2012 SYC Tri Island Series #1, Smith Island Race Recap

The last weekend of April would mark the second time this year I’d participate in a race around the curious chunk of wind and wave hammered sediment called Smith Island. Having already participated in a race around the island from Anacortes I was keen to experience the route from Seattle to the north and back. Currents and wind predictions suggested a “gentlemanly” sail.

Pre start conditions had a decent southerly and clear skies as the fleets prepped for a spinnaker start. Aboard Shoot the Moon we had a crew of 11 and enough bottled water for an extra 15 bodies. In our fleet of 6 distance loving yachts we were the slowest rated at 84 and likely armed with the most running jokes and best stories in the fleet. We’re also accused of being snappy dressers too.

At the final approach to the start we were the only ones going for boat end on port tack and although we didn’t have the legs to carry us across the fleet we had em’ right where we wanted em’ gybing several times to keep out of trouble before we could hoist the kite. We got settled in and were about 2hrs from Smith Island according to Michael who had yet to remove an article of clothing.

Michael expertly trimming the staysail for multiple tenths of a knot advantage - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Breeze freshened as we gybed and ran deep on the west side of the sound. Ahead of us was the bulk of our fleet that had found a small hole in the space time continuum and was able to eek several miles of distance on us. Directly behind the short course leaders were compressing with the J105’s J105’ing each other (surprise!).

Teresa and Nicole take time out to share a Facebook moment - photo by Nicole Haustveit

 The ebb continued to build and the geographic shift left kept us running on starboard in sunny skies. Being behind by several miles had the entertainment advantage being able to watch short course boats approaching their turning mark from the wrong board. Sailing upwind to make the leeward mark looks slow; did I mention the ebb was pretty strong?

Approaching Pt Partridge we had yet to gybe since Kingston while the Beneteau 45 in our fleet kept us company flopping shore to shore the whole way from Mutiny Bay to Partridge Bank. We were about 2hrs from Smith Island and we had the fleet right where we wanted them – ahead but showing a clear northerly breeze beginning to fill gently as the ebb tide faded. Big money boats had already rounded and were playing in the convergence, displaying the holes for the pack behind. Ruby came down and Blondie went up for the quick beat to the top of Minor Island.

Best way to catch the fleet is to make Kirt eat a bear claw - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Teresa’s awesome enchiladas were loaded into the oven as we made a left turn at Minor Island and skirted the northern shore(s) of Minor and Smith. We set the kite for a run back thru Admiralty Inlet and it occurred to me we’d only used STM’s genoa about 25 minutes total. 

Trevor's amusing high fashion - photo by Nicole Haustveit

We ran east towards admiralty head in the building flood while the bulk of our fleet ahead was rounding Point Wilson, which was right where we wanted them. On the run a wayward cetacean breached abeam of us a few times signaling approval of our course. I’m not sure what type of whale it was, guessing minke maybe? In any event, Steve wasn’t anywhere near the helm so the whale was in no immediate danger. Michael noted we were about 2 hrs from the finish. 

Smith Island at 3pm with the fleet exactly where we want em' - photo by Nicole Haustveit

The remainder of the racing through Admiralty Inlet was extended puffs and lulls between the shores, with STM being the east most boat whilst the remaining fleet kept mostly west between Marrowstone and Foulweather Bluff. Ed cranked the fun meter up to 10.4kn beam reaching to Bush pt while our competition aboard Absolutely peeled to their dark kite and attempted to disguise themselves as a tree on shore.

Numbers we can live with - photo by Nicole Haustveit

Once a large container freighter was clear we gybed for the western peninsula shore in dying breeze and odd rolly wave sets for the prevailing conditions. Darkness had set in and we were only able to sight the two C&C’s Darby and ReignMaker in front of us and the large reachy Beneteau from Milltown. I think at this point we were about 2hrs from the finish and approaching Appletree cove. Never having followed our fleet the whole day we weren’t about to start now, and given we had em’ where we wanted em’ the decision was made to gybe over to Pt Wells in search of a stronger shore breeze and current relief from the beginning ebb.

The thing about Pt Wells was it was illuminated substantially well to see the lack of breeze but we remained in positive water. Skipper Don went below for a bit of decompression so Michael assumed the helm and promptly put the foredeck to work, threatening “Gybe or I’ll take off my pants and jacket!” (I might be exaggerating) – In the last 2 hrs of the race we did more maneuvers than we’d done in the previous 14 hrs of sailing, no rest for the wicked!

It seemed to take at least 2 hrs to make meadow point but the good news was we were only 2 hrs from the finish. I think from G1 into Shilshole bay was the first time the whole race we’d seen an extended period of negative current. At 01:28:14 the race committee signaled our finish, last boat in the fleet to the dock and by virtue, the boat and crew who got the most time in such unique conditions.

STM’s crew consisted of Skipper Don mainly driving but moonlighting in many other areas, notably bow, Sam working tactics and navigation, Kirt-Kyle-Trevor-Nicole mainly pulling the strings and updating the facebook, Teresa kicking it in the pit, Kristy swinging the main and warning the dangers of Brazilian shampoo (not what you’re probably thinking), Ed being generally all over the boat, Michael with a mean staysail trim, and Steve working the bow and whale targeting.

I’m guessing Ed must have spent the previous week helping little old ladies through crosswalks around Seattle and maybe Kristy donated some hair to a wig shop, otherwise I’m not sure what we did to deserve such a nice sail. In the end we only corrected over the Beneteau in our fleet for 5^th place. It’s fun to win but when you don’t perspective is your friend and I think Steve said it best when he opined, “…it’s worth noting that it could literally be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A long (85 mile, 16 hour) out-and-back race that was at least 90% downwind and 90% positive current.” Shoot man, I had a blast!

And in retrospect we probably would have placed better if Shawn had chosen to pull lines and crank winches around her pit in lieu of gallivanting around igloos and hanging out with yetis on a snowshoeing adventure. Who does that in April anyway? I think we may have been dangerously low on EZ-Cheese too – also Shawn’s fault. (love ya Shawner!)