Course: B4
Current: As much as 0.4kts of ebbing current during the race at the Annapolis (8575512) Naval Academy.
Sails: Bacon Sails 135LP genoa and Interrupt main. EP Sails spinnaker. Backstay at 3.

Seeing 18kts and as high as 22kts on the wind instrument before the start. Argo sailed with the #1 genoa and single reef in the main. Believe that Rinn Duin did the same. Even with the 135LPgenoa and Interrupt main, we felt a bit overpowered at times, due in part to the condition of the Interrupt main, old and a big stretched, and a bit due to the amount of wind on the course. Particularly evident on the leg from mark "B" to mark "E" were we buried the rail more than once. Still was able to keep the main full, including at the luff, consi erably more of the time than Rinn Duin and Argo. Expect, but did not see, busy driving, that both were "bubbling" the main much of the time upwind.

Woodwinds were sailing with single reef in the main, main staysail and jib only.

Started at the pin end as desired but late to the start due to Race Committee. Race Committee having troubles with their timings. Started several of the fleets ahead of us, beginning with ORC2, if not O RC1, in advance of the five minute countdown by 15 to 30 seconds based upon both my watch and Mike's. Reset my watch to the Etchells start, our five minute gun, and still they started us 30 seconds earl y. An example at 4:40 in the video showing the J/30 fleet not starting at the early gun, presumably due to the RC's timing being off. Rinn Duin took the lead. Argo had some difficulty making the mark and started a bit late. We started last among the Albergs. About a beam reach out to mark "A" doing 6.5 to 7.5kts, averaging 6.78kts o n the first leg. Sailed through Argo's lee and rounded mark "A" ahead of her.

Rounded "A" and rolled in the genoa to prepare for flying spinnaker. Rinn Duin with two aboard declined to fly spinnaker in these winds, no reef in the main at this point. Argo decided not to fly a kite as well and did not shake out the reef for the downwind leg. We fly the spinnaker and broached to windward rather quickly. Due to these troubles fell a bit behind Argo. After the b roach, crossed Argo's stern. Troubles setting up the pole, under the genoa sheet and forgot the place the guy in the jaw, hourglassed the spinnaker. Logan pulling the leeward tape and Mike work ing the sail, with others, were able to clear the sail. Sailed faster than both Rinn Duin and Argo taking the lead. As we passed Argo, TC made a faint-hearted move to take a bit to w indward. Nothing came of it, headed up a few degrees and continued to sail faster than Argo to pass them. Had to sail a bit higher than I would have wanted to in order to keep the wind safely to the pole side of the boat. Came to mark "B" some 60 yards wide. Averaged 6.1kts on this leg.

Took about 90 seconds to get the genoa sheet clear and the pole down so that we could roll out the genoa and start racing to mark "D" rather than sailing along at about 4 to 4.5kts. Able to lay mark "D" from mark "B" in a single board closehauled. Sailed directly in front of Argo, she did not try to sail above us on this leg. Stretched our lead over Argo to 40 seconds by the time that we arrived at mark "D". At six knots, 40 seconds is about 13 boatlengths (3 seconds per). Averaged 5.9kts on this leg.

Tacked at mark "D" and headed in the general direction of R"8", R"8" being too far away to see. GPS with waypoints. Hello. Wind was getting a bit shifty on this leg, clocking and backing, heading us to starboard of R"4" and then back to port of R"4". Rode the puffs up to make height and keep some clearance on R"4"; should have done a better job at this. Ended up passing some 30 yards to windward of R" 4". Was not sure that we would be able to make it. White Cap, a Cal 25 ahead of us, was not able to do so and tacked over the starboard to gain height. Argo sailed high on this leg gainin g more than 10 boat lenghts to windward while falling further behind, much further. Carried on past R"8" to approach David Taylor, as we were faced with a beat to SC"1" and wished to minimize the number of tacks that would be required. Averaged 5.1kts on this 20 minute leg.

Sailed closehauled on starboard, tacked to port as we approached Annapolis Maryland Capital Yacht Club, and back to starboard based upon watching the wind in the sails of Vahalla, the J/30 ahead of us. Were crossed by several J/30's, which sailed a longer course to Hackett's, on the port tack board, while we crossed another (Bump?) and stayed ahead of Pogo, who we lead into Spa Creek till the upstream end of the mooring field.By this leg the wind had eased a bit, resulting in us averaging 5.2kts on the first 0.49nm board, 4.7kts on the port tack board and 4.6kts on the board to SC"1" .

Once into Spa Creek, the wind eased further...seeing 7kts at one point on the instrument. Led Pogo, a J/30, till the upstream end of the mooring field, sailing a bit off the wind to come down to t heir line and prevent them from obtaining overlap to leeward and being able to take us up. Continued moving below their, Pogo's line, till they were clear above and able to sail their own course.

Sailed to finish, tacked, started the engine and motored away. At a minute forty, Argo was past the ChartHouse, near the Eastport side of Spa Creek, still racing. Finished ahead of the Cal 25's, White Cap and Ronin, as well.

Finishing order: 262, 247, 272. Did not compete: 158, 550.

T2P.tv video. Alberg 30 footage starts at 7:50, just after rounding mark "A".

GPX formatted track Distance: 5.37nm, estimated average speed: 5.4kts, estimated duration: 1:11