Everything goes right

The first evening of sailing following the fleet’s development of a modified course design tested the abilities of the RC, Team Boogie T.Y.P. Following the initial course set-up in a moderate southeasterly, the RC began its first sequence at precisely 6:00 p.m. As nine boats got off the line and headed up the first mile-long leg, the breeze began a dramatic shift to the right. After the fleet rounded the windward mark following Schadenfreude, who was in first, the RC moved it approximately 20 degrees to compensate for the shift.

Between races, the RC promptly moved the pin end of the start line forward to square it up, and the second race of the evening started at 6:50 p.m. Midway up the first leg, the wind became light and unsteady. The RC made the decision to shorten the course and, per the SIs, raised the S flag and moved the Lindsey Lord so the pin end of the start line would be to starboard. Meanwhile, the boats rounded the windward mark in closer competition than during the first race, with Schadenfreude still leading. Both the red boat and Tango gave the leading boat a good race downwind, ultimately finishing second and third respectively.

The evening ended controversially when the last boat to cross the finish line, ESP, flew a protest flag because they saw fault in the RC protocol used to shorten the course. While unfortunately no formal protest was ever filed, ESP’s skipper did have to concede to being wrong during a discussion with a member of the RC and the fleet’s race officer.