Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 24, 25, 26, 27, July, STYC Women at the Helm Regatta!

First, a big thank you to my friend Elise Sivilay, who sent me the heads-up about the STYC Women at the Helm Regatta which will happen tomorrow at Shilshole. It should be a perfect day for racing or just being out on the water. As of noon today there are 35 boats signed up for what should be a great event.

We may have had a couple of days of cloudy weather however we are due for a major change over the weekend with a hot day coming on Monday. After this, things will cool down to normal for this time of the year. At least we are not in Hawaii anticipating the arrival of Hurricane Douglas or on the Gulf Coast of Texas watching Tropical Storm Hanna getting wound up to bring breeze and dump a bunch of rain on the Lone Star State.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Today we have what has become the summer of 2020 weather pattern; a weak and amorphous Pacific High offshore and a weak trough of low-pressure inland. This will bring onshore flow down the Strait of JdF with small craft advisories in place for 25-30-knot westerlies in the central and eastern Strait. This will fill down Admiralty Inlet and eventually down the Sound but at 10-15-knots with some higher winds in the late afternoon and early evening. By Sunday the onshore gradient will weaken however there will be 10-18-knot northerlies over the entire Sound while the wind in the Strait will transition to an offshore flow bringing an Easterly to the Strait. By mid-afternoon Sunday the onshore flow will return to the Strait.

For the Regatta at Shilshole you may start with cloudy conditions and a light northerly however the breeze will gradually build to a fairly consistent northerly of 10-12-knots. Just because it’s cloudy doesn’t mean you won’t need sunblock. Apply before you leave the house and then again between races.  

The key here is that it will be northerly not northwesterly so the usual tactics for Shilshole won’t necessarily apply. In the morning races, there may be a northeasterly shift as you go into the beach from the breakwater north to Meadow Point. There may also be slightly more breeze along on that side of the course as well. As the day heats the land this will change the wind for the afternoon races with the NE going away and the breeze backing to a true northerly over the course.

For this regatta, it will be back to basics, get a clear air start at the favored end of the line and if there is more breeze along the beach, start in a place that will allow you to tack to port and get back inside. This will also set you up for a starboard tack approach to the Meadow Point buoy and there will be slightly (very slightly) more ebb along the Golden Gardens beach for the first race. Even with the ebb, it may also pay to do a gybe set as long as it won’t put you under a line of starboard tackers. If that’s the case, do the bear-away set to get away from the mark and then do the gybe.

As you sail down the course watch the boats ahead to see if there is a shift to an easterly as you get closer to the leeward mark. Again, anticipate the rounding by setting yourself to be inside at the bottom mark so you can go on the wind on port tack to get back to the east before you set yourself up for your approach to the favored end of the finish line. If you are in dirty air, do your clearing tacks and get into a lane of clear air for getting back up the course.    

Tides won’t be much of an issue however get out on the course early to check the flow out of the Ship Canal and any of the buoys that are convenient.

Tidal Current at West Point.

0854 Slack

1018 .26 Max Ebb

1148 Slack

1306 .16 Max Flood

1424 .11 Max Flood

1806 .83 Max Flood

Yes, you will be sailing in a weak flood all afternoon. It may start early because of the consistent northerly flow we’ve had over the area for the last couple of days. 

Enjoy your weekend, have a great regatta, stay healthy, and stay safe.