It’s our favorite time of the year: the start of CYC’s Center Sound Series! The good news is the front went through this morning and all that remains is some scattered showers. The bad news is that models are not in agreement about what will happen tomorrow. What we are in agreement on is that it will be good to get out racing again.
March 6 500MB 
March 6 Surface Analysis 
March 7 Surface Forecast 
March 8 Surface Forecast 
March 9 Surface Forecast 
March 10 Surface Forecast
We have generally light conditions over the central Sound today and the surface charts confirm that the pressure gradient will continue to ease over the weekend even with a weak trough that is scheduled to move through the area tomorrow. As that passes, a weak ridge of high pressure will build tomorrow afternoon and bring a weak NW breeze to the central Sound. Some models show a stronger southerly for tomorrow morning with a northerly maybe to 15 knots filling down the Sound mid-afternoon. Not so sure about that. Generally speaking, it looks light but we’ll see when we power out of Shilshole tomorrow morning and then expect anything!
The other good news is that tides are very weak.
Currents at West Point
0830 Slack
1154 Max flood .61 knts
1442 Slack
1612 Max ebb .31 knts
The places to watch for current will be at the entrance to Ship Canal and on the south side of West Point where the ebb from the Duwamish will be flowing in a northwesterly direction.
As far as tactics go, get a clear air start and don’t get to close to the beach north of West Point. You’ll also want to watch COG and SOG as you tack out on port tack. The strongest flood will be just offshore from West Point so if you’re laying that buoy just hold port and beat feet to the west because the wind will tend to shift from southerly to southwesterly the closer you get to Bainbridge but again don’t get too close to the beach and remember the reef off of Wing Point. Staying out a bit will keep you in what flood there is and after Wing Point, stay out to stay in better breeze. Remember also that the flood flows into Eagle Harbor even as far south as the piling marker.
Set up for a port pole set at the Rock and then hold port until you can gybe out near R 2 at the entrance to Eagle Harbor then work out. Remember also that if a northwesterly is coming down the Sound, the SSW breeze will shift to SW and then to WSW so you may hold port all the way north. If the wind is shifting that way, make sure the headsail is ready to go back up. As mentioned above, there is no agreement about when this shift might come in, so be sure to keep your head out of the boat and watch the curb feelers out in front of you to anticipate the shift.
If the northwesterly has come in then it may be a gybe set at the top mark followed by gybes to get to the finish and stay in breeze.
One model has Crossfire and Sonic around the course in a little over five hours with the J-35’s taking about 10.5 hours.
Regardless, bring your warm foulies and wear your sunblock! Have a great time and we’ll see you out there!
Ed. Note: Please send race anecdotes, observations and tales to me and I’ll try to work them into post-race coverage. Thanks! KH
Bruce has raced and cruised the Pacific Northwest his entire life. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Washington in Biological Oceanography and learned meteorology “to keep from getting kicked around on the race course.” Bruce spent nearly two decades as Associate Publisher for Northwest Yachting Magazine, retiring in mid-2015, and was the chairman of the board of trustees for the Northwest Marine Trade Association in 2014. (photo of Bruce driving Playstation is a bit dated, but cool)