THURSDAY, 27 AUGUST 09 -- LATE AFTERNOON OUTING-- THREADING THROUGH 505 RACE FLEET THEN HEADING FOR SAUSALITO AND BACK AT SUNSET

We headed out around 5 pm for a late afternoon sail with beautiful cloud patterns over the bay that suggested we might have a lovely sunset. Winds were moderate, so we were tempted to use full canvas, but decided to stick with single reefed main and full jib as we headed out into the bay.




We immediately found ourselves in the middle of a large fleet of 505 race boats beating upwind toward the finish line. The boats are participating in the SAP 505 World Championship hosted by the St. Francis YC, so there are boats from the USA and many other countries of the world, like this one from Denmark between us and Alcatraz....




... but eventually passing us, heading for the shore of the city.




We were dodging boats while beating westward ourselves, and at one point this boat passed and the crew saw us taking a photo and one of them waived.




Here's a group of 505s are beating upwind in front of pier 39, one from Germany, one from Australia and one from the USA. I saw several Aussie boats in the fleet.




This 505 was from Great Britain and was sailing west on port tack.




Here's a USA boat also heading west on port tack with one of the 2 crewmen hiked way out to balance the boat for maximum speed.











Here, two Aussie boats are heading west on port tack, and we ducked the closest one-- not insisting on our starboard tack right of way.




Eventually we passed in front of this group of boats in the fleet, all heading west on port tack.




This 505 passed close to us and so we caught this close-up shot of the crew




This German boat passed astern of us, looking good as they sailed west on port tack.




The wind velocity was variable, so the hiking out crew members had to adjust their hiked out position to keep the boat level. Here, the hiker is more inboard when the breeze is lighter.




This 505 is apparently from Bermuda and is on a beat toward the shore on starboard tack.















We ducked behind this group of four boats in front of Aquatic Park, the nearest two on starboard tack and the more distant two on port tack.




We passed in front of this 505 with one crew member hiked out only part way-- not laying flat out like some we saw...




.... including this one.




This race boat was one of the laggers in the fleet, here heading west with the beautiful cloud patterns in the west and overhead giving us the possibility of a beautiful sunset.




The wind velocity increased as evening wore on so these lagging boats had more wind and this one was not able to flatten the boat even though one of the crew was hiked way out.




After almost all of the 505 fleet had passed us, we headed across the bay on beam reach, enjoying our views of the sensational cloud patterns over the bay.




As we continued toward the mouth of Richardson Bay, we spotted PRIVATEER heading back toward home port.




She was sailing close hauled and well heeled-over in the strong winds.




Big puffy clouds extended overhead between us and the gate.




The sun was lowering in the sky toward the hills of the Sausalito and the Marin Headlands.




We reached the mouth of Richardson Bay and then came about and headed back toward home port, initially sailing close hauled in the lighter breeze and gradually falling off as the wind velocity increased. Eventually, ADVENTURE CAT, our old pal, passed astern of us, heading for the gate on her sunset sail.




As the sun continued to lower in the sky, whispy lower clouds were pushed over the bay by the strong winds.




With strong winds all the way across the bay, we were soon approaching the shore of the city which was still enjoying some evening sunshine.




Beautiful puffy clouds extended over the bay and over Alcatraz.




As we sailed between Alcatraz and the cityfront, this Pilot boat blasted past us, heading for the and creating a big wake for us to bang through.




This lovely dark-hulled sailboat was heading west with full canvas and looking good.




Several flocks of pelicans flew past, some way overhead like this flock.




Soon we were sailing past the end of pier 39, where the flags were fluttering in a breeze now at about 10 knots.




I pulled in the jib all the way so we could sail around with main only to watch the sundown and sunset and eventually spotted the CALIFORNIA HORNBLOWER heading out on a cruise.




We sailed past the east marina and then heaed back out into the bay again to watch the sunset, and this neighbor boat was heading toward the marina entrance.




As the sun continued to drop behind the headlands, we could see that some nice sunset color was beginning to develop.




PRIVATEER was now heading out for her sunset sail with quite a few passengers aboard.




As we beat westward with main only, the sunset continued to develop.




The puffy clouds over the city were beginning to take on a bit of sunset color.




This flock of pelicans was flying quite low over the water....




.... while this lone pelican flew overhead and was spotted diving for fish from time to time.





As the sun set in the west, some brilliant color began to develop on the clouds over the headlands and the gate.




As skies began to darken, the half moon brightened in the evening sky....




... and sunset color developed on the clouds all over the bay and the city, giving us a 360 degree sunset display.




Eventually, spectacular sunset colors developed on the cloud bank in the west...




... and eventually faded toward the horizon as ADVENTURE CAT approached home port.


We then headed into the marina and landed fine in the light ebb current, keeping the main up as we sailed and motorsailed into port.

15 AUGUST 09 -- AROUND ANGEL ISLAND TO THE GATE AND BACK-- BOAT RACING

We still have issues with the power train which is making a racket when the transmission is in gear, but the transmission shifts fine, so I decided to head out for a sail in the late morning, raising single-reefed main just outside the marina and heading out into the bay.



A neighbor boat was also heading out and raising her main sail, and seemed to be having some problem with finishing the process.












We headed west with main only, hoping to find the racing boats on the bay, while behind us, ADVENTURE CAT 2 was heading out for an afternoon outing and raising her main sail.




We gave up on heading west and banging through the big wind waves, and fell off to head north toward the lee side of Angel Island. ADVENTURE CAT 2 soon passed us, heading for the lee side of Alcatraz.




The air was very smazy with poor visibility for photography, but we spotted a race fleet north of Alcatraz and heading downwind toward a leeward mark, like these two boats seen through the haze.




That neighbor boat had finished putting out sails and was now heading north, looking sloppy with fenders dangling over the side.




One of the lead boats in the racing fleet was Aleta, distinctive with her large red kite and golden yellow hull.




This golden-hulled cruising sailboat crossed in front of us, heading north.





A bit later, we were seeing some of the lead race boats heading upwind after rounding the leeward mark, like this one here....













.... and ASTRA here, with crew on the rail, but still well-heeled -over.




Some boats in the fleet, like this one with another red kite, were still heading downwind, while others like the one in the background were blasting upwind.




That race boat with the red kite was abreast of us when she suddenly broached-- rounding up into the wind and heeling uncomfortably for the crew, accompanied by lots of yelling.




One of the crew released the kite halyard to help recover from the broach and get back on course toward the leeward mark.....




....the crew now dousing the kite well before approaching the leeward mark.




After all the race boats passed, rounding the leeward mark and heading back upwind, we continued on toward the lee side of Angel Island, planning to head for Raccoon Straits. As we sailed northward, well away from the shore of the island, this full canvas sailboat was heading in the opposite direction and soon encountering the stronger winds of the central bay.....


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After all the race boats passed, rounding the leeward mark and heading back upwind, we continued on toward the lee side of Angel Island, planning to head for Raccoon Straits. As we sailed northward, well away from the shore of the island, this full canvas sailboat was heading in the opposite direction and soon encountering the stronger winds of the central bay.....



.....and retreating back toward the lighter winds in the lee of the island.




Quite a few sailboats were sailing in various directions in the lee of the island, like this lovely sailboat heading southeast....




....and she was looking good with only the skipper visible in the cockpit.




As we sailed northward, I spotted this small aircraft flashed past, flying quite low.




Over by the shore of Angel Island, a number of sailboats were trying to reach Raccoon Straits, but were on the lee shore with little or no wind.




That sailboat that had retreated from the strong central bay winds was now just ghosting northward with sail trim that wasn't effective for the wind direction, so we ghosted past her in the light lee shore winds.




I had pulled out the jib to full for more power in the light wind, and we just managed to ghost our way into the stronger winds opposite the mouth of Raccoon Straits and start making good headway while this lovely center cockpit ketch passed to starboard.




Soon we were entering the east mouth of the straits, and eventually passed this sistership heading downwind.....




....with a two person crew aboard, looking over at us admiringly, as I did them and their boat.




Ayala Cove was full of boats in this early afternoon.




A bit later, another Ericson sailboat passed to starboard, heading down the straits, unfortunately not looking good with a fender dragging.




A single port tack took us all the way through the straits, and then we tacked onto starboard tack to sail down the weather side of Angel Island where a dingy and small boat regatta was taking place. I eventually tacked to the west, then came about and pulled in the jib all the way so I could sail main only while photographing the small race boats, like these Optimist dingys heading upwind toward the windward mark.




Other small two person dingies were also heading upwind toward the windward mark like this one here.




A bit later, the laser fleet that had started the race earlier was now heading downwind toward the leeward mark, like these boats here.





This laser was alongside us when she broached.




She eventually righted and continued downwind toward the leeward mark.




As we continued westward sailing main only, this race boat flying full canvas approached and passed in front of us.














We ghosted westward, actually tacking twice to head for the finish line of the race and eventually spotted the Optimist fleet heading upwind toward the finish line, like these three boats here.




We were south of the finish line and watched as some of the Optimists headed for the finish line, like these here.




Meanwhile, some boats in a 420 fleet had rounded the windward mark and were headed downwind, flying both kite and jib, like these two boats here...




... and these two boats here flying identical kites.





After leaving behind the small boat race course, I pulled out a small bit of jib and began beating westward toward the gate, and eventually this large sailboat crossed in front of us as she was sailing across the bay....




...with the gate in the background largely obscured by a fog bank.




A bit later, this Santana 22 sailboat crossed in front of us...





.... the three crew of Charisma enjoying the warm sunshine at this spot on the bay.




As we continued beating toward the gate, eventually arriving in stronger winds, and eventually spotting ADVENTURE CAT 2 heading our way and passing well astern of us, as we were on a starboard tack heading across the bay.




We sailed all the way across the bay in the strong winds, but with just the right amount of canvas, and tacked toward the gate after approaching the fishing pier near the shore. The south tower of the gate was partially obscured by the fog bank.




Windsurfers were playing around on the bay near the gate, like this sailboarder here.




This small sailboat named VITAMIN J was following us as we headed out the gate.




She fell off and headed back inside as soon as she shot the gate, while we continued westward a bit longer.




The north half of the gate was brighter and the cliffs of the Marin Headlands seemed to be in sunshine.




We eventually came about and headed back inside, pulling the jib out to full for max downwind power. We passed in front of this small catamaran with highly reefed main that had been sailing back and forth across the bay without making progress toward the gate.




This kiteboarder was airborne as he blasted toward us.




We made good headway downwind toward home port and eventually watched as this J24 approached from our starboard side, flying full canvas....




.... with her two-person crew enjoying the sunshine on this part of the bay.




Behind us, the fog bank was now completely obscuring the gate completely.




I eventually had to fall off to dead downwind and pull the jib all the way in so we could avoid gybing by sailing main only the rest of the way. This Coast Guard fast boat blasted past to starboard as we sailed past Aquatic Park.




The city was enjoying hazy sunshine as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.




This heavily reefed Tartan sailboat was sailing close-hauled toward the cityfront.



The flags on the end of pier 39 were fluttering in a breeze of about 15 knots.


We sailed into the lee of pier 35 and doused the main, prepared for landing and motored around the pier and into the marina, landing fine in the light flood current flowing through the marina. It was great to be out on the bay for about 5 hours after being stuck in port for the last couple of weeks.