Ankle Biter did the very first Singlehanded Farallones race, here in the Bay Area in 1978.

In 1977, in the wake of the growing interest in singlehanded racing, what with the Globe Challenge (did you see the recent movie "Deep Water' about Donald Crowhurst?) and the third running of the OSTAR, singlehanded TransAtlantic race, a bunch of guys got together here in the Bay Area and decided that they would do something wild and crazy, too. The first step was a singlehanded (that means, solo...you're alone on the boat) race, 24 miles out into the Pacific and back to the Farallone Islands. 50 boats and skippers answered the call, and sailed out into one of the more brutal Farallone Races on record. Two boats dismasted and over a dozen retired in the 35 knot winds and big seas.

But contrary to the pundits predictions, nobody died, no boats sank and everybody got home safely. The Singlehanded Sailing Society of San Francisco Bay was born, and "Ankle Biter" was there. You see, that's the sailing association I've been involved with since 1994. I'm sort of a bastion of the community in the SSS, now.

I CAN'T change her name, with that sort of history!