Log of Alberg 30 #262 on 01 May 2021

Date: 01 May 2021 0800 till 01 May 2021 1600
Endpoints: Yacht Haven Annapolis Eastport MD to Yacht Haven Annapolis Eastport MD
Purpose: NOOD Day Three
Complement: Jonathan Adams, Meredith Glacken, Helen Hale, Christian Douglas, and Jonathan Bresler
Weather: Winds S 11 to 13kts per Thomas Point Light weather station. Gusts to 15. We saw 18, several times on the anenometer. Low 60's to low 70's. Clear.
Engine Hours: 298.6 to 299.7
Fuel: 1/3 tank
Chart: 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers

Course: 190*, 1nm, two laps, gate the the leeward end, windward and offset mark.

Significantly more wind than desired given the seasoning of the skipper and the crew. In general, the fleet went right and banged the corner.

A "Learning and Practicing NOOD". Having lost two crew members out of five, forty percent, we spent the weekend learning new crew positions and new skills. Meredith on bow and Helen trimming spinnaker. Jonathan Adams as crew in place of skipper. Only Christian and I had the same tasks as last season. While we were competitive upwind, the transition to downwind, and spinnaker gybes were a weak point that needs specific training.

I made a poor start in all but the last race. In the first start, we nearly got forced outside the committee by LinGin due to my poor positioning. In the second start, coming in from the port side, we failed to slow the boat sufficiently to allow the starboart to pass, so we could tack and start. Rather we ended up going past the committee and tacking (should have gybed) to return to the line to start. Only in the third race did we get a clean start, near the pin end of the line.

Reasonable to good speed upwind, maintaining relative position or even gaining on other boats. To no avail due to the poor starts and downwind troubles. During the first upwind leg of one of the races, we were ahead of both LinGin and Latika when we crossed them on starboard tack.

Troubles at the weather mark as well. In the first race, got boxed in by boats above and below, forced to double tack at the mark. In the second race, lost track of the offset mark, ended up below it, had to double tack to round it. Finally, in the third race, arrived at the mark overlapped with LinGin, Constance outside, and rounded the offset mark a touch behind and outside of LinGin.

Downwind, we were very slow to transition and to gybe. Multiple cases of lines lead in correctly, difficulties getting the spinnaker to full hoist, two cases of spinnaker wrap, and one case in which we set up for a gybe-set, with the spinnaker halyard on the starboard side which caused the halyard to be pulled into the furled genoa. We tried to furl before hoisting. Far better to have the spinnaker halyard to port, and snug, so that the halyard forms an inverted "V" around the headstay and remains clear of the roller.

A number of times, we had created situations that could have become significant problems, but were able to identify and address the issues before they became major issues. Exmaples include noticing that the spinnaker was prefed under the genoa sheet and various other spinnaker line leading issues. Getting the spinnaker halyard out of the furled genoa by unrolling the genoa and passing the spinnaker around the sail a number of times; had to leave the tiller to work on this problem on the foredeck.

Glorious sail back to dock. Fast, sails drawing well; boat singing along.

Due to Latika retiring before the start of the last race, both Latika and Constance ended up with fourteen points for the day, with Constance winning the tie-breaker by scoring ahead of Latika in the last race. This needs to be verified.

GPX formatted Track of first race. Estimate distance: 6.9nm, estimated average speed: 4.9kts , estimated duration: 1:22
GPX formatted Track of second race. Estimate distance: 6.5nm, estimated average speed: 5.1kts , estimated duration: 1:17
GPX formatted Track of second race. Estimate distance: 6.5nm, estimated average speed: 5.1kts , estimated duration: 1:16