The Commodore and Gibson races to Port Ludlow and return to Shilshole took place August 12 and 13 this year. The format is a pursuit race, where the slowest handicap boat starts first, and everyone gets their entire handicap allowance at the start – so theoretically, everyone would finish at the same time.

Recap

This year there was a nice southerly and favorable tide, so everyone made it to the Foulweather Bluff finish in three and a half hours or less. Mike McGuan and Karen Mooney on Kittiwake (Bahama Islander 30) were one of the first to start, and led the way to Foulweather Bluff. There was a “gotcha” shift to a northwesterly a couple miles short of the mark that left leaders Kittiwake and Dolphin Quest struggling to get to the inside (finish line side) of the buoy. Meanwhile, Altair, Rush, and Charlotte were making tracks to the west and closing fast, and it was a three factor race between the current, the boats trying to get back west, and the boats catching up. Ultimately Kittiwake prevailed, with the next three boats all finishing within five minutes of Kittiwake.

The quick finish made for lots of time for conversation, adult beverages, and boat tours on the dock at Port Ludlow, followed by a barbecue dinner, awards, and guitar playing and camp songs in the picnic shelter. We experienced the end of Seattle’s 55 day drought while snug in the shelter, and then had a potluck breakfast Sunday morning that couldn’t be beat.

Sunday started at Foulweather Bluff on a promising northerly (downwind again!), but that died and left most of us going backwards on the ebb tide. However, Brian Watkins and Alice Lee on Declaration of Independence (Express 37) showed the same form as when D of I was the frequent winner of 48 North’s #1 boat ranking a decade ago. They correctly answered the question, “How do you get around No Point in light air against adverse current?” (Answer – “By going to the beach”) They then hooked into a wind line that no one else found, and were gone. Eventually everyone else quit and started motoring home. Meanwhile Declaration of Independence finished at 3:37, and was back to Shilshole ahead of everyone who turned on their engines.

Eventually a very nice northerly filled in, and everyone who was motoring had a great sail back.

Sound like fun? Then put the 2018 edition on your calendar now for August 2018.

Results

Saturday

Start Location: Meadow Point
Distance: 17.75

Sunday

Start Location: Foulweather Bluff
Distance: 17.75