Pandora mainsail, EP Sails genoa and spinnaker.

Three races using the MRSA private marks. Committee boat set up perhaps 300ft from MRSA mark "A".

New genoa and spinnaker aboard Skybird. New main had been been deliverd in time.
New spinnaker aboard LinGin.
Given Matt's experience of racing more than fifteen times in the Race to Mackinac, gave tactically control of the races to him.

Summary:
Excellent teamwork based on solid communications and cooperation throughout the day. Could have been a very frustraing day given the great variability in the wind. Everyone focused on working together and making the boat move...with great success. Matt's tactics were excellent. Anna trimmed spin well despite the extremely variable and frustrating conditions. Jim trimmed genoa well and maintained a vigilent watch on the genoa telltales talking to me and improving my driving. Meredith did well on bow with multiple sets and douses, some quite quickly in succession. Christian, in pit, worked the lines well in close coordination with Meredith and Anna.
Focused on driving and heel trim, almost to the exclusion of all else. Spent nearly the entire time, when sailing upwind, looking at the taletells on the genoa and the main. Downwind, the taletells on the main. Matt and Christian jump in the water, were able to avoid the jellies, and pushed off the sandbar south of Dobbins Island that I ran us up onto. Excellent teamwork. Good vibe throughout the day. Despite repeated distractions, we returned quickly to focusing on the race of moving the boat each time.

Flat water and quite variable light winds made for racing dominated by vigilant sail trim and hull skin resistance. Teamwork addressed the sail trim and this winter's work on the bottom reduced skin resistance. As a result, Constance appeared to be the fastest boat on the water this day.

Race One: course FA2. Light breeze, perhaps as much as 6kts at times.
Fair start, on starboard, in the middle of the fleet just above and behind Windswept. Jim and I were able to trim the sails well and sail the boat fast enough to roll Windswept from the windward side at a distance of less than one boatlength. Sailed right through Windswept's backwind. Tacked over to port, crossed Skybird with about a boatlength clear, leaving Mike yelling and waving a protest flag. Skybird had tried to head up in an effort to impede Constance. The effect was to cause Skybird lose drive in the genoa, lose speed and allow us to cross more easily. Headed for MRSA mark "F". As we sailed west, the wind would lift the boat and head the boat, repeatedly. Jim and I worked well together trimming. Between the lifts and boat speed, Constance was located near the western end of Dobbins Island, and in the lead, when the Race Committee cancelled the race.

Race Two: course HFA. Soft winds again. This time from the east.
Started on port. Matt threaded us through the boats starting on starboard. Tacked to starboard once we got the right of the fleet. Slow progress to MRSA mark "H". Motorboats crossing the course ahead of us, throwing wakes that would pivot the boat. Nonetheless, Constance opened distance on the fleet. Again, the Race Committee cancelled the race when Constance had a clear lead, be seveal boatlengths over about one-third of a nautical mile.

Race Three: course EHA. Wind had filled in a bit to solid force 2 but for the area approaching MRSA mark "H".
Very exciting start on starboard. We tacked from the pin end of the line too early. Needed to slow the boat to prevent us from running out of starting line. In the end, we shoved the boat in between Windswept and the committee. Barbara, standing on the side deck of John and Doris Malesewski's Sikora, gave a little shriek, turned to the bow and moved up the side deck quickly with hands aflutter either side of her head. We had at least three feet of clearance on both the committee boat and Windswept and were nearly head to wind.
Windswept tacked to port, perhaps forced to do so by us, and we followed them to port. Matt threaded us throught the fleet passing ahead of a couple boat and ducking a couple others. This time we ducked Skybird. Again, the winds were quite variable, with lifts and headers that pushed us closer to Dobbins Island. Boat was moving well. Called out for crew to check the chart and determine the depth. Depthsounder had been removed, on March 24th, during the winter's refinishing of the bottom. Withing seconds of my call, we ran around in the sand south of Dobbins Island. Backing sails failed to get us off the bar. Christian jumped off the stern, went under and exclaimed at how could we be aground, its over my head! Matt went off the side. Both Christian and Matt moved to the starboard bow and push us round so that he boat pointed south. Then they pushed us off the bar and boarded using the stern ladder. First time that it has been used since purchasing Constance.
Sailed on starboard tack out, directly away from Dobbins Island till we were above most of the fleet. Tacked back to port and began the chase.
Caught all boats but for LinGin and Skybird who had rounded MRSA mark "E" already. Rounded extremely close to the mark. Matt had warned me that we were being swept towards the mark by the river. Failed to allow to for the extent of the current. Rounded with less than six inches between the hull and mark.
Up went the spinnaker after a several boatlengths of beam reaching under genoa. It was unclear which sail would be better at that point in the leg. Further down the leg, till about the committee boat and the wind entering the river from the bay and sweeping around Gibson Island, it was clear that spinnaker was the correct sail.
After setting the spinnaker, passed Rinn Duin to windward, again within a boatlength. Chased Laughing Gull from a distance of about five to seven boatlengths. Had Windswept and Argo to windward and aft of us. About halfway to MRSA mark "H", Argo tried to get on our wind. Matt called out that Argo's windex was pointed right at us. We heated up somewhat to get above Argo.
Somwhat after passing the committee boat and MRSA mark "A", the wind went foward to close-hauled. Doused the chute. Deployed the genoa. Rounded MRSA mark "H".
Tried the spinnaker on this leg to the finish. No good. Chose to douse soon after the hoist.
Coming into the finish, Laughing Gull, our partner in the team racing, worked to head Windswept up and above the committee boat, the end of the finish that all would favor. Somehow, Windswept was able to recover and finish ahead of Laughing Gull. Rinn Duin tried to slip in between Laughing Gull, located about a boat length to windward and half a lenght ahead of us, and Constance. Headed up slowly to close the door on Rinn Duin causing Laughing Gull to yell out that the committee was a mark of the course and Constance had to give her mark room. Got our stern in front of Rinn Duin closing that door hard. Rinn Duin then tried to the leeward side. Headed off a bit to make that harder and provide Laughing Gull more room at the finish. Windswept, Laughing Gull, Constance and Rinn Duin finished within seconds of each other, perhaps all overlapped.

Rankin Regatta Day Two: Finishing order: Lingin, Skybird, Windswept, Laughing Gull, Constance, Rinn Duin, Argo

Alberg 30 website 2022 Rankin Regatta photo collection