Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: ESE 7 kt avg, 10 to 3 kts
Weather: overcast, Baro: 29.76, 72 F
Current: ebb - 1355 North Hill
Start/Finish: GLP Starting Area
Course: s/f–W–s/f Distance: 4.2 nm
Shrouds: +0, +1, +1
A warm-front overcast moved in about 1500, with some shower activity threatening a few miles to the west, in NW to SE movement. Fortunately, it stayed well west of us. The RC was without a mark-boat again, so chose a course up to West Harbor and back, posted initially for two laps.
In the pre-start, I sailed past the committee boat and tacked back a bit late to starboard at 45 seconds to the gun just ahead of Jolly Mon and Mayaro. They were able to sail in our lee with their larger sail plans & momentum forcing us up to the line. I went up high as I dared without crossing (so I may have been guilty of barging for a few seconds). I should have started the lead back a few seconds sooner.
We tacked to port almost right away to work offshore for the ebb lift. The crew did a great job of finding the wind, and we had our best windward leg of the season. The water was uncommonly flat for a breeze opposing the current, great conditions for SeTherin, and we were the third boat to round the windward mark.
The downwind turned into a light air spinnaker reach, and I chose the left (west) side of course concerned about being swept eastward, then having to finish directly downwind in a dying breeze. Crossing inside the Flat Hammock Nun as close to the rocks as we dared, kept us up current, well left of the overtaking fleet, a compromise limiting our fresh air somewhat. The wind continued to die as the faster boats finished safely ahead, a typical Wednesday phenomenon and a one lap event.