Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
STYC Race To The Straits Video and Press
We now have the video compiled for the STYC Race to the Straits epic 2014 event. Unfortunately the GoPro filled up so we only have Day #1, but you get a feel for the conditions. It was blowing between 25-30 kts at the end and that's pretty much how it stayed into Day #2. Here's the recap via YouTube (in HD!!!)
Also, we made it into the J/Boats summary for the race:
http://jboatnews.blogspot.com/2014/05/windy-race-to-straits-regatta.html
Also, we made it into the J/Boats summary for the race:
http://jboatnews.blogspot.com/2014/05/windy-race-to-straits-regatta.html
Sunday, May 11, 2014
SYC Vashon Island
We came, we saw, we conquered...and then we had to quit
(unfortunately!). That pretty much
summed up what was a beautiful Saturday in May.
Here's the details...
We had six crew aboard MB as we departed Elliott Bay Marina
around 8am including Adam, Mark, Nick, Pete, Jason and Shawn. We set the sails early and tacked around prior
to the 9 am start in front of Shilshoal.
All the usual suspects were present and we looked forward to a long 16
mile beat to Point Robinson at the sound end of Vashon Is. The winds were from the south at 10 kts for
the start, and projected to diminish as the day progressed, ultimately
forecast to die off at 2 pm and then potentially fill from the north at 4
pm. There were two starts, with the
faster boats on the long course departing around 9 am and the rest of us, which
numbered well above 20 boats, departing five minutes thereafter. Due to all the traffic we were a few seconds
late to the line but were able to sneak past the committee boat, then tack off into a clear lane for a long ride south. Monkeybones does well in
light winds and we were near the front of our pack as we worked past West
Point, then over to Bainbridge, up past Blakely Rock and around the south tip
of Bainbridge. We slowly gained on many
boats in our Group 4, but couldn't separate until we passed Blake Island. At that point the winds were starting to
dissipate and we were able to dial MB in such that she was powering along at
1.0 to 1.5 kts above wind speed. The
effect was that we put the hammer down on the fleet and had massive separation. Our
main competition, which included Different Drummer, Crovo and Pegasus tacked
back towards Vashon while we continued east towards Three Tree Point. We got great lift behind the point and were
able to round it with only two tacks and headed back towards Vashon and the
windward mark at Pt Robinson. We were on
the east side in a solid 6 kts of wind while we could see it fading to the west,
which caught out most of our competition.
We tacked a few times to stay in the pressure and rounded the mark in
second place behind Flim Flam. Amazingly
we had also passed many of the fast boats that started five minutes ahead of
us, including Bravo Zulu and Eye Candy.
We headed back home with the spinnaker on a tight
reach, following the rumb line in the fading breeze. Monkeybones does well upwind, but with her
fractional rig, she struggles heading downwind, especially in light air. We held even about a half mile behind Flim
Flam, and watched as Pegasus, a half mile back, slowly reeled us in. The rest of the fleet was at least a mile
back as the three of us made our way past Three Tree Point. Shortly thereafter the wind quit altogether,
around 2:30 pm, right as predicted. In
the meandering breeze Pegasus was able to drift past us and we were both
gaining on Flim Flam. Unfortunately,
several of the crew had evening commitments and were pushing the limits with
wives and families just to be on the boat.
As the clock ticked past 3 pm towards 4 pm, and with 12 miles to go to
the finish with the boat speed between 2 and 3 kts, it became apparent that we
were going to have to pull out of the race and give up what was clearly a top
three finish. Around 4pm we dropped the spinnaker and fired
up the iron jib and headed for Elliott Bay.
About a mile into our return journey ripples on the water marked the
northerly creeping south, just as predicted.
We looked back to watch Flim Flam and Pegasus drop their spinnakers, raise
their jibs and start working their way north.
Those two boats would finish around 7 pm. The next fastest boat in our group finished 7
hours later - around 2pm in the morning.
We would have clearly had a top three finish, which would have qualified us for the Grand Prix and also have put
us at no worse than 4th in the overall SYC Tri Island Series standings. Truly disappointing, but we all know how we
did, and we accomplished the prime objective, which was to have fun.
Here's a great shot of Monkeybones and crew showing our good (starboard) side...
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Sloop Tavern Race To The Straits 2014
It was another wet
and wild weekend on the waters of Puget Sound. Two years ago Shawn and
Jason navigated Monkeybones with no instruments up to Port Townsend and
back as part of the 2012 Race To The Straits. It was Jason's first race
ever
(how does this spinnaker thing work?) and the first with current crew
and owners. It was great to see how far we've come in two years as we
set out with new instruments, rigging, team gear, and a little more
experience. It was good that we were much better
prepared because the weather required it. We saw winds that ranged from
9 to 32 kts and had every type of weather imaginable. Mother Nature
brought havoc to the fleet and we saw no less than six spinnakers
shredded, with many boats limping into the Pt Townsend
marina with remnants wrapped throughout the rigging. On Sunday it was
an ominous beat to weather in 15-25 kts into a full throttle ebb
current, which made for a very long day. Many boats decided to bow out
and power under bare poles home. One unlucky competitor
dismasted approaching Bush Pt but luckily there were many boats there to
help them.
Day #1 Summary:
For Monkeybones it all started well, crossing the line and heading north under spinnaker and the #3 jib. We jibed out to the west into the current and maintained a wind angle to keep boat speed high in 12-13 kts of breeze. We had eight boats in our start sequence and were keeping a keen eye on both Different Drummer and Kotuku. While we sailed our wind angles, Different Drummer pointed dead downwind towards the mark and never waivered. We zig zagged down the course and made good time on our fleet, with the exception of Uno, a small Sierra 26 that always disappears once they set their asym, and Different Drummer. The skies were fairly clear and we only endured one small rain squall on the way to the midway mark at Double Bluff. We jibed off Point No Point back to the east towards Useless Bay with the objective of jibing back to lay the mark.
About halfway there a front hit that jacked the wind from the mid-teens to the low twenties and then all hell broke loose. Many of the under crewed boats were barely in control, or fully out of control. This included the crazy Russians in their F27 trimaran who nearly cut us in two. We were on starboard and they were coming at us on port at 15 kts and had too much weather helm to change their course. They were panicking and, at that point, we did too. At the last minute they released a headsail and skimmed past our stern with only a few feet to spare. The wind continued to build and so did our boat speed and it was all we could do to jibe back with the two of us in heavy air. Further, the front resulted in a 20+ degree wind shift and suddenly we were on a tight reach with a highly loaded rig and had no hope of laying the mark. With some difficulty we dumped the spinnaker and raised the #3, which was luckily already on deck and fully rigged. We were way out of position, but so was everyone else. We looked around the fleet and saw spinnakers popping and others hopelessly twisted in people's rigs. We pointed up to the mark in tight traffic and then bore off towards Port Townsend in a healthy 25kts from the S/SW.
It was a brisk run to Port Townsend in the heavy air and strong ebb current. Each time the wind died to 20 kts we contemplated launching our asym, only to be buffeted by a 27-28 kt gust. The best sight of the afternoon was Terramoto running up through the fleet under a #3 and their asym. They were surfing along at 15+ kts. I have a great video of them, and then shortly thereafter they wiped out. We ran up to Marrowstone Pt and saw several boats get sucked into a huge backeddy. We jibed away and ran parallel for a half mile before jibing back to the finish. At this point the wind continued to build into the high 20's and MB was on a reach at full throttle under full main and #3 jib. We saw 11.4 kts on the gauge and we had a huge and steady bow wave and rooster tail. If the boat could have planed at that point it would have. We edged around some of the traffic that was caught in the back eddy and headed for the line. Shawn drove us towards the committee boat and we crossed a few seconds in front of a J/37 in our class and several hundred yards in front of Kotuku to take 3rd in our class for Day 1, finishing behind Uno and Different Drummer.
At this point it was mayhem everywhere: there were boats all over the course and stacking up behind the finish line. The wind was at gale strength and over the radio we heard multiple boats calling out in distress that they had lost power due to lines in the prop, and they were drifting in the high wind towards the beach. Once over the line we jibed downwind, a dangerous feat in the heavy air and really bad on the rigging, and then rounded up to wrestle with the sails. It was extremely difficult to get the jib down in the heaving seas and heavy air and, after securing it, motored upwind to find a place to take down the main. Unfortunately the wind continued to build and we were forced to wrestle it down as the wind gauge crept past 30 kts.
As if all that wasn't exciting enough, the most eventful part of the day came when we entered the marina. There were 135 registered boats for the RTTS and the Pt Townsend marina is pretty small to begin with. Boats had been circling the entrance and were being called in one by one due to the high winds and tight spacing. We were one of the last twenty or so boats to enter and came in to find extreme mayhem. The boats were piling up in rafts tied to the docks, but the high winds ripping through the marina were straining lines and causing the race organizers fits. As we rounded the corner we were stern into the wind, which meant we were gaining speed fast with 20-30 kts on the tail. What we found were extremely tight lanes to maneuver and these were chocked full of boats circling to find a place to tie up. We threw the boat into full reverse, unsure if we had enough power even to stop and hold ourselves in the wind, let alone reverse direction. A full train wreck seemed eminent. Further, this was going to take place in front of 200 onlookers who were now tied up and gawking at the commotion. What happened next is still a blur but it went something like this: full reverse, spin, full forward, spin, bounce off one boat, full reverse, briefly rafted up but told to cast off before something broke, full back, spin, full forward, spin, bounce off another boat, full forward... and somewhere in there all untied boats were told to leave the marina. Except we didn't obey and remained until we were the only boat left and given a slip. Then we had a drink....
Day 2
The forecast for Day 2 was more ominous than Day 1 with forecasted winds of between 10 and 30 kts depending on which website you read. Further, we would be sailing all day into a heavy ebb tide. The morning light revealed that the forecasters where correct and we left the harbor with 20 kts from the south. We debated whether to reef and decided that we were in it to race and would be more competitive if we didn't. We used our new rigging to flatten the main as much as possible and hoisted the #3 jib. We set up well and were first across the line among the seven boats in our grouping, followed closely by Different Drummer and Kotuku. The three of us would duke it out for the next eight hours with each boat taking a turn at the lead, sometimes switching every five minutes or so. Both DD and Kotuku are 40 ft in length and have an overall speed advantage over MB. However, MB seemed to do well in the really heavy air (20+ kts), but would give it back when the wind dropped to 15 kts or below. As a result we had to use tactics to gain an advantage.
Early on we used the currents around Marrowstone Pt. We were trailing the other two by a few boat lengths and waited until they were past the current line and out into the sweeping ebb before throwing in a quick tack while still in the back eddy and running up into really shallow water, then tacking back on top of them with a 100 yard advantage. We held this lead up along Marrowstone Is, at which point DD tacked off across the channel towards Whidbey Is. We stayed on top of Kotuku for a while and then decided to head over on top of DD, and held our position all the way to Bush Pt. However, Kotuku continued to hug Marrowstone and was two hundred yards ahead by the time we all reconnected at Bush Pt.
There was heavy traffic at Bush Pt and we got pinned against the shore and lost ground to everyone. Now trailing, we used similar current tacking tactics to gain ground back around the Double Bluff buoy. We followed the fleet East across Useless Bay in 15 kts and a driving rainstorm. The larger boats slowly pulled away and there was nothing we could do. They all tacked over to Point No Point and we were separated from the fleet due to commercial traffic, which turned out well. A heavy squall line gave us a good lift and we were able to reconnect with our competition as we worked up the west side of the straight. DD gained and overtook Kotuku and we were making good progress as well. However, the wind was fading to 10 kts and it wasn't clear that we would be able to hold onto them. As a result, Jason proposed to take a flyer and tack off across to the east side in the hopes of breaking away and finding better wind and current relief. We struck out while DD was on the opposite tack heading in to shore. Kotuku briefly followed and then tacked back in. DD made the shore, tacked back out and was now about a half a mile to our west. We watched as they came out and, instead of going back in to cover Kotuku, decided to continue out across the channel to cover us. As we crossed the channel the wind built from 10 to 15 and then 18 kts due to a passing rain storm. DD got into the middle of the channel and briefly tacked back towards Kotuku, then changed their mind and followed us across. We made the far side and tacked up along the shore. DD crossed 200 hards in front of us and we both tacked home. Unfortunately we were never able to catch them and crossed the line three minutes behind. Kotuku continued to hug the western shore and crossed much later. Due to the fading ebb they gained significant ground on both of us and crossed the line six minutes ahead of MB. All in all it was a great, albeit very long, day of heavy air, driving rain, and endless tacking. MB crossed at approximately 5:25, which meant it was eight hours after crossing the start line, and we were all thoroughly spent.
After the results were tallied MB finished in third place each day, and took third place in our class behind Different Drummer (1st) and Kotuku (2nd). Further, we finished 26th overall.
Day #1 Summary:
For Monkeybones it all started well, crossing the line and heading north under spinnaker and the #3 jib. We jibed out to the west into the current and maintained a wind angle to keep boat speed high in 12-13 kts of breeze. We had eight boats in our start sequence and were keeping a keen eye on both Different Drummer and Kotuku. While we sailed our wind angles, Different Drummer pointed dead downwind towards the mark and never waivered. We zig zagged down the course and made good time on our fleet, with the exception of Uno, a small Sierra 26 that always disappears once they set their asym, and Different Drummer. The skies were fairly clear and we only endured one small rain squall on the way to the midway mark at Double Bluff. We jibed off Point No Point back to the east towards Useless Bay with the objective of jibing back to lay the mark.
About halfway there a front hit that jacked the wind from the mid-teens to the low twenties and then all hell broke loose. Many of the under crewed boats were barely in control, or fully out of control. This included the crazy Russians in their F27 trimaran who nearly cut us in two. We were on starboard and they were coming at us on port at 15 kts and had too much weather helm to change their course. They were panicking and, at that point, we did too. At the last minute they released a headsail and skimmed past our stern with only a few feet to spare. The wind continued to build and so did our boat speed and it was all we could do to jibe back with the two of us in heavy air. Further, the front resulted in a 20+ degree wind shift and suddenly we were on a tight reach with a highly loaded rig and had no hope of laying the mark. With some difficulty we dumped the spinnaker and raised the #3, which was luckily already on deck and fully rigged. We were way out of position, but so was everyone else. We looked around the fleet and saw spinnakers popping and others hopelessly twisted in people's rigs. We pointed up to the mark in tight traffic and then bore off towards Port Townsend in a healthy 25kts from the S/SW.
Monkeybones at the mid-way mark (Thanks Jan!)
- click to enlarge -
- click to enlarge -
It was a brisk run to Port Townsend in the heavy air and strong ebb current. Each time the wind died to 20 kts we contemplated launching our asym, only to be buffeted by a 27-28 kt gust. The best sight of the afternoon was Terramoto running up through the fleet under a #3 and their asym. They were surfing along at 15+ kts. I have a great video of them, and then shortly thereafter they wiped out. We ran up to Marrowstone Pt and saw several boats get sucked into a huge backeddy. We jibed away and ran parallel for a half mile before jibing back to the finish. At this point the wind continued to build into the high 20's and MB was on a reach at full throttle under full main and #3 jib. We saw 11.4 kts on the gauge and we had a huge and steady bow wave and rooster tail. If the boat could have planed at that point it would have. We edged around some of the traffic that was caught in the back eddy and headed for the line. Shawn drove us towards the committee boat and we crossed a few seconds in front of a J/37 in our class and several hundred yards in front of Kotuku to take 3rd in our class for Day 1, finishing behind Uno and Different Drummer.
At this point it was mayhem everywhere: there were boats all over the course and stacking up behind the finish line. The wind was at gale strength and over the radio we heard multiple boats calling out in distress that they had lost power due to lines in the prop, and they were drifting in the high wind towards the beach. Once over the line we jibed downwind, a dangerous feat in the heavy air and really bad on the rigging, and then rounded up to wrestle with the sails. It was extremely difficult to get the jib down in the heaving seas and heavy air and, after securing it, motored upwind to find a place to take down the main. Unfortunately the wind continued to build and we were forced to wrestle it down as the wind gauge crept past 30 kts.
As if all that wasn't exciting enough, the most eventful part of the day came when we entered the marina. There were 135 registered boats for the RTTS and the Pt Townsend marina is pretty small to begin with. Boats had been circling the entrance and were being called in one by one due to the high winds and tight spacing. We were one of the last twenty or so boats to enter and came in to find extreme mayhem. The boats were piling up in rafts tied to the docks, but the high winds ripping through the marina were straining lines and causing the race organizers fits. As we rounded the corner we were stern into the wind, which meant we were gaining speed fast with 20-30 kts on the tail. What we found were extremely tight lanes to maneuver and these were chocked full of boats circling to find a place to tie up. We threw the boat into full reverse, unsure if we had enough power even to stop and hold ourselves in the wind, let alone reverse direction. A full train wreck seemed eminent. Further, this was going to take place in front of 200 onlookers who were now tied up and gawking at the commotion. What happened next is still a blur but it went something like this: full reverse, spin, full forward, spin, bounce off one boat, full reverse, briefly rafted up but told to cast off before something broke, full back, spin, full forward, spin, bounce off another boat, full forward... and somewhere in there all untied boats were told to leave the marina. Except we didn't obey and remained until we were the only boat left and given a slip. Then we had a drink....
Day 2
The forecast for Day 2 was more ominous than Day 1 with forecasted winds of between 10 and 30 kts depending on which website you read. Further, we would be sailing all day into a heavy ebb tide. The morning light revealed that the forecasters where correct and we left the harbor with 20 kts from the south. We debated whether to reef and decided that we were in it to race and would be more competitive if we didn't. We used our new rigging to flatten the main as much as possible and hoisted the #3 jib. We set up well and were first across the line among the seven boats in our grouping, followed closely by Different Drummer and Kotuku. The three of us would duke it out for the next eight hours with each boat taking a turn at the lead, sometimes switching every five minutes or so. Both DD and Kotuku are 40 ft in length and have an overall speed advantage over MB. However, MB seemed to do well in the really heavy air (20+ kts), but would give it back when the wind dropped to 15 kts or below. As a result we had to use tactics to gain an advantage.
Early on we used the currents around Marrowstone Pt. We were trailing the other two by a few boat lengths and waited until they were past the current line and out into the sweeping ebb before throwing in a quick tack while still in the back eddy and running up into really shallow water, then tacking back on top of them with a 100 yard advantage. We held this lead up along Marrowstone Is, at which point DD tacked off across the channel towards Whidbey Is. We stayed on top of Kotuku for a while and then decided to head over on top of DD, and held our position all the way to Bush Pt. However, Kotuku continued to hug Marrowstone and was two hundred yards ahead by the time we all reconnected at Bush Pt.
There was heavy traffic at Bush Pt and we got pinned against the shore and lost ground to everyone. Now trailing, we used similar current tacking tactics to gain ground back around the Double Bluff buoy. We followed the fleet East across Useless Bay in 15 kts and a driving rainstorm. The larger boats slowly pulled away and there was nothing we could do. They all tacked over to Point No Point and we were separated from the fleet due to commercial traffic, which turned out well. A heavy squall line gave us a good lift and we were able to reconnect with our competition as we worked up the west side of the straight. DD gained and overtook Kotuku and we were making good progress as well. However, the wind was fading to 10 kts and it wasn't clear that we would be able to hold onto them. As a result, Jason proposed to take a flyer and tack off across to the east side in the hopes of breaking away and finding better wind and current relief. We struck out while DD was on the opposite tack heading in to shore. Kotuku briefly followed and then tacked back in. DD made the shore, tacked back out and was now about a half a mile to our west. We watched as they came out and, instead of going back in to cover Kotuku, decided to continue out across the channel to cover us. As we crossed the channel the wind built from 10 to 15 and then 18 kts due to a passing rain storm. DD got into the middle of the channel and briefly tacked back towards Kotuku, then changed their mind and followed us across. We made the far side and tacked up along the shore. DD crossed 200 hards in front of us and we both tacked home. Unfortunately we were never able to catch them and crossed the line three minutes behind. Kotuku continued to hug the western shore and crossed much later. Due to the fading ebb they gained significant ground on both of us and crossed the line six minutes ahead of MB. All in all it was a great, albeit very long, day of heavy air, driving rain, and endless tacking. MB crossed at approximately 5:25, which meant it was eight hours after crossing the start line, and we were all thoroughly spent.
After the results were tallied MB finished in third place each day, and took third place in our class behind Different Drummer (1st) and Kotuku (2nd). Further, we finished 26th overall.
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