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Donzo WNR 07/11/18

Wind: S 4 to 10 kts, gust 12, lulls 0
Current: flood North Hill 16:35 
GON: 79-75f, Wind 5-10-7, backed from SE to E@1820 & ENE@1840
Start: near Horseshoe (start at 1800)
Course 4, s/f-DM-Lmk-DM-s/f, 110 at 0.82 nm
Race Length: 3.4 nm
Crew: Brian, Josh, Ted & RW

The flood had been building for an hour and a half by race time nearly straight down the course from the windward mark. We had a good start in clean air midway down the line, the rest of the class up to windward near the RC. But the boats starting near the Eddie Maxwell were farther south and able to weather GLP24 while we had to tack around it and then sailed deep into the cove as did other boats around us. On the tack back south the wind began to die, eventually to zero (zip) as we neared GLP22.  Drifting backwards to the west we deployed the anchor for about five minutes till the breeze gradually came back.  Our effort to get past GLP22 took nearly 15 minutes compared to less than 4 minutes on the second lap. 
For both of our downwinds, we jibed to port shortly after the rounding. In both cases I overstood the leeward mark & the finish, jibing late though don’t think it hurt us much.
First lap took 47 minutes while the second was only 35 minutes.
We finished with a 4^th, good enough for a first in class for the WNR Spring Series.

It was nice having my son in law Ted Gifford, an experienced sailor for his first race on SeTherin.

Link to charts: 1^st Lap, 2^nd Lap, complete race

Link to results
Link to cumulative results

Donzo WNR 07/03/18

Abandoned except for Class Three

Wind: SSW 7 average upwind, and diminishing downwind to zip
Current: ebb North Hill 15:00 
Start: near Horseshoe (start at 1805)
Course: Course 2, s/f-N-s/f
Race Length: n/a nm
Crew: Brian, Adam, Dan & RW

The Race Committee decided to start the Class 3 sport boats first so our gun was at 1805, five minutes later.
We were successful in starting as I wished at the boat for I felt it would get crowded at the pin in the strong right to left current and little wind.  We had planned on going right as there appeared to be better pressure to the west and swapped to port soon as we felt comfortable. Eventually Merganser overtook us to windward, so we took a short tack to the left. In retrospect should have planned on tacking sooner so as to tack on Merganser’s windward hip, as that wind lane was better than where we eventually tacked. We road port out to very near the starboard layline, then nearing the buoy a very short set of tacks for the rounding.

With a jibe to port immediately following the rounding we worked westward for better pressure eventually the farthest boat west other than Wild Horses and to lead our class boat for boat and in position to drift down to the finish for the gun (our first ever) when the RC terminated the race.   

Only the Class 3 completed the race prior to its being abandoned. 

For some reason the GPS chart recording was switched off so I don’t have chart to share with you.

Donzo WNR 06/27/18

Wind: S 6 to 12 kts, gust 14, lulls 4
Current: flood North Hill 18:10 
Start: near Horseshoe (start at 1800)
Course: [(s/f-N-lmk)*2]-N
Race Length: 7.1 nm
Crew: Brian, Adam, Dan & RW

The forecast was for a fresh breeze throughout the evening, so the RC posted a Course 6 for North Hill, three laps which was eventually shortened after at two & a half laps.

In the last few seconds prior to the start gun we approached the pin half of the line luffing the jib with Gimlet ahead at the near the pin and Cosmic close aboard to windward.  I should have followed Brian’s call to power up but was too cautious and as a result we were pinned close to Gimlet’s starboard hip and an were eventually forced on to a short port tack, then back to a long starboard to Dumplings’ channel.  We sailed the north side of the channel where the chop along the shallows the shore of North Dumping slowed us considerably.   A short hitch in to close on the buoy positioned us we for the layline & rounding.

Jolly Mon, Cosmic & Gimlet all rounded comfortably well ahead and we elected the west shore of North Dumpling on both downwinds for current mitigation.  

I believe our second upwind the best of the three as a short port following the leeward mark positioned us well for the Dumplings, not too close to ND for breeze loss, but in better position for the decision on when to tack onto port for the channel passage, slightly favoring south of mid-channel.

On our final downwind I delayed to long for the last jibe, overstanding for a reach into the mark. Exiting the leeward mark we were forced into an immediate tack by IZZY MAYhem to our lee.  A quarter of the way up the course we took a port to avoid the corner, crossing ahead of Merganser but extended too long as the subsequent starboard positioned us too close to North Dumpling for a wind loss/header allowing Merganser to gain.  Our port channel passage was similar the previous, slightly favoring the southern side.  As we exited the channel in the chop Merganser began to gain considerably, pointing higher to cross our stern to windward. 

Merganser was first to tack for the finish line, yet pointing & slow. We tacked and were looking good to cross ahead when the Class 6 boat “Finale” began passing to our leeward forcing us into a tack.  Following the short port tack & subsequent starboard, we crossed 13 seconds behind Merganser.

Link to chart
Link to results

Donzo WNR - 06/20/18

Wind: S 4 to 8 kts, gust 10
Current: ebb North Hill 17:30 
Start/Finish: near Horseshoe (start at 1805)
Course: N-I_s/f-N-s/f
Race Length: 6.5 nm
Crew: Brian, Adam, Dan & RW

The forecast was for a fresh breeze throughout the evening, but it was not to be.
About a minute & a half prior to the start my plan ran into a major obstacle- “Vitesse” sailing alongside the committee boat blocking our path to the line. It felt like waiting for a freight train to pass.  We trailed the class across the line, and after a minute or so tacked out for clear air, but decided to remain on port, not a good choice.   

Nearly last in class to the North Hill bell other than Liquid Foundation, we trailed Sans Souci rounding well ahead.  Passing through the Dumplings, I noticed Jolly Mon exiting Intrepid at a good clip for the s/f-pin.   Farther down the run we began to close on some boats & passed Merganser on our starboard. 

We noticed Thunder Chicken’s jibe around the buoy (continuing under spinnaker) and San Souci stuck at the mark with their genoa not providing enough power to exit. We were able to jibe inside SS as they began to re-hoist their spinnaker, as Merganser reached above to stall our progress.  In retrospect I should have made an more of an effort to stay above Merganser rather than be concerned about San Souci trailing us back under spinnaker.  It was a ten minute struggle to put distance beyond the mark, often drifting backwards in the current, with numerous boats rolling us to windward, Liquid Foundation included. Finally after 20 minutes we reached a wind-line and rode it to the pin.  San Souci never made it and retired. 

We rounded the pin with a leeward take down choosing to tack rather than follow Merganser out on port, thinking starboard a shorter course to better breeze.  Considering the current, we should have anticipated it would take us towards the Intrepid wind hole, as that is where we ended up (1938 hours on the chart).  Eventually we noticed Merganser back on starboard paralleling us to well to windward prior to their tack to sail up the west side of the Dumplings.  By now we were committed to the east side, tacking to port to sail in the current lee of North Dumpling for a short starboard across to South Dumpling and eventually to the mark for the rounding.

Time finally ran out for a TLE as we were sailing along the west shore of North Dumpling at 2030. Only three boats in our class of eight managed to finish, Jolly Mon, Cosmic & Gimlet. 

Link to chart

Donzo WNR - 06/13/18

Wind: S 8 to 10 kts, gust 12
GON Baro & Temp:  29.79” & 64F
Current: flood North Hill 17:50 
Start/Finish: near Horseshoe (start at 1805)
Course 4: 230 at 1 nm, s/f-wmk-lmk-wmk-s/f
Race Length: 3.92 nm
Crew: Brian, Adam, Dan & RW

During the pre-start there appeared to be more wind offshore towards the windward mark, so a starboard tack was preferred & and also current lifted. 
Running down the line, we had a reasonable start.  Though I should have anticipated Cosmic crossing the line ahead of us right at the pin resulting in some close quarters sailing with them to our lee and not able to accelerate as we wished. I should have eased up our approach speed some by luffing the sails.  Though when clear of us Cosmic shifted out of point mode giving us clear air for a good starboard.  Our tack to port was delayed by Merganser on our windward hip, to what we thought may have been too close to the port layline, though not so as we approached the mark. 

We had a good set, then worked the east side of the course where the breeze upwind appeared stronger, requiring a port jibe for the rounding.  The douse was good, though a little late, slightly delaying our turn to port upwind.  A breeze had by now filled in down the course so we continued on port a while.  This may have been a mistake, as our COG was headed significantly. We should have tacked back out on starboard shortly after the leeward mark. The chart shows a weird header just prior to our starboard tack. 

I delayed our tack onto the starboard layline to cross ahead of Thunder Chicken, giving us a bit more overstand then I would have liked.  Both of the roundings at the top of the course were overstood some in the flooding current for a slight loss.  A full hoist was delayed some due an entanglement of the spinnaker & port jib halyards.   This time we maintained starboard jibe for the full leg, though by the lee nearing the finish for another unprecedented string of first places in class.

Link to chart
Link to results

- double check halyards are not crossed
- may consider setting shroud tension one step tighter above 10 kts TWS
- main could have been flatter upwind.