Second Race Day

(4/14/10) We now look forward to these Wednesday evening jaunts, and improving our skills on Silver Fox. I am especially learning how to drive this heavy and slow boat with its huge door shaped rudder, and getting to know her characteristics.

Good breeze all day, but it was dying as the evening went on. It was East as we went out and we practiced with the #2, and spinn, but changed up to the #1 as the wind continued to die. Very strong flood tide all evening.

The course was set for W/L twice around - S, K, J, K, S. The start was interesting with RC giving us bogus info and being completely out of whack with the flags. The prep sound and 5 minute were fine, then the P went up at 3:22, we were confused and RC said 6:35 to go! Then at the 5 minute mark a sound signal and all flags go down (including p)!!! We were all out of whack and about a minute late in the light air and in bad air at the pin. Ouch!!! Later at the "Club" someone told us that basically we start at 6:30 - that is all the timing we should go with.

Pretty good beat, frustrated that we didn't get to execute our plan, but we fought as much as we could. Popped the chute and gybed early to account for the favorable tide. Barely got around the mark and had a good beat to the finish as the wind died. The tide was very strong and made it hard to get to the finish!

No other spinn boats gave us another victory! Nice as we iron out the bugs!! Another sub-par meal at the Laffin Gull and found out that as a class winner we were entitled to a free bucket of beer, which we will retrieve at the next race!!

Good times and exciting racing for us. We motored back from the finish area getting in as darkness fell. The 3.38 mile race lasted 1:22, so boats corrected almost in order of finish.