We sailed out to the west a ways and then tacked toward pier 39, letting out a bit more jib for more power. Pier 39 flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 8-10 knots, maybe less.
As we tacked away to the west again, we spotted ADVENTURE CAT 2 heading home.
Shyam was at the hellm as we sailed westward with the city receding behind us and winds freshening a bit.
We eventually pulled the jib out to full for more power since winds remained moderate and we could use more upwind power. We eventually tacked back toward the shore again and watched as some Knarr race boats rounded their leeward mark.
Here a group of Knarrs were heading for the leeward mark, sailing wing and wing with jibs poled out.
Futher out in the west, some of the Melges fleet was heading for their leeward mark while others in the fleet had already rounded that mark and were heading back upwind toward the windward mark.
This lovely sailboat passed to port, heading downwind.
A bit later, we spotted ADVENTURE CAT heading home to join her sister, ADVENTURE CAT 2 that we passed earlier.
This smaller sailboat was crossing the bay and looking good with full canvas flying.
This Folkboat was the first around the leeward mark and here was heading back upwind, and we fell off the wind to go behind her and make sure we didn't affect her racing action.
I pulled in the jib all the way and we began tacking back and forth around the leeward mark to watch the racers, like these two Folkboats heading for the mark with two of their crew on the bow. I wonder: does that make the Folkboats go faster downwind?
A bit later, we were watching as the Folkboats headed back upwind after rounding the mark, all of them looking good!
They soon passed us as we were just ghosting around under reefed main only.
All the Folboats headed over to near shore for flood current relief before beginning to beat upwind.
All the Folboats headed over to near shore for flood current relief before beginning to beat upwind.
A bit later, we were out further on the bay, off the course of the Knarrs and Folkboats and spotted Hawkeye heading our way behind her colorful kite and sailing downwind on port tack broad reach.
She passed astern of us, looking good!
Her crew all looking very attentive as she passed us.
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We then headed back toward the shore to watch the Knarrs heading for the leeward mark again, like this one....
...with Santa Claus as one of the crew.
We worked our way through the fleet, making sure to stay out of their way, and this Knarr passed in front of us with relaxed looking crew...
...while we passed in front of this Knarr with one of the crew leaning against the boom to hold it out in the light winds.
Eventually, we spotted this group of Knarrs heading downwind together as we had tacked back to the west to sail out of the course again.
Soon we were near the finish line for the Melges fleet and watched as the lead boat crossed the finish line...
... and then doused her kite.
Here the Melges named PEGASUS, belonging I assume to the PEGASUS racing group headed by Philippe Khan, and I wondered if his son, called Shark Kahn was part of the crew.
She had five crewmembers while others in the fleet seemed to have only 4.
As we watched the Melges fleet going downwind toward the leeward mark, we were overtaken by Hawkeye, now sailing upwind, and here on port tack, same as we were....
...but then she tacked onto starboard tack, so we did also.
We watched as more of the Meges fleet crossed the finish line...
...with the cityscape looming in the background, all in brilliant sunshine and winds much softer than we usually have had lately.
As some of the fleet crossed the finish line, others already having crossed were heading for the marina.
Here, NOTHING VENTURED is about to cross the finish line....
...followed eventually by the boat that was DFL, way behind all the rest of the fleet. She had only 4 crew aboard, so I wonder if that was a detriment to boat performance and crew work.
A bit later, we spotted NOTHING VENTURED beating upwind after finishing the race, her crew looking relaxed.
While the Melges fleet was heading for home port, the Knarr fleet was apparently still racing and heading for an upwind finish.
This Knarr had finished the race and seemed to be heading across the bay toward her home port.
Here, two Knarrs were sailing upwind and framing the belfrey towers and steeples of the church in North Beach's Washington Square.
A bit later, both boats were sailing on starboard tack and chasing each other, a boat length apart.
We now left the racing behind as all the races had finished, and cointinued westward, pulling the jib out to full again and being tempted to shake out the reef in the main as well, but resisted. A long sailboarder passed to lee of us, lost wind and flopped into the water....
...but soon got up again as the wind came back again. Note how big a sail he is using in the light winds-- probably the max size they make for sailboards.
This nice Cal sailboat was sailing downwind to the north.
We didn't have time to get to the gate, since I needed to be back in port between 4:30 and 5, so we came about and headed back to home port as this 29er race boat headed toward shore on starboard tack.
Alcatraz was basking in sunshine as this sailboat headed up her southern shore...
.... looking good with full canvas flying.
As nice a day as it was, there were relatively few sailboats out, but we eventually passed this nice J105 heading upwind.
The city was enjoying mostly clear skies, clear air and brilliant sunshine.
As we neared home port, this lovely gaff-rigged schooner, the Bay Lady, I think, was sailing downwind to the east as well.
Flags on the end of pier 39 were fluttering in a breeze a bit stronger now, perhaps 10-12 knots.
I was happy to see the cruise ship, SEA PRINCESS, backing out of her berth at the east side of pier 35, leaving us free to go there to douse sails. I wondered what was the function or task of the crew people standing on the fold-down platforms on opposite sides of the bow of the huge ship. Perhaps they were supplemental eyes for the captain at the helm to make sure to avoid possible collisions.
We doused sails in the lee of pier 35 and then motored around the pier and toward the marina entrance as a power launch that had been lowered off the cruise ship THE WORLD on the west side of pier 35 motored northward, but then came about and headed back toward the ship.
We motored into port and landed fine in the light flood current still flowing through the marina at that time. It was a very pleasant outing, especially since were weren't fighting brutal winds as we usually have this time of year.
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