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

Races scheduled for 31 July and 07 August were cancelled by AYC due to imclement weather.

First time using the seats attached to the coamings forward of the new winch pedestals. The seats were installed earlier in the day.

Upon TC's recommendation, couple minutes before the start, were we located north of the pin end. About a minute before the gun, we gybed onto starboard tack, and sailed down the line under main and genoa. About thirty seconds before the gun, LinGin passed us headed towards the pin on port tack. About fifteen seconds before the gun we gybed to port, raised the spinnaker and headed for the first mark. LinGin was above us about one boat length to windward and most of a boat behind. They had hoisted their preferred spinnaker (white with blue stripe), but LinGin was over early and was very late to restart. When they did restart and after some time delay, they chose to use their old spinnaker (range and blue). Gave us a quarter mile, or so, head start. An excellent result based upon TC choice of how to start, LinGin being over early, and their delay in restarting. The delay was unreasonable, wondering if their radio was off during the start, but on later or the noticed the X-Ray flag very late. Don't know.

From the start to marks 'A' and 'D', LinGin was faster gaining steadily once they had their spinnaker up. We rounded mark 'D' more then 100 yards ahead, having lost that much ground to LinGin from the start to mark 'D'. Speed was reasonable, four and five knots, till we cleared Greenbury Point, at which speed dropped to three knots and less. We had been forced to sail low of mark 'D' to keep the spinnaker pulling and switched from spinnaker to genoa about 350 yards from mark 'D'. Had the traveler pulled to windward on this leg, perhaps too much so and slowing us.

Slow trip of three boards from mark 'D' to mark 'B', speeds often less then three knots. Thankfully, there was little chop, wave action, or wakes to impede us. Were able to point higher than LinGin much of the time, though that means that LinGin should have been moving faster. Using the newly installed seats and the tiller extension, it was very easy to see the lower set of telltales, those by the window, in the genoa. First time that I have been able to see them while driving. Again, LinGin gained on this section of the course. On the last board, current was sweeping us down towards mark 'B'. We had started the board well above, several boat lengths, mark 'B', and headed a bit more off the wind to gain some speed at the expense of windward progress. In the end, we had to shoot the mark being about half a boat length below it. Shooting the mark went well, rounded with six feet or more to spare. Did a poor job of steering during each of the two tacks, turned the boat too far, losing ground needlessly. Had the traveler pulled to windward on this leg, as well, very little weather helm.

Second spinnaker hoist of the night in a light to very light breeze. Had to head low of the mark, again, to keep the spinnaker full. Wind was abeam, even a bit forward of the beam at times. LinGin was able to sail significantly higher with their spinnaker (white with blue stripe), which seemed to be acting like a Code 0. Near the end of the leg to Y'A', about a quarter mile out, we switched from spinnaker to genoa, which dropped our speed from about 2.4 knots to about 2.1, but we were able to about twenty degrees closer to the wind. The bottom was last cleaned on 02 August. Winds had fallen to less than four knots. Tried to get in front of LinGin before they passed us, but heading higher cut our speed, and bearing away a bit for speed kept us away from getting a blocking position on LinGin. As in the start of the Ted Osius regatta on 2019-06-23, we oscillated between two goals, achieving neither. LinGin rolled us to windward using that spinnaker with the windward clew hard lowered to the bow pulpit.

Past Y'A', LinGin continued to pull away as she headed to R'4'. Winds fallen to less than three knots, seeing numbers like 1.8 at times. LinGin gained some 100 yard and more on us while we sailed under main and genoa. Time limit was exceeded with LinGin somewhat short of mark R'4'. Motored in.

In summary, we started well, were lucky that LinGin was over early (we forced them?), and signficantly disadvantaged by the difference in their spinnaker and ours. We have some real problems in crew work, as I ended up tailing both genoa and spinnaker halyards too frequently.

GPX formatted Track , estimated distance: 6.37nm, average speed: 2.6kts, duration: 2:26


LinGin catching up.