Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Breeze vs. Current

The wind held relatively strong and steady for a competitive night of sailing this Tuesday. RC Nicole and her Tuesday-night Boogie TYP crew, Roger and Matt, brought along course-setting expert Howard Coon from the J24 fleet and flag-pulling expert Kaelan Fournier, spawn of the PRO. The LL headed southwest of Clapboard Island and set a long course for the Brothers Islands with a lovely mark boat (which is for sale) on stand-by for wind-shifts.

The first race got off in a moderate breeze that threatened to wane. The fleet split shortly after the start, with most of the boats heading left toward a breeze line and several boats heading right to get out of the current. From the LL, the RC was judging that left looked like it would pay with visibly more breeze, but the split fleet converged close together at the windward mark. More wind filled in the center of the course as the boats headed downwind which seemed to be a right-shift, but the fleet split again back up the course. The second downwind leg was led by ESP, who held onto it for a first-place finish, followed by FotoFinish and Schadenfreude.

With the breeze still holding on the square course, a second race got off immediately following the first finish. The boats crossed the start all clear, and more decided to go to the left side of the course in the waning wind. The once-around race was close among finishers, but Schadenfreude took the bullet and FotoFinish finished once again in second. Fuzzy Logic moved up into third place, and Tango just barely beat out Medusa for fourth.

This pleasant evening of summer sailing was a respite for the boats in last weekend's PHRF regatta, in which 20- to 25-knot winds beat down our sails and wore out our crews in a wildly great couple of races.

~Nicole, RC, Boogie TYP

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