IMYC Spring Series Race Day #4, May 2, 2015

Day Four of the 2015 Spring Series

We’re batting 1000 this year.  Every race day we have had easterly winds - but "wind" turned out to be a bit of an exaggeration today.  

 

Again we had our friend George Yerger from Greers Ferry Lake Yacht Club racing with us. He kept us on our toes again today.

 

Race 1    Course BKB    Wind ESE 0-2

The entire fleet started the first leg on port tack, angling to the southern right-hand side of the course.   Sirocco won the start, with Communion very close on her windward quarter. 

George and Daryl start the day off right

Matsya, Elizabeth Grace (formerly Magic Elixir) No Lizard and Bogy were right behind, forming a line about 3 boat lengths behind.



The rest of the fleet starts close behind

After a minute or so Sirocco slowly pulled ahead of Communion as they led the way to the first mark. 

 

Good, tight racing

 Zcat had a late start.  No Lizard, apparently feeling compassion for Zcat, touched the pin end of the starting line and re-started so Zcat wouldn’t be alone. 

Joyce must wonder why Ron always does things the hard way, as he heads back to re-start.  I'm sure Eddie is smiling.

All of the fleet except Elizabeth Grace continued to the right and south, passing over the main body shoal.  Elizabeth Grace tacked and headed back toward the north east.

 

The Race officer realized that when he set mark "K" it was set quite a bit south of the map location, potentially causing confusion about which mark (K or I) was intended.  An announcement was made to the fleet clarifying that the course was still BKB.

 

No Lizard went very far south before tacking for "K", but at least enjoyed some meager wind as she ghosted across the slot.  The water was as flat as glass near "K".  That had the interesting effect of allowing the fleet to converge. 



The rounding shot using super slow-motion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zcat rounded first, followed by Elizabeth Grace, Sirocco and Communion who were nearly overlapped.  Those who arrived early went from very slow down to a crawl as the others approached.

What a mess!

 

Sirocco hoisted her chute immediately after rounding just to watch it hang lifelessly. 

 

Meanwhile back on the committee boat there was some detectable wind.  It was not from ESE like at the start, but had now veered around to NNW at about 1.0 kts.  That’s pretty light, but much more than the fleet was working with around "K".  Of course it diminished before it reached the hungry sails.



Ready, Set, Go!!!!

No Lizard rounded next, and headed back toward the slot hoping for anything in the form of air movement.  The prospects were not very good though.  The entire lake had gone completely flat.

 

Sirocco and Zcat had doused their spinnakers given the new wind direction.  No Lizard kept hers up longest hoping for some boat speed, but finally doused hers too.  Once the wind line had passed the entire fleet was pointed at the finish line, trimmed for upwind sailing, and sitting nearly motionless.

 

An excruciating 30 minutes after the mass rounding a slight wind line finally filled in from the NW, but only briefly.  Zcat was in the best position and rode across it first.  Communion and Elizabeth Grace followed, with Sirocco close behind.

 

It appeared that Zcat, Communion and Elizabeth Grace were “leading the pack.   Somehow Zcat was stretching out her lead.  She was moving – not fast, but moving- in the almost non-existent breeze.  Communion was doing everything she could to make her new North 150 pull to hold off a “charge” by Sirocco.

 

Zcat finished first and won the race.  I think Eddie likes that new 150 jib he tried out today.  Communion finished second with Bogy fairly close behind.  Sirocco came in next, and took second place away from Bogy by just 37 seconds.  No Lizard finally got some breeze to fill the chute, but it was too little too late.  The two Catalina 22s took first and second place.  Racing in extremely light air is very frustrating.  This is one race that I am glad I chose to just run the committee boat.

 

It was great to see Elizabeth Grace (formerly Magic Elixir) out on the water again, and turning on a respectable performance.

 

 

Race 2   Course BIB   Wind ENE 1-3

Light air = short course.

 

Communion got to the left side of the line first but was early and turned to run the line.  Zcat was just behind her.  They had been battling for position for the previous several minutes on the extreme left (north) end of the line.  Zcat misjudged the run and was barely able to avoid being over early but turning to follow Communion down the line.  Meanwhile the rest of the fleet had timed their runs very well.  At the gun Communion and Zcat turned up and five boats started overlapped in what is probably the tightest start I have witnessed here.  Matsya made the magnanimous gesture of spotting the rest of the fleet a minute or two on the start.

 

All six hit the start together

 

Zcat wisely chose the windward end of the line and soon had pulled out ahead of the fleet with Bogy and Communion in close pursuit.  The gentle breeze that started the race began to fade a third of the way up the first leg.

 

The fearless fleet sails off into the DeGray triangle

 

 

Near the mark a slight wind line appeared.  The fleet was bunched fairly close as Zcat rounded followed by No Lizard and Sirocco.   Communion and Bogy were close behind.  Matsya was still working on making up the late start.

 Nearing the finish Zcat was still in the lead.  Communion was about 10 lengths dead astern with Sirocco and No Lizard for the to the south. 



Zcat did an amazing job of making time in light air.

 

Zcat finished first followed by Communion, then No Lizard with Sirocco overlapped and three seconds behind. 

A very close finish for such light wind.

 Corrected times have the order of finish Zcat, Sirocco and Bogy.

 

Race 3   Course BIB  Wind ENE 2-3

 

No lizard, Communion and Zcat all lined up on the start, with Sirocco staring equally well in clear air at the other end of the line.

Communion led No Lizard and Zcat to the left end of the line.  She burned off a little time and hit the line perfectly about 15 feet from the committee boat’s transom.  As No Lizard approached with better speed to pass Communion to windward, Communion threatened to force No Lizard up come up and make her tack away.  But in a moment of generosity Communion let No Lizard through the gap. 

Zcat stayed out of the fight and glided by a few lengths to leeward.  Sirocco got a great start at the other end of the line.  No Lizard carried her speed with less maneuvering and pulled slightly ahead. 

 

Zcat rounded first followed by Sirocco then Communion.  No Lizard popped her chute for the slow downwind run.  I’m sure it helped, but not as much as Ron had hoped. 

How does a Catalina 22 stay ahead of a Hunter 26 with a spinnaker on a light air day?  Good work George!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zcat lead the entire downwind leg, with Sirocco giving chase.  No Lizard, Communion and Bogy were about even in the second peloton.

No Lizard approaches the finish line, finally with some oomph, but Zcat is already headed home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cat 22s got first and second by a few minutes, but there was quite a battle for third, fourth and fifth.  The entire spread across the three boats was only six seconds!  Another example of how every second and every boat length counts, regardless of where you are on the course.

 

Zcat and Sirocco made it a sweep.  One and Two in all three races, with Zcat actually finishing first in every race, though she has the highest base PHRF.  Great work Team Zeiler!