OCTOBER 16, 2018: SHORT BUT SWEET

OCTOBER 16, 2018

SHORT BUT SWEET

Checking Predict wind in the morning, it sure looked dismal with very light breezes predicted for the evening.  I forgot, Predict wind does not account for our famous Santa Cruz eddy which produces our wonderful easterly breezes in the evening.  We had a wonderful easterly blowing as we left the harbor.  We set the mark and called an impromptu (not on the course card) course: Start, Blacks and finish at Gov. With last week’s race only having 4 boats finish, I wanted to make sure everyone finished tonight. We gave a 5 minute horn for a 5:45 start.

On Pair A Dice, I wanted to start at the red ball end of the line.  My thought was to avoid the congestion that was certain to form at the start mark.  As it was many boats started on starboard at the start mark.  We started on starboard about a third of the way up the line from the red ball.  It was not long before we saw a hole and tacked over onto port tack, only having to duck 2 boats in the process.  Pacific Spirit and Pair a Dice sailed side by side to the lay line for rounding Blacks and we followed Pacific Spirit around Blacks with Tusitala sailing off ahead of us.

Normally on an Easterly breeze, it would be dead down wind to GOV, but the wind was blowing from a strange angle (25-30 degrees) setting all of us on a beautiful beam reach.  We were just ahead of Avatar and prevented them from sailing to windward of us. 

At the finish, Tusitala was first(17:54), Pacific Spirit second(19:06), Pair a Dice(19:30) and Gunter (on his Fin) rounded shortly after. Avatar (19:43), Perfect 36 (19:44), Kicks (20:31), Nidaros (21:38), Aeolian (22:15) and Rosie (26:55).  All times are elapsed and the course was 1.46 miles.

Many people were not satisfied with the short course and only a 20minute race, but I was happy because everyone was able to at least finish. We had close to 15 boats out for the fun.  It was truly a Short but Sweet race, and it gave us plenty of time to go back and get the mark.

TACTICS:

It is often said in tactics that if you are in the lead that you should do everything to stay between an overtaking boat and the next mark.  On the run to Gov, Avatar was trying to pass us to windward which would have slowed us down so we steered more toward the beach they opted to pass us to leeward.  This is not unethical and “dirty sailing”, it is just using tactics to improve your results.  As I have often pointed out, it is always best to not “mix it up” with other boats, but when the opportunity presents itself, why not.  This is racing after all.

THANKS TO JEFF HOTCHKISS OF AVITAR FOR THIS PHOTO

The season is getting short. I am looking forward to sailing with you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice