Course: B3R.
Sails: Elliott/Pattison Sailmakers
169LP genoa and Interrupt spinnaker. Doyle main. Backstay at 3.
Training continues. Jesus learned to identify the spinnaker topping lift, downhaul, and halyard, as well as starting to learn the interaction between topping lift and downhaul and to stay aft the mast and forward of the cockpit when not working lines. Heather learning more about jib trim and the amount of effort required to sheet in the genoa. Fred learning bow and shift the lines from port pole to starboard pole before the hoist...spinnaker halyard got caught in the furler, learned to identify and prevent that from recurring.
Started 15 to 20 seconds late at the pin end of the line, ahead of Argo. Skybird and Rinn Duin started at the boat end.
Sailed the first leg under genoa and main alone while Argo, with TC on bow and Rick Chambers driving, and Rinn Duin chose to fly a kite; Skybird with only two aboard used white sails only. Spinnaker lines run before the start. After starting, decided to switch to a spinnaker...took long enough to get the bag on deck and connect the lines (about six minutes), that we did not make the switch. All other boats past us on this leg. From driving high towards Mark "A", gybed the boat for a short stretch immediately before gybing back to port and rounding Mark "A". Ended up about six lengths behind Rinn Duin at Mark "D".
Rinn Duin had problems dousing the spinnaker at Mark "D"...ended up with the kite inflated as an "air brake" behind the cockpit. We hardened up at the mark and passed between the mark and Rinn Duin. By the time that they sorted out their spinnaker problem, we were some ten lengths or more ahead. Rinn Duin had additional problems when tacking on the upwind leg from Mark "D" to Mark "B".
Three good boards to windward closing the gaps to Argo and Skybird a bit...no where near enough to overtake, still very nice to feel the boat moving well with sails pulling strongly and weight on the rail.
After rounding Mark "B", set the kite for a beam reach from Mark "B" to Y"A". No other boat set on this leg. Moved well under spinnaker. Doused a bit early. Jesus did a good job of coordinating easing the spinnaker halyard with Fred's gathering of the kite and shoving it down the companionway. Was able to get Jesus to watch Fred and his progress, in place of watching the halyard and the line clutch.
Hardened up at Y"A" and made for R"8" directly. Should have banked a bit of distance to windward as the wind came forward and lightened along the lenght of this leg. Ended up shooting the mark by a boat length and pivoting the boat around the mark.
Breeze continued to ease as we sailed to SC"1" and the finish. Sailed wing on wing a bit from Yacht Haven for a bit due to the wind at 54*, too far aft for the genoa to fill properly. Upon approaching the docks on the south side of Spa Creek, hardened up and finished under genoa. Argo and Skybird set spinnakers for the run to the finish.
Current not a factor in this race...tide turned to the flood at 1824.
Finishing order: 247, 550, 262, 272.
T2P.tv video.
GPX formatted track Distance: 6.98nm, estimated average speed: 4.3kts, estimated duration: 1:36