Wednesday 08/23/06

Seth Magner Mudheads WNR 2006

Crew: Brian, Seth, Megan & RW
Course: s/f to North Hill *2, two laps Shortened to 3 legs at North Hill Distance: 3.4 nm
Winds: W at 8 to 3 kts
Current: flood 1731 Ram Island

The RC positioned the start in the outer entrance of West Harbor. With a port tack approach down the line in an 8 kts breeze, we found a hole behind Sanibel, tacked on their windward quarter to make the line at the gun, with Valiant trailing and no one to windward. After a couple of minutes Sanibel to our lee pinched us off, forcing a tack to port, which may have been avoided had we bit more speed at the gun. After much pre-start discussion, our strategy was to sail up to Fishers on starboard and out between the island and South Dumpling towards the windward mark. A route we favored as there always seems to be wind near the island. Too late I noticed No Problem on our port hip pinning us on port into the channel between the Dumplings. Though there was little wind between the Dumplings, there was a tenth or two of current assisting us.

Wednesday 08/16/06

Seth Magner Mudheads WNR 2006

Crew: Brian, Seth, Megan & RW
Wind: 265 at 4-10 kts, average 7 kts
Current: ebb 1730 RI
Course: WL 095 at 2.12 nm, 1 lap for 4.25 nm

The RC was adventurous tonight; setting a downwind start to Ram R20 & back. Our strategy was for a descent start, ride the current downwind to Ram and hug the shore return back upwind hugging the shore.

Wednesday 08/09/06

Seth Magner Mudheads WNR 2006

Wednesday 080906
Crew: Brian, Seth, Megan & RW
Wind: 260 at 5-10 kts
Current: flood 1727 RI
Course: WL 260 at 1nm, 2 laps for 3.7 nm

Seth & Megan arrived early enough to crank me up in the bosun’s chair to hang a block & line for an external spinnaker halyard arrangement. A fix for the jammed internal one will have to wait for winter.

Wednesday 08/02/06

Seth Magner Mudheads WNR 2006

Crew: Brian, Seth & RW
Current: ebb 1718 Ram Island High Tide: 1532
Wind: 260, at 3 to 10 kts (shifted to 360 near the finish)

Following very good start (in a 6-8 knot breeze, in the upper quarter of the line), we found ourselves slipping sideways, not able to hold with No Problem initially to our lee. They pulled ahead eventually to our windward. We tacked a short while on port to clear air and followed the class out on starboard to deeper water with the thought- this early in the ebb; the current may be less off shore. We were nearly the last to tack back to starboard, which we held to near the layline.

Wednesday 07/26/06

Seth Magner Mudheads WNR 2006

Wednesday July 26, 2006
Crew: Brian, Seth & RW
Current: Ram Island 1831 flood Low Tide: 1705
Wind: 200-205 at 5 to 10 kts

Following a good start (in an 8 knot breeze, the farthest down the line), we tacked to port as Watercolors began to shadow us to windward. No Problem tacked shortly thereafter and eventually overtook us to windward. Nearly all the boats with the exception of Watercolors tacked to port for the lift from the ebb. I screwed up and remained in No Problem’s wind shadow too long. There may have been less wind on our side of the course, as the boats in the middle faired better. A long starboard got us up to North Hill where a short port tack took us to the layline in good position for the spinnaker set.