Results are tabulated at the end.
Iron Mountain Yacht
Club Race Report, 2nd Fall Regatta, 2015
A deep low pressure in
the Carolinas, causing misery, power loss and flooding created near perfect wind
and weather conditions for sailors racing in the second regatta of the Iron
Mountain Yacht Club’s Fall Racing Series.
In average 8-10 knot
winds, gusting at times to above 15, under blue skies with cotton-ball clouds,
three races were completed. The course
was set into the wind from the uth to the north shore of the lake’s main
channel just out from the Iron Mountain camping area. Each of the three races consisted of two windward-leeward
legs. The fleet was made up of only four
boats but the lack of numbers did not minimize the excitement on the water as
there were numerous position changes.
In the first race Bogey
got a good jump on the fleet while ZCat and No Lizard mixed it up, with No
Lizard acknowledging a foul during maneuvering.
The wind backed to the North during the upwind leg, forcing all over
onto port and No Lizard made it to the mark first where he performed his 360
penalty turn. Bogey overstood the
layline in the final tacking to the mark, allowing ZCat to round in second,
Matsya trailed. No Lizard hoisted
their Big Red Monster (geniker)
and took off on starboard broad reach, Bogey and ZCat chose a deeper course,
flying wing on wing and Matsya chose a port broad reach as the wind built. The order stayed the same as they rounded the
leeward mark. ZCat in second and No
Lizard leading split on the next upwind leg, Eddie going right on port and Ron headed
left on starboard. The right side ended up being heavily favored with an
increase in pressure and favorable shift, allowing ZCat to point higher and go
faster, and take over the lead from No Lizard.
ZCat, however, tacked short and
had to pinch up severely at the windward mark to make the rounding. Matsya overtook Bogey on the second upwind leg
and rounded third. In the last downwind
leg ZCat managed to stay ahead most of the way, being attacked from behind with
a cover by No Lizard. In a very close
finish for line honors, No Lizard
crossed just ahead of ZCat, the big red monster having gobbled up the
distance. Matsya finished well ahead of Bogey.
The second race in
building winds saw No Lizard cross the start line first and upwind, all boats
on the right-of- way starboard tack.
ZCat and Bogey stayed in Ron’s slop for a while as Matsya tacked over to
port. No Lizard and Bogey soon joined Matsya
on port while ZCat stayed on starboard choosing the left side of the upwind
course which seemed to have a slight advantage in angle to the mark.
The split extended as each side
legged it out, now working to the alternate buoy which had been set a bit farther
East. The wind lightened considerably and got squirrely closer to the mark. No Lizard managed to round first after having
gained some insurance in overstanding the last layline, ZCat rounded
second. After this the wind filled in
strongly from the east allowing Matsya to fly around in third, joining the
other two in a port broad reach toward the leeward mark. Those behind closed on No Lizard, attacking
him and forcing him to jibe to starboard.
After a really fast leg in great pressure No Lizard crossed the finish
line first, with ZCat nipping at his heels and Matsya right behind him. The wind then lightened and shifted about 100
degrees to the North/North West. On the
next upwind leg ZCat took another flyer to the left as No Lizard and Matsya
battled on the right side. No Lizard,
ahead, was forced into a double tack at the windward mark to round first. ZCat and Matsya duked it out in the final
tacking with ZCat rounding second. The
wind built again, approaching 15-18 knots as No Lizard, now going downwind, struggled with her partially raised geniker,
getting knocked on her ear in the puffs.
With the wind shifting again to the North/North West the last downwind
leg became a parade with one long port broad reach. ZCat could point higher than No Lizard with the
geniker but Ron managed to again gain line honors. ZCat second, Matsya third, Bogey fourth.
All boats approached
the start of the third race on starboard, the wind had steadied at 10-12
knots. No Lizard was again upwind with
ZCat, Matsya and Bogey in that order.
Ron and Eddie had to burn off some time to avoid crossing the line early,
Bogey got caught too far down and could not make the buoy, having to tack over
to port. No Lizard soon joined him on
port and the fleet split with those going right on port seeming to be on the
favored tack. Soon ZCat and Matsya
tacked over as well. Those furtherist
upwind got headed while those further down got a lift. Then all got headed as the wind swung to the
East. Bogey was forced to tack over because
of the 7 South peninsula. No Lizard
continued on port approaching the lay line.
The right side had definitely been favored in this windward leg. Bogey on starboard now crossed ahead of ZCat
on port while Matsya trailed. No Lizard finally
tacked to starboard, gaining a good lift and rounded the windward mark well
ahead of the fleetk, charging off on port broad reach under geniker, in
building winds. ZCat overtook Bogey in
the final windward tacking duel but lost some of his advantage as they
approached the mark, Matsya charged up from the East, also overtaking Bogey and
followed ZCat around the mark. With the
wind now blowing near stink levels, No Lizard flew across the finish line in a classic
“horizon job” finish. ZCat stayed well ahead of the other two in the
final leg as Bogey attacked Matsya from behind.
ZCat and Matsya swung to wing-on-wing in the final portion of the leg,
crossing in that order, with Bogey not far behind.
It was great racing in
super conditions on Lake Degray this Saturday, the only losers were the ones
who wanted to be there but could not.
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