Day three (races 4 and 5) started with a similar overcast feel to yesterday.
We are currently 53rd. But the focus must be on doing our best in each race, not on results. My sports psychologist said "control the controllables". So I am entering the day with a positive attitude, and focusing on starting, mark rounding, and tactics.
Both races today were "gate" starts, so we did not have the "black flag" issues from yesterday
Race 4 started in fairly calm wind. We made a cautious gate start. The first leg reminded me of "pond" sailing. Then, as we neared the first windward mark, the wind picked up significantly. We made a good line to the mark, but another boat came in on Port tack and tacked right in front of us - just! That meant they had "rights" - we had to give way. An emergency gybe was needed to prevent us hitting them, and other boats started overtaking us. Then we touched the mark itself with our boom as we sailed past; that was another penalty (an extra gybe and tack) and we lost more spaces.
The rest of the race was a question of "catch up".
One of the WHSC members was on our tail most of the race. As we neared the final reach to the committee boat finish, they flew their spinnaker better than we had, and crossed the line ahead of us.
We finished on 55th - our worst result so far.
For Race 5, Simon noticed that the right hand side of the course seemed favoured, do we determined on two priorities: clear wind (away from other boats) and a strong start on the right hand side of the gate.
The "guard" boat hove in sight, and lots of boats headed for an early start, but we held back. Timing was everything. We hit the start line just behind the guard boat, hiked out hard, and started climbing. We overtook one boat by sheer pace, then started calling "Starboard". Boat were ducking our transom. We were mid-course. A tack onto Port, and were chasing the "Pathfinder". Simon said, "we are in the middle of the big boys", as we reached the windward mark, ready to launch the spinnaker.
Twinning lines on. Centrboard. Cunningham. Kicker. Stand up and pull the kite halyard. We are flying in the middle of the fleet. "SPINNAKER'S RIPPED", shouted Simon. There was a horizontal piece of sky in front of us where there should have been a blue spinnaker. The horizontal seam had parted, across the entire width of the fabric. So we had to drop it, and rely on two sails only for the remainder of the day.
On the Beats, we were able to keep our own, but lost position time and again on the reaches.
We ended up 54th.
It's mid-through the Series. We are 57th overall. There have been some great experiences, but results have been disappointing. But we take the "positives" and build on them. Tomorrow is a rest day. Then four more races at the end of the week. Time to rest, smooth aching muscles, and plan for the rest of the Regatta.
Forgot to mention that after the final race, as we headed back to Looe, it began to rain heavily.
ReplyDeleteWe were convinced that some of the rain was actually ice, so hard was it to focus.
Everything was drenched - sails, equipment, and the crew!
It seemed a fitting way to end the day, somehow.
So you have mulled wine instead of a pint. Good luck, and the Welsh Harp tied-to the-pond members support you guys.
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