For our second year of dealing with COVID, things are a lot better. Yes, in San Francisco we have to wear masks and be vaccinated at indoor events when we're not eating or drinking, but at least we finally had an opportunity to gather as a fleet for the first time in 18 months. Our "Sailing Istructions" are below.
A beautiful blue sky made the bright-white ribbon of fog under the deck of the Golden Gate Bridge stand out against the red towers. The wind was light but fairly steady for the scheduled 12:00 warning gun. Eight Islanders signed up to race in our Nationals Regatta, and counting skippers who sailed as crew or served on the Race Committee or were spectators, we had a total of 12 boats represented. Check out the table below.
Rick & Sandy, joined by Jocelyn & Steve, drove to Golden Gate Yacht Club and served as the Race Committee. Ruby Blenderman, Maria Santiago and Myphi Alloy joined us to round out the Race Deck crew. As we did in 2020, the starting sequence was conducted on VHF Channel 72 without signal flags. And as last year, another fleet near Racoon Strait was doing the same starting sequence and twice, also on channel 72, a voice counted down the times to the Warning and Prep guns. Sure glad we were all using GPS time.
Cassiopeia was up to speed and first across the line, with new racer Chris Fearon's Mambo to leeward, and Highlighter and Luna Sea slightly astern and to weather. Rounding Mark A and heading for Harding Rock it was Highlighter, Cassiopeia, Luna Sea and Windwalker.
From the race deck things looked really good. After the 12:05 start, the fleet was romping toward the Harding Rock buoy, getting there in about 25 minutes. The Race Committee was thinking that at this rate they might be finished by 1330 and we'd be able to get in a second race. But as the fleet rounded Harding and headed past Alcatraz, a combination of less wind and a building ebb current was like a pot of glue. Kit even reported going backwards at one point. Some got close to Alcatraz. Windwalker even tacked east toward Berkeley for less current and in search of wind. It paid off and when the fleet finally rounded Blossom Rock buoy, it was Windwalker, Renaissance of Tahoe Vista, Highlighter, then Cassiopeia. Meanwhile, Luna Sea set a chute for crew practice, and when spotted by the fleet was informed that it was a non-spinnaker race. So they continued their spinnaker practice, even changing chutes and sailed back to GGYC to share in the festivities.
Congratulations to Windwalker for her victory, and congratulation to Chris Fearon and the Mambo crew for completing their first I-36 race.
It was wonderful to gather on the lower deck of GGYC for our traditional Nibbles of hot dogs, chili, french fries and salad. Plus Rick brought a big Costco chocolte cake to celebrate his 80th birthday. It was great to have 34 (all vaccinated) Islanders enjoying each other's company once again. Of course, by the time we were finished and boats headed home there was a nice crisp 12 knot westerly filling the whole Bay.
Jocelyn has sent out an email to the fleet to nail down interest for the Fall Meeting, Saturday, November 6th, at Coyote Point Yacht Club. Just as we did for GGYC, we need to have enough people committed to make it financially viable. So let's hope we can extend our good fortune and have multiple boats represented, incluidng your crews for our Fall Meeting at Coyote Point. If you haven't already replied to Jocelyn that you're likely to be at the Fall Meeting, send her a quick email here.here. Enjoy the invitation, the sign-ups and the results.
The Sailing Instructions
Islander 36 Call To Arms!
Now Hear This. Code Flag L, New Instructions posted ashore, or come within hail if on the water. Thanks to the efforts of Past Commodore Bob DaPrato, we have the opportunity to have our first event inside at yacht club in 18 months. We may be able to actually have our Nationals Regatta Nibbles & Celebration inside Golden Gate Yacht club for the first time since 2019. Here are the changes and the opportunity:
The Nationals Regatta will be on Saturday October 2nd as originally scheduled.
We will eliminate the restriction to double-handing for crew and you may have whatever number of crew you would like.
Weather permitting, we will have one or two races.
We will use the same course from 2020 as the first race (described below), and if there is wind/time for a second race, the course will be shortened to eliminate Alcatraz and Blossom Rock and proceed from Harding Rock to leave #6 off Fort Mason to starboard and then straight to the finish at Golden Gate.
We will reschedule the start of the first race with the warning signal at 12 noon.
As we did in prior years, we will require a minimum of 6 boats and 24 Nibbles & Celebration reservations across the fleet in order to make the event viable for GGYC.
To comply with San Francisco COVID requirements, everyone entering the club must register and affirm that they are vaccinated.
Masks are to be worn when inside, and when interacting with GGYC staff (as in ordering beverages), but may be removed when seated or on outside decks, the docks or on your boats.
We are limited to 30 spaces for indoor seating on the lower deck. Additional seating is on decks, docks and boats.
GGYC is charging the I-36 Association $25/person (up from $20 in 2019.) However, Rick Van Mell is celebrating his 80th birthday and is making a donation to the Association that will lower the price to $15 per person, and will have a birthday cake to share with all who show up.
New Members are particularly invited. Veteran I-36ers are encouraged to make an appearance, and even those who have recently celebrated their Second Happiest Day are invited to come as spectators, greet old friends, and help Rick celebrate his 80th.
If you know of someone who might like to race, or get involved with the I-36 Association, you are remined that anyone who joins the Assocation now is paid up through all of 2022. (Print this and put it on their boat: New Member Application: https://islander36.org/secure/i-36appl.html )
Here's a chance for all of you who haven't raced this year to get in one last day on the water before the season ends. We are once again sailing in clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge starting in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club. Join us and show that you haven't lost any of that pizazz. Cruisers, here's an opportunity to cheer the racers on and join Rick's celebration.
So fill in the resevation below (not included here) and make it a resounding success for the fleet getting closer to normal - Saturday October 2nd, the Nationals Regatta starting at the Golden Gate YC.
Here are the details:
The Nationals Race will be sailed using the Racing Rules of Sailing.
Starting Area & Time
Gather at the "X" buoy in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club between 11:30 - 12:00. All participants are instructed to maintain a radio watch on VHF Channel 72 throughout the event. When you arrive in the Starting Area, check in with the Regatta Coordinator (Rick) on Channel 72, and confirm your crew and spectator count for the Nibbles & Celebration party.
The Starting Signals for the Race are:
The starting sequence will be broadcast on VHF Channel 72, and there will not be any signal flags.
The Race Course is: the starting line is between "X" and the GGYC flagpole; leave buoy "A", in front of the St. Francis Yacht Club, to starboard; leave Harding Rock buoy (RG "HR") to starboard; leave Alcatraz Island to starboard; leave Blossom Rock buoy(GR "BR") to starboard; finish between "X" and the flagpole at Golden Gate Yacht Club. The Regatta Coordinator will make every effort to record the finish times, but each boat is also requested to record their own finish time using GPS or cellphone exact time, then communicate it to the Nationals Coordinator on Channel 72 if requested.
At the conclusion of the 1st race, the Regatta Coordinator will announce on VHF channel 72 if there will be a second race, or the racers are requested to assemble on the GGYC docks for the Nibbles & Celebration festivities.
Any changes to the starting time, course or instructions would be made by the Regatta Coordinator on Channel 72 in the starting area before the start.
To encourage more participation, we're are going non-spinnaker, and we will give some rating credits to encourage participation as follows:
Rating adjustments:
Fixed 2 blade prop = +10 sec/mi
Fixed 3 blade prop = +15 sec/mi
Largest headsail 136% or higher = -6 sec/mi
Tall rigs = -6 sec/mi
Non-Spinnaker - no adjustment
Roller furling - no adjustment
Boat weight - no allowance for weight differences
There is no Entry Fee for existing members. If you want to participate but have been putting off joining the association here is your chance. You can join for $50 and get a membership through 2022! What a deal!
Sign-ups
| Sail # | Boat Name | Skipper | Prop | P-Allow | Jib | J-Allow | Tall? | Rating | Crew | Party |
| 6697 | Bella Luna | Bob DaPrato | I | 10 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 3 | 5 |
| 6763 | Cassiopeia | Kit Wiegman | O | 0 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 6 | 6 |
| 28312 | Highlighter | Bill Hackel | O | 0 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 4 | 6 |
| 438 | Kapai | Rick Egan | E | 0 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 4 | 4 |
| 420 | Luna Sea | Dan Knox | E | 0 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 4 | 6 |
| 461 | Mambo | Chris Fearon | I | 10 | 90 | 6 | 0 | 160 | 3 | 3 |
| 234 | Renaissance of Tahoe Vista | Stephen Douglass | O | 0 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 144 | ||
| 57307 | Windwalker | Tom Schoenhair | O | 0 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 144 | ||
| Race Management & Other | ||||||||||
| Vanishing Animal (Tall) | Rick & Sandy Van Mell | 2 | ||||||||
| Zingara | Jocelyn & Steve Swanson | 2 | ||||||||
| White Horses | Ruby & Rob Blenderman | |||||||||
| Nimbus | Mike & Daphne Dickson | |||||||||
Results
| Score | Finish | Elapsed | ||||||
| Sail # | Boat Name | Skipper | Time | Time | Rating | Allow | Corrected | |
| Place | ||||||||
| 57307 | Windwalker | Tom Schoenhair | 14:12:15 | 2:7:15 | 144 | 0:0:0 | 2:7:15 | |
| 1 | ||||||||
| 234 | Renaissance of Tahoe Vista | Stephen Douglass | 14:15:41 | 2:10:41 | 144 | 0:0:0 | 2:10:41 | |
| 2 | ||||||||
| 28312 | Highlighter | Bill Hackel | 14:16:3 | 2:11:3 | 144 | 0:0:0 | 2:11:3 | |
| 3 | ||||||||
| 6763 | Cassiopeia | Kit Wiegman | 14:18:38 | 2:13:38 | 144 | 0:0:0 | 2:13:38 | |
| 4 | ||||||||
| 438 | Kapai | Rick Egan | 14:21:28 | 2:16:28 | 144 | 0:0:0 | 2:16:28 | |
| 5 | ||||||||
| 6697 | Bella Luna | Bob DaPrato | 14:28:15 | 2:23:15 | 154 | 0:1:1 | 2:22:14 | |
| 6 | ||||||||
| 461 | Mambo | Chris Fearon | 14:35:44 | 2:30:44 | 160 | 0:1:38 | 2:29:6 | |
| 7 | ||||||||
| 420 | Luna Sea | Dan Knox | DSQ | 144 | ||||
| 8 | ||||||||
