Date: 07/13/2002 Log Entry: Race
Distance: 6.9 Weather: SW – 5 to 4, 10 to 12 at the finish Current: ebb 1439 Race
Course: Modified Gold Cup - Long Shoal Crew: Joan & George Carlson, Seth & RW

Essex YC Rum Challenge

Start – eastern end of Long Shoal of the mouth of the CT River

Course – west along southern edge of Long Shoal to X mile so of R/C to L miles east of R/C.

 

In danger of the current sweeping us across the line, we kept the motor running until five seconds prior to the warning gun, and maneuvered at a safe distance. With Seth doing a good job positioning us for the start, we crossed the line in good form and clean air. With most of the boats going left, George noticed more air to the right. We took to the right and tacked along the southern edge of Long Shoal arriving just behind the pack at the mark.

 

Upon rounding the windward mark we chose to go right, the most direct course to the jibe mark X, with the majority of the fleet. With the wind fluctuating four knots down to zip we struggled to keep the boat moving against the current.  We soon found ourselves drifting backwards at a lesser rate than the fleet and gradually gained on them.  After a half hour or so, the wind slowly filled in from the south and the fleet began to pull away from us.

 

Soon it came to light that the jibe mark was missing, evidently its anchor rode too short for the rising tide and deep water.  Morningstar was first to report on the radio the missing mark and their subsequent navigational rounding.  We sailed out above their windward hip, then past their stern to assure our rounding the bore off for the leeward mark. Now again wing & wing, the breeze built to eight by the leeward mark. Fortunately after rounding, the wind continued to build into the low teens for the near reach back to the finish with the current now at ebb and again on our nose.

           

We were awarded first place, correcting over all non-spinnaker boats. 

 

1-         SeTherin, Catalina 22

 

2-         BeaR/Cat, Nonsuch 30

 

3-         Stray Cat, Nonsuch 30

 

4-         Illusion, C&C30

 

5-         Prism, C&C 29, 195

 

6-         Kristina, Tartan 30, 202

 

7-         Petrel, Luders 33, 213

 

8-         Dividend, Island Packet 31, 215

 

9-         Irish Lady, Ranger 26, 216

 

10-       Sisu, Nonsuch 26, 231

 

Intrepid, Endeavor 51, 83

 

Moby Nick, DWN41, 111

 

Bluebird, MGR45, 120

 

Blind Date, Sabre 38, 134

 

Petard, J34C, 140

 

Morningstar, SCP43, 142

 

Mass Transit, J27, 145

 

Hornet, Oday 34, 158

 

True Blue, Pearson 36, 159

 

Banshee, Nonsuch 36, 163

 

Voyager, Beneteau 51, 179