2014 Fall Series - Regatta 2 - 9/27/14

Race Summary - 9/27/14

Race 1   Course: J-K-J   Wind: E @ 8

The racers were all glad that the winds had improved over last week. The start was set up at mark “J” on the west end of the main body shoal to accommodate the east wind. The course had the extra twist of having the shoal area near the center and near the starting line.  Who knows the rules regarding continuing obstructions?

Pre-start Maneuvering



Race 1 start to NO LIZARD

NO LIZARD got off to a great start, crossing the line just at the horn and well ahead of the rest of the fleet. NO LIZARD chose port tack and headed southeast to the south side of the course.

RAMA crossed the line second and chose starboard tact to the north side of the course and crossed over the west end of the shoal area.

RAMA crosses NO LIZARD's wake (just visible on left) as she heads toward the opposite side.

PIPISTRELLE and LIL GIRL chose the same tactic.  BOGY and COMMUNION followed NO LIZARD.

Someone’s gonna have to give..[Does LIL GIRL have right of way because she's bigger?]

Now she's moving!

NO LIZARD and RAMA both tacked and headed toward the center about the same time. NO LIZARD rounded first followed closely by RAMA.  Next to round was COMMUNION followed by LIL GIRL, BOGY then PIPISTRELLE. 

NO LIZARD flew her spinnaker and RAMA went wing on wing dead downwind towards the finish. LIL GIRL and COMMUNION followed.  BOGY chose the north side of the course. 

Race 1 Finishes

Race 1 to RAMA, followed by NO LIZARD, COMMUNION, LIL GIRL, BOGY and PIPISTRELLE. No change after corrections.

Team Zeiler experimented with novel ways to trim their colorful spinnaker.

Race 2   Course: J-K-J    Wind E @ 5

The racers apparently took heed of the committee boat’s suggestion to not give up time at the start.  The entire fleet was bunched close at the gun.  What a great way to practice boat handling.  The whole fleet chose to go to the right on port tack.  RAMA added some drama (nice rhyme huh?) when she was a little early and had to spin around to get back below the line.

RAMA gives LIL GIRL and NO LIZARD a break

In doing so she ended up in irons.  This let NO LIZARD and LIL GIRL charge off in the lead. And it let BOGY and PIPISTRELLE catch up.  Julie’s expert trimming would be put to the test. 

I love a parade

The fleet continued to the right side of the course until they started to run out of lake and had to tack
back toward the middle.  A few more tacks and they were at the mark.

This time everyone chose to gybe their way down the lake as they left the top mark. NO LIZARD established a good lead and flew her spinnaker down the downwind leg. RAMA chewed away at LIL GIRL’s lead and passed her on the last leg. She crisscrossed behind NO LIZARD trying to take her wind and collapse her chute, but NO LIZARD was too far ahead.

NO LIZARD seems to have overcome her spinnaker issues from last week.

The order of finish was NO LIZARD, RAMA, LIL GIRL, COMMUNION, BOGY and PIPISTRELLE.  Again they remained the same after corrections.

Race 3   J-K-B-J    Wind E @ 5

The course was a little different for the last race.  I threw in mark "B" (small island) creating a triangle with the last leg a relatively short reach to the finish.  It was another close start.  LIL GIRL won the start on starboard with a well-timed drive down the line past the pin, but RAMA came up from behind at full speed and powered under her to charge off to quick lead.  NO LIZARD and COMMUNION were close behind.  

RAMA enjoys her own micro-climate.  Note how she is heeling and has more boat speed relative to the others.

Julie shows how to squeeze that last hundredth of a knot out of her

BOGY feared she would be unable to clear the committee boat and had to tack (thank you) at the line, making her the only boat to head out on port tack to the right side of the course.

NO LIZARD was a little higher and heading directly for the shoal.  She lived dangerously and waited until perilously close to tack.

Shoal draft has its benefits

RAMA stretched her legs and went almost to the north shore, then tacked and rode port tack all the way across the course to meet up with NO LIZARD who had tacked to the south at the shoal. 

LIL GIRL had a great upwind leg.  By the midpoint of the downwind leg she was nipping at NO LIZARD’s heels by just a few boat lengths.

 LIL GIRL must be making NO LIZARD nervous as she prepares to round "B"

NO LIZARD led the way around the mark, with LIL GIRL trying to stay in striking distance.  From the committee boat’s view they could have cut it a little closer.  The seconds gained there could have made a difference in the exciting finish to come.  But no one ran aground which would have REALLY affected the finish.  

The two leaders play it safe around "B".  Notice RAMA sneaking up behind the trees.

The last leg required the boats to sail a reach to the finish and turn just past the committee boat to cross the line. NO LIZARD kept her spinnaker up and sheeted in tight for the close reach and pulled away from LIL GIRL.  LIL GIRL was in second place and trying to hold off RAMA. 

LIL GIRL had some headsail trim issues on this leg that did not help her.  RAMA was making good speed on the reach and was closing in on LIL GIRL’s windward side.

The wind had picked up a bit and the two were charging along at good speed and overlapped with 200 yards to go.  RAMA was moving a little faster, but would it be enough to pass before the finish?

LIL GIRL was in the favored leeward position.  She tried to stay inside RAMA and maintain right-of-way so that she could keep RAMA from turning toward the line.  They were literally neck and neck when they approached the bow of the committee boat. 

The battle for second place provided quite a show for the committee boat.

RAMA was gaining ground and LIL GIRL held her off as long as she could.  As soon as LIL GIRL could safely clear the committee boat she quickly dove to the finish line.  RAMA was right there with her, but LIL GIRL's inside position gave her the edge she needed to cross ahead of RAMA - by just two seconds - in the closest and most exciting finish I've witnessed in a long time.  

Roxanne fends off Julie's attack and steers LIL GIRL over the line

It was reminiscent of Oracle USA blocking Emirates NZ then diving for the line.  What great racing!

But it wasn't over yet.  Three more boats were fighting for their positions. 

Daryl concentrates during the last 50 yards

COMMUNION crossed next, followed by BOGY then PIPISTRELLE.

George always looks calm

The pole is not visible from this angle, but this time Eddy is using it as a bowsprit

On corrections NO LIZARD was safe by a mere 40 seconds. RAMA’s charge was not enough (by 38 seconds) to keep LIL GIRL out of second place.  COMMUNION finished ahead of BOGY by over a minute, but after corrections BOGY beat her by 28 seconds.  PIPISTRELLE could not correct past COMMUNION.

Overall we had a great day of racing.  No one ran aground.  No one hit the starting mark – twice.  The wind direction was remarkable steady all day.  And above all the boat handling was at a very high level.  Good work today.  I had several of the racers help me out today because I was running behind.  I appreciate it greatly.