Crew: Seth, Bob & RW
Course: “X†to Intrepid Rock to “X’, 1nm @ 146 dg, one lap Distance: 2.0 nm
Winds: SE at 8 Barometer: 30.03, Temp: 72 F Current: flood 14:42
Ram Island A short race was posted due to the post-race mid-season party. Yet due to the foggy conditions, I doubt we would have done more than one lap regardless. Nearing 1800 hours, the ceiling was less than 500′ with visibility about a mile.
We had a good mid-line start on starboard which we followed Cosmic, Watercolors & Noo Problem short of the beach, then tacked out to GLP24 and along Groton Long Point to avoid the flood, occasionally finding an eddy in our favor. Some boats continued out on port at GLP22, where we tacked back to starboard following Noo Problem and Cosmic in an 8 kt breeze. After Noo Problem (first in fleet to the windward mark)and Cosmic tacked offshore for Intrepid, I welshed and tacked too soon.(see second chart). We approached the mark in the wind shadow of a half dozen boats converged at the mark, wind down to 6 kts. Anticipating a strong current and diminished wind at the mark, we overstood (in favor of another tack), tacked above the layline then bore off as necessary for the rounding and bearaway set. After the rounding we jibed at the first opportunity to the fresher course offshore with current in our favor.
With Bob trimming and the visibility down to less than a quarter mile, I did a mediocre job driving. Seth called the final jibe spot on to take us across the finish. We crossed ahead of Tumult and corrected above Cosmic for fifth, with Noo Problem for a well deserved first place.
Link to Chart 1
Had I continued at 1817 hours for another minute, we would have avoided the overstand & subsequent starboard layline against the current; possibly saving two to three minutes. Two minutes, 40 seconds faster would have put us in first place. Link to Chart 2