AYC WNR Series 1 Number 2 on 01 May 2019

Date: 01 May 2019 18:00 till 01 May 2019 21:00
Endpoints: Yacht Haven Annapolis to Yacht Haven Annapolis
Purpose: Racing
Complement: TC Williams, John Donegan, Dave Butta, and Jonathan Bresler
Weather: Light building to 13 apparent in the Bay, fading at the end. Mid-70s
Engine Hours: 195.5 to 196.1
Chart: 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers

Course: B1.
Time limit: 2020.
Sails: Interrupt mainsail, Tatus II genoa and spinnaker.

The Harbor 20's start line was set from Horn Point extending parallel to Eastport Yacht Club towards the Academy. As we headed out to the course, the Harbor 20's where in their start sequence. Attempted to go around the downstream end of the line. Got into shallow water. Could feel the boat furrowing the bottom. Turned hard to port, reversed direction, and was able to moter, rather comfortably, back to deeper water. By this time, about 18:20, the Harbor 20's had started. Followed the port tack Harbor 20's across their start line and out to our start line.

Run up down the start line and back to the pin end. Turned towards the start to late, allowed Jonathan to get ahead of us. Due to folks not being familiar with the boat and positions: Dave in pit, TC on bow, and John on genoa, we were very slow to raise the spinnaker. Lost considerable ground to Jonathan and the two Cal 25's on the way out to "A". Rounded "A" last. Pinched too much, too often and failed to make up ground on the close hauled port tack towards "B". Doing mostly 3.8kts, rarely 5+kts despite 13kts apparent. Poor driving. When I did not pinch, we moved well and closed a bit of the gap. But that was the exception, generally lost distance over the leg. Tacked to starboard about 100 yards from the mark after passing it and ensuring that we would make the rounding.

Rounded "D" in company of a J/22 "Gaynelle" and the Bermuda 40-3 "Actaea". After rounding keep up with both while Actaea sorted out their sails, lowering a foil mounted genoa, and hoisting their kite. Then Actaea walked away as she should, PHRF 150 vs our 231. Headed to marks "Y" and R "4". Snap shackle on the sheet opended after we hoisted the kite. Had to recover that re-attach and resume racing. Despite this, rounded both in company with "Gaynelle, rating of 174. Held "Gaynelle" off all the way to R "8". Turned downwind at R "8" and raised the kite for the third time this night.

Headed towards the finish, the wind softened considerably. Gybed in the mooring field and headed to the finish.

Very good that we had this chance to race together before the NOOD. Hopefully, a number of issues have been resolved and our performance will be substantially better in the NOOD. Example: TC hit upon the idea of running the spinnaker sheet and guy straight forward from their turning blocks to the cabin top winches, rather than to the cabin top winch on the other side of the boat. Expect that this will work much better.

Finishing order: Laughing Gull, Constance. LinGin, Second-2-Nun, and Skybird did not start.

GPX formatted Track None estimated distance: 5nm.