Sailing, burgers, and beer :)

It's the second race of the year - does it get any better? 

First night on the patio! It's starting to feel like summer...

First night on the patio! It's starting to feel like summer...

CREW

Fore Deck - Pam, Kathleen, Nanci

Main Sheet & Timing - Susan

Jib Winches - Steve & Jay

Tiller - Ron

A full turnout.

THE WIND

It was light in the afternoon from the south until about 3:00 when a a strong breeze from the north east dramatically filled in at about 15 knots gusting to 20+. Then it was up and down ranging from 8 knots to 20 knots and oscillating considerably. We decided to go with the heavy #1 for power when it was light and rag the main when we got over powered. 

THE RACE

The Course was posted as a buoys to port windward leeward four times around. All our competition was out, Blue Streak, Abracadabra, Amelia, Veloce, Alpha Omega, and Ben in the C&C 34 L'Otago.

Prior to our start the wind clocked so far north at times you could not cross that line on starboard so the pin end was hugely favored. But during our 5 minute sequence it swung back enough so a starboard tack was possible but pin end still favored. So Skipper Ron decided on a starboard tack start to cut off the port tackers at the pin. The only trouble was that wind shifted back so we couldn't cross the line in starboard and the port tackers, Abra and Amelia and Alpha got away. But the wind shifted back clockwise enough for us to clear the pin and shortly after Veloce on our starboard quarter tacked away onto port we followed suit. Blue Streak was way behind the line and started very late. Turned out that Rob was not aboard. So, except for BS we were tail end. 

But over the course of the race we gradually reeled them all back in. Except for Abracadabra. On the third up wind leg Veloce was in second place ahead and to windward when she got hit by a gust that rounded her up past head to wind. By the time they got things back in order we were now ahead and lengthened our lead. The wind gradually lightened over the course of the last time around and the committee moved to the windward mark to finish us after the forth buck. But Abra had managed to stay ahead and finished well ahead while we lost time in the waning breeze. 

THE RESULTS

Abra won it, beating us by 43 seconds on corrected time. Veloce was 3rd, Amelia 4th, Alpha Omega 5th, Blue Streak 6th, and L'Otago 7th. 

With two seconds in this six race series Circe is now in first place with 4 points, one ahead of Abra with a 4th and 1st. 

Well Done Circe Crew!!

Skipper Ron