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Round the Coronados Results - photos added

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/18/2006 : 12:31:55

Indiscipline sailed with a 3 person crew to a 7th place finish in PHRF E in the 36 mile Around the Coronados offshore ocean race. We were dead last, the last boat in and beat 2 boats that were DNF. However, I believe we sailed very well. We completed the 36 mile offshore course in 6 hours. That is a 6 knot average. It's hard to beat that in the Catalina 25. At 228, we were the smallest and slowest boat entered. PHRF E was boats 150 and above. Coming from Mission Bay, we had already sailed about 10 miles. We were up sailing while the rest of the crews were still having breakfast.

It was an inverted start. So the slow classes started first. Our start was at 11:10 AM. We were the first spinnaker class to go, just behind the combined non-spinnaker boats. There was about 12 to 15 knots of wind to start, just forward of the beam. This being my first PHRF race in San Diego, I did not try to make an agressive start, happy to have clean air in the 2nd wave of boats behind the leaders. We were about 30 to 60 seconds late. Soon we were broad reaching across the channel, heading of 170, watching the classes behind catch up. Pretty much everyone was going up spinnaker. We had 15 knots of wind right on the beam. Indiscipline was making 7 to 7.5 knots (helpful current). We were pointing right towards the island and most of the spin boats seemed to be headed a little south so we carried on without spin. We were flying my dacron 155 and it was pulling like a mule. The ride over was a joy. Charlie and I had a nice lunch while David steered, then we swapped. Charlie took the helm.

The wind went a little more north, coming just aft of the beam, but also came up. There were white caps everywhere. The fast PHRF boats blew by us and soon we were the last boat watching everyone else round the island. I stayed with my decision not to go up spin, and instead got the pole stowed and prepared for the close reach back. In retrospect we could have gone up spin at least for the leg on the backside of the island but it was very windy and rough. That area is know as Pukey Point. I was happy to be warm and dry in the cockpit. If I had had young, strong, experienced, foredeck crew it would have been different. Instead I had only me, and I didn't want to go up there with spray flying and the boat jumping.

Coming around the island we came on the wind and soon found ourselves pretty much overpowered. I had already tightened outhaul and backstay. I threw in the flattening reef. With 3 bigs guys on the rail (700 lbs) we settled down to about 30 degrees of heel. We were dumping main frequently in the gusts, when the boat went over to 45. Charlie was on the helm most of the race (I did start and finish, otherwise I was foredeck). We all got some BIG water back to the cockpit. I got soaked and had to change into my foulie jacket. Getting down below at 35 to 40 degrees of heel, changing, using the bathroom, and getting Charlie a well-deserved beer was quite an ordeal. First I had to clean up as all our gear was on the floor!

After that, I took the helm. I didn't know how much weather helm he had been fighting or I would have put in the reef. We would have been doing much better under the #2 jib (135) but there was no time to change down. I put the traveller way down and that helped. I was still constantly yelling "DUMP!" to David who was now trimming main.

For most of this leg we had competition boats within 1 mile but we gradually watched them pull away. It was a complication to watch an aircraft carrier come into the bay right through the finishing fleet.

Coming into the Bay, there is an area under Point Loma known as Hurricane Gultch. We indeed got some big gusts in there, thankfully we were out of the 3 to 4 foot swell and wind chop. Still I had to throw in 2 tacks to make the finish, those cost us.

View the finish times at http://www.cortezracing.com/CRA2006/2006Coronados.htm

Note that some of the fastest boats averaged 11 to 13 knots! Also, I never went up spin, and if I had entered non-spin class 6B we would have placed 1st.

We had to clear in at US Customs, having been into Mexico. That was a simple process since they had officers stationed there. We all used the bathroom and took a moment to stretch legs and backs. Then, while all the rest of the crews were going to the after-race party, we took off for Mission Bay at 6 PM in gathering darkness and only slightly less wind.

Hurrican Gultch was calmer, but once around the Pt. we had 10 to 12 knots right on the nose. The jib was down and the new Tohatsu was pushing us through 4 foot wind chop. The trip home was the roughest part of the day. We got in at 8:30. The motor ran great even in very tough conditions. Cleaned up, and headed for the after race party. Of course, it was long, long over. But that did not stop us from enjoying a couple of drinks and a nice plate of shrimp, crab cakes, calamari, and onion rings at Fiddler's Green.

Photos to come tomorrow.

PS.

It was more fun to be in last place on my own boat than 5th place as part of a crew of 8 on a bigger one. Much more fun.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - JimB517 on 09/18/2006 23:02:27

Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 16:44:05

Jim I did see you out there yesterday. I did wave to you while we were milling about the start line but I am sure you did not know who I was. I was out on Rippin a Catalina 36. I t was our kind of day with a big heavy boat. We took first in our class of nine boats on corrected time. We also beat all but one J80 in elapsed time. We made one big mistake in that we decided to go wide around the islands to stay out of the wind shadow. This year there wasn’t one. We had been ahead of Sea Maiden but she took a close rounding and we had a chase on the return leg. It took us 10 miles to make up for that mistake but we finally caught her and went over the top. We were able to point higher than she was. Our next target was another Catalina 36 which was racing non spinnaker and had started 20 minutes ahead of us. We were on a non spinnaker leg but also got over the top of her. As we passed we could see she was running too much rudder which was slowing her down. We were using sail trim to keep the rudder drag down and you could sure see the difference. Wish we had a camera on board; it is sure a great site to see the entire fleet behind you when you are rounding the first mark. We were one of the first boats to poop the spinnaker and it was the right choice. It is what got us to the islands first. It was a great day sailing and if not for our poor choice on the wide rounding we would have beat the J80 on elapsed time. Not bad for a live aboard Catalina 36 going against a fleet where everybody owed us time.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 17:24:31

I cut around the island like it was a mark in the bay (in real close). There was no wind shadow. A little shadow would have been a good thing! Next time, I'll keep an eye out for Rippin. I've seen that boat out before. Great job beating the Sea Maidens, they were arch rivals of Charolette Anne, the big boat I was crewing on (I've now quit them in favor of racing my own).

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 17:26:00

JIm,
I wish I could have been there. It all sounds great. What tunes did you play?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 18:22:17

Frank with you and me on the rail we wouldn't have needed a flattening reef!

Also Charlie likes Country music and Dave and I like Jazz so I kept the music off. This was a wet, bumpy, fast ride. Tunes were never an issue. The 6 hours went by in a flash.

13 hours total on the water, a 65 mile day.

Photos on my website tomorrow, I promise!

Edited by - JimB517 on 09/18/2006 18:28:32

Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 19:25:20

Jim that is not the norm. Usually there is a big wind shadow around the Island. Two years ago we were way too close and lost a lot of ground with not enough wind. Last Year we stayed further away and did ok but the boats further out made ground on us. This year before the race everyone agreed that we would take a wide rounding. Being one of the first boats to the Island there was no one to watch to see how every one else was doing. By the time we watched boats passing us on the inside it was too late. I think you said you were doing the Esenada race this year, maybe I will catch you down there. Last year we took 2nd in our class. We are hyped up and ready for a first. Are you signed up for the 20 mile race the Mexican Yacht Club is putting on Sunday October 8th around Todo Santos Island this year?

Edited by - on

dmattlin
1st Mate

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USA
39 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 21:29:24

This was my first real race. I had a great time and walked away with a wealth of knowledge.
We showed up to starting pin just before the Race Committee boat so we got a chance to relax for a bit after the early morning voyage down the coast to Pt. Loma. Before the race we were greeted by the US Coast Guard telling us to stay back and clear the way for an Aircraft carrier that is coming through. We were able to snap a few photos as we stared in aw of its massive size.. Then it was all business as we could see the rest of the racing boats approaching for the race. It didn’t take long to realize that we were the smallest boat in the race, we were fearless and were not about to be intimidated by the super sized racing boats dawning their “Battle Flags”.. That’s right I said battle flags. This apparently is much more serious than I had anticipated (I was loving it). We even saw a few of the race boat battling it out well past the starting pin for starting positions. We held our ground as the super sized boats circled around like sharks. Everyone was friendly and it appeared that most of them knew Jim.
The gun sounded on time and the first fleet of racers was off. We were in the second start. As we headed out past the starting pin with the rest of our class we were holding our ground quite well. I mean that no one was just walking away from us, as a matter of fact it took the rest of the racers a long time to catch up to us. Eventually we wound up the last boat round North Island. We rounded the Island and there was nothing left to do but catch the rest of the boats and win.. The winds had picked up dramatically as did the swells. Winds were at least 20 knots, big swells while using a 150% jib… you can do the math. We where healing WAY over and pushing Lil Indiscipline for all she was worth. At one point we were all soaked from the high winds and waves crashing up over the bow into our faces.. All the time we all had smiles from ear to ear.. We were having a great time. This went on for about 2 hours.. We were really moving making out way back to San Diego bay.. There was actually a few times where we were gaining ground on the rest of the racers.. Just as we were about to enter the bay the Aircraft carrier was making her way back into the bay. We finally made our way into the bay wondering how we finished the race only to find 2 of the racers at the Police docks so we knew we not far behind..
We knew we sailed a great race and probably had the most “Spirited” race of all the other boats in the race..
I was quite surprised to find that if we were in the regular (non-spinnaker) class we would have finished first place..
All in all I had a great time, we had a lot of good laughs, a few beers as we crossed the Mexico border and we are proud of our race.. We were in true sprit of Yachtsman ship.

Thank you Jim..!!!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 23:01:47

Photos added.

Click Below to see more.

http://www.indiscipline.org/cat25/roundnados06.html

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2006 : 23:07:24

PS. Thanks Dave and Charlie I could not have done it without you. David, too bad you missed our private "after race" at Fiddlers Green.

Edited by - on

Keith D.
Navigator

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USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2006 : 19:37:55

Jim Thank you for the pictures. You actually managed to post two of them with Rippin (the boat I was on) in them.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2006 : 16:56:17

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">JimB517

Posted - 09/18/2006 : 18:22:17
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13 hours total on the water, a 65 mile day. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hmmmm, my little lake is about 3 miles long, so if I tried to sail 65 miles in one day, that would be 21.66 laps.

Anyhow, thanx for the report and pictures. Enjoy hearing about real sailors.

Edited by - on

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