Sailing Education Adventures

“A wet and wild ride” define’s SEA’s Transbay Race last Sunday, when four Catalina Capris took to The SF Bay racing against one another while cutting through summertime chop and gusts. Chase Boat/Committee Boat Skipper Eric Batalden, along with crew Marcy Niebres, zipped and cruised across The Bay ensuring safety and race protocol.

The two hour course (#2 Channel Marker of Richardson Bay - Coast Guard Buoy - Pt Knox –Presidio Yacht Club) challenged the teams’ endurance, strategy and surely some members’ foul weather gear, but SEA sailors had a goal – to reach host, Presidio Yacht Club at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, to share good cheer, brew and stories and gloat in glories, of course.

First place winner Skipper Chris Holland (crew: Katka Letzing/Jennifer McKenna) proved his boat was the fastest, but only by inches when Wayne McIntosh (crew: Tom Voltz/Ken Bauer) put the pressure on at the finish line, placing second. Wayne’s team had one crew member who had never sailed before!

Matthew Davidchuck (crew: Kenichi Uyeda/Gui Zong) cruised in later for third - an amazing feat, as they had been trailing fairly far behind Barbara McVeigh (crew: Cathy Stierhoff/Kaki Brzytwa). Matthew’s team clearly demonstrated good strategy and skill by closing in and placing their solid third.

Barbara’s boat, the all women’s team, placed fourth (okay, last), but they still had their moment to prove skill, when right before entering harbor a big mega motor yacht passed in front of their bow offering generous wakes, accompanied by a riotously rude gust, tipping the team’s boat like a top hat. But, these ladies had class and grace and plunged their bodies to windward, saving themselves from the drink until they got a properly chilled one from the bar.

Presidio Yacht Club was the most gracious host. There’s nothing like having a yacht club member personally greet you at the docks when you arrive salty and tired. Thank you, PYC Member Alan.

PYC’s Mike’s Place has some good casual food and cold beer. SEA’s founder Jane Piereth’s (also former PYC Commodore) portrait hangs high on the wall with a welcoming smile, enlivening the history of SEA’s 27 years.

Cathy Stierhoff proposes SEA adopt a new rating system for sails based on the “Bruise-odometer.” A ten bruise sail represents the best and the intense, and some of us are wearing those badges of honor!

Thanks to Wesley Frederick for spearheading and planning this event – we know organizing sails take a lot of time and energy. And, thanks to Director Mark Miglio for last minute planning to procure club venue, which proved to be perfect in more ways than one.

It takes a team . . . on the boat and out of the boat!