Course A1. No radio. Bottom last cleaned in prepration for the Ted Osius Race, late June.

Just Gigi and I. There had been rumors of another five but none showed, perhaps due to the weather with heat and humidity pushing the heat index to about 103 degrees.

Bit of an issue raising the main. A slider hung up on crossing from the lowest portion of mast track to the next portion. Remedied by several attempts to drop a bit and try again. Got it pass after a few tries. No issue dropping the main at the end of the night. Noticed that the top end of the lowest portion of mast track had a rivet replaced by a round head screw. Telltails on the leech of the main need replacing. Only the topmost is functional this race.

Before the start hung out beyond the committee boat end, favored end, of the line. Ran back and forth from the committee boat towards SSA and back the committee waiting for the start. No radio, so no countdown available over the air. Needed to spend time maintaining Gigi's calm by conversation. One consequence was that I failed to note the time of the previous start, the time the prep flag was raised, and the time that the prep flag dropped. We started about thirty seconds late in last place, crossing the line close to the committee, explaining to Gigi that we would not hit the boat of the keep clear buoy behind the boat.

Began the chase to close the gap. Gigi trimming jib from the low side; I trimming main, driving, and tailing on the jibsheet. Sailing close-hauled. Requested that the jib be placed six to eight inches off the spreader. Skybird directly ahead, about five boat lengths distant. LinGin, Laughing Gull, Second-2-Nun, and Ronin all ahead of Skybird and a somewhat to leeward. Passed within shouting distance of G "5" making sure to leave the Etchells room to round, even when the came pinwheeling three boats wide into the mark. By this point, we had passed Ronin, a Cal 25. Waited for the Etchells fleet to round G "5" before tacking over to port. Although the track does not show it(!?), had to tack back to starboard to avoid an Etchells of which I did not receive effective warning, then tacked back to port.

Sailed all the way across the river to G "1E" outside of Eastport before tacking back to starboard in hopes of being able to make the mark on this board. It was not to be, headed a bit, a few times too many to lay the mark. While on starboard cross ahead of Second-2-Nun. LinGin already around the mark. Tacked to port to "cover" Second-2-Nun, and to gain enough distance to weather the mark. Overstood a bit. Tacked back with Second-2-Nun following in our wake.

Given the conditions, kept the earlier decision not to fly a spinnaker. The only Alberg, perhaps the only boat to forego a spinnaker. Ran wing-on-wing to R "6" while watching Ronin slide away from us from below, to in front, to above, under spinnaker. Laughing Gull and Skybird both chose to sail toward the Greenbury Point, a hotter angle. By the time that we reached R "6", Skybird had gybed and was sailing a hot angle to the next mark, R "8", throwing a nice bow wave. Second-2-Nun, while flying spinnaker, did not gain at all thereby, but rather lost ground till the kleg was half gone, then began to recover some distance. To no avail. Rounded R "8" well behind Skybird and well in advance of Second-2-Nun, perhaps 150 yards from each.

Fast sail close hauled towards G "SC" till the wind started to breakup a bit as we entered the area affected by the buildings on Horn Point. By G "SC", had closed to within fifty yards of Skybird. Passed through the mooring field without difficulty. Tacked near the fuel dock at Annapolis Yacht Basin, now within twenty yards of Skybird. After the tack, started driving from the lowside. At this point, I became aware that the requested six to eight inches between the jib and the spreader was being implemented as twelve to eighteen inches. Chided Gigi gently about knowing this. Re-trimmed. Moved smoothly across Spa Creek, crossed Skybird, and tacked at the entrance between the Chart House and the next dock upstream. After the tack, had to tack again to avoid Skybird. Back to the southeast side of Spa Creek and tacked back to starboard after Skybird tacked. This did us in. After the tack, there was a boat length in between us and Skybird. Never closed that gap.

Calm, controlled racing. Night played out much as expected, but for how close we came to Skybird in the end. That was quite satisfying considering the start, the condition of the bottom, the lack of a spinnaker, and paucity of crew.

Finishing order: LinGin, Laughing Gull, Skybird, Argo, Second-2-Nun

Track, started during upwind leg. GPX formatted Track distance: 4.07nm, average speed: 3.7kts, duration: 1:05