42 Marine

“Days of Thunder” on Day 1 of Melges 32 Cal Cup »

August 20, 2010

If Tom Cruise were to make a sequel to his popular movie “Days of Thunder”, being a driver of a Melges 32 in San Francisco Bay would be a good place to start…that is of course, if Nicole Kidman could have a supporting role. By the end of the first day at the California Cup, several boats collided, struck masts, and even stuck their bow sprits in places where they don’t belong. This resulted in damage and bruised egos, but by the end of the day, the breeze was fully pumping and there were awesome rides to be had downwind.  Speed, carnage, and nice wipe-outs at what is a tune-up regatta for the Worlds less than a month away…it will be interesting to see what happens when the fleet size doubles and the sailors get even riskier with their calls in just a few weeks.

Although the Cal Cup is being treated as a tuning/training event for most teams, it did not take long for the blood to get pumping as the pressure and intensity of the Worlds is always lingering in the background.  With the overcast skies taking longer to clear over SF Bay than normal, the first race got off with an 11:30 am start and shifting condition at 9-13 mph.  We did a good job of starting clean near the pin end and used our speed to punch out on the front row.  A few boats tacked immediately to the right corner which seemed risky at the time, but as we got closer to the top of the course, the move would pay off.  The Samba was fortunate to make it back from the left side and tacked back onto the starboard layline  in what looked like was going to be in 3rd place behind Warpath and Argo.  As we got closer to the mark, Argo approached on the port tack layline, attempted a tight duck on Warpath, misjudged it badly and collided with the stern quarter of Warpath at a high rate of speed causing both boats to get tangled with masts basically intertwined, and allowed us to do a slight luff to get around the carnage, around the mark, and off onto the downwind. From there we were able to stay hooked up in the pressure in a slightly building breeze and maintain a nice lead through the finish.  Warpath would need to retire from the race due to damage suffered to the boat and sails, but would be able to sail the remainder of the day, but Argo would call it quits as they had another collision with Leenabarca later in the same race and would need to go to the dock and inspect for damages.

Race 2 saw similar conditions but with what looked a breeze that was trying to fill but just didn’t have any gusto behind it.  A challenging aspect about racing on the bay is not always setting up for the conditions that you are currently seeing, but what you anticipate on seeing.  As the gun sounded, a few boats again tacked immediately at the boat and sprinted out to the right side.  We did a good job of starting closer to the boat, but again in conservative fashion getting to the right when the opportunity presented itself and managed to round the windward mark in 3rd place.  As the skies started to clear in Sausalito, the breeze was really starting to build on the right side, and for the boats that could pull off a nice gybe set, immediate gains were made.

At the first bottom mark, I wondered to myself who turned the fan on at the Golden Gate Bridge as the breeze had gone from 9-12 on the first beat to 17-20 on the next upwind.  When the skies clear in SF, its time for breeze on, and it was now a drag race to the right side of the course to get into the pressure first. With the ebb tide starting as well, once we got to the right side our goal was to call an early layline, below and ahead of race leaders Bliksem and Yasha Samurai, but we found ourselves hipped up and being overstood as we approached the mark.  After watching several boats come up and around us, we set our kite and managed to pick off one boat the last downwind.  A disappointing 5th place, but a good lesson learned regarding the laylines for future regattas.

The last race of the day, the skies had cleared for the most part and the breeze was now settled in at 18-21 kts with the ebb tide in full effect.  As the majority of the fleet stacked up at the boat end to get to the right side, we inched closer to the pack, but again stayed conservative and focused on a clean start and tacking to the right once a lane developed.  With all 13 boats on port tack within 30 seconds of the starting gun, it was a full drag race to the right corner and a real test of boat speed.  Morgan and John did a great job of keeping the boat moving at all times and Stu found some good shifts at the top of the course to get us around the mark with a healthy lead. After a clean set and gybe, we blasted off to the leeward mark at 19-20kts of boatspeed.  The final 3 legs would be a repeat of the first 2 with it essentially being a drag race to the right side of the course and who could get there first.  We managed to hang on for a race win and a 4 pt lead headed into day 2 of the Cal Cup.

With another 11:30 start planned for tomorrow, conditions should shape up to be similar and with a building breeze whenever the fog starts to thin out.  As of 9:30 PT, the results had not yet been posted, but a link can be found here when the are.  Our best guess at the top 3 is this:

1). Samba Pa Ti – 7 pts – 2). Pegasus Racing – 11pts 3). Bliksem – 11pts.

UP NEXT – M32 Cal Cup »

August 18, 2010

The Melges 32 fleet has packed up and moved on from the light and variable conditions in the Midwest, and has based itself in San Francisco, CA for the first annual Melges 32 Cal Cup.  Not only will this event be a highly talented and competitive regatta, but it also signifies the final stage of preparation for most teams before the Melges 32 Pre-Worlds and Worlds in late September. While the goal will certainly be to win this event, teams will be careful not to show their “hand” so they do not give anything away before the Worlds. While not every team that is competing in the worlds will be here at the Cal Cup, most will, and the crew list for the Worlds is available to find out who is sailing on which boat.

The Samba team gathered on Wednesday morning at the St. Francis Yacht Club for the first of 2 practice sessions before racing begins on Friday.  With typical San Francisco Bay conditions of 15-20 and sunny skies, we were all reminded of what a great venue this is for racing Melges 32s and why San Francisco is amongst the favorite places to sail for people who have had the opportunity to race here.

Tomorrow will bring another grueling day of practice as we hope to make out boathandling as smooth as possible in the breeze.  While tactics and speed are obviously important, clean boathandling in breeze is a huge part to doing well in the Melges 32 class and by the end of the weekend, we hope to have our dance steps fully refined as we head into the worlds.

Here is the Samba Team line-up for the weekend : Helm – John Kilroy Jr, Tactics – Stu Bannatyne, Main Trim – Morgan Reeser, Spin/Jib Trim – Sam Rogers, Pit – Justin Smart, Mast – Eric Dorman, Float – Kimberly Arnston, Bow – Alan “Buddha” Nakanishi.

Stay tuned to 42marine.com for the inside scoop from racing, and to melges32.com for photos and race reports.

E Scow ILYA Champs Wrap Up »

August 15, 2010

The first part of the annual ILYA “Big Inland” was completed over 3 days and 4 light, hot and bumpy races.  The first day of racing for the E Scows was cancelled due to no wind and with the heat index climbing into the low 100’s, many of the competitors took to taking a dip in the lake every 15-20 minutes to keep the core body temp into the normal ranges. And with the outside bar at LGYC luring many of the sailors throughout most of the day, it was a welcome relief when the final call was made at 4pm so the beer could really start flowing.

The forecast for day 2 was not much better as the heat was expected into the high 90s and figured to stifle any breeze. Thankfully when the competitors awoke, there was a nice 8-12 sw breeze on the lake and it was now up to PRO Russ Ackley to insure the racing got off in time before the breeze fizzled out.  After a 30 degree right shift and a general recall on the first attempt, the line was reset and got off cleanly.  I-49, I-2 and M-42 would get off the pin-end cleanly and work the left side of the course that looked great for most of the beat, but once the top boats approached the windward mark, the race would effectively restart with a another massive right shift which brought the back of the fleet to the front.  For those who got stuck on the top left of the course, it was a long painful trek to the top mark.  V-27 would lead the first top mark with many “contenders” and past champions deep in the fleet.

As the race progressed, the breeze settled a little bit, but there was still big variations in velocity and plenty of shifts.  By the last bottom mark, M-42 would take the lead followed tightly by M-1 Rob Evans and GL-11, Mark Unicume. Evans and M42 would split halfway up the beat with Evans going left, and Rogers going right with the left winning out just by a touch allowing Evans to take the race lead.

After a 3 hour break between races 1 and 2 for storms that never developed, Race 2 got underway with a 8-10 SE breeze and a very skewed starting line and windward mark.  For those who could pick up on it and execute, starting at the pin, and getting to Cedar Point which was 200 yards away was key.  M42 was able to get a clean start at the pin, tack across the fleet and establish themselves in the front, but it was Jeff Solum on M-12 who went the furthest left, found a nice vein of pressure and rounded in first.  Mark roundings would be a huge part of this race since many of the boats would arrive together and those who could set, and get away quickly would make huge gains on the other boats who were stuck together, suffocating the dying breeze. M12 and M42 were able to set and extend nicely, heading all the way over to the North Shore and gybing once they reached the piers off of Cedar Point.

Just as the top mark proved to be a place for huge gains and losses, the bottom mark was even more pronounced.  Those who could carry their kites late, maintain speed, and round cleanly were able to break free from the pack in the dying breeze.  Augie Barkow on V-37 was able to pick off 10-12 boats at the last leeward mark by carrying his kite until he was around the mark, maintain his speed and sail cleanly away, while the boats around him were basically glued to the water and preventing each others sails from filling.  For the race win, M42 was able to get around M12 and hold on for the bullet.  The RC was hoping for another race, but the threat of storms caused nixed that.  3 races would be needed to constitute an official regatta and with the forecast once again looking bleak, it was not looking good to have an E ILYA winner in 2010.  M42 carried a small overnight lead over M-87 Derek Packard and V-37 Augie Barkow.

Just as Day 2 outlived the forecast, Day 3 provided a nice surprise for competitors as a West breeze at 8-10 had filled over the morning hours.  For those who have been to Lake Geneva, it is a boating hotspot, especially on the weekends when the temps are in the 90s.  Not only were 55 E Scows sprawled across the lake fighting for every ounce of breeze, but the competitors would also have to deal with massive amounts of power boat chop from the locals who did their best to make the racing as difficult as possible.  Race 3 got underway with the sides of the course proving to be the places to be, and the middle of the course being like a slow, painful death.  The boats on each side of the course waiting until the last possible minute to tack back to the mark, and once they did, the leaders on each side were basically bow to bow as they each prayed for some sort of angle change to get them to the mark in decent position.  Just as things looked dire on the right, a nice little lift came down the course and allowed M42, TO-101 and V-37 to get across the boats on the left side.

It would be a battle to who could get to the right throughout the race, and as M42 did their best to stay near V37 to protect the regatta lead in the middle of the course, M-77, Kevin Jewett would extend to the right corner on the last upwind, catch a massive right hander and fly into the finish line to take the bullet.  M42 would just barely get back across a few other boats who came in from the right to take 2nd place while V-37 dropped to 9th.

Headed into the last race, the breeze seemed like it wanted to freshen to the low teens, but just couldn’t settle in.  We decided to take our 4th crew for the last race since we are one of the lighter teams, but as the gun sounded, the breeze lightened and we would be heavier than what would be ideal.  After a terrible start, several leebows, ducks and close calls, we finally got to the right, and were able to break into the front group in 10th place.  With Augie Barkow and his team on V-37 leading the race however, we would need to get no worse than the high teens to hang onto the regatta victory.

Augie established a nice lead, and once the race settled in, our team on the M42 did a great job of hanging tough and battling out of some very challenging situations to solidify our position in the top 5.  As we approached the line on the last beat, the excitement started to build as we realized our goals of winning this years ILYA E Scow Champs were about to be complete.  As we crossed the line, hugs and high fives were exchanged as our team of Tony Jewett, Chrisy Hughes and Lynn Jewett were crowned champs.  It was a very challenging weekend of races and our team did a great job of keeping the boat moving at all times and sailing clean throughout the series.

The next E Scow “Major” is the E Scow National Championships, September 9-12 in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. The Nationals always serves as a battle of East vs West since it it the first time the West coast fleets match up with the very competitive East Coast fleets.

ILYA Results here

Photos and Video here

The A Scows begin their racing on Sunday afternoon, finishing on Tuesday, and the C Scow cap the long with with racing Thursday to Sunday.

UP NEXT – E Scow ILYA Champs »

August 9, 2010

When the humidity in the Midwest is hovering at a solid 70% dewpoint, the VFW’s and Lion’s clubs are having there annual corn-roasts and Lake Minnetonka is about as warm as jacuzzi, it must mean it is the middle of August and that the annual ILYA “Big Inland” Championships are just around the corner. Although this event does not draw the big numbers it used to when my old man was racing C-Scows, it still draws the top talent in each class as sailors in the midwest are still eager to etch their names on class trophies which date back to the early 1900’s.  This week is special for many as it culminates a summer of hard work and provides a chance to race against the best scow sailors in the country.

A unique aspect of the Big ILYA is it allows a competitor to compete in several class championships with the E and MC Scows kicking the week off with racing on the 12th-14th, then the A Scows take over on the 15th-17th, followed by the C Scows on the 18-21st. Geneva always draws a big fleet in each class as it is close for many of the Wisconsin teams who shy away from the event when it is close to the Minnesota border…maybe this has something to do with it, or this…regardless, it is always fun to race in Lake Geneva with its scow history, proximity to Melges headquarters and the big draw of the event.

The E-Scow portion of the event should draw 45-50 boats with the best names in the class in attendance. Unlike the NCESA National Championships late this year in September, the ILYA Champs do not allow for a throwout which means you need to make each race a keeper and battle to the end for every point.  The team on the M-42 will need to remember not to repeat our mistake of last years regatta where we capsized between the whether mark and offset on the first day, having to eat a DNF and 40+ pts. (not to mention it was only blowing 9kts!).

The M-42 is packed up and ready to go, and the main concern at this stage is the forecast as it is for temps in the 90s, high humidity and variable breeze from just about every direction.  The good news is the forecast is just that, a forecast, and you never know what you are going to get on race day.  We will be bringing our golf clubs just in case and hoping the Fontana Lions have a corn roast this week.

42Marine will have daily updates from what will be a tightly contested regatta in Lake Geneva.

32 Nationals Wrap Up »

August 4, 2010

Ok, I have waited until mid-week to do the 32 Nationals wrap up.  I became captivated with 3 hours of the Bachelorette on Monday night, which is 3 hours of my life that I will never get back, and Tuesdays nights are for A-Scow racing on Minnetonka which is a good time, even when spectating.

One theme that stuck out from the 32 Nationals is when to follow your game plan to exacting standards, vs when to have a more general gameplan and the ability follow it loosely.  On the first day of the Melges 32 Nationals, it did not take long to figure out that the people who would be atop the leader board (Red and Volpe) would do everything the could to get right, even if it meant having a delayed start and tacking immediatly at the boat.  For the Samba on the other hand, we had talked about getting to the right, but started in the middle, played the middle/left up wind and ended up in the middle of the pack at each first weather mark in the first 2 races.  By the third race, after watching boats come storming out of the right for 2 races, we finally convinced ourselves that working on the fringes of our gamplan would no longer suffice; we had to start at the boat and get to the right if we wanted a decent finish.

In this case, our gameplan was to get right, but it was kind of a toe-in-the-water type of approach.  There are times when sort of following the gameplan will work, and there are times where you have to follow it to a T and the first day at Harbor Springs a perfect example of this. I am a huge fan of taking the conservative route, especially when you have have good boat speed, but again, there are a few times when you need to get aggressive. Sometimes this is dictated by a venue like Lake Garda where you need to get a clean start and sail to the eastern shor in a hurry, or when sailing in the City front in San Francisco to get current relief, and there are other times when you are a few points out of a finishing position headed into the final race.  These are times when you need to roll up your shirt sleeves and get it done.

Day 2 did not allow for as much of a “cut and dry” gameplan as we found ourselves prepping to start in a dying easterly.  Fresh with the experiences from Day 1 in our minds, we decided to go for the win at the heavily favored pin end. We set up with a nice hole at 45 seconds, defended well and when the gun went we were moving at full speed and rolling the 2 boats between us and the pin.  After a nice first beat and rounding the top mark in 4th, we steadily lost boats, rounded the 2nd top mark in 9th and clawed back to pick off 2 more boats on the final run for a finish of 7th.  A clear lesson learned in this race was to minimize the maneuvers and keep the speed on.  Yes, there were shifts to be played, but the boats that made huge gains were those that extended out of the first bottom mark to the right side, tacked once and kept the pedal to the medal.  Gybing is especially a killer in light air and when we did a gybe-set and a 1 gybe run on the last downwind, we were managed to pick off a few boats.  Granted, this race was highly variable and it effectively re-started on the 2nd up-wind, but maintaining boatspeed is key in any condition, but even more so in light air when speed trumps angle.

With the “Win the favored end of the line” mentality still in our minds, we headed out for what would be the final race of the event in a westerly breeze after a long lunch break.  This breeze would set up very similar to the first 3 races which meant start at the boat, get right and once you are on the right side, go a little further. The only problem was this time, every boat in the entire fleet had the same idea as there was not 1 boat on the leeward 1/3 of the starting line, and those to leeward of the pack at the boat would be the ones to do well since there was a tangle of Melges 32s when the gun went, the Samba being one of them. It is never a good feeling to hear the gun go, watch the boats around you blast off towards the windward mark while you are moving sideways with no fore and aft movement over your foils.

Interestingly enough, regatta winners Volpe with 18 year old helmsman Ryan Devos and tactician Ed Baird knew just when to go for it and when to hold back.  The first 3 races when the rest of the fleet was more conservative about hitting the right hard, they took it every time.  When the fleet figured it out by race 5, Volpe started to leeward of the pack, tacked and crossed the mess still tangled at the boat. There is something to say about feeling the vibe and aggressiveness of your particular fleet and when to go for it or hold back.  There are some who say not to go for the favored end at the begining of the regatta, because all of the competitors are amped to win races…the time to go for it is after lunch when everyone is sleepy.

Days 3 and 4 would not allow for any racing due to lack of breeze and would serve as a contest of who could stave off boredom the best.  Harbor Springs is a great, idyllic American town, but it starts to feel really small when you are there for a week with little to do and cannot take advantage of other activities since we were on stand-by for racing. It was a bummer not to get a nice SW 15-18 mph lake breeze since it can be great sailing conditions, and of course we heard from the locals in response to the lack of breeze, “That this never happens here!”

There Melges 32 fleet now heads to San Francisco for the Cal Cup in mid-August which will serve as the 2nd to last event before the World Championships in September. Stay tuned to 42Marine.com for the inside scoop.

No Breeze on Final Day…Results remain unchanged after Day2 »

August 2, 2010

Every attempt was made by PRO Bruce Gollison to try to get at least 1 more race off during the Melges 32 Nationals in Harbor Springs, but it was not meant to be. The fleet headed out for an 11:30 warning, but the 4-7 kt westerly quickly died off before most teams could hoist their mainsails.

18 Year old local Ryan Devos, and his team with tactician Ed Baird won the event with a very solid event and no races out of the top 5. The Samba took 2nd and the Full Throttle in 3rd. Stay posted for a full regatta wrap up later this evening.

Full results and photos at Melges32.com

No Racing on Day 3 »

July 31, 2010

Racing was canned for the day at 3pm on day 3 of the Melges 32 US Nationals due to lack of breeze. Many of the teams did their best to stave off boredom by visiting each other on the college campus-like atmosphere of Harbor Springs, and it was a relief for many when the racing was canceled so beers could start to be consumed.

The forecast is bleak again for the last day of racing, so hopefully we will get a bit of a surprise when we get to the dock in the morning. The Samba still stands in 2nd place overall and we will need 3 quality races tomorrow to have any shot at mounting a comeback against Volpe.

Check out Melges32.com for full results and photos.

Great Day for Waterskiing on Day 3 of M32 US Nationals »

Just as the forecast has predicted, there is a complete lack of breeze in Harbor Springs with spotty rain showers. PRO Bruce Gollison is providing 1/2 hour updates, but looking at the PHRF boats attempting to race, it does not look promising.

The Samba Team is hunkered down at team Headquarters doing our best to stave off boredom. Stay tuned to 42 Marine for updates.

McKee V Porter…and 2 Races Completed on Day 2 »

July 30, 2010

We reached the dock after the 2nd race on Day 2 at 5:00 pm, and I am still waiting for the 3 advil that I took upon arrival to take effect. Today was a challenging, mind-numbing sort of day where you crossed your fingers every direction you headed and hoped that your side would pay.  The only upside is that the races were reasonably short for the extremely light conditions and the pain would only last for an hour at a time.

After looking at the forecasts for Day 2, most of the fleet strolled down to the Harbor Springs City Dock around 9am expecting to do our best to stave off boredom for most of the day from a lack of breeze.  Once on the dock however, an easterly had stuck around from the early morning hours and was still putting out a nice 6-8 mph which would be enough for RC to get race 4 started on time. After a great start at the pin and controlling our own destiny, the Samba flopped shortly after the gun, found a nice vein of pressure up the middle of the course, showed good speed and rounded in 4th at the top mark.  We were a bit surprised to see regatta leaders Volpe leading at the first mark after we rolled them at the start, forced them to tack to port, then spotted them in trouble on the right side half way up the first beat. There is no doubt these guys are loaded with talent, but after watching them crawl out numerous tough situations, we are not sure if they put their pants on one leg at a time like everyone else.

The first downwind would prove to be very painful in a dying breeze and the fleet split at the top mark to hit a corner and minimize the maneuvers.  We chose to extend on the run and while the boats ahead of us managed to get out alive, we lost a boat, rounded the left gate in 5th and were forced to tack off onto starboard to get clean air.  Shortly after, the breeze would pretty much shut down and the race effectively restarted with us, Full Throttle and Argo on the left side of the course, and Volpe, Ninkasi and a charging Star on the right side.  Breeze could be seen building on the sand dune shorline between Harbor Springs and Petosky, and while it looked like it would fill a bit sooner on the left side, there was no angle to it and the boats on the right were able to come charging into the mark with pace, and we would end up watching a few more boats get around us to take a 9th at the 2nd top mark.  Painful.

The last downwind would see even more patchy holes and after learning our lesson on the previous upwind, we did a nice gybe-set at the mark, sailed to the left side of the course with good pressure and Stu did a nice job of calling a good layline for us to come into the finish with speed and we picked off 2 boats on the run to finish 7th.  Volpe would hang on for the win and our main competition in the standings was just in front our behind us.

Instead of prolonging the anguish of most of the fleet, PRO Bruce Gollison, who is a sailors PRO, made the conclusion that the easterly that had been reduced to 2-3 kts would be giving way to the seabreeze in a few hours, and decided to send us in for a long postponement/lunch on shore.  After a few hours, the tennis courts in the center of town were a nice attraction as Full Throttle teammates Vincent Porter and Charlie McKee squared off for a good 2 set match to the pleasure of a few onlookers.  Charlie owned Vincent for the most part, which was a bit surprising considering Vincent was fully decked out in Nike tennis apparel and looked like he was attempting to qualify for Wimbledon.  It just goes to show the cunning and old age can still beat youth, enthusiasm…and good fashion.

Just as the 2nd set was drawing to a close in McKee’s favor, the call was made over the radio that the seabreeze was filling and the fleet should get out on the course for a 4pm start. Once to the starting area, the hopes of a nice 12-15 kt seabreeze were an illusion and we would have to settle for a 6-8 kt contest. With a course set up similar to Day 1, the goal was to start clean at the boat and get to the right early.  Unlike yesterday, we were not able to pull off a clean start at the boat end and we found ourselves going sideways once the gun went.  After watching the majority of the fleet flop to port and cross, we continued on starboard and once we had a clean lane back to the right side, tacked and found ourselves with good pressure and looking like we might be able to get to the front pack.

As we chugged along upwind hoping for more left pressure, one boat continued to poke out on the right side and extend into the lead.  Once they tacked in the right corner and got closer, we could see that it was regatta leaders, Volpe.  For all of those who played Nintendo growing up and remembered the game RC Pro-Am, watching Volpe was like watching the car that all of the sudden went into turbo mode once you started getting into the more challenging levels; there was nothing you could do but watch and hope they would slow down.

The Samba did a nice job of recovering from a harsh start, but we found ourselves always just a 1/2 boatlength away from being able to break into the top five.  Whether we would get leebowed, tacked on, or forced to a side, we could just never get to where we wanted to be for a prolonged period of time which resulted in a tough fought 9th place and some well deserved cold beers when we hit the dock. Volpe would again go on to take the bullet and build a nice lead going into day 3.  Despite our 16 pt day, we are still in 2nd place and looking to have better day tomorrow in conditions that are hopefully a bit more exciting for the sailors and spectators.

Results here.

Photos here.

Local Knowledge Pays on Day 1 of US Nationals »

July 29, 2010

There is a big difference between talking about a gameplan and what you would like to do on the start and first beat, and the actual execution of it.  On day 1 of the Melges 32 US Nationals, on the Samba we had talked about starting at the boat end and getting to the right side of the course, but found ourselves taking the conservative route, starting somewhere near the middle of the line, and subsequently mid-fleet at the top mark.  All it took was one look at the Harbor Springs local boat Volpe, with tactician Ed Baird, that started late at the boat in all 3 races, tacked right and were in the top 3 at the first top mark to figure out that the right was paying big, and you had better get over there fast if you wanted to do well.

PRO Bruce Gollison and his team did a great job of getting the fleet assembled for an on-time start at 10:30 under blue skies and a 10-12 kt Westerly.  Being from the midwest, it is nice to finally get some of the people who I sail with and against into fly-over country so they can get an idea of how beautiful the Midwest can be.  Harbor Springs in particular is a great place for racing as it provides a huge sailing area with challenging breeze, and a town setting that makes you feel like you are filming the sequel to “Pleasantville”.

The fleet was eager to get rolling in Race 1 and with 4-5 boats over early piled up at the boat end, it was not rocket science that the right side was favored, but just a matter of who could get off cleanly.  After a mid-line start and getting bounced to the left side of the course, we managed to keep the speed on, hang-on to a mid-fleet top rounding and grind our way back to a 5th place throughout the race. Red would go onto win the race after getting off the starting line cleanly at the boat end and leading pin to pin, followed by Ramrod and Full Throttle.

Race 2 set up with a bit more of a port favored line, and after another clean start, we found ourselves once again crossing behind the boats on the right, and in particular, RED who got flicked onto port shortly after the gun went, found a clean lane on the right side and were able to lead by the top mark.  The breeze lightened significantly after the start and with a lot of teams swapping to the light jibs on the downwind, it was a matter of who could change gears and keep the speed on. After battling back again from a mid-fleet first mark, the Samba did a nice job of keeping the pedal down, and really trying to execute our gameplan of getting to the right by living in bad lanes and tough situations just to get there. Once to the right side, there was clearly more velocity and huge gains would be made for those who could touch into it early.  Red again would go on to win, followed by Volpe, Full Throttle and Samba in 4th.

The last race of the day, the breeze had freshened, and instead of going for the safe route, we decided to put on the foil and mix it up at the boat end of the line which was very popular.  John did a great job of carving out a nice hole and we managed to get off the boat end cleanly, tack immediately, hold our lane with Volpe to leeward until the layline, tack, and lead at the first weather mark.  Mmmm…I wish we could have made it as easy in the first 2 races.  With 2 gybe sets and a battle of who could get closer to shore first, we were able to hold off a solid charge from Volpe, Heartbreaker and Tirade, a fresh Melges 32 team from New Zealand sailing their first event who will be very tough once they get a few races under their belts.

Overall, a picture perfect day for sailing in Harbor Springs with plenty of chutes and ladders.  Tomorrow I have a feeling we will be much more steadfast in following our game plan…and paying much closer attention to where the locals are headed.  Day 1 full results here.  10:30 am warning for race 4 with very light breeze forecast.