Winter Vashon aboard “Bifrost 3”
I’d been watching the As everyone made their way
weather forecast all week. As towards Pt Robinson, the majority
Winter Vashon approached, I chose the main channel while a few
was already visualizing myself stayed west. We rode solid breeze
on the course. Thinking about most of the way to Pt Robinson.
Vashons of past with snow and What a novelty - the wind was
ice and gear-busting wind. About perfect for a single-board, gybless
the drifters. About the hole that run to the point.
always forms at Point Robinson. When we reached Pt Robinson,
About the panko-battered fish- the J-105 Dulcinea was within reach.
n-chips at The Spar. Thinking, We'd been watching them all day,
“this is my favorite event of the trying to reel them in. Many boats
year.” It’s an anomaly – the last gybed after Pt Robinson, staying
event of the calendar year, is also close to the island. We decided to
the first event of the new sailing cross the channel and seek more
season. favorable current on the far side,
The day started in fog. And towards Dash Point. We could see
photos by Jan Anderson
damn cold. the finish area in the distance, yet
Contrary to what I had as the wind eased, the finish still
expected, we had wind from behind changes taking place ahead. Here was seemed so far away. The sun crept lower
us at the start, so the fleet all popped our northerly. We made the sail change in the sky, the wind lightened and my
spinnakers and made their way towards off of Olalla, and settled into a beat hopes of finishing by daylight seemed
Colvos in light and shifty air. Because it towards Fauntleroy. Now the big boats, less and less likely. Looking to the north,
was light, the fleet didn't quite manage to with acres of sail area and vast waterlines, it was clear that this was a year that
separate as it made its stretched their legs favored those who stayed closer to the
way up Colvos. Large “Kahuna”, a and came to life. Jam south end of Vashon. We could see the
boats and small boats One-Design 36, pulled away from wind filling from the north, so those boats
alike struggled to find ghosting us as if we were not on that side of the course benefited. While
wind, and played the through the fog moving. Declaration we did enjoy less current closer to Dash
eddies on either side of Independence, who Point, we also had less wind. We saw
of the course had been within Dulcinea's sails fill and she accelerated
The wind was earshot for much towards the finish. Today would not be
easing. We tried going of the race so far, the day we caught them.
west, looking for a now accelerated to The final approach was fun sailing,
current-push off of weather. We rode literally right into the sunset. We cleared
one of the many points several lifts, and made the finish line and started dropping
along the western good time towards sails. As always, Winter Vashon was a
shore. We got the push, the temporary mark satisfying day on the water. As Nancy
but in light air. Was at the north end of Neudauer aboard String Theory put it,
there more pressure to Vashon in 20 knots “Winter Vashon provided a spectacularly
the east? Looked like beautiful day on the
those on the eastern
Jaime Storkman‘s T-Bird “Fandango”
water. If we are going
shores had more wind,
claims first in Class G
to be sailing on a 28°
so we went east. Kurt Watkins, on his o f b re e z e a n d morning, why not sail
brother Brian's Express 37, Declaration of increasing chop. downwind four-fifths
Independence, also noticed that the right We rounded of the time with blue
side paided off and later commented the mark without skies above?” Not
“...keeping right-middle all the way up i n c i d e n t a n d often enough.
Colvos Passage worked great for those reached to the east A word for the
who did that.” For those who didn't, the to clear the north race committee: thank
chasing game continued until the wind end of the island, you! Flags, horns,
failed nearly completely. We turned before popping our guns = perfect. All
our eyes to the north as others hoisted chute and turning of the signals were
wind-seekers, hoping for a sign from the more to the south. easily identified,
multihulls; hoping that the forecasts had Seeking relief from which eliminated
been correct and that solid breeze from adverse current guesswork.
the north would fill in. mid-channel, we by Tom Savelle
Finally, we saw the tell-tale sail stayed to the west. results on next page
48° No r t h , Ja N u a r y 2010 Pa g e 80
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