A Perfect Bullet Sweep of the YRA Double Handed 4 Race Series goes to BAADS
A Perfect Bullet Sweep of the YRA Double Handed 4 Race Series goes to BAADS.
Sometimes you race the fleet, sometimes you race a boat. In the July 11, YRA Short-Handed/Double-Handed Series finale, Walt Raineri and Ryan Bruington of Team BZ did both. The bullet in the fourth race of the series not only earned Team BZ another first place trophy in the 18 mile long standalone Bay Excursion Regatta, but also wrapped up a first place finish and more bling for Team BZ in the 4 race YRA Short-Handed Series. BZ finished the series with a perfect score of 3 points in the best 3 of 4 scoring format. Go Team BAADS and SBYC. click here to read more…
Cool temps, dense gray overcast skies, and early morning breezy conditions greeted Walt and Ryan when they arrived early at Treasure Island to prep BZ for the finale regatta in the double-handed series which started all the way back in February 2021. With a starting line way over at the Golden Gate Yacht Club, Walt and Ryan had to get up early and hustle to splash BZ for the almost 2 hour sail just to get to the starting area. The Bay Excursion Regatta was just that for Team BZ with periods of tropical weather and Arctic Storms, some sunshine and mostly high fog / overcast conditions.
The long 18 mile course started in the waters off GGYC, then upwind to Blackaller Mark near the South Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge against a 2.6 knot flood which maxed right at BZ’s start, then a downwind slingshot to Mark 24 (central bay channel marker Red 6), then a long reach past Red Rock, past the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge over to the Brothers at the entrance to san Pablo Bay (Buoy NB18), then a fluky upwind long beat to the finish at the Richmond Yacht Club. Despite the long course, Team BZ completed the regatta in a Corrected Time-On-Time of only 2 hours, 41 minutes and change, beating the second place Islander 36 by a little over 3 minutes, and winning the first place trophy for the standalone race.
Team BZ entered the Short-Handed series finale in first place with a 2 point lead, but there was a best 3 out of 4 races rule in effect. Essentially, the entire series came down to the last race for Team BZ which made it a match race with the boat in second place in the series, a bigger, faster, Islander 36. Team BZ won the start with a modified Vanderbilt maneuver, sailing upwind off to the right side of the course and against the current until just about 1 minute and 30 seconds to the gun. Flipping around and going with current and wind, BZ was full throttle, surfing the swells until reaching the starboard end of the line and executing what was in effect a leeward mark starboard slingshot rounding at full speed right at the gun. BZ was on starboard tack for only three seconds, and then helm to lee as port tack was wind favored by about 30 degrees. The faster Islander 36 quickly caught up and was about to cover BZ ntil it cracked off with a starboard tack to seek the shelter of current relieve with the rest of the fleet near the shore. Team BZ made the first of a few bold moves by taking a flyer and remaining on the favored port tack, risking the effect of the 2.6 knots of flood current, but taking advantage of clear air, strong wind and what they hoped would be positive VMG (velocity made good). The flyer paid off and BZ was ahead by 5 boats at the Blackaller upwind mark.
Wing on wing capturing the 20 to 30 knots of wind during the long downwind leg, BZ surfed the swells, cruised the current and probably was moving over ground between 8 and 10 knots, crazy fast for the 7 meter boat. In the match race, the Islander 36 using what appeared to be a 125 jib, caught up and passed BZ, but took an unusually wide course to the turning Mark 24. The more nimble BZ targeted the turning mark at 12 O’clock and executed a precision turn with less than a boat length to spare. The inside move paid off and BZ’s maneuver resulted in a 10 boat length lead. BZ then held the lead for the next 10 miles all the way down to the Brothers and part of the way back to the Richmond / San Rafael Bridge. The Islander 36 chose current relief near the shore over by Martinez and Team BZ again took a flyer and remained in the strong, clear air of the deeper part of the Bay, hoping that the tide had already begun to turn.
In the match race, the faster Islander 36 finally caught BZ a bit before the Richmond / San Rafael Bridge, and then the fun began. While the Islander 36 scooted along the shore, BZ put some money in the back with a higher angle into the central area of that part of the Bay. Team BZ optimized sail trim and kept the Islander 36 close until Red Rock. Team BZ then bore off and took advantage of some extra speed, slingshot ting around Red Rock and got to within about 10 boat lengths of the Islander 36. With strategic tacking, BZ kept the Islander 36 within a 100 yard dash distance right up to the turn to the finish, ending up only 3 minutes and change behind the faster Islander 36. With PHRF correction, however, BZ beat the Islander 36 by over 3 minutes, won the race, and swept the series with 3 bullets in the best 3 of 4 finishes scoring format. Go BAADS and Team BZ representing