Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: SW 8 to 0
Current: flood - North Hill 1700
Start time: 1800, 01:00 into flood
Start/Finish: Vicinity of X, Groton Long Point
Course: s/f(I)-E-Ns-s/f, Distance: ### nm
Abandoned between E & N
Shrouds: +1, +2, +1, at start, back to base past North Hill
With a 5 to 10 knot forecast the Race Committee optimistically set a course from Intrepid to Silver Eel and back. Contrary to the rest of our class, I elected to start on port with the current for greater speed. We ducked Watercolors, cleared and tacked to windward of the fleet. A minute or so later Sans Souci tacked to port and crossed behind to continue on port a good while prior to returning to starboard.
With Watercolors and Cosmic leading, we continued up the east side of North Dumpling, lifted by the current with possibly a push also, tacking just past mid-channel for full current benefit and avoidance of South Dumpling’s wind-shadow. Just past South Dumpling Watercolors tacked back to North Dumpling as did Cosmic a couple minutes later. Why, I don’t know. Maybe they thought “N” had to be honored to starboard. Regardless, it was a major mistake as they were swept eastward. We continued well to the west clear of North Hill and gained significantly on both, passing Cosmic then tacked to consolidate. Sans Souci trailing, followed our example. Now clear of North Hill, Watercolors gradually pulled away though favored the shore. We swapped tacks with Cosmic a couple times crossing ahead farther each time, while Sans Souci taking a flier, extended on port well offshore till it appeared they were past abeam Silver Eel (E).
The wind dropping to the 3’s and mid-4’s, we patiently crept along from one patch of breeze to another as Sans Souci worked in from the northwest on a slight fresher reach. Short of Silver Eel Harbor and the rocks we tacked for the mark in a small zephyr, as Watercolors rounded. Another short tack took to windward of the mark and the layline as Sans Souci rounded, mistakenly to port. Nearing the mark we were able to advise them of their mistake which they appeared to correct, though we were too busy in our own rounding and set to know for sure.
Now in second, with the spinnaker drawing cleanly, we worked our way north into the incoming traffic of the larger classes as the RC announced a shortening of the course and a finish at North Hill. In backing diminishing wind, we jibed and shortly after the wind dropped to one knot and as we were trying the genoa & whisker pole with little effect, the RC signaled race-abandonment.
Link to chart