AYC WNR Series 1 Number 3 on 08 May 2019

Date: 08 May 2019 18:00 till 08 May 2019 21:00
Endpoints: Yacht Haven Annapolis to Yacht Haven Annapolis
Purpose: Racing
Complement: TC Williams, Dave Butta, Steve (Dave's colleague), and Jonathan Bresler
Weather: Good winds, 17 apparent in the Bay, 6 apparent on the run to the finish. 60's
Engine Hours: 201.3 to 202.1
Chart: 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers

Course: B4R.
Time limit: 2020.
Sails: Interrupt mainsail, Tatus II genoa and spinnaker.

Not quite a spinnaker start, rather a beam reach. Reached away from the pin end of the line and back to the line several times, till we started about 10 seconds late. Started on port tack above LinGin, Laughing Gull, and the two Cal 25's: Whitecap and Ronin. Rolled over Whitecap to windward while Laughing Gull immediately got on our line. Came up slowly preventing Laughing Gull from trying to roll over us. Reached the first mark, 'A', behind LinGin and ahead of Laughing Gull. See t2p.tv video from 6:16 to 6:58 and photos below.

Hardened up a bit, still on port tack, to lay a course for mark 'D' and in pursuit of LinGin, often within a boat length. Here my driving started to breakdown a bit. LinGin was able to pull ahead and Laughing Gull rolled over us to windward. Rounded mark 'D' in close proximity to LinGin, Laughing Gull, Whitecap, and ahead of Ronin.

After rounding, tacked over to starboard to clear our air. Moved well, till we did not. Main's leech was hooked a bit to windward in the 17 knot apparent breeze. Eased the mainsheet a bit and adjusted traveller a bit to introduce some twist into the main. Our speed rose by about 1.5 knots as a result. LinGin tacked to port. Laughing Gull tacked to port. Whitecap tacked to port. Had to wait for Ronin as we were in no position to cross. Tacked to port immediately after Ronin and above LinGin's line. Laughing Gull was above and continued to stay ahead. LinGin tacked back to starboard to lay mark 'B' and crossed us, yet closer than the previous cross when LinGin tacked onto port tack. Rounded mark 'B' behind LinGin, Laughing Gull, and Whitecap but ahead of Ronin.

Slow to get the spinnaker set. Once set, the trim was often good, rarely poor. Making good time on starboard tack, even if by the lee from time to time. Dave is getting the hang of spinnaker trim, though a bit easily distracted. Due to difficulties aboard Laughing Gull and spinnaker trim errors we were able to cut Laughing Gull's lead by more than half before reaching the Y 'A' mark of the course. Doused the spinnaker at Y 'A'. Un unforced error. LinGin and Laughing Gull kept their spinnakers flying to R '4' and established a significant lead. A lead that we were not able to overcome or even change meaningfully.

Hardened up on starboard tack after R '4' for a fast reach to R '8'. Tried to reset the spinnaker from the companionway without proper packing. Not a good result. Slow to set. Trouble with the spinnaker halyard behind the port spreader. Finally, in furling the genoa before the spinnaker was set, I managed to roll a bit of the spinnaker up with the genoa. Freed that and finally had a spinnaker flying. Laughing Gull finished quite soon after LinGin with us about a quarter mile behind due to dropping the spinnaker at Y 'A', till then we were always within 100 yards of LinGin and Laughing Gull.

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

On the way back to the dock, having nearly reached the ChartHouse, there was a sudden odor of diesel coming from the cabin. The steel braid covered hose connecting the on-engine fuel filter to the injection pump developed an leak resulting in a spray of diesel onto the starboard side of the engine compartment, onto the engine, and into the bilge.

From the T2P.TV video:

GPX formatted Track None estimated distance: 6nm.