Singlehanded Farallones Race Starts in Light Air
The Singlehanded Farallones Race (SHF) and the YRA Offshore Duxbury Lightship Race were originally scheduled for Saturday, May 17. Both were moved to May 31 due to a gale warning. The SHF started ahead of the YRA Duxship Race. Randy Leasure on the Westsail 32 Tortuga reports that “The forecast for the new date was definitely better, with forecast light winds building into the 20s by late afternoon.
“Tortuga had a great start with the ebb pushing us out. The light winds were definitely an issue past Point Bonita. We spent a few hours thrashing around in the big seas and light breeze trying to make our way out, only making a few knots of boat speed. When the wind did fill in, it was nowhere near the forecast, and nothing over about 15 knots when there was some. It was hard to get to windward with the big swell pushing the bow and full keel down in the light winds.”
“It was a warm day with loads of whales all around. I saw a few whales full-on breaching and doing jumps and splashes.” By the time Randy could reach for the camera, the show was over.
“I had the small jib up in anticipation of the heavier breeze. There was a moment when it felt like it was building and I took a reef in, but then I shook that out about an hour later. We were still about 8-9 miles from the island around 5 p.m. only doing about 4.5 knots. I was still going to need to put in another tack and I figured that I wouldn’t be able to get around the island and back into the Bay in time for the midnight cutoff, so I turned around and headed back in.
“I got under the bridge just before 9 p.m., so I’m glad I made the call not to be out until midnight or longer trying to get back.”
Chris Case sailed his Cal 40 Fugu and says that “All the forecasts missed the mark. Other than two hours of 3-5 knots of wind as the ebb shoved us over the bar, there was wind to move with all day.
“Crossing the bar with its ebb-enhanced leftover swell and chop was very frustrating, sometimes stopping the boat completely as the sails slammed and slatted.
“Just as I was beginning to look at the time and wondering when I would need to call it and head home, a NNW wind first gave the power to fight the chop, then built to a max of 14 knots, and I easily fetched the north side of the island with safe distance.”