[Public-List] Finally got out racing last night...

[Hugh McCormack]

Judging by the video, Midland Bay has dried up considerably since I worked at Wye Marsh in the early '80s, lol.  Epic racing by the sounds of it and congratulations!

Hugh
________________________________
From: Public-List <public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org> on behalf of Gordon Laco via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Sent: July 18, 2024 08:55
To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Cc: Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net>
Subject: [Public-List] Finally got out racing last night...

Good morning,

I’m stiff and sore this morning from the Battle of Midland Bay last night… finally made it out for a race and man what a belated season opener it was.   One thing after another kept me off the boat on Wednesday nights till last night… but we finally go out there.

We had a full house for crew on board (5)… but two of us had never been in a sailing boat before, let alone participated in a heavy air race.  What a thrash.

When we came out of the club the wind was medium light NW… but by the time we got to the start it was building.   Then came 30 degree shift to west and the velocity jumped to 20kts +.  We were down to three minutes to the start when the committee had to shift the start line to make it square to the windward mark… we took advantage of the delayed start to pull down a reef in the main.

We nailed the new start bang on and stampeded across the start line throwing spray 30’ to leeward and going like a bat out of hell.  I was very glad we took the reef in the main because even with the reefed sail we had the rail under water half the time.

I decided to go to the right side of the course while most of our foes went left… surprise surprise, I was on the correct side and took advantage of another wind shift.  We rounded the windward buoy in third hot on the heels of two boats that owed us a lot of time on PHRF rating… wahoo.

Roaring back downwind, we shook the reef out on the fly and and in no time at all there we were back at the leeward mark… still in close combat with two boats.  Round we went back upwind… down came the reef again and another thrash to windward.  We three leaders stretched our lead on the pack…

Windward mark again… round we went… out came the reef and wow what a sleigh ride back downwind… should we use the spinnaker?  No… we’re going like an express train pushing hull speed with a terrific bow wave and rooster tails coming off the quarters - don’t need it.  Round we went at the leeward mark, this time in very close company with one of our foes… who had the impudence to try to power through our lee.  He could point a little higher than us and lifted us uncomfortably, but between his attacks I  held him in our wind shadow… what a battle.  the boats were both close hauled, heeled way over and only 20’ apart.  I know he could feel our rig overhead as we heeled in the puffs… Whose nerve was going to break first… ah it’s him.  He eased his main, dropped behind us and tacked away… I call that ’Taking a scalp’.   I thought of tucking in the reef again, but the wind had softened a little during the skirmish so I figured we’d keep a full main - as it turned out we needed the horsepower to keep going.

Back up at the windward mark again for the third and last time… broke a sheet block bale on the way up but we carried on….  round we went crossing tacks with EVERGREEN, one of our regular foes, delighted to be so close while he owes us so much time… one last blast downwind to the finish… take our beep from the committee… done.

Great race, exhausting but a terrific return to racing.  What of my two new crew members?  Both are now committed yacht racers.  They both said over beers back at the club they couldn’t believe 7 knots in a sailing yacht could feel faster than 35 knots in power boats.

How did we finish?  We were third over the line in real time… the rest of the fleet were way behind.  And the two boats ahead owed us enough time I reckon we were second (at least).  But really, who cares… it was a terrific race.  Can’t wait for next week.

Here’s a short video of last night’s race https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frE9rXnaHpE <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frE9rXnaHpE>

Gord
426 Surprise

Gordon Laco
www.gordonlaco.com<http://www.gordonlaco.com> <http://www.gordonlaco.com/>
705-527-9612


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