny conditions carried over into Sunday’s racing during the Richmond YCs Small Boat Midwinter series. Results show that conditions in the East Bay had improved from those on the Cityfront the day before. Eighteen classes competed on three separate courses in breeze that actually allowed competitors to start and finish each race. 

Over at the Sausalito YC midwinters there was a 10-knot breeze out of the ENE forcing the race committee to set up their usual Knox area course with a reverse windward-leeward configuration, putting the start line near Yellow Bluff and the leeward mark at Knox shoal. Several skippers remarked after the race that it was a bit weird to be sailing upwind toward Angel Island. Four divisions got around the six-mile course in short order once the wind built into the low teens in the mid-afternoon. You can read the result here.

This Saturday’s forecast is for a chance of something called ‘rain.’ But it shouldn’t be too cold, and Sunday looks to be a bit warmer and sunny. So be sure to get out and enjoy some of the many racing opportunities. The Bayview Boat Club is hosting their Midwinter Madness series, while across the Bay Island YC in Alameda and the Lake Meritt Sailing Club (Mark Marlett: 925-245-0287) are also hosting midwinter regattas. The Richmond and the Santa Cruz YCs each host laser racing on Sunday, and in the area of the Berkeley Circle, you’ll find RegattaPRO and the Berkeley Midwinters taking place as well. 

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In the aftermath of the abrupt closure of Nelson’s Marine last May, a wide variety of boats and marine equipment remained unclaimed on the boatyard’s property at 1500 Ferry Point, Alameda.
The Bay Area’s calm wintertime weather serves as a dramatic contrast to the wet and wild conditions experienced during the recent Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.