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 inexpicable 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).