Sloop Tavern Yacht Club Race To The Straits


“Combine shorthanded racing with a two-leg weekend race and an overnight stop in the beautiful Victorian village of Port Townsend and you have the Sloop Tavern Yacht Club’s Race to the Straits.”


It was a picturesquely beautiful sight to see the Puget Sound full of brightly colored spinnakers.


sailors. Is it the challenge of racing a sailboat with only a couple hands? Is it the quiet and subtle solitude of being one with your sailboat, the wind, waves and weather? Shorthanded sailing is an exercise where boat choreography becomes critical and, if time and conditions allow, tactical calls are thought out well in advance. Combine shorthanded racing with a two-leg weekend race and an overnight stop in the beautiful Victorian village of Port Townsend and you have the Sloop Tavern Yacht Club’s Race to the Straits. The Race to the Straits occurs each year on the first weekend of May. In the ten years of the race’s


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existence, it proves to attract a very savvy group of competitive Pacific Northwest sailors. Consisting of single handed, double handed and Jack & Jill classes in 13 divisions, participating boats are often very evenly matched. There is a certain confidence and exhilaration that one feels sailing along with a group of level boats. The Race to the Straits is a race of


current & wind. It is a question of where will breeze be the greatest and where will


48° NORTH, JUNE 2011 PAGE 62


horthanded sailboat racing often holds a profound allure for many


the tidal current be the least. The main race course passes two critical Puget Sound topographical points along its path. The first point, Double Bluff along the south western edge of Whidbey Island also serves as the midway point. The second, Marrowstone Point with one of Puget Sound’s most picturesque light houses, serves as the gateway to Port Townsend. Nate Creitz, who has taken part in the race for several years aboard his Olson 25 Three Ring Circus, identified these two points as “by far the most formidable challenges in yacht racing on the Puget Sound.” Race to the Straits was started as


Christopher Butler reflects, “on his experience with the Vashon Challenge in 1991.” Chris has led the charge to build a race that will fulfill the needs of Pacific Northwest sailing for years to come. This was the third year I had raced


with Paul Hanson aboard his J/29 Mostly Harmless. The race began Saturday morning with a strong south breeze and the threat of rain showers; resulting in many boats considering a delay in their spinnaker hoist. Luckily the apparent wind was such that it didn’t appear so intimidating when heading downwind. Each boat started, reverse order, with the


lower rated boats setting off first. For all, it was a run for the start line and a steady set of the spinnaker. At the midway point of the race,


Double Bluff served as a sort of tidal rest- stop where each boat would be required to take their midpoint time, in case they never make it in time to Port Townsend. Sure enough, the wind faded as the fleet compressed upon the Double Bluff buoy. On arrival we could see glassy water beyond and a strong rip current passing right through the midpoint line. Like many, we asked ourselves if we could get close enough to the shore for current relief. We tried following close to Andy Schwenk’s Santa Cruz 27 Wild Rumpus. Andy was being swept toward the beach and sure enough ran aground. In an act of total sacrifice Andy made a Hail Mary attempt to save his boat and fleet position. Andy quickly disrobed, threw himself into the water, and pushed his boat off the shoal. As we drifted by only a few yards away, I recall hearing Paul ask if Andy needed assistance. I looked over to my right only to see Andy chest deep in the water. After the race Andy recalled hearing stories of other sailors performing a similar feat and knew it was his only option. He didn’t think,


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