Seattle Yacht Club’s Grand Prix T
his year's Seattle Yacht Club Grand Prix Invitational Regatta conjured for me the Six Suites
for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach, because it was huge, dramatic, heart-thumping action— especially on the last day. But hearts were thumping beforehand, too, during the five days leading up to the Friday start. Since Monday before the regatta, sailors were watching the approach of a storm towards the Pacific Northwest coast. By the time the three-
day regatta began Friday October 22, the system had divided into three distinct weather events, and the first was in progress. This one was rather weak with some rain and light wind in Puget Sound. The low pressure cell was doing a slow dance around the eastern Pacific, building isobars and wave height, while Grand Prix yachts sailed to Suite No. 1 in G major—the familiar mid- distance race in a light southerly. The big boats, in Class 1, were sent on
Above: The calm before the storm -
the fleet spreads out in diminishing winds. Photo by Jan Anderson.
Below: The conditions changed dramatically on Sunday with winds building to 25 knots.
the longest course - 30 miles - so long, in fact, that they were still racing when the other classes finished. Yachts in Classes 1 and 2 completed their race in 4 to 6 hours while those in Classes 3 and 4 finished in 4 to 5 hours and those in Classes 5 and 6 finished in 2 to 3 hours. With the southerly diminishing towards the end of the race, it was fortunate all boats finished within the time limit. The boat that most severely tested that limit was Strider, who crossed the line with just 43 seconds to spare. After racing, at the Corinthian Yacht Club, crews of the slower boats were able to have their fill of pizza and beer before the fast boats were even off the race course. Boats in the six classes that took a bullet in this Race 1 were Flash, Tachyon, Tantivy, Dos, Gaucho, and More Uff Da. The second weather
event arrived Saturday morning. This one was supposed to be stronger and wetter, but in the Sound, it manifested as 48° NORTH, DECEMBER 2010 PAGE 45
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