Course:A2
Sails: Elliott/Pattison Sailmakers 169LP genoa and spinnaker, and Pandora main. Backstay at 3.

Used Need entry for Velocitek for the first time. Took a bit of maneuvering to get the boat and pin ends entered for the downwind start. Started a bit late, about 10 seconds behind. My fault. Both Rinn Duin and the Annapolis Sailing School Tartan had better starts.

Tartan tried a spinnaker somewhat after the start. Broached twice on the way to the windward mark "D". Neither Rinn Duin nor Constance flew spinnaker. No need. Boat going at hull speed with white sails alone. Sailed a course parallel and above Rinn Duin, catching up to them from their windward quarter. Rinn Duin attempted to round up and mess with us a bit to no avail. One serious effort followed by a half-hearted attempt or two. Rinn Duin had a guy heavier than I sitting at the very rear of the cockpit and all crew in the cockpit causing the boat to squat and sail more slowly, and so we were able to catch and pass Rinn Duin on the downwind leg. These antics ended when we had a half boatlength lead about halfway to "D".

Seeing as much as 13kts on the anemometer while the boat is making 6+kts over the ground...about twenty true wind speed in the river before slowing a bit before reaching the Annapolis weather buoy.

As a result of Rinn Duin antics and trying to keep the genoa full and pulling, we deliberately sailed high of "D". The Tartan led the way on an even higher course. Once we could lay the mark on port tack with a bit to spare, we gybed over. The fleet reached the windward mark, "D", a bit spaced out, couple boatlengths between each pair. Rinn Duin sailed the downwind leg with a gentleman sitting well aft, perhaps even on the lazarette...all other crew in the cockpit causing the stern to squat.

Hardened up the course to windward by hauling in the main, no tiller action to change course. Once we had the genoa pulling well, we eased the main and set the first reef, which we would keep for the rest of the race.

Accidental tack to starboard due to me losing the boat while trying to move from in the cockpit to the seat forward of the genoa winch. Stayed on starboard quite a ways to get above the returning fleets and to set us up to lay R"8". Rick did an excellent job of trimming genoa and calling boats as we sailed on port tack towards the mooring area immediately downriver of the Annapolis Naval Support Activity. Sailed comparatively high nearly all the leg with windard genoa telltails pointing sharply upward. Boat well heeled over. Glad to have seven aboard to counterweight against the wind.

Arrived at the mooring area immediately downriver of the Annapolis Naval Support Activity, and tacked one length before being blocked by a moored boat. Worked out, on starboard, after the tack, we were above R"8" and able to head directly to G"1SC". On the first portion of this leg, the Tartan was even and to leeward of us. They had gained, we thought while they sailed upwind from "D", but then lost that lead or they never really got ahead at all, just farther away, as they did not autotack with us. We did cross them once in the river on port tack of the windward leg.

Wind shifts in the river pushed us down from our course to G"1SC". The Shift feature of the Need entry for Velocitek proved its worth tracking the effects on course of these wind changes. Tacked over to port and upon getting a good angle on G"1SC", back to starboard. Past G"1SC" in company with the Tartan to leeward. The choose not to force us above the first row of boats in the mooring field, thank goodness. Winds lessened as we sailed up Spa Creek. The Tartan passed behind us and took up a location aft to windward. We were able to hold them off through responsive genoa trimming. Finshed seven seconds ahead of the Tartan, taking line honors.

GPX formatted formatted track. Estimated distance: 5.33nm, estimated average speed: 5.25kts(!), duration: 1:00