Winds: SE at 4 to 10 kts (145 at 7 avg)
Baro: 29.97 (29.95-GON), Temp: 54
Current: ebb - North Hill 1337
Start time: 1800, 2+ hours left of ebb
Start/Finish: between GLP & Horseshoe
Course: #4, s/f- I (140 @1.0), Distance: 3.04 nm
Shrouds: @ base
We got a good start on starboard a good way down the line void of traffic, yet my plan to quickly tack to port was compromised by over taking traffic on our starboard hip. We bit the bullet and tacked regardless, ducking 'Breaking Wind'. Cosmic had crossed the just behind us on port and led out towards the channel followed us and Watercolors, who had tacked shortly after us on our port hip. Sailing out to the deeper water we appreciated a 10 degree lift from the current as Watercolors overtook to windward.
For fear of overstandng, I shied away from taking it all the way to the layline, yet it appeared Watercolors may have. Two more tacks took us to Intrepid for a good rounding and set. We bore away for the shallower water near GLP then jibed about half down the course, with Sans Souci nipping at our heels the whole way.
We had a good rounding. takedown & hardened back up on port for the second lap, very similar to the first but for the increasing traffic of the larger later starting boats. At Intrepid , we were a little late setting the pole and I bearing off, much to the displeasure of Patriot (Baltic 39). This time there appeared to be bit more wind near shore with the double benefit of less current. As the line was long, we felt a finish nearer the pin beneficial(?) and we crossed a few seconds ahead of Sans Souci for another third place and tenth in fleet.
What we could have done different:
~ I should have followed my subliminal gut feeling and started on port for a possible ten to twenty seconds gain.
~ Had we recognized the header (see chart) on the second beat out to the channel and tacked, we may have picked twenty to thirty seconds.
Link to chart 2