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Donzo WNR - 08/15/18

Wind: WSW Average 11.5 kts, gust 16
Current: ebb North Hill 1425 
Start: west of GLP 24 
Course 4, s/f-WMK-s/f, 1.1 at 255
Race Length: 4.3 nm
Crew: Adam, Brian, Dan & RW

We had a descent start near the committee boat slightly ahead of Jolly Mon with Merganser to our lee, though JM had a bit more speed on at the gun. Eventually as Jolly Mon began stretching out to windward of us, we took a port tack to get out of their exhaust.

Instead of a short port tack for clear air we chose to continue for a while. Shortly thereafter Jolly Mon tacked to cover us, and after extending a good bit Cosmic tacked to cover JM.  Our rounding & hoist was smooth with a jibe to port a couple of minutes later.

Cosmic & Jolly Mon rounded the leeward mark well ahead and continued out on port. Our windward douse was smooth a little short of the mark, with a good roundup to port in a lot of traffic, so we chose for a short starboard for clear air but again continued out on the clearing tack rather than return to our previous tack.
Cosmic & Jolly Mon extended far enough on port to weather west of Seaflower on a long starboard to the windward mark. We benefited somewhat in the current lee on the east side of Seaflower and had a good set at the rounding of the mark, with a jibe to port sooner this time.  I don’t believe we could have done anything significantly different either downwind; maybe jibed sooner to port on the first.

Left side favored on the first upwind, though the right appeared favored on the second evidently from the performance of the leaders. On the downwind, we failed to discuss our strategy for the next upwind. We should be much more hesitant about continuing on the clearing tack without very good cause.

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Donzo WNR 08/08/18

Wind: S 10 and diminishing
Current: flood North Hill 1520 
GON: 79 to 75f, Wind S/SSW 10-5, Baro 29.82
Start: west of GLP 24
Course 4, s/f-N-s/f
Race Length: 6.0 nm
Crew: Adam, Brian, Dan & RW

A typical Wednesday evening with a dying wind.
Off hand, only thing I can think of- is we should tacked to port sooner on the second upwind. We delayed, tacked too close to North dumpling and missed the current boost in the channel we benefited from on the second lap.

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Donzo WNR 08/01/18

Wind: S 7 to 16 kts, gusts 20
Current: ebb North Hill 1425 
GON: 79 to 75f, Wind SSW/SW 15-7, G18 Baro 30.23
Start: west of GLP 24
Course 4, s/f-N-s/f
Race Length: 6.0 nm
Crew: Brian, Dan, Josh & RW

On the motor out with the #1 heavy on the deck , we were on the fence as to the #3 jib till along the south shore of Groton Long Point where we were seeing mid-teens with an occasional gust of 18.  Rigging the main then the blade put us uncomfortably close to the start, but got sorted out in the nick of time approaching the committee on port, flopping to starboard at the gun to be windward of the class but down somewhat on speed.  It was a long starboard, yet we were higher than all the boats ahead to our lee and eventually pulled abeam of Merganser and Sans Souci well to our lee.

Gimlet led the class and chose the Dumplings’ channel, while Sans Souci, Merganser, Jolly Mon and ourselves chose east of Flat Hammock the north shore of Fishers. Jolly Mon was the first to tack and crossed us towards mid-Hammock and we followed while they put in a reef. We then took another starboard out to clear the southern tip of the Hammock prior to a port for North Hill bell.  For some reason Jolly Mon continued well south (overstanding immensely) towards the FI shore prior to their port tack.  

We rounded the mark shortly after Gimlet for a good set to sail the Dumplings’ channel with the current. I overstood slightly for the jibe, though worked back up for a smooth windward douse short of the leeward mark. 

We rounded behind Gimlet with Jolly Mon close behind.  JM was first to tack as we extended a short while in the lesser current.  On this second upwind I often wished for the #1 Hvy as JM pulled ahead.  Nearing the Hammock, Jolly Mon crossed ahead to sail the south side of the Dumplings’ channel, while we opted for the north side of the southern channel along Fishers again.  On this and the previous long port towards the North Hill bell we were slightly overstood (even more so this time), yet the smoother water and less current appeared to be an advantage as Jolly Mon had not gained any, to round just ahead of us.

We ended up with a wrap on the bearway hoist which took a minute or more to sort out, delaying our port jibe (now heavily favored) to the finish.

Two Wednesdays in a row with very fresh ‘winds’

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Donzo WNR 07/25/18

Wind: S 7 to 13 kts, gust 16
Current: flood North Hill 1735 
GON: 73f, Wind SSE 12-16, Baro 29.96
Start: near Horseshoe (start at 1814)
Course 4, s/f-DM-s/f, 160 at 1.2 nm
Race Length: 4.5 nm
Crew: Adam, Brian, Dan & RW

The outboard would not start, so after messing with it for far too long, we sailed out of the dock and were three-minutes late for the start.  
The left side of the course & starboard was favored with a significant current lift once out in the channel. Spinnaker sets & douse were smooth. Good breeze all evening.

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Donzo WNR 07/18/18

Wind: N 4 to 10 kts, gust 13, lulls 3
Current: ebb North Hill 16:05 
GON: 81f, Wind 7-13-9, NNW-N-NNW
Start: near Horseshoe (start at 1814)
Course 4, s/f-DM-Lmk-DM-s/f, 020 at 0.8 nm
Race Length: 3.2 nm
Crew: Adam, Brian, Josh & RW

For some in explainable reason, the RC set the pin out to starboard rather than the normal out to port arrangement. 
Overly concerned about the strong ebb forcing us across the line early, we loitered upstream of the Eddie Maxwell to drift down and tack to starboard (as did Cosmic also) for a so-so start around the boat & trailed Jolly Mon & Cosmic out to the west on starboard in light air. Merganser & Gimlet crossed midline to eventually tack to port towards Groton Long appeared to have a good breeze along the western shore.
We trailed Jolly Mon, Cosmic, Merganser and Gimlet around the mark for a good set and favored up-current to the leeward mark (the pin). I should have delayed our jibe to port for the leeward mark rounding as we barely made the rounding without touching during the douse. 
I had wished to continue out on port but lost steerage and forced to tack onto starboard where we continued out to the left significantly headed from our first upwind.  Though we continued wishing to be up-current if the breeze died.
We took an initial tack onto what was short of the layline for the windward mark and had to take another go at it a few seconds later for another good set on the rounding.
On both downwinds we favored up-current (maybe a bit too much). We closed on the finish near the RC in close company with Finn McCool (J24) and Zallee (IOD).

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