Last of the Season WNR

Mudheads WNR 2010

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: avg 236 @ 3.5 kts
Weather: Clear, Temp 67 F; Baro 29.98
Current: ebb 1627 North Hill
Start/Finish: offshore of GLP Starting Area, near mid-channel
Course: s/f–DM–s/f *2, Distance: 240 at .7 nm, shortened to 1 lap, 1.4 nm total
Shrouds: Base

Another night, the last of the WNR Season; the wind-gods were again less than accommodating. The situation was compounded by the RC setting up nearly in the middle of the channel with an ebb in progress for nearly two hours ( & becoming stronger) with a forecast of diminishing wind.

We started at the pin on favored port, a bit late crossing the last of the starboard sterns, with Breakin’ Wind three of four boat lengths directly ahead, then tacked after five or so minutes. Wunder Dog, Salud & Cosmic were successful playing the middle, while Draggin’ Z continued out on starboard from the start to the current shadow of northeast of N. Dumpling. There they tacked in a wind-band to proceed unencumbered to the mark.

WNR - 08/25/10

Mudheads WNR 2010

 

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: avg 320 @ 8 kts, peak 12, low 4 kts
Weather: Clear, Temp 71 F; Baro 29.82
Current: ebb - flood to begin at 1810 Ram Island, 1835 North Hill
Start/Finish: offshore of GLP Starting Area
Course: s/f–DM–s/f; Distance: 320 at 1.5 nm, shortened to 1 1/2 laps, 4.1 nm total
Shrouds: +2,+3,+2

Again, I thought I’d run down the line from the pin, then tack onto starboard into a hole. The wind went light with a big port-header less than a minute to the gun. We would have been much better off leading the fleet from the RC, to start on starboard with speed, as they were bunched at the boat, due to the ebb & light air. Also, I was late discovering, starboard to be slightly, though predominately favored. The wind may have been much steadier offshore to the left. It was very eradicate and gusty in the middle of the course and to the right nearer shore.

WNR - 08/11/10 (Another light-air night)

Mudheads WNR 2010

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds:  ESE @ 2.5 kts, peak 4.5, low .7 kts
Weather:  Clear, Temp 71 F; Baro 29.85
Current: ebb - flood to begin at 1831 Ram Island, 1856 North Hill
Start time: 1835, slight ebb to slack in stating area
Start/Finish: offshore of GLP Starting Area
Course: s/f–DM–s/f; Distance: 110 at  .75 nm, one lap, 1.5 total
Shrouds: Base

After a half hour delay, our start gun fired at 1835. I chose for to favor wind over current, as there was a very promising patch of wind between the GLP buoys, with the optimistic thought- it might fill in from that direction and in spite of port tack being heavily favored and a slight current to shove us towards the mark.  So we continued to Groton Point for a series of tacks between to GLP buoys, which worked relatively well. 
Lesson: Start on the favored tack & go with the current.

WNR - 08/04/20

Mudheads WNR 2010

Crew: Brian, Bob & RW
Winds: SW, 4 to 5 at the start, 8-12 kts, gusts 15 (1st lap avg 10 kts);
Second lap avg: 4 kts, early 11,
Weather: Clear, Temp 71 F; Baro 29.83
Current: ebb - begin at 1806 North Hill
Start time: 1800
Start/Finish: GLP s/f & Silver Eel
Course: s/f–DM–s/f-E;
Distance: 248 at 1.2, plus 215 at 2.75 to E
Total 5.15 nm
Shrouds: +2,+0,+2; +2,+3,+2; 0,0,0 

It was just Brian, Bob & I, as Seth & Megan are spending the week on the Jersey Shore. We had an excellent start (in a five knot breeze) all alone near the pin, with the class consuming the upper half of the line near the committee boat. 

WNR - 07/28/10

Mudheads WNR 2010

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: SW, 2-15 kts, gust 16-17
Weather: Clear, Temp 71 F; Baro 29.94
Current: ebb - flood to begin at 1915 North Hill
Start time: 1810, 05:00 into ebb
Start/Finish: GLP Starting Area
Course: s/f–D–s/f; Distance: 245 at 3.95 nm, one lap, 7.9 total
Shrouds: +3,+6,+4, 

We were late arriving and Bob was still stowing the outboard at the five-minute gun. I wished to start near the pin and tack to port at the first opportunity.  Misjudging the current push, we arrived at the pin early with just enough speed to weather it (by inches) as “Draggin-Z-Balls rolled us. Once up to speed we tacked and crossed ahead of a number of boats starting near the committee boat.