Sunday, April 12, 2009

Green Means GO !!!

And that is exactly what Eric Kaiser in US 122 did. It really didn't matter what color the boat is, nor if anyone likes it or not; he was just fast. Eric took both bullets for the day, showing that he is a force to be reckoned with this year. Congrats Eric !

Eric took a commanding lead, just after the start of the first race. Eric started high on the line and headed to the beach in clean air, while the rest of us battled behind him for air and current relief. At the first mark it was Eric in US 122, Myself in US 111, Peter in US 113, Mike in US 109, and (I believe) David in US 106. The first downwind run was a close one for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th. An early jibe by US 109 and US 113, putting them just inside of a current line, allowing me to get away, however US 106 was moving like a freight train on the outside in better current. At the Leeward gate, 122, 111, 113, 109 all went to the right while 106 took the left side. This allowed US 106 to hit the beach 3rd. The top 5 finishers were:
  1. US 122
  2. US 111
  3. US 106
  4. US 113
  5. US 109

Eric didn't quiet have it so easy in the second race. The start of the second race US 122 started high on the line, but this time had the company of 106, 113, and 112; I got to watch from behind :(. With a great lay line to the first windward mark, US 122 roundedfirst, followed by 106, 109, 112, 113, and 111. The downwind run was pretty uneventful from my vantage point. The rounding order was the same at the leeward gate, but this time both 106 and 113 went left while 122, 109, 112, and 111 went right.

So, by this time 122, 106, and 109 had formed somewhat of a gap between 112, 113, and myself in 111. This would become the most interesting leg of the year so far. (I know, not many to choose from) About Anita Rock, while on port tack, Bill in US 112 decided to piss off a gentlemen, (I use the word loosely) in an Express 27 racing the single handed race in the same vicinity. The Express took 112 onto starboard, allowing 113 and myself to sneak by, on what looked like a lay line to the mark. Peter was to Leeward and ahead, but as we approached the mark, I wasn't as sure of the lay line as I was moments before. I knew that I could push it up and get around, but by the view from my seat, there was no way peter could without tacking. 113 entered the zone just ahead of me, when a slight wind shift to the left allowed me to get my bow just above him and gain about a half boat length. Per Rule 18.2 (b), I am required to give "mark-room". As we reached the mark Peter went head to wind as I was too close for him to tack, and I followed suit. With roughly 2 feet between the boats, the wind shifted back slightly right, causing Peter's jib to back wind. This is where rule 18.2 (c) comes in. "If either boat passes head to wind then rule 18.2 (b) ceases to apply" When Peter's jib back winded; which constitutes a tack, the main had been eased and forced him to spin into me, making contact about midships. I immediately tacked to starboard, got ahead of him and then tacked back to port and went around the mark. 112 stayed high and speed right around us, rounding in 4th. 108 came in below the two of us and rounded in 5th just inside of me while 113 rounded behind in 7th. 108 and myself stayed pretty even on the run, but my last minute decision to jibe and go left at the leeward gate, appeared to pay off at the finish. The top 5 finishers were:

  1. US 122
  2. US 109
  3. US 106
  4. US 112
  5. US 111

It was a beautiful day for sailing, and I was happy with the boat performance overall. I will mark this weekend in the win column, and await the next 2 races in two weeks. Then onto the begining of the Wednesday Evening Series.

2 comments:

Rich H said...

Hey Tommy, Is it OK if I reprint this post to the racing section. Richie

Zone-111 said...

Rich, Feel free to reprint anything that you would like. Please keep in mind however that most of this is just my opinion of that days racing.
Tom