Sunday 06/06/10

Crew: Brian, Seth, Bob & RW
Winds: SW mid to high teens, gusts low 20’s
Temp: 75 F, Baro: 29.77
Weather: high thin overcast; lowering frontal clouds
Current: flood – Bartlett Reef 1135, Two Tree Island 1230
Start time: 1105
Start/Finish: mid Niantic Bay
Course: s/f-A-W-I-A-I-s/f; “A” 215 @ 2.2 nm from RC; Total Distance: 10.7 nm
*Heavy #1 Genoa
Shrouds: +5,+7,+4

The Niantic event is the farthest west we care to venture for a same day event, and this year the current was on our nose both going and returning, two hours each way.  Leaving Spicer’s at 8am, the motor over was in smooth water, under clear skies, with little to no wind.  The forecast was a bit ominous wind wise, so arrival we donned PFD’s, cinched the keel down & the shrouds to their tightest, & prepared for a stiff wind. 

The RC set up in the middle of the Bay with a Gold Cup Course.  We were the second class to start.  It was nice to witness another start and benefit from that knowledge.  Seeing that port was favored I should have hung back to start at the committee boat.   Thinking that the fleet would quickly to tack to port, I decided lead the fleet down towards the on the pin end, with the thought of being the most windward boat following the tacks. We ran down the line on starboard leading the class, yet found soon after the gun, few were in mind for a tack.  So we threw in a quick tack to duck a few sterns, which really paid off.  Euphoria and the J24 starting near the RC were the only other boats on port.   After tacking back to starboard for the hitch offshore, Salud had to duck us, one of the few if only time that’s happened.