Light and lively.

We started the day with about a 2-hour harbor postponement, while we waited for the forecasted southerly breezed of 6 to 8 knots to settle in. We spent the time working on the boat, finding a set-up that allowed us to be fast in the predicted light conditions. After getting out on the course, and sailing along with some other boats we felt pretty good about our work.

We sailed two races. In both Gretchen got us off to good starts, both midline. In the first race we worked the right middle along with about 35 other boats. The far right didn’t pay today, and we crossed the majority of the boats as they tacked back onto port and headed left. We hit the starboard layline with about 200 yards to go to the weather mark. We were probably in the top 30, with lots of boats. Boats were pouring in off port, and despite being on the layline, we died in the massively disturbed air. Our options were few as we were blocked by other boats from tacking to clear our air, so we pinched, pinched, pinched around the mark, very slowly and were probably passed by as many as 20 boats. We had a good downwind leg, but on the weather leg we came in on the port tack layline and sailed in more gas and lost more boats. We were feeling a little better about a 73rd finish as we could look back over our shoulder and see some boats as we crossed the line, and the bulk of the fleet was within minutes of us.

We refined our tuning before the 2nd race, went over our errors from the first race, grabbed a bite to eat, and took a pee. And went off racing. Once again, Gretchen got us off to a good start and we worked hard on the weather leg. We got to the weather mark clean, had a good downwind leg, the sun was bright and right in my eyes trimming the chute, not quite enough suntan lotion as I’m a little red on the cheeks and lips this morning. We rounded in the top half of the fleet, as Gretchen once again chose the correct gate and made a great leeward rounding as we picked up a number of boats. As we approached the weather mark we dueled with our friends on 1207, tacking on their air and pinching them off as we approached the mark. We had to hike hard till our stomachs burned to pull it off. Flat sailing boats are fast. Downwind, we broke from our normal practice of an early jibe and stayed right, and we lost boats that went down the other side. Right near the finish a Canadian boat jibed twice right on our stern and took our air, that cost us about 4 or 5 boats. Bummer. We felt OK about the improvements our 63rd place finish showed, and remain optimistic as we approach day 3. Weather calls for rain, thunderstorms, and 15 to 20 knot breezes. Might be wet and wild.

More to come.
Ralph