Round the Rock 2003 by Bill Lewis

At the conclusion of last year’s race, Homus had taken first place, Bonnie Breeze had taken third place and Ericka had finished sixth. That left Hugh Linn ready to beat Josh Dvorson this year because Bonnie Breeze had lost her main sheet going around Alcatraz last year, but still came in third. That also left Bill Lewis wanting Ericka to be a faster boat. Bill bought a new, loose-footed main and had the bottom cleaned days before the race. Hugh had 30-year old sails but still does vary well, considering he also has an inboard while Ericka has an outboard and a decided weight advantage. Outboards have a PHRF rating of 221 while Inboards are rated at 228.

The start was delayed to 12:30. Homus had reported in by phone and was having engine problems, but was there for the start. At the gun, we all took off relatively close together on Starbaord tack. The entire fleet headed for the main channel, but Ericka tacked over to hug the shoreline as there was a substantial flood tide. After a few minutes, Bonnie Breeze tacked over to do the same and the rest of the Fleet were being set by the tide, Ericka and Bonnie Breeze were ahead of the pack and with some flukey winds, BB caught up with Ericka.

Bill thought he saw a wind hole ahead and tacked away, but found a hole instead and Bonnie Breeze edged ahead gaining about 10-15 boatlengths as we headed towards Alcatraz. The winds under the bridge shut us down for a while, but we maintained position going around the rock counter clockwise, As we
headed back up the city front we were looking to stay out of wind holes on the return trip. We both took the Yerba Buena side of the Bay bridge. Bonnie Breeze was becalmed under the bridge and Ericka caught up and, for some inexplicable reason, ghosted by her and got a small lead. But then, BB caught the breeze and caught up, In the meantime, Homus hailed us and said they had decided to drop out near Sausalito and work on the engine.

Ericka started moving towards the Port of Oakland when a tug boat came around and told us there was a container ship coming through and to stand clear. So, we had to wait on the leeward side of YB. Well the container ship came and went and we were being sucked backwards through the Eastern span of the Bay Bridge. We couldn’t break out of the hole. I was frustrated because this was the best race Ericka had sailed in many years, My son tried to coax me to start the engine. I had BB in sight and I said I would start the engine when she did. We hailed the race committee to determine if there was a race deadline and they said
no.

So, we kept trying to break out of the hole, I managed to tack away from YB and got out into some clear air. There was only enough wind to move us 0.9 knots. BB was moving a little bit and other boats around us seemed to be sailing. Gradually, the wind picked up and we started to move. The wind was now coming out of the Southwest and we were reaching back towards Ballena Bay at about 7 kts, but BB was still sitting there. We crossed the finish line at 6:15 and they asked us how far back the others were. We didn’t know. We found out later that BB crossed the finish line at 7:00.

Race results: Twelve boats started and 4 finished. Ericka took second place and BB took third.

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Oakland YC - August 16

Our Fleet has been accepted for a cruise-in at the Oakland Yacht Club August 16-17. This year, our cruise-in coincides with a club luau, so the theme will be Polynesian. To help defray the cost to members, the Fleet will subsidize $8.00 per member attending ($16 maximum per boat or family) which leaves the cost per member at $17.

The Port Captain has asked that we give advance notice for slips no later than August 5. There is no docking fee for one night. A $10 fee per additional night is levied. A $25 deposit or driver's license is required for a gate key. Drivein members can let me know by August 10 how many for dinner.

The Fleet is asking that a $10 refundable dinner deposit per person be sent to Ericson 27, at your editors address. Checks should be made out to "Ericson 27 - Fleet One"

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Coyote Point - September 6

Sam & Maralene Fogleman have graciously agreed to host a cruise-in to Coyote Point on September 6-7. Last year it was a big success. Sam has told me that this is NOT a Coyote Point Yacht Club - sponsored function, however, he can make a 3-4 slips available to us for the weekend. We will enjoy the Nature Museum and have a great dinner at Dominics restaurant on the CP golf course. We had a wonderful time last year and this year should be no different.

Let Sam or Marlene know if you plan to attend and, remember, only a limited number of slips is available, hence it will be first come - first served for cruise-ins. Of course, drive-ins are welcome.

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The Annual E27 Race by Hugh Linn

As usual the winds and currents in the bay were ignored by the race committee. Just why would you schedule a race to be opposite the currents, with max 2 to 3 knot against the race fleet all day. And, as usual on the way over on Friday afternoon, the usual “holes” were in evidence. Anyway, with great enthusiasm and
ignorance we proceeded.

The start was all right, if not too aggressive, we were over 15 seconds late. Joanne on the tiller, I on the jib sheets and Frida our dog asleep in the quarter birth down below. To avoid the currents we short port tacked out then ran along the stone breakwater out by the old aircraft carrier Hornet. We headed out under the bridge with a standard jib. Usually I use a 90% jib, but the winds were pretty light most of the way.

Rounding Alcatraz was on a counterclock pattern. Nobody was even close, only one boat ahead of us at this point. Just past the “rock” we were taking a pretty steep quarter wave on the stern, to the point of taking a few good waves over the cockpit. The crew got wet and commented that this was too much fun! Then a good run down the main wind cone to the Oakland bridge. The wind then just plain quit! Nada, nothing, not a breath, the wind indicator was doing 360’s, and now a tug blasting a big deep horn cleared us out and made the fleet lay down along the island. Into an endless nothing.

After drifting for a couple hours, and watching Bill, in Ericka round the opposite side of the channel, we called the race committee, who said there was no time limit on the race, so I just decided we were here to race and I would hang on even if I didn’t get there till tomorrow. We finally did cross the finish line after 6 and a half hours. Getting back to the club house we learned that we had a third place and trophy to show for the days event. The only downside was that the steak was gone and we had hamburger for dinner. Not a bad way to finish a great day.

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Tides and Currents...

Welcome new member Jerry Strauss - owner of Freudian Sloop. Jerry lives in Hudson Ohio and keeps his 1973 E-27 at the Spitzer Lakeside Marina in Lorain, Ohio. Jerry's email is mriskinner@aol.com.

Welcome to Dave & Kelly Kendall of Suisun City. They have acquired a former Fleet member's racing boat, sail number 4366 (I believe this was Maurie Lundberg's former boat.) Chimera is kept at the Suisun City Marina, Dave and Kelly's email is hothotlava@sbcglobal.net

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Angel Island Report from the crew of the Josephine II

Ann and I left Alameda around 1130 and blasted across the slot, trying to beat the crowd to Hospital Cove. As expected, the Cove on a sunny Saturday afternoon was throbbing with boats and folks. We didn’t see any other Fleet One’rs, the docks were packed with boats in line, so we went right to picking up a mooring for the night.

The mooring story is moderately interesting. After making a lap around the field, which has no moorings in the middle, we spotted the end mooring on a row of boats that had lots of space to the north. Ann deftly picked her way past the Encinal Yacht Club raft-ups, and put our stern close enough to a mooring for me to clip a line to the mooring ring with a carabiner. She then motored straight at Red Rock for about a hundred feet until she hit the end of the line and I lowered the hook. We pulled ourselves back to the mooring to loop the line through and recover the carabiner, then pulled ourselves back out towards the anchor. All this went perfectly, we ended up with a great spot, and all the onlookers were disappointed at the lack of drama.

Once moored, we inflated the Avon and paddled ashore to enjoy the annual Ericson 27 Association Fleet One Solstice Caribbean Cruise to Angel Island. As it turned out, Ann and I were the only attendees. Oh, the Encinal folks were partying it up, but they had no Red Stripe Beer, no painkillers, no jerk chicken, no Radka, and no Shari. So, Ann and I had a wonderful hike up the hill to view the City and the Gate on a perfect evening on the longest day of the year. What we missed in a normally great party was made up for by having Angel Island to ourselves at a perfect, magical time.

Just as the sun set behind the hills, an squadron of rangers appeared and got serious about booting the boaters off the island, but Ann and I were already paddling the Avon back to the J2. She counted 27 boats in the mooring field, about half belonging to the Encinal cruise. About half of those boats had powered inflatables, and about half of those were hard-bottomed. Our boat was the second smallest boat there.

Morning was a lazy affair, and we eschewed the traditional walk around the island for just taking off and enjoying an absolutely spectacular sail home in a freshening southwesterly. The boat worked great, though the toilet needs rebuilding and the house battery is toast. We missed the party, but I did drink rum.

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Cruise Report - Angel Island

While navigating a course on the concrete channelways, we saw from the Golden Gate Bridge what appeared to be flocks and flocks of graceful white birds scurrying over the bluegreen seas. Light to moderate winds on the Bay made it a time for lollygagging with no frantic gusts. After a scenic diversion among hillside houses, we made it to Tiburon and boarded the ferry for Angel Island.

I climbed as high as I could to view the sailboats in Raccoon Straits looking for Ericson 27’s - but none were spotted on Saturday. At Angel Isle, I walked the docks and anchorages with the same result. Toured the visitor center and watched an interesting video on the long term history of Angel Island. I had brought a
large fruit pie for the potluck dinner which then had to be returned home. We departed on the 5:20 without making contact. However, I had not tasted strawberry rhubarb before and it was great!

Hope to see some Ericsons at Ballena Bay in July and at Coyote in September.

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