This is written from the standpoint of being aboard the Santa Cruz 33 I-5 so others in the fleet will have seen the race differently. Their versions of the event will be different, but they were on different boats in some other wind and their own piece of water.
I never met the Maclean this race is in memory of, but I am told that he loved a challenge and sailed with a passion. Rafe Beswick our current Race Chairman must have known him well, as this rendition of the Race was both a challenge and an orgy for those who love sailing. It is now Monday morning the day after the Race, and I can hardly lift my wrists to type, every muscle in my body is screaming in protest.
The Race was basically a two day event with start at Olympia and a finish at Gig Harbor. The start was planned to be a reverse start: that is the slowest handicapped boat would start first and the rest of the fleet in ascending handicap order later. Each boat had its own starting time based on the course length and her time allowance. So the first boat to finish would be the winner and the various places from there on strictly based on order of finish. For some reason the sailing instructions called for the first boat to finish to stop and record the finish times of the rest. The ironic twist to this only dawned on me later.
Each boat had to sail with a reduced crew. 2 people for boats under 30 feet, 3 people for boats 30- 40 feet and 4 people for boats larger than 40 feet. Both the length of the course and the reduced crew size kept the fleet thinned to the dim witted and hearty.
The second day specified all the boats starting together so that the whole fleet would suffer the current of Tacoma Narrows at the same time.
Each boat was required to take their own time at Lyle Point, about half way, in case the course had to be shortened either day. Each boat was required to record her own finish time on the second day. More irony.
The weather forecast for Saturday was South 5-10 kts with 30% chance of showers. The tide was Ebbing until 1110, so most of the fleet would have a chance of getting a push through Dana Passage before the adverse flood tide current began. For once the smaller boats would have an advantage as they started earlier and would be in the ebb tide current longer. The first start was scheduled for 0800.
At the time of the first Start the wind was 8- 10 kts from the SW. Edgewalker was the starting boat and gave each boat a 5 minute warning before their individual start. Each boat seemed to get away fairly in clear air with good wind. As our designated starting time approached we looked around and saw someone on Escapade half way up the mast. They are of course our normal arch rival in H class. They were scheduled to start a couple of minutes ahead of us, and would be late for their start. This meant we wouldn’t have to spend an agonizing amount of time chasing them. They would have to chase us for once.
When our starting time came we hoisted the spinnaker and out it came with a wrap. Fortunately the wrap came out without too much fuss, and off we went headed straight down the course towards Doffelmeyer Point. Our boat has an unusual characteristic, she will sail very well dead down wind or slightly by the lee. So we just sailed a little to windward heated up and followed the puffs, heading up or down as the strength and direction and changed. We were able to sail straight down the course past Dofflemeyer without having to gybe. That plus the push from the ebb tide allowed us to catch the Wylie 34 Ishtar just as we reached the point and gybed to head for Dana Passage.
We continued north to get into the strongest current close to Brisco Point and were able to stretch our lead a bit on Ishtar who was closer to the right in a little less current and wind. We were now on a starboard tack spinnaker reach in about 8 knots of wind and a 2 knot current giving us a push. The wind was a bit fluky as it came over the land mass to the right, but we were able to keep up our speed and finally pass the Farr 37 Power Surge and later the J-30 Djinn just before we reached Henderson Inlet. We could see the spinnakers of Djinn, Ishtar, and the J-33 Zealot in that order behind us with spinnakers set reaching along in hot pursuit. As we reached the Henderson Inlet mouth the wind picked up and we were set off faster then ever for a while. We continued to stay in the middle of the channel where the current was strongest and rounded Johnson Point wide.
Of course the wind got lighter and the course dictated that we set a jib for the close reach to Lyle point at the tip of Anderson Island. We had our #1 150% genoa on the furler, and it was definitely the right sail at first. But as we sailed along the wind freshened as it was not longer being slowed by the land mass. So we were overpowered as we continued along on a close reach. It was a matter of coming up in the lulls, and bearing off on the puffs. Just before we reached Lyle Point we overtook and passed Murrelet. It was sometime along this leg that the tide changed and we started sailing in the adverse flood tide current. As we approached the Dolphin at Lyle Point there was a discussion as to whether we should sail inside the dolphin and the shore. We sailed to the outside course and found ourselves in 2 knots adverse current. So we rounded close and set the spinnaker. It didn’t take long to figure out that there was a lot more current mid channel so we sailed basically dead down wind favoring the left side.
It wasn’t long until Ishtar and Zealot rounded Lyle Point and headed out towards mid channel and the right side of the course. We knew that Rafe Beswick on Zealot had a ton of local knowledge, so we had to keep him covered. We started out towards mid channel and saw immediately a two knot slow down, so we went back to the left into less current. For all we knew the current on the East side of the channel was lighter, but it would be costly to go over there so we gritted our teeth and stayed to the left. Because we were able to sail dead downwind we could keep the keep pointed directly into the current all the time and stay to the left out of maximum current velocity. This proved to be of huge advantage, as those behind with fractional rigs couldn’t sail dead downwind effectively. So they had to gybe constantly and with a minimum size crew very hard to do.
Ahead of us we could see three boats. They were at least two to three miles ahead. Two to the left side with spinnakers the Holder 20 Nirvana and the Ranger 29 Inati and one to the right side of the channel wing-on-wing the Pearson 30 Releaf. We noticed that the boats on the left were very close to the shore and even though we were gaining we weren’t gaining fast, so we decided to go even closer to the shore and as we did so the head current decreased. We went left into the entrance of Balch Passage and along the beach at the tip of McNeil Island. We found the current was at its weakest at 20 feet of water depth. This is about two boat lengths off the beach, and a scary place to be running along at 5-6 knots. Of course the wind was shifty and the spinnaker needed constant trim. It kept you from thinking about what may lay just under the water surface. We were pulling away from the boats astern and gaining a little on those ahead. We could now see Escapade among the boats behind, but far enough back not to be an immediate threat. It was nerve wracking sailing along the beach with the occasional Volkswagen sized boulder standing sentinel right on the water’s edge, very much a risk/reward game that seemed to be paying off.
It is interesting how you can be fooled sailing downwind in an adverse current. The current flowing along makes waves and ripples that mimic the look of wind generated waves. When the current is flowing contrary to the wind direction the current velocity has to be added to the wind velocity so the surface waves are those of a much stronger total force. As you get closer to shore the current slows down and the surface waves are much smaller even though the wind has not changed. It is counterintuitive to be seeking flatter water with fewer waves for more speed. Further confused when you sail away from the shore that the contrary current gets stronger so you slow down then the apparent wind picks up and the boat starts sailing faster through the water that is going in the wrong direction. So in more current you are sailing faster through the water but a lot slower over the ground. This made it hard to hug the shore especially when you have visions of very hard objects lying hidden along the shore. We don’t often sail in the sort of strong current found in the Tacoma Narrows, so this experience really drove the reality home.
We crossed Hale Passage in greater current, and just about the time we got two miles from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge the two boats with spinnakers disappeared around the corner towards Gig Harbor. The boat sailing wing-on-wing on the right side was now losing ground steadily and the boats behind were falling back as well. Unless the two boats ahead fell into a hole on the way to the finish we were not going to get there first. So we continued skipping from boulder to boulder exchanging remarks with the people strolling along the beach and trimming with each shift and nervous fold of nylon.
We finally crawled under the bridge and rounded Evans point and headed for Gig Harbor. The two boats ahead were about half way to the finish and slowed down. They were now about 100 yards off the beach so we stayed again close in and began gaining on them. Of course the wind got lighter and our speed decreased accordingly. The wind seemed to bend around the point much the same as water will bend around a rock so we continued on running in what was now an Easterly. The reduced current just off the beach became even more important. By staying close in we were able to catch Nirvana and Inati who were neck and neck just barely making headway about 150 feet off the beach. We seemed to bring a steak of wind with us and were able to sneak by right off the beach in less current. For some reason the wind held until we were at the buoys the Race instructions said would constitute the Finish. It was unbelievable. We had actually finished first and won the first day’s race. We felt all along that the wind would quit and all those behind would catch up and pass us. How sweet it was.
So now we had the job of taking the time on the rest of the boats as they finished. We tied up to the finish line buoy and waited. As it turned out we were there for the next 4 1/2 hours. It was pure agony seeing the boats behind struggling the last bit if distance in hardly any wind and a 2-3 knot head current. It was a lesson learned over and over. We were so happy that we had chosen the course we did. The two boats ahead showed us the way, and we had wind all the way to the finish. We sailed a good race, but had more than a lifetime’s share of luck.
As we waited and watched the rest of the fleet finish we noticed they all seemed to stay quite a distance off shore, a hundred yards or more, and none tried the just off the beach tactic. They would head toward the shore, and then back out again before they got to the slack water along the beach. It wasn’t until the next day that the answer why presented itself.
By the time we got in to the dock the party had been underway for hours. The ultimate irony was that the finish time of the boats didn’t really matter just the order of finish, but the lucky guy who finished first had to stay out there the longest. The good news and the bad news, but the good news was well worth the wait.
When we finally got tied up and squared away we joined the others aboard Ishtar for a social hour, and then the whole gang wandered over the local Mexican restaurant for dinner. It was great fun and everyone crashed early. We don’t often get a chance to socialize after a race, so this was a big plus.
At dinner we sat across the table from Scott Schoch the owner of Nirvana. He works on a tug boat and is well aware of the local currents. He knew to stay on the left or west side of the channel from Lyle Point all the way to Gig Harbor. We had picked the right local knowledge to follow.
The weather forecast was mixed. The sky was clear with big puffy cumulus clouds racing along from the West. The wind forecast was for Southwest 15-35 with squalls. So it would be a little jib day. We put the 95% blade on the furler and went out to the starting area. Rafe had decided on a gentlemanly start time of 1100. The tide was due to change from ebb to flood around 1230 so the whole fleet would be facing the Narrows current at the same, adverse, stage. Zealot was going to be the starting boat with the whole fleet going off together. Again everyone had to take their own time at Lyle Point and at the finish.
As the starting gun went off we were to windward and got a great start. The wind was coming down off the cliffs and spreading out across the water. Lifts in the puffs and headers in the lulls. We instinctively felt there would be more wind a bit offshore and there was, but there we were in the current. About half way to Point Evans we realized that the rest of the fleet was short tacking along the beach in a lot less current. We tried to tack back into the beach, but sailed into a big hole. It didn’t dawn on me until the next day that the wind was coming down off the cliffs hitting the water near shore and bouncing up before coming back down further offshore. This same bounce had been the curse of the boats the previous day. There was basically a hole that we couldn’t get through without losing a lot of ground on the way to the beach. So we stayed out where we were hoping for a big lift and watched the rest of the fleet get ahead by at least a mile.
Power Surge was right with us and first one or the other of us would gain dependent upon who got the puff first. The Trimaran had stayed outside, and by now was way over to the East side of the Channel. By the time we reached Point Evans we were well behind, but were finally able to head for the beach and start to short tack in hot pursuit after the rest of the fleet. Power Surge continued on across the channel to the East bank and then tacked back. By the time she got back she had lost considerably on us, and we were starting to gain on those ahead. About the time we got to the bridge we had caught Releaf and Inati and seemed closer to the fleet ahead. It was just one tack after another. Tack off the beach at 20 feet of depth and tack back when the speed over the ground dropped by 2 knots. The tide should have changed by now, but the current continued to flow outward.
Finally by the time we got to Hale Passage the current began to weaken and then we were met by a very dark squall that brought down a lot of wind, large amounts of water and even hail that hurt like hell. When the squall pass by the wind lightened, but there were several other squalls to be seen headed our way. We thought about making a sail change, but didn’t want to get caught with too much sail up in one of those. Anyway the current was almost slack and we were moving along fairly well.
About the time we reached Gibson Point we noticed those ahead still sailing close to the McNeil Island and Anderson Island side. Our old friend Nirvana had tacked out into mid channel close to Toliva Shoal, so they must have some different local knowledge. We seemed to now be getting a push from the current, so why not stay out were it would be strongest. The wind was lighter, but the current was giving us a push, so we decided to stay out in the middle. Then another squall full of rain and hail came through and we seemed to make another little gain on the four boats ahead. By the time we got to Oro Bay we had almost caught Djinn and both Zealot and Escapade had rounded Lyle Point out of sight. It was obvious the wind had gotten light and we needed a lot more sail. So we made a change to the #1 and then began to grind down Djinn. We sailed in about two knots of flood current and about the same amount of wind around Lyle Point. We could see Escapade ahead of us by about a mile, and Zealot ahead of them by another mile neither had much wind, so our choice of a larger headsail seemed right.
Then without warning a light breeze filled in from the East, so we set a spinnaker and took off again down wind. We could see the same wind had reached Escapade and Zealot and they had set spinnakers as well. Escapade seemed to be in a bit of a hole, and we started to gain on them. Of course the downwind fun only lasted for a short while until another squall line developed and started on a path to the South of us. We could see the wind hitting the water to the South so got down the spinnaker and unfurled the genoa just in time for the wind to hit. Off we went in 24 knots apparent with the rain coming down in buckets. We were way over powered, so rolled up about half of the genoa and just flew along. The sail looked terrible, but we were reaching and sail shape didn’t seem to matter much. During this squall we got by Djinn and closed a bit of distance on Escapade.
When the squall dissipated the wind continued from the South so we had a close reach in about 10 knots of wind to Johnson Point. We continued to gain on Escapade, and got within a 1/4 of a mile or so of them until the wind picked up, shifted to the west, and we were overpowered. It didn’t look like the wind was strong up ahead so we hung on to the genoa and gained a little on Escapade with each tack. This continued on through Dana Passage and with each tack we gained just a bit, and felt our strength fade and our muscles ache. We took a hitch in along the shore near Boston Harbor and as we did so the wind lightened and we picked up speed.
At the entrance of Budd Inlet the wind was about 8 knots so we followed Escapade to the West shore and started to grind them down slowly. The wind started to ease off and as we closed in on Olympia Shoal it was obvious that there wasn’t enough time to catch Escapade. Zealot finished and sailed on by the #5 dolphin without having to stop and take the time of the finishers behind her.
So now finish times had to be adjusted by handicap and we had to take our own time. This seemed backwards, and must have been planned in advance. We finished first the day before and had to take times, and today the Race Chairman finished first and just gets to sail on home. How sadistic is that?
Escapade finished next and right behind us was Power Surge. Djinn had taken the East side of Budd Inlet course and had a long tack to make across the channel to reach the finish line. We were exhausted and by the time we got the boat parked and the sails folded could hardly make it up the dock. By then the tide was high and there was no steep ramp to trudge up.
The race was truly a challenge. My two sons and I had a great time. The competition was keen, and every possible point of sail was there. Thanks Rafe for setting this one up, and all the hearty souls who took their boats out to meet the challenge “messing about in boats.”
Dan O’Brien, I-5