58th Annual Round the Island Race
Wind: SE 6 to 12, G16
Average Wind: 155 at 8.2; C9 to Finish: 140 at 10.3 kts
Current: flood Race Pt: 0910, Race: 0925; ebb Napatree: 1425
Start 1025 & Finish 1355: West Harbor
Course: counter-clockwise
Race Length: 14.55 nm
Crew: Brian, Brandon & RW
Rather than tacking at North Hill (R2), we should have continued a bit farther, then after tacking abeam North Hill worked back in. Boats that favored the western shore did well.
Our approach to Race Point was a disaster. As we neared R2, a large 39’ boat nearly overran us from arears, so close that their bow rail overlapped our stern rail. Fortunately, they saw us a split second in time, pinched up & passed us to windward. This took the wind out of our sails; losing our drive to clear the buoy, forcing us to tack inshore briefly then work our way back out for a 4 to 5 minute loss.
After the close call and rounding I lost my 'drive' I’m ashamed to say. Rather than tack in and out along the south shore for current avoidance, I chose a leisurely sail to Lord’s Pass.
The tight run to the finish along the North Shore with the reacher (Brandon trimming) was very enjoyable and would have been more so had I not given up the fight at Race Point.
Link to chart
Link to chart > 6 kts
Link to chart - Race Point
Link to results
Short of Race Point: photo1
Reach to West Harbor: photo2