[Public-list] quick NOOD report so far: short version - be glad you weren't on the race committee

[J Bergquist]

The NOOD regatta has been going on in Annapolis Friday, yesterday, and
today. The Alberg association is being represented by 9 member boats.
The weather has not been great. Friday no races were completed due to
lack of wind (though we did start one race, only to have it blown off
with 3 guns before we got to the windward mark). Yesterday, flukey
conditions again prevailed, but we were able to get 2 races off.

Race 1 was started in about 0 KTs of breeze and frankly I was
surprised that the RC went ahead with it. Tim Williams and I were the
only ones on the line at the gun and we were both on port tack. For
me, at least, this was due more to luck than to skill. The rest of the
Albergers were all still well behind the line along with most of the
Cal 25 fleet (they are supposed to start 5 minutes BEFORE us). About a
third of the way up the beat, it changed to a reach with about an 80
degree left shift and we all put spinnakers up. Then it switched back
to a beat as a huge right shift came in and brought reasonable
pressure. We went around the mark in about 10-12 kts of breeze and had
a one-gybe run to the leeward mark (so much for a square course),
where Tim and I were still 1/2 boats with TC and CB close behind me. I
lost both of them on the next beat and went around the 2nd windward
mark 4th and was just able to hold off Towney to finish in that
position. TC edged out CB to get 2nd. None of us were able to catch
Tim after that initial lead.

Race 2 we started in decent 8-10 kts of breeze. Everybody in the fleet
apparently decided to go for a barging start, which, fortunately for
me, I won by just getting myself ahead of TC who was valiantly trying
to close the door on me but just couldn't quite get there. As we went
over the line at the boat, I did hear some commotion behind indicating
that some other bargers had not been so fast (erm...lucky?) Anyway,
that was the high point of our race as during the beat we sailed into
several dead patches and just couldn't keep pace with other boats in
the 0 kt stuff (the wind promptly died just after the start). We went
around the windward mark so far back I was having trouble seeing what
was happening in the front of the pack. It wasn't pretty. But we got
ourselves into a little breeze battle with Laughing Gull and Andante
during the run which, though very civilized, was also quite
entertaining. We managed to nab both of them by the mark and went
around ahead. Meanwhile the breeze had new designs on its mind and the
next beat turned into a reach. I recall seeing Harry gamber sailing
close hauled on the starboard tack layline while CB currier was broad
reaching with the spinnaker from the port tack layline. It was crazy
conditions to be sure and the teams who were able to make the most out
of it were rewarded. During the reach we witnessed a spectacular
head-on collision between an S2 7.9 and a Cal 25. I had never seen a
head-on collision like that before. I mean, this was not a glancing
blow. It was full bow-to-bow crunch action. Not cool. Anyway, back to
the race it looks like TC did the best job in the crazy stuff and
managed to get the gun with Towney right behind. We couldn't hold
Jonathan off, but did manage to nab Harry during the beat-I-mean-reach
leg.

Results are available online at:

http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/annapolis-md/sperry-top-sider-annapolis-nood-results-day-2-51654.html

Overall, as you can see from the standings, racing is pretty tight at
the top (only one point between 1/2), although that will happen with
only 2 races. Hopefully we'll have some steadier conditions today.

One of the most wonderful things about the whole regatta has been
seeing the camaraderie going on in the class. Several people have had
engine troubles, and other Albergers are always quick to lend a hand
to help others in need of a tow. Some of us have even been towing in
members of other fleets! (I think half the etchells fleet was towed in
by Albergs yesterday).

If you're not out there, we miss you and hope to see you out for the
Miles River Race on Memorial day!

Your pal,

J Bergquist

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