Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: S at 3 to 9 kts, (gusts 10 & one to 12 on the DW)
Current: EBB - North Hill 1730
Start time: 1800, 00:30 into ebb
Start/Finish: Vicinity of X, Groton Long Point
Course: s/f-N-s/f, Distance: 3.3 nm
Shrouds: at Base

Two hours prior to race time Seth & I were questioning whether we’d have a race due to fog, yet 1700 came and passed with no broadcast of cancellation and the visibility appeared to increase.

Arriving late to the starting area, and following some difficulty removing the outboard, we had less than two minutes to the gun- little time to properly assess the situation other than check the course at the committee boat. Had I taken the time to ‘head-to-wind’, I would have discovered a heavily favored port end. We did get a good mid-line start on starboard well ahead of Breakin-Wind & Blissful. This was to no avail though, as both Cosmic and Sans Souci starting near the pin were off on port well ahead of us.

Crew: Seth, Erin, Bob & RW
Winds: SW at 5 to 12 kts
Current: ebb - North Hill 1442
Start time: 1220
Start/Finish: just north of Vixen
Course: s/f-E-I-V-E-s/f, Distance: 13.4 nm
Shrouds: Base +3, +5, +3

It was showery on the drive to Noank, yet by the time we arrived the rain had subsided leaving a low ceiling & some fog. The motor over to Vixen Ledge with a flood in accompaniment was uneventful.

With six classes our class was next to last starting at 1120. In about 8 kts of wind, we got a very good start most windward right at the committee boat. Bandit(J24), directly on our stern was unable to pull up to windward and shortly bailed out on port for clear air, a move we also were forced to do a couple minutes later due to the header from Salud after she pulled out from our alee to directly ahead. Back on starboard and nearing Seaflower, Salud tacked to port for the better part of five minutes, tacking back well to our windward. We had no difficulty weathering Seaflower (yet lost some current lift in its lee), so continued on starboard till closing on fog shrouded North Hill (Fishers Island). As some boats sounded an occasional fog horn, instrument & compass awareness was paramount. Lacking the usual visual cues, I was unaware of the header we sailed into for three minutes or so short of North Hill; a fact I became aware of post-race studying the chart. Had we tacked at 1245, we’d have picked up about two minutes.

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: S at 3 to 7 kts
Current: flood - North Hill 1740
Start time: 1800, 00:20 into flood
Start/Finish: Vicinity of Intrepid Rock
Course: s/f-W-I, Distance: 2.3 nm
Shrouds: at Base

Actuality was replicating the forecast wind wise, and wisely the RC chose a West Harbor course (a two lapper), one with the best opportunity of wind and the least current.  We got a good mid-line start at speed; Cosmic clear to our lee, Watercolors trailing to windward.   Cosmic pulled ahead, eventually Watercolors passed and as their wind-shadow became evident, we tacked to clear and found we were lifted ever so slightly with a favorable current push, so hung on port till assured entrance to the West Harbor approaches.