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Well here we are again, another year another season. Aunt Jean started the year off right with an overall fleet win in the PHRF NASS Spring Race. We were a little late to the start when we realized our new Heavy #1 was built with the wrong luff tape. After scurrying around to get our tired...I mean tried and true #3 we got off to the start in the second row at the boat. We picked off the boats that went left and wound up second at the top mark with a Mumm 30 right behind us. At that point we did a jibe set and the rest of the fleet did bear aways, putting us in first comfortably. From there we just played the shifts and extended. Next week is the Annapolis NOODS and I'm sure it won't be as easy.
The NOOD was a fun regatta this year with plenty
of breeze all three days. On the first race we wanted to go
hard
left. We started at the pin went to port layline and went around
the top mark ahead of the fleet. From there we just covered and stayed
conservative. On the second race we went to the same well but this
time we came up empty.
We went around in third and struggled to keep clear. At the final
upwind mark we did a jibe set to get clear air from the ID35's (also on
our race course)...what a mistake, we wound up in a hole and on the wrong
side of a 20 degree shift. That brilliant maneuver finished us sixth.
The third race of the day dictated you start at the boat. Luckily
we won the boat which won the race. The second day started out with
a postponement. So we put on our AP hats and commenced fishing.
Needless to say our sailmaker Jonathon wasn't happy
when I pulled out the rods and ten pounds of tackle... he was mumbling
something about weight? Well twenty minutes later Aunt Jean hooked
up and I yelled "get the net" (at which point Jonathon shook his head and
said we've got a net too?). Now we had a nice 32" Striper (or
"Rock Fish" as the WALs would say) in the cooler and were headed for the
start. After that the luck was with us and we took three firsts Saturday
and another first on Sunday to win the regatta, Who are those guys, from
Detroit took second and Dreamer took third.
Start of the first race NOOD 2001 as senn from Aunt Jean |
Going upwind on the first leg of the first race |
Now listen up class...this is an umbrella rig |
The class listened well!! |
What Ryan and William do when they're bored. You boysmake sure you clean up when you're done. |
The next weekend was the SCC Spring race, which was a J/35 one design start as well. Aunt Jean got off to a good start favering the left side of the course. We pulled ahead and proceeded to commit the mortal sin when one design racing, we didn't cover. At the top mark instead of comfortably leading, we were well behind the lead boat Grayling. After a long lap we were right behind Grayling at the top mark again, only to lose the guy on the set. This put us 7 boat-lengths behind, which is what we went around the last mark. On the last upwind leg we wanted to favor right, so with Grayling covering us tightly we went into a tacking duel. During the duel we got in phase with going right and started grinding Grayling down. finally as we were overlapped we got a header to the right,putting us ahead by half a boat-length at the finish. I'm sure we won't get away with that one too often...good race Grayling.
