Wed Night Race 2
Fall Series August
The 2003 Nationals have come and gone so time to switch back to the Local sailing scene. Wednesday drew a great evening with wind around 10 knots from the Due N. a little strange direction but it was steady. The Classes ahead got off to clean starts and headed left. The Tide was still flooding but traditionally the Left is favored in a Northerly breeze.
The Start was even with all the boats lining up on the relatively long line evenly. Bad Dog and Road Runner at the pin, Wild Turkey and Apocolypso mid line and Wyewacket up at the boat. All the boats drag raced out to the left. After a short time Turkey tacked to the right looking for some stronger wind in the center course. This initially paid and they where making big gains in the middle. The Wind started to shift west and well in the end it shifted 25 degree west. This moved Road runner up to first and Turkey just holding second. Wild Turkey moved back to the left to take the initial loss and get back in this very long beat. Wyewacket continued to play the right and slowly fell back. Half way up the beat a P4 boat Marionette lost her rig. Turkey crossed close to her to make sure every thing was ok. The race continued to the weather mark. Wild Turkey managed to role over Road Runner to take the lead and round about 4 lengths ahead, Followed by Bad Dog, Apocolypso, and Wyewacket.
Road runner gybed away to the east downwind, Wild Turkey did not cover as there seem to still be some flood on the outside of the course and continued to cover the other boats. Bad Dog and Apocolypso had the best boat for boat racing on the run all the way to E the Bell buoy, They shared some Gybing duels and lots of covering was going on.
Road Runner lead into the leeward mark there was a very strange breeze in Shilshole bay you could take 1 tack from the mark to the finish. This made it very important to tack straight after the mark. Turkey rounded right on Road Runners stern and with a good rounding managed to make a good tack. Road Runner tacked to weather to cover, but Turkey had her bow out and started to pull ahead buy footing. Then switching to a high mode and shut out Road Runner clear astern for the dash to the finish. Apocolypso, Bad dog and Wyewacket all followed in.
Great sailing all around.
Well done to the PNW boats at the 2003 nationals in Santa Cruz. They had great wind and some interesting sailing.
Lunch Box. 2nd overall
Aliens ate my Buick. 4th overall 1st owner driver.
Surfer Girl.