Another full day on the water Sunday…. SeTherin left the slip at 0830, pulled back in at 1910 hours. We made the trip over to Niantic in one & a-half hours with assistance of the flood- boat speed average five kts with six over the ground. This was our first visit to Niantic Bay and for the most part, we were pleased with the racing in spite of our lack luster showing, due in part to a floating windward mark, causing the first race (only one race was planned initially) to be thrown out.
Crew : Brian, Bob, Seth & RW
Winds: SW (250) at 10 to 14 kts
Baro: 29.98, Temp: 64, Water Temp: 47
Current: ebb - Bartletts Reef 1317
Start time: 1105, 2+ hours left of the flood
Start/Finish: middle of Niantic Bay
Course: W/L 12nm intended
Shrouds: + 2nd step
The race committee setup in the middle of the Bay, and posted a good course with a windward mark set 3 miles to windward , along the shore about a mile west of Black Point, and the leeward mark R6 off the rocks on the west shore of the Millstone Nuclear Plant . The second lap was to be to a windward mark approximately a half mile close than the first for a total race distance rhumbline distance of 12 nm.
We had a mid-field start on starboard in a 10 kt wind; then tacked westward towards the BP shore for more wind (10 to 12) and a tide push along the shore. Well clear of Black Point we tacked parallel to the shore. After following the two J24’s some distance ahead we tacked back offshore for more current, as there appeared to be some adverse current along the shore. Nearly abeam the windward mark (and near the windward mark for the second leg) we tacked for the layline having gained a bit on the J24’s. The layline call was good, as was the rounding and bear-away set for nice run to Millstone, jibing about 2/3’s down the course, with a smooth douse and rounding at the bottom.
Back on starboard along the shore of Black Point, we were cooking in a gusty 11 to 13 knot wind- a cool wind with w bit more punch than typical summer winds. About half-way up the Point, Seth noticed boats ahead of us rounding a mark well to the east, actually to the lee of our course. I was in disbelief that the mark could have drifted and reluctant to bear off for the (new) mark. Eventually, after much discussion we did. And as depicted on the GPS printout our course was much longer than necessary. Nearing the mark the wind went light 6 kts or so & nearly abeam, not SeTherin’s best point of sail. Short of the mark we set the spinnaker, a move we should have made a few moments sooner. The run back to Millstone was in light air of six kts or so, with another smooth douse and rounding for the final beat to the finish.
Winds: SW (250) at 4 to 8 kts
Baro: 29.98, Temp: 64, Water Temp: 47
Current: ebb - Bartletts Reef 1317
Start time: 1355
Start/Finish: middle of Niantic Bay
Course: W/L 2.5 nm
Shrouds: + 1, 2, & 1
The RC announced and posted a second race, a one lapper in the diminished wind significantly shorter than the first at 2.5 miles total - the windward mark a half mile out, a downwind leg of 1.2 and .65 nm back to the finish. Following our midline start, not last but a bit slow, we tacked again for the Black Point Shore and more wind, laid the windward mark for a long layline and a smooth rounding and set for a very light air run in 4 to 6 knots (hard to compete with the taller masts out in front). Again, we had a very smooth douse and rounding for the beat up to the finish.
As it was not yet 3-o’clock, we decided to stay for the festivities and picked up a mooring at the yacht club. By the time the launch arrived we had the boat all put together for the motor home. And the food and drinks were worth the wait as the results were delayed by a protest. And as was expected the first race was thrown out, and we ended up with a 5th in the second race just ahead of Rusty Nail.
Back in Noank, we rounded Spicer’s DayMark #1 at 1900, two hours from dropping the mooring in Niantic, a return on the last of the ebb (slack, with hints of the new flood) our BSP & SOG were within a few tenths of one another and down to five or slightly less.
The “times” have arrived from NBYC via email. We were first in the “Abandoned” race, obviously not a fair race for the other boats. Though had the mark not drifted and the race counted, I believe we would have finished in the money.
Race 1 chart
Race 2 chart