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Round the Coronados Race Log

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/13/2008 : 23:23:17

Yesterday was the Around the Coronados race, Indiscipline was entered double-handed in the All Catalina San Diego Association fleet. We had a combined start with the Silver Gate Yacht Club family fleet. There was 17 boats in our start, with 11 boats in the All Catalina Fleet. There were also 2 PHRF fleets, with a total of 36 boats entered.

I ran down to San Diego Bay Friday night after work, arriving around 8:30PM. I spent the night at anchor in La Playa cove. Charlie (Sterngucker) was also there to race with his C250 and he took a guest slip. I enjoyed a nice burger and beer with him and his friend. The C250 was rated 262, my non-spin rating is 247 and 228 with spin. FYI Gary's Tall Rig is rated 246 non-spin which seems really generous.

The race officer divided the All Catalina class into 2 fleets - basically an A fleet comprised of race boats with mylar sails and then the cruiser-racers. Indiscipline was in this B fleet.

The Coronado Islands are 12 miles offshore, almost due south from San Diego, and in Mexican waters. The rated distance was 30.5 nautical miles.

Starting just barely inside Point Loma, the start was nearly straight downwind, also with an ebb current. Indiscipline had a bad start, 2.5 minutes late, but in the thick of the 17 boat fleet. The PHRF fleets started first. Within 2 or 3 minutes of the start, we went up spinnaker. We did a good hoist while the genny was still up. Then I raced to the cockpit to trim while my super novice friend was on helm and also doing pit.

Winds were about 10 knots and the spinnaker really pulled. The start was at 11:10 and we ran under spin all the way to the island with the wind swinging around until we were on a reach with the apparant wind just forward of the beam. We were making around 6 knots and the wind slowly came up to 15 knots. Several times I had to dump the spin sheet to keep from going too far over. When it looked like we might be forced low of the island I took over helm and worked us to windward. We passed almost every non-spin boat on the way over. A Cat 36 passed us just at the islandm which we reached at 2:30 PM.

I made my second big mistake here (first was the bad start), I was right in the thick of about 10 boats (many with spin) and I watched these guys go about a mile wide of the island. I decided to sneak right in because the water is 100 feet deep 10 feet from the island. Naturally, I got caught in a big wind hole, eventually having to gybe and head out to where the smarter boats were. Doing this I lost the pack and watched many of the non-spin boats catch up. I figure this cost me about 10 minutes.

Once completely around the island we doused the spin and set up for a hard beat back to San Diego. There were white caps galore and we were way overpowered with my 155 up. I tucked in a reef and it was better but once out of the island area I decided to shake it out and go with the flattening reef. Winds were 20 to 25 in this area. I winched the main up HARD to try to get it flat and the main halyard broke.

Within 5 minutes I had the main up using the spin halyard. I brought this around the standing rigging and winched the main up as high as it could go, about 6 inches from the top. Then I set the flattening reef and it was pretty good - more twist then I wanted but we wanted the flattening reef anyhhow. We didn't lose much time here because the boat speed was 4.5 knots under genny alone and with the main back up our speed was back to 5.5. I was proud of the way we overcame adversity.

On the 12 mile run back to San Diego a couple of big boats passed us but I held off a hard charging group of 3 boats all the way. One really outpointed us and worked its way by just at Point Loma to loud cheers from their crew. Winds had settled down to about 20 and I had my crew hiking and I was sitting on the rail steering with the tiller extension. This was very fun and thankfully it was just the weather that favored us - small waves and big wind. If it was 5 foot waves at 4 seconds those big boats would have smashed through while that kills a C25 but waves were only about 3. The winds around Pt. Loma were fierce, at least 25. We were hiking all the way and dumping main, taking spray over the cockpit. Both boats behind me rounded up but I held course, working up in the big puffs, and rounded the finish without a single tack all the way back. We finished at 5:30 PM.

I took 8th overall (of 17), 6th in the All Catalina class (of 11), and 1st in the Fleet B.

Saturday night I anchored again in those big, big winds after dropping off my crew. I motored home Sunday morning at 06:00 - I had quite enough sailing and big winds.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2008 : 23:46:52

Charlie was DNF on his C250 and I hope he jumps in here and tells his story. He was singlehanding, non-spin, and I know he had a cruise ship encounter to remember (no damage).

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2008 : 11:54:03

Great story Jim! Thanks for sharing!

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2008 : 12:29:50

Jim,

Hurray for Capn & crew of Indiscipline!

Your nice big self-tailing winches can probably pull with a ton of force on the lines. Were you surprised that the halyard failed, or was it 5-10 years old and well-worn?

Edited by - JohnP on 04/14/2008 12:30:18

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2008 : 14:00:59

The halyard was my custom made 3/16 V12 high strength line center spliced to a 3/8 stayset tail. The 3/16 V12 gets broken down by UV. It was 3 years old. I replaced the jib haylard this past winter but figured I could get some more time out of the main. I broke about a foot from the top, dropping the main on deck. I pulled the halyard into the cockpit and saved my whichard shackle.

I bought 5/15 stayset-x to replace it with and am sending my wife up the mast Wednesday night to thread it.

Edited by - on

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.