Wednesday - 08/08/12
Crew: Brian, Dan & RW
Wind: SSE, 3 to 6, avg 4.5 kts
Weather: High OVC, 75F, Baro 29.95
Current: ebb 1600 NH
Start: GLP start area
Course: s/f-W-s/f; Distance: 4.3 nm
On the motor out, the outboard overheated just past the Spicer day marks, as the impeller bit the dust. Fortunately, we hitched a tow on Dark & Stormy as she came by on the way out. At the five minute warning and short of GLP 24, we ditched the tow knowing we were not going to make the line prior to the gun.
We rounded the pin a minute late, on Class 2’s four minute warning and continued out on a current lifted port for a ways. Shortly after the start Cosmic bailed on to port for clear air, while the rest of the class continued out the left on starboard. Shortly after our tack to stay in a band of wind, Sans Souci crossed safey ahead on port and contined right. Confident in our wind band, we decided not to cover. Brian did a great job picking the wind all the way to West Harbor, with a slight favor to the Flat Hammock side some.
The rounding and set was good in spite of the traffic from overtaking classes. On the downwind, had I not taken it so close to Flat Hammock, we may have benefited more from current farther from shore, yet still cut inside the FH buoy. Past Flat Hammock it was a game of very light air spinnaker (Dan) & main trim with a bit of up current strategy. I guess Sans Souci may have trailed us two or three minutes at "W" yet closed to a minute, 18 seconds at the finish. Either, she benefited from a private breeze accompanying her, or that extra 45 square feet of downwind sail area really paid off.
Gratefully, Dark & Stormy again gave us a tow; deep into the marina. With a bit a sculling we eventually docked. Brian took the outboard home for analysis & maybe repair. Fingers crossed.
Greg Gilmartin's comments:
Ghosting Through the Seconds
For all the comments we hear about PHRF racing, you have to admit, sometimes the math is uncanny in how close it makes things appear. It's more a race in the mind because looking on the water you don't see how that lost 2 seconds here, or that slow tack there is going to add up in the end. Class Two had a battle royale last night, even though the competitors weren't close enough to shout at each other at the finish line. But do the math. Thanks to summer PHRF and up and down wind, only 25 seconds separated the top 3 finishers. Only 1 second between Blind Monkey in second and Ursa Minor in third. Good on you Jack Scaduto. You found that lost second or two.YOu need another two dozen to catch Wunder Dog.
A night for the patient as the breeze hardily rippled the surface. Zero to 5 knots was the official reading on the Eddie Maxwell and at Ledge Light. Once again a strong ebb played a major role as the fleet slowly made their way to West Harbor and back. Wild Horses took fleet honors again, followed by Balance and Black Ice. The big boats proved the wind was up high where only they could reach it. Do the math and they were half an hour ahead of the smaller boats. Another solid night for Looney Tunes and Eclipse. And best showing of the year for the folks on Mayaro with a second place finish behind SeTherin in Class One with Cosmic Debris 3rd, all within 70 seconds.
And if you want close without needing a clock and calculator, keep an eye on Pursuit and Corona. The pair of veteran S2's have been in their own world neck and neck the last couple of weeks. Only 2 seconds separated them this week, the edge to Pursuit. You gotta take your victories where you can.
The results posted here are with Summer Penalties, but the fleet finishes, listed in the second column, are without penalties.