Crissy and Coyote

From: Ken Poulton (poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Wed Jun 29 1994 - 00:26:25 PDT


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From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis>
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Subject: Crissy and Coyote


============== Sat 25 Jun 94

Luigi and I met at Crissy Field. We rigged 4.7 (me on a 257, he on
a 8'10) and went out about 3:15. The wind turned out to be plenty for
our 4.7's near the shore, but marginal 1/4 to 1/2 mile offshore! Swell
was only 1-2 feet. We decided to work our way up to the bridge along
the shore and were well along the way (and about 1/2 mile offshore) when
the wind just died. We paniced (ebb had just started) and started
working our way back downwind and towards the shore. After slogging for
about 15 minutes, the wind came back with a vengeance, still only by the
shore, but about 4.0 conditions. I had a great time in this, but
Luigi on his slalom board found himself getting more free airtime than
he wanted.

We went in for a rest, and Luigi got a Tiga 257 for a demo.
Unfortunately, the wind had backed off and gone into (I understand) a
more normal Crissy pattern with a real dead zone in the 200 yards by the
beach. We managed to get out, but the wind was getting marginal for our
4.7's.

This was my first time sailing at Crissy. I was disappointed not to
sail under the bridge, but somehow it seemed more important to avoid
bobbing out the Gate on the ebb tide. I guess I have to leave something
to look forward to. I sure hated the drive through San Francisco to get
there. Given that I can take 101 or 280 equally well, what is the best
way to get to Crissy?

============== Tue 28 Jun 94

I went to Coyote today. Arrived a bit later than usual (3:15) and found
disappointing conditions: the fog was set up perfectly behind SFO, but
the wind was light inside, ~6.0 way outside, with sparse attendance in
the parking lot. I watched, speculated, dithered and worried and
finally (mentally) flipped a coin about 3:45 and decided to stay. It
turned out to be a good flip.

I rigged 6.2/9'0 and went out. By this time it had built somewhat, and
the 6.2 was fine near shore, and soon was too much outside. I came back
in and gave my sail another 3/4" of downhaul. (What is a leach beyond
floppy? baggy? flaccid?) I discovered that, yes, Virginia, there is
such a thing as too much downhaul - the leach fluttered the whole time,
even when the sail was overpowered. At least you can *decrease*
downhaul in the water.

After a while longer (~5:15), the 6.2 was no longer tenable even
inside. I figured the wind was just peaking and would probably die if I
rigged smaller, but I did anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to
be wrong. In fact, my 5.2/257 combo was well powered on the inside the
rest of the session, and it was blowing much stronger than that beyond
the SFO landing lane. Swell was running 2-3 feet from the channel to the
shore and was well-organized for Coyote - much free airtime. Whilst
jumping, it occurred to me that I was simply ballistic and that I might
try to make use of this fourteen-foot wing in my hands. (Brilliant,
huh?) I tried sheeting in more in the air and started to get that floaty
feeling, including a few softer landings (and a few landings flat on my
back). Hmmm.... there may be something to this...

I ran into Fred S. on the water about 6:30 and we sailed together until
7:00. At that point, the fog had covered SFO and was all the way across
the bay and the wind was backing off a bit (also, we were tired :-).
Oddly enough, once it kicked in, the wind stayed well filled-in nearly
to the beach. Another oddity: I smelled a *lot* more jet fumes than
usual.

1250 SFO 67 52 330 16 . 35 30.03 clr /f bnk w/
1350 SFO 68 52 320 16 . 45 30.03 clr /f bnk w/ 802/
1450 SFO 69 51 320 8 . 45 30.01 clr /f bnk nw/
1551 SFO 66 51 330 18 . 45 30.01 clr /few ci e f bnk nw/
1650 SFO 63 51 320 23 . 45 30 200 -sct /f bnk w-nw/
1750 SFO 60 51 330 26 . 30 30 200 -sct /st n bases 11hnd/ f bnk
1850 SFO 58 50 320 19 26 15 30.01 9 sct 200 sct /vsby nw13/4f/

The 3:00 number (8 knots) must be an error; it was about 6.0 outside
around 3:00. The other numbers agree with observations on the water.
All in all, a very nice day!

Say, does anyone know where to find stainless steel *metric* bolts?
My new fin (in a Tiga box converter) needs 6 mm bolts, which doesn't
match any other fin I have (sigh). West Marine doesn't do metric.

Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis

"Faster and faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death."
                                        -- Hunter S. Thompson



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