[Public-List] Last night's race...

[Gordon Laco]

Race last night was good air started off 10-12kts softening later...  Had a
terrible start through my getting preoccupied trying to start on top of
Robin in MAID MARION, our main rival.  As it turned out it looked in the
last seconds of the countdown like he was about to push us up off the line
so I cast off sheets to slow down then dove under his stern as he surged
ahead, hoping to power up again and drive through his lee.   Of course this
was utterly impossible, so we were stalled in his wind shadow when the horn
went.    I suddenly realized that the whole fleet was headed and could
barely lay the leeward end of the line, so we tacked onto port tack and
crossed the line that way with clear air.  I wish I could say I planned it,
but the fact is I messed up the start badly and was lucky to see an
opportunity and also to be able to grab it.    Away we trudged to windward
way out on the right hand side of the course with most of the fleet way off
to the left.  This made me very nervous and lonely out there, although a few
boats tacked to join us.

We carried on on port tack till I reckoned we could lay the mark, then
tacked onto starboard for the run in to the pin.  MAID MARION stretched her
lead on us and had rounded what seemed like 1/4 leg ahead.  Round we went...
Up went the chute.  MAID MARION held us off all the way down the run and but
was only 2 boat lengths ahead at the leeward mark.  We had difficulty
getting the main in due to a novel method of sheeting we tried; and MM
stretched his lead to about 10 boat lengths.  I tried to keep more central
on the course this time up, MM went left again.  Lo and behold, when we
tacked onto starboard for the run in to the windward pin.... There was MAID
MARION on port and wonder of wonders we crossed her ahead (by inches)!  I
saw Robin staring at us with all the concentration I reckon he once used
when in the cockpit of his deHaviland Vampire while practicing interceptions
against bombers....was his finger twitching on his tiller looking for the
firing button that once would have unleashed a burst from 4 x 20mm automatic
cannon?

Round the mark we went with MM hard on our stern... Up went the chute again
and SURPRISE picked up her skirts and walked away.   The air got a little
soft but the chute dragged us through and we crossed the finish exchanging
friendly insults with Ewan and his crew in LEVITY (just a Shark, so clearly
a lesser being, but we had to concede that since they had teak coamings like
we have, we owed a little respect) nipping them by a boat length, whipping
up what is becoming our signature spinnaker gybe yards from the finish.  No
Œreal¹ B Fleet boats anywhere near us, certainly nothing ahead but for a
pair of Sharks and what matter that?.  Ah!

Had a lovely close reach back to the club.... Wonderful evening.

Well that¹s it for racing for a while ­ we¹re heading up the coast on a ten
day cruise tomorrow evening.   We hope to get as far up as Henvey Inlet, but
in the wisdom of adulthood I¹ve realized that the best cruises are those
where we set each day¹s destination in the morning over coffee while
listening to the weather.   Can¹t wait to set off....

G

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