FW: Midnight Moonlight Marathon

From: Jim Gregory
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 11:40 AM
Subject: RE: Midnight Moonlight Marathon

Glad to see that I am not the only one confused by this forecast (see below).

We are still a go. Will have to see....

VERY UP AND DOWN & Shifty. Very unusual wind eddy off Golden Gate is pushing wind in pure S. direction stealing Sherman wind.

Now at 11:30 AM a pretty bizarre pattern has developed. There is an counter-clockwise wind eddy rotating between Pt. Reyes and Pacifica west of the Golden Gate. This is pushing fog and PURE SOUTH wind over the bay from near 3rd. Ave. to the wine country. This is giving Crissy and Berkeley pure south winds. It also means that Sherman Island is losing much of it's to the wine country. That is why San Luis is blasting with a 28 knot average while Sherman Island is only upper teens. On the ridges we are seeing strong gusts from the SW to W to NW so forecast is really a gamble.

• Hedge Gusty and up and down winds at some sites especially Sherman, Stick, Crissy outside, Coyote and 3rd. Ave. These types of eddies tend to die fast in the PM so the wind scene could change fast but the wind will still be best from Coyote northward.

• East Bay wind may be too SOUTH: Pt. Isabel mid to upper teens. Berkeley near 20's . Alameda low to mid teens.

• Sherman: UP AND DOWN AM upper teens to low 20's IF THE EDDY DIES and fog to the north and south fades. PM low to mid 20's if eddy dies. There will be a bit of a mid day fade tomorrow and a major fade Sunday.

• Coast: Waddell upper teens to low 20's if clearing goes as expected but eddy could kill the wind at anytime. Bodega low teens with clearing.

• Peninsula: Stick up and down upper teens. 3rd, Coyote a bit unreliable low to mid teens inside with upper teens to low 20's in the channel. Palo Alto sees mid teens with some upper teens.

• Central Bay: Crissy has less fog. Light near shore then slowly ramping up towards mid bay to mid 20's. TI the same with mid 20's near Blunt Pt.

- Jim Gregory

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From: Jim Gregory
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 9:21 AM
Subject: RE: Midnight Moonlight Marathon

Good Morning,

Well, the latest forecast for winds this afternoon/evening is not encouraging.

TODAY...W TO SW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT...WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 30 KT MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. PATCHY MORNING FOG. .TONIGHT...W TO SW WINDS 15 TO 30 KT. WINDS SUBSIDING TO 10 TO 20 KT BY MIDNIGHT.

Don’t know about you, but I was sort of hoping for 10-15 knots and a bit of a pleasure cruise. I’ll be down at the boat by 1pm and we’ll see how things look.

The default status is still a go, but... If this forecast becomes real, we may all need to find something else to do this evening....

- Jim Gregory

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From: Jim Gregory
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 5:32 PM
Subject: RE: Midnight Moonlight Marathon

Changes to the master plan....

Looks like boats get a bigger head start than I expected. We do not start until 5:30pm tomorrow.

So.....let’s shift the RYC departure to 3:15 and the SFYC meeting to 4:00pm. Will need lots of help getting battens in sails, etc.

Feel free to bring friends...we still appear to be a bit under staffed. Mike can you contact Rick on my behalf???

Rob suggests that I remind you that this can be a pretty chilly return from Vallejo to SFYC. So, pack some warm clothes just in case the heat goes away.

It’s still 90+ here in Danville!!!

- Jim Gregory

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From: Jim Gregory
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 11:57 AM
Subject: Midnight Moonlight Marathon

All,

It looks like things are falling into place for the Midnight Moonlight Marathon tomorrow evening.

I just registered!! Must be official now!!

IMPORTANT

The sailing instructions require that all aboard where life jackets during the race. I have plenty of inflatable safety harness/lifejackets, and will bring a few vests. But....if you have a favorite of your own please bring it!!

As for logistics;

- The first start of the afternoon will be 3pm. I would guess our start will be around 4pm??? (to be confirmed later today).

- We should probably plan on a 2:30 RYC departure, and a 3:15 pickup at the end of the dock nearest the breakwater at SFYC. (please let me know which you prefer so I don’t leave without someone.)

- I’ll bring beer/soda/water.

- Debbie’s out of town so I should not be trusted with food. Can everyone bring a snack or whatever seems appropriate? I’ll try to grab some sandwiches as well.

Anything else??? Please call me at if you think of something that I am forgetting....

- Jim Gregory