Delta Ditch Run Forecast

The San Francisco Bay and Delta region heads into the weekend with unsettled weather. What will this mean for the 138 crews signed up to race or cruise from Richmond to Stockton in tomorrow’s Delta Ditch Run? We asked Mike Dvorak of Sail Tactics.

"Winds for the Delta Ditch Run tomorrow should be more than adequate, as a low-pressure system aloft will bring breezy and gusty conditions to the Bay Area," predicts Dvorak. "With the exception of some wind shadowing from the coastal mountains early in the race, conditions should be ripe for a quick race. The most strategic part of the race will likely be right after the start. A building flood and patchy winds on the shortest route are co-located on the east side of San Pablo Bay (SPB), according to the Sail Tactics Outlook wind and tide forecasts, making going farther out into SPB up to the Pinole Shoal Channel boundary for better breeze potentially a good strategy. The rest of the day should be breezy with winds in the mid- to high teens, gusting into the 20s. As always, our fresh SPB/Carquinez Strait/West Delta wind forecast out tomorrow morning by 8:30 a.m. will have the most accurate forecast for your race."

The 27th Delta Ditch Run includes 19 Delta Doo Dah entries — DDR is an official DDD event. Though many racers are often in a rush to pack up and beat feet back to their homeports, we recommend sticking around for the Saturday night party at Stockton Sailing Club and more goings-on — including awards — on Sunday. Registration is closed for the Ditch Run, but you can still enter the Doo Dah.