Power blasting down the Golden Gate Straits, the open 50 "Truth" sends it in what crew member Zan Drejes
called "some of the most outrageous sailing in my life"
When Alex Mehras and Zan Drejes headed towards the start line of the 2010 Double Handed Farallones Race, they had no idea something which started so bad could turn out so nice. When a 40 knot southerly rolled through just minute before the gun, Zan and Alex went into fire drill mode to reduce the sail area and completely “pooched the start and missed the start buoy” says Zan. “It was not graceful” he adds. But once things got settled , the crew on the Open 50 “Truth” worked their way out the Gate and towards Point Bonita in conditions which promised to be a reach out and and reach back. “ It doesn’t get any better than that” Zan says.
Once “Truth” cleared the Potato Patch, things mellow out and they received a nice lift to 240 dregrees. “ I think conditions like these are tailor made for a boat like Truth, and odds of getting them are 1 in a 1,000” Zan adds, after a mellow ride around the islands with the 100% Genoa sailing SMG mostly in the teens things pickup again as the reached the Patch. “The last 10 miles or so was some of the most outrageous sailing I have ever done in my life” exclaims Zan. “We were overpowered in a big way, stuffing waves in 25 knots of breeze, and swell didn’t seem too big, just short and steep.
Alex reflectson the day:
“It was beautiful. Warm and sunny at the islands. The worst part was the start in a gusty southerly - about 20-30 kts and bullet rain. As always we had an awful start, but after a short starboard hitch after the bridge laid the island on port with two reefs and a storm staysail. Tight reach in. This photo is us under full main and genoa in 20 foot short waves and a building 28 kts going 18-20 about to pass a tanker right at the bridge. Islands were the most beautiful part, that was the scariest! Thanks for the photo!”
Zan is no stranger to shorthanded races around the rocks, having eclipsed Aoteas 1991 record of 4:15 aboard Tom Blackaller's Pro Sail 40 “Tom Cat” with a blazing 3 hours and 34 minutes and 24 seconds the following year . We are not sure of the monohull record, but Truth’s gallant gallop around the Farallones in 5 hours and 53 minutes can’t be far off the pace! This was Alex and Zan’s 3rd race together on Truth, the others being the 3 Bridge Fiasco and Double Handed Lightship a couple weeks back. Zan’s familiarity with the Open 50, goes back even further, working with then owner Philippe Kahn as the professional boat manager and delivery skipper. Alex will be sailing Truth later this summer in SSS’s Singlehanded Trans Pac. For video of the race: Trutth 'sending it' in the Farallones Race Click to follow : Truth Racing
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