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Fleet 7 Weekend cruise / race story

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/20/2004 : 14:20:40

Saturday we took 3 boats out in nearly ideal conditions. Although it was forecast for stronger winds and the possibility of a Hurricane Javier south swell (to 7 feet) arriving, these did not occur on Saturday. Instead we had a great day with seas 2 to 4, and winds about 10 knots maybe gusting 12.

Since I was first out of the slip, I sailed around the anchorage. Classical Cat and Valkyrie sailed out of Mission Bay in heavy weekend traffic. I was 1/2 mile behind, single handing out of the bay. I was tacking around power boats, sailboats, fisherman, kayakers, swimmers, dive boat charters, and more. Just to show off, I also ate my lunch while doing about 10 tacks through all this commotion - without autopilot or engine!

Gary was reading my mind and suggested on the radio that we sail to La Jolla cove. It was a perfect day for it, winds were very favorable for a northwest course. He called on VHF 71. Too bad that we forgot to tell Doug and Mo on Valkyrie that we moved the fleet channel to 71 (instead of 72). They were calling for radio checks all day and couldn't figure out why they couldn't talk to us!

They hove to and waited for me, and we all started upwind for the La Jolla Kelp. I was very hard on the wind, and with my SR fin, able to point a bit higher than the TR wings. I also hike out and work every gust. As we neared the kelp, I called out on the VHF that we would have to tack out to sea once we started seeing the stringers. Gary and Doug decided to tack right then and there. I was able to pinch around the worst of the kelp (its several miles wide an runs out to sea 2 or 3 miles). A Macgreggor 25 was struggling to tack around and I suggested on the VHF that we use it as our windward mark - compared to our Cat 25s it was basically standing still! (I noticed he ended up vainly trying to sail straight through the thickest part of the kelp because he couldn't point high enough to get around).

Now, the other boats were about 1/4 mile farther out because of their tack and I was way ahead. At this point, I noticed the kelp was what we call "down". When it is "up" there are thick stringers all over the surface. These really can grab your rudder and its deadly to sail upwind through all the "salad". When its "down" (due to tide, wind, and waves) you can pretty much sail through as long as you steer around the thickest part and keep your boat hook handy.

La Jolla Cove

Once through, I slowed down and started fishing. The other boats caught up and we fell off to a downwind course into La Jolla cove. Its a marine sanctuary so I boated all fishing lines. We enjoyed sailing around this most beautiful place, watching the hang gliders, kayakers, and swimmers. I pointed out the famous "Blacks Beach" to the other boats (clothing optional beach). Once off the end of the Scripps pier, we decided to head for home. It was 3 PM, we were about 10 miles upwind (North) from Mission Bay, and the winds were dropping. Valkyrie was sailing the wrong way towards a closer look at Blacks, but for Gary and I the race was on.

To get out of La Jolla cove was dead to windward. It was a classic tacking duel between Classical Cat and me. Running towards Children's Pool I tacked north.

Chart

I thought I was getting a lift, so I went back on the other tack. Gary called me on the radio and asked if I could pinch out of the cove on that tack. I said "no problem". But it was in fact a big header. Gary had continued North and now I had to throw in another tack. When I crossed his wake, I tacked back, but now I was a good 1/4 mile behind. Due to my superior pointing I was working to windward of him and gaining a little. But the winds were dropping and, once out, I knew it would be a downwind race 5 or 6 miles to Mission bay. I can't beat the TR Wing downwind in light air. So I decided to fall off and head through the kelp.

I thought the kelp was "down" and I could cut off a mile or more off distance sailed. SO I took the gamble. I spent about the next hour steering around the thick stringers and working the boat to keep speed up to about 3.5 to 4 knots. Classical Cat was at least a mile further out to sea. The kelp was a lot more "up" than before. I felt like the Starship Enterprise heading into a nebula to avoid the Klingons.

Once through the kelp, I finally got to sit down and relax. I was way ahead of Classical Cat, but I was not 100% sure which boat on the horizon out to sea was them. I did everything possible to keep boat speed up, and made a big mistake gybing too early for Mission Bay but was able to get away with it. Classical Cat was able to close the gap to 100 to 200 yards but I was in first. Later I found out that even though they went wide, they still got tangled in the kelp so badly they came to a dead stop at one point. The fin has an advantage here, the wing gets much more kelp on it.

We called Valkyrie on the VHF and told them to motor in, it was time for dinner. Point Loma Seafoods is about 10 minutes away (right by the West Marine) and has patio seating on the San Diego Bay sportfishing docks and some of the best shrimp, crab cakes, and fish in the city. Point Loma Seafood http://www.plsf.com/

On L dock my friend Jim in his big cat twin diesel sport fisher was back from a big offshore tuna run with 2 60 lb Big Eye tuna on board. I was given about 5 lbs.

Seafood dinner was great ! And it was a really great day on the water. Sunday the big winds and waves I was expecting Saturday arrived and so I stayed home. That Big Eye Tuna was super with Thai noodles and stir fry!

Hope you all enjoyed our story.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - JimB517 on 09/20/2004 18:06:28

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/20/2004 : 16:05:55

Sounds like you guys had a great day!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Sunday the big winds and waves I was expecting Saturday arrived <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yup -- had a reefed, somewhat luffed main and just a little bit of jib left out in order to keep the boat speed under 6 kts for trolling bonita flys. The anchored power boats were bouncing all over the place, looking very uncomfortable. The surface conditions cooled off the bite a bit compared to last weekend, but we still had a ball catching about a dozen on the light tackle.

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2004 : 23:14:30

An absolutely great day of sailing, something we will try and repeat. Next time we hope more C25s and maybe some C250s in the area will join us.
Jim touched on a really touchy problem re: wing keels and pointing. I felt I could sail a lower course faster but that his pointing ability being better would mean the fin would still get to an A mark sooner....unless he made a mistake. Which, naturally, means I don't make any mistakes myself. I've got to figure this thing out. I thought of running my 150 up on the jib halyard (not used with the furler) while still running the 110. I wonder if using both sails is cheating???

By the time I realized Jim was heading "through" the kelp bed, I had committed ours to going outside...and there was no way I was going through the middle to try to cover. I accused Jim of cheating

but he did seem to find the right channel through. Maybe I'll install some blade kelp cutters on the leading edge of my keel and rudder next time???

So we get past the kelp and we're slowly catching him, although he still pulled off the tactic of the century. I decide to relax, have a beer and it worked as we were close at the entrance to the channel.
So the question still remains: How to make the wing go faster and climb higher whilst maintaining equal boat speed to the fin. Probably impossible but we'll keep plugging away.
Next time Jim I cover all your moves at close quarters, sir!!!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2004 : 23:50:28

It was a lot of fun, a great day, and I got a chance to see something I don't get very often - looking at the stern of a C25 and trying to catch up! You have to wait a long time if you're waiting for Gary to make a mistake!

Running through the kelp was a blast.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2004 : 10:09:55

Grrrr.... I'm jealous jealous jealous.
IMHO you live in a nearly perfect venue for a C25.
Hmmm... but on OTOH I don't know what a traffic jamb is up here.
Someday I'll have to drag the boat down there...

Are you gonna do the 'Pirate Day' thing over at Catalina?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2004 : 10:47:21

Please do trailer down sometime! We can probably arrange a slip and there is a free anchorage. There are several launch ramps to choose from.

Charlie (Sea Angel new C250) is planning on the Pirate Days at Catalina Two Harbors. RichardG will probably be there. Otherwise its too far for us Fleet 7 guys.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2004 : 11:42:22

Buccaneer Days is the weekend of Oct. 2 ([url="www.scico.com/twoharbors/calendar.html "]link[/url]). At this time, I don't think I'll go. It's their busiest weekend of the year. Last year I got there early on Friday, but everything, including the stringline, was already sold out. I got a good anchoring spot, but it got tighter and tighter as the day progressed and more boats crammed in there. Constantly watching my boat sort of took away from the fun of the weekend. If I go (this year or beyond), I would want to get there by Thursday or go around to Cat Harbor where the anchorage is less stressful.

Edited by - on

sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
169 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 06:06:13

I won't be making it to Buccaneer Days this year. Work insists on interfering with sailing. I did get out the weekend before last though. Had a really nice sail out to 2Harbors that Saturday. Sunday we decided to try and head down to Avalon. Started out with the mainsail up ( I really need to get the reefing rigged up right

) , thought better of it, ducked back in the cove, flaked the main and motored back out. I probably should have stayed at 2Harbors. It was quite a wild ride down to Avalon with the wind and waves at my back the whole time. The GPS was saying I hit 7-8 kts a few times surfing down the bigger waves. The boat made Avalon in fine shape but my nerves were a little frazzled. We caught mooring #5 at Avalon (sometimes you get lucky), four boats from the dingy dock and right across from the beach. A couple of MaiTais at Armstong's helped settle my nerves in short order.

(C Angel is the second one from the left.)

We ran into a large pod of dolphins about 8 miles off San Pedro on the way back Monday. I put the boat in the middle of their migration, shut off the engine, and watched them swim by all around us. Sometimes they would roll on their side and look at us as they went by, or stop and check out the dingy. Don't know what intrigued them about the dingy.

When I got home, I checked the archives for the Santa Monica Basin bouy during the interval I was out... avg winds 20-25, avg wave height 8-9 feet. Yipes! I thought that forecast was for the Santa Barbara Channel...

Jim,
Hope to make it down your way again real soon!

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 07:11:59

Don't tell Jim, but San Diego has to be the number one place to sail from. Great picture.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 09/28/2004 07:15:28

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 11:54:39

Charlie:

We've never met, but I think we somewhat crossed paths about two months ago when JimB and I were returning to LA Harbor from Two Harbors after visiting Santa Barbara Island (you spoke briefly to Jim). Anyway, I understand they installed a new access gate to the Cabrillo Beach boat ramp which is a little easier for boat trailers to get to from the freeway. Send me an email -- I'll check it out and get details if you wish.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">avg winds 20-25, avg wave height 8-9 feet<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yah -- it was rip'n pretty good that Sunday. We were out locally and you didn't need much canvas to move along well.

That's too bad you can't make it this weekend. It now looks like I may be able to attend. I'm trying to make arrangements to get out Friday and go around to Cat Harbor with a couple other boats where it's much quieter and less crowded. I really don't get into the wild 'festivities' in town too much, but it's fun to check out all the costumes -- it's like a big, weekend-long, one-theme Halloween party, although some are now stretching the pirate theme by dressing as Vikings. At night, I'll most likely be tending my lobster traps (and hopefully enjoying my catch).

October is a great time to visit the island! The daytime weather (and water) is still warm, the fish are biting, island wildlife is more visible and there are few boats (above event excepted).

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 17:40:44

That Sunday I stayed home. It was a very tough day on the water. Charlie, you must get that reefing line hooked up. What you should have done is either (1) stay put in 2 Harbors, or (2) dropped the main or reefed and sheeted in tight and sailed downwind to Avalon under jib alone. Its easy to roll up the jib a little if you're overpowered. Remember to hug the shore of Catalina - try to stay inside the 100 foot depth line and you'll see much smaller waves.

Hope you didn't have the kids along.

Remember in rough conditions to get the dinghy aboard.

Edited by - on

sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
169 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 18:33:56

Jim,
I did not have the kids with me, or I would have never ventured out in that. Just me and a friend. I have been following the reef thread on the 250 forum and plan on trying some different setups.

Richard,
When we left Cabrillo Beach to head back home, we went through the new gate. You have to turn east after the gate then around a traffic circle to head back west on 22nd to Pacific Ave. It is alot quicker. Hope to meet up with you someday! We took a small tour of Long Beach Friday evening and ended up traveling about 7 miles east. It is really a big place.
I have noticed that Cat Harbor gets alot of wind but not much swell, where Isthmus Cove gets less wind but alot more roll, especially at night!

Frank,
Thanks for the photo retouch. Looks much better!

Edited by - sterngucker on 09/28/2004 18:37:41

sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 18:50:08

Thought you all might enjoy this picture I took last weekend of the Californian, just leaving Isthmus Cove, Catalina.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 20:27:56

cool, our new digital camera arrived and hopefully I'll have some shots of Yellow Fin Tuna (YFT) after this weekend. They are biting only 14 miles out. I plan to leave before dawn Sat. with bait.

Somehow I'll find them!

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2004 : 20:58:23

Jim, I'll be heading down Friday after classes are over. We can sail out Saturday morning on two boats. Should be lots of fun. Bringing lots of food along, too

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/29/2004 : 11:42:04

Nice pic, Charlie.

I suspect that much of the wave effect at Isthmus Cove is caused by boat and ship traffic. As Cat Harbor is well protected essentially from all directions from traffic waves as well as the ocean swell, it is often flat calm at night when the wind dies.

As for hugging the shore at Catalina in those conditions, I would feel very uncomfortable doing so because the 100' line would often put you very close to shore. Most folks reduce sail and stay way offshore.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2004 : 12:00:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 cool, our new digital camera arrived <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I predict that with a digital camera you will becom a MMC by 10-10-04

DON,
Get the ceremoney ready.

Shouldn't we add a dunking to the certificate? I think there are some fleet 7 mates that could get that done!

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/30/2004 : 20:37:45

Here's one of our local brigs on a day with a little bit of wind.

Here she is on a day with a little more wind.

And here she is on a day with a lot more wind -- not a lot of canvas up and moving along well.

These pics could actually be two different boats, because they recently made two for the Topsail program (for at-risk city youth). Last year I was lucky enough to be invited aboard by the captain of one of them anchored at Emerald bay -- quite a treat!

Anyway, now off to Pirateville for the weekend.

Edited by - on

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