CREW

Nansi, Kathleen - Foredeck

Pam - main sheet, count down

Jay, Adam - Genoa winches

Ron - steering

The annual ABYC regatta was held off Ashbridges Bay in Lake Ontario east of the Island. Circe raced in the PHRF, non flying sail division. There were 11 boats registered in this division including 3 Viking 33/34's, Circe, Amelia, both from QCYC, and Hagar from ABYC.

The wind was so light in the morning that we had to motor all the way to ABYC. The race was delayed until enough wind filled in to start one. There were 3 races held. The course was windward leeward.

Race 1

The first race was in light wind out of the west. We flew our light # 1 which proved its worth yet again. We got a good start and led Amelia most of the buck but Amelia picked up a nice lift coming into the weather mark and rounded first in our division just in front of us. But with our light #1 we simply sailed right past her and kept pace with the J33 Wee Beastie who rates considerably faster than us. They shortened the race to once around. in the last 100 yards the wind shifted 180 degrees and picked up some speed to about 8 knots. We finished that race first, Amelia second, Double Vision, a C&C 27, third, and Wee Beastie 4th.

Race 2

With the wind shift and increased velocity the temperature dropped significantly and we all went hunting for the warmer clothes that Skipper Ron had thoughtfully recommended everyone bring. While the race committee reset the course we all had a bite to eat. We changed to the heavy #1 to deal with the the stronger wind. Again we got a good start and managed to lead the fleet for most of the two times around race except for Wee Beastie who did get ahead as her rating would expect her to. A fine visual memory was looking back after rounding the weather mark on the first leg and seeing the two other Vikings right behind us. It was great!! But on the last run to the finish the wind started to fade and we had trouble keeping that heavy #1 pulling wing and wing. Amelia with her lighter filled Genoa gradually closed the gap and passed us to finish 17 seconds ahead. But within that 17 seconds two boats slipped in between us on corrected time. So Amelia won that race, Wee Beastie second, Double Vision third, and Circe 4th, all 4 within 25 seconds on corrected time!

Race 3

Due to the apparent dying wind we switched back to the light #1 but then the wind came back up so we switched back again before the start to the heavy #1. The foredeck crew got pretty good and switching fore sails. Again we got a good start at the committee boat and held Wee Beastie off with a lee bow when she tried to sneak in right after the start. She was forced to tack away. The race Committee had reset the weather mark but got it wrong so the buck was skewed to starboard and the run was actually a broad starboard tack reach. We again led the fleet for both times around except for Wee Beastie who got well ahead. Wee Beastie won this race with Circe 2nd, and Amelia 3rd.

Over All Results

Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Total

1. Amelia 2 1 3 6

2. Wee Beastie 4 2 1 7

3. Circe III 1 4 2 7

Though Wee Beastie (WB) and Circe were tied on points WB got the second because she beat us in the last race.

So, it was VERY close and with a few seconds different in the second race the results would have been much different. For example Amelia only beat WB by two seconds on corrected time. IF WB had been 3 seconds faster (or Amelia slower) WB would have won the series, with Circe 2nd and Amelia 3rd. If Circe had been 10 seconds faster or Double Vision 10 seconds slower in the second race, Circe would have won the series with Amelia second and WB third. It was that close.

But we had a lovely sail back to Queen City (ABYC asked that boats not come to their club due to the high water issues) munching on the Portuguese tarts that Adam had brought, wing and wing and a broad reach to the end of the spit and then a lovely close reach around the corner into the eastern gap. We sailed into the north east corner of the harbour and inspected the burned out remains of the recycling warehouse.

It was a good day of sailing.

Skipper Ron