Monday, November 15, 2010

November Bay Crossings

It was one of those rare November days in northern California. 75 degrees in the city and just enough wind to tempt me out on the water for a tour of the SF Bay. By 4pm I launched from crissy field and was planning across the Bay towards Yellow Bluff just below Ft Baker in the marin headlands.
With 10-15 knots and a relatively week flood tide, my light-wind formula set up was well powered in the flat water.
The ML10 finds an edge with a relatively soft fin in those conditions and is easily railed.
The NP 10.7 EVO2 is feather weight light and an ease to handle. 2 pumps and you're off!
I set my base further back in the track - 43" from the front fin screw.
Booms- 100% up in the cutout.
I try to feed the rig as much power in the lulls to keep the drive going until the next puff.

Sebastian Kornum- DEN-24 shows a similar technique for light wind railing.

Luckily it pays off and I'm mid span planning under the golden gate bridge blasting back towards Fort Point. The sun is peaking out from beneath the bridge casting a long shadow as I cross the Bay again.
The flood tide pulls me back inside the Bay- so I decide to run with it.
Bearing off, I immediately accelerate and onto the surging swell.
@buoy46012 says its NW but I swear there's some south in there.
I gybe back and forth- keeping in the windline and the swell as I work my way down the Bay.

The extra 1-2k of flood tide makes gybing in the flat water almost effortless and fun.
I throw the rig around, keeping my speed through the gybe and immediately continue on a plane on the other tack.
No need for any chicken strap today!

I continue downwind making my way towards Fort Mason on the San Francisco city front where things lighten up.
A quick gybe back and I'm back in the windline for one last charge upwind.
This one's a long one.
I make it worth my while as I may not have another for some time
A few minutes later, I make it back to Anita rock where I shlog the last hundred feet into shore.
As if today's crossing wasn' t enough, the sunset set was absolutely epic.
click to enlarge...

2 comments:

James Douglass said...

Awesome! Is the guy in the video also using a 10.7, or something bigger? Do folks use 12.5s anymore?

USA-4 Steve Bodner said...

Yea DEN 24 is on a 10.7 in the video. He's a junior so probably doesnt need a 12.5 given his weight.
I dont sail w/ a 12.5 anymore as the difference between staying lit on a 11 is only a few knots.
Its worth it if you are racing in a light wind venue but its hard to justify the cost of an extra rig if you only use it a few times a year, as I ended up doing.