AYC WNR Series 3 Number 1 on 25 July 2018

Date: 25 July 2018 17:45 till 25 July 2018 20:00
Endpoints: Muller Marine to Muller Marine
Purpose: Racing
Complement: TC Williams, Austin Williams, Rick Chambers, Annabelle Chambers, Hamilton Tyler, Kim Migraine, and Jonathan Bresler
Weather: Force 4 WU , well developed wind driven waves, no white caps.
Chart: 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers

Due the quantities of rain over the last few days, more than 11 inches since Saturday, and the bilge pump turned off due to the float switch being broken, Argo flooded...floor boards afloat, aft battery and starter cable damaged if not destroyed. Arrived at the boat around 4:30pm to find TC hunched over the engine working. Tools everywhere. Parts everywhere. Bilge pump inoperable due to clogging. TC still working after everyone arrived. Got the boat back together and left the dock about 6:05(?). Arrived in the starting area as the Etchells fleet started; our ten minute gun.

While raising the main, the top two slides popped off the track. Lowered the main. Tried again. Four slides popped off. Lowered the main, feed several slides back on the track and crimped them with a plier to make sure that they would remain on the track. No good. The lowest section of track has twisted away from the next section, thereby opening up a gap on the port side that allows one side of the slide to slip off the track, then the other side pops off. Lowered the main again. TC suggested using the backstay to prebend the mast. Worked! We had the engine running the whole time.

Finally shut the engine down while the prep flag was flying. We broke Rule 42 "Propulsion" as "Racing" begins at the preparatory signal.

Course A2. Started late. Sailed out past the "A" and almost to the turning mark "D". On the way out, found that they spinnaker sheets had been run inside the jibsheets by a person helping to set up the boat. Got them sorted.

When almost at the turning mark, bore away, raised the spinnaker. Difficult hoist. The topping lift had been secured in such a way that it trapped the spinnaker halyard. Had to use a winch for the finaal six feet of the hoist. More help had been received.

Sailed back to the vicinity of the "8" and dropped out of the race.

The night had been a series of unfortunate events, each handled with some aplomp and without drama.

Finishing order: LinGin, Argo(DNF), Laughing Gull(DNC), Skybird(DNC), Second-2-Nun(DNC).

For an example of the night's wave action, see timestamp 5:00 of the T2P.tv film.

Track, started during upwind leg. GPX formatted Track distance: 4.52nm, average speed: 4.0kts, duration: 1:07