Terremoto won the 2013 Race to the Straits and became the first boat to win best overall in successive years. The Sloop Tavern Yacht Club’s “Race to the Straights” is the Pacific Northwest largest race of 2013 with 117 registered boats. The race features boats ranging from PHRF ratings of 333 to -91 and from Rangers and J-22s to the Perry Supersled 66 foot Icon. The boats are single or double handed and race from Seattle’s Shilshole Marina to Port Townsend on Saturday and return Sunday from Port Townsend to Seattle.

The race is unique because each boat has its own start time based on its rating. In a reverse start, the slowest boat started at 7:18 a.m. Saturday morning, May 4, 2013. Terremoto, with a PHRF rating of 39, started at 9:46 a.m. Bill Weinstein drove the boat and Mark Brink fulfilled the critical role of tide, current, and moon astrologist and scatologist. Because Terremoto was one of the last boats to start, Team Moto relied on Brink’s unique knowledge and skills to sail and pass through nearly 100 boats.

The race conditions were perfect with 10 to 18 knot winds and unlimited visibility. Terremoto started with Zig Burzycki in his beautiful new Farr 395, Ace, off the Terremoto’s starboard aft quarter. Terremoto was able to sail a higher and faster line on starboard to Kingston and was able to shake the Ace. It then engaged in tacking up the north Kitsap Peninsula Shore and was able to pass several Farr 30s and a J-35. Terremoto crossed to Scatchet Head at the south end of Whidbey Island, and in a choppy rip tide was able to pass many struggling boats as it passed the Double Bluff Buoy to port.

The wind died as the Terremoto approached the finish line, and Terremoto, seeking more wind, tacked towards the main channel. Dalton and Lindsay Bergan in their Buchan 40, Madrona, adroitly tacked inside Terremoto and, catching a local puff of wind, beat Team T to the finish line. Graeme Esarey sailed Kotuku also sailed extremely well and beat Terremoto. Bitter team tactical recriminations were exchanged for a bitter peat tasting single malt scotch and a better tasting dinner with friends in Port Townsend.

A sparkling Mt. Ranier to the south and a wind from the north greeted Terremoto Sunday morning, May 5, 2013. The breeze filled Terremoto’s “Welch’s Grapeade” kite. Moto’s Oak Harbor Number 2 spinnaker was undergoing emergency surgery at North Sail after Weinstein destroyed it in an embarrassing broach in a 30 knots puff in the Protection Island Race a week before.

Most of the fleet was already far down the course because of the building wind, positive current, and earlier starts. Terremoto was unable to pass many of the boats before the mid-course Double Bluff buoy was reached. To further complicate the challenge, there were significant rip tides and a big negative current at Scatchet Head and Team Moto had some difficulty successfully jibing as it crossed to Point No Point at the northern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula.

With binoculars Team T could see Brad Butler’s superbly sailed Uno far down the course. The northerly wind direction suggested that the wind would clock to the East. Mark Brink determined tactically to sail a long direct vector to the Shilshole finish line starting near the Edmonds ferry This allowed Terremoto to sail a power reach at up to 12 knots without dropping its purple kite. Terremoto was rewarded with building pressure that allowed it to accelerate its speed to the finish.

Although Uno finished first, Terremoto was able to overtake or cross more than 60 boats and fend off the hard charging and faster Madrona, Tachyon, and Icon. There was plenty of pressure on the helm, but as “Shock Value” blogged in Sailing Anarchy,[ it] “was fun watching Terremoto pinch in with that big purple chute. We weren’t sure they were going to make the line (but glad they did}.” It was a perfect weekend of sailing, and Team Moto appreciated being awarded a Sloop Tavern Scotch Flask to be used to help settle regular recurring on-board navigational and tactical disputes.