The 2012 Nor’Easterns was a regatta full of recovery. I had one ok start in 5 races. The rest were awful. My timing must be off on my approach and set up. 20 teams showed up for what turned out to be a beautiful weekend.
Race 1 started in shifty WNW winds, ranging from low side to full on hike mode. I started midline, but slowly. This was my one ok start. I followed the shifts the best I could and was 5th around the windward mark. Downwind I stayed with the pack, with the two leaders extending their lead. The wind went patchy, but you could see them on the water if you looked ahead. I was not successful in looking ahead and knowing which way to go so I dropped 4 boats upwind. On the second downwind I caught a good couple of puffs and passed 2 boats back. The last windward was short so you had to make a mistake to lose position from the leeward mark. I finished 7th but was not unhappy.
Race 2 was much the same with the wind becoming even more uneven but with higher puffs. You had to depower and power back up quickly. I had another one of my disastrous starts and had only 3 boats behind me at the windward mark. But quickly finding the lanes I started to pick off boats. I made up 8 boats on the downwind. The second upwind was funny. I started on the left but went right at the correct time. I was next to Chris Hawk, who was in second, he went left, I went right. I suddenly found myself in second, Chris was in the back of the fleet. Third (Stuart) was right behind me so much so that he actually passed me between the mark and the offset. The leader was 10 yards in front. There were another three boats right on our heals. At the leeward rounding I had the inside edge on Stuart. I heard a noise behind me and there was Chris Craig with his boom on the aft deck. I could not quite see what was wrong. As I had a second place to protect I did not worry. I stayed right following the leader. Stuart went left. I felt that protecting myself was the wrong move, so I stayed to the right. I went a little too far right as when I came back Stuart had more wind. I just barely, ¼ boat length, beat Stuart to the finish line. What a recovery, from almost last to second. I’ll take it.
We went in for lunch and watched the wind continue to shift around. We also found out what happened to Chris Craig. His forestay shackle broke. In some awesome show of seamanship, he was able to keep the mast up and replace the shackle and sail back in.
The third race I started at the pin end but was buried (again) and found myself in the way back (again) at the first mark. Once again I sailed well downwind and back up to find myself in the middle of the second group. 1-5 had an uncatchable lead. I was on the outside of the last leeward mark rounding next to Bob Cole and Steve Bender. I quickly tacked right after the mark and laid the line. Tacking quickly like that got me in front of Bob and Steve to finish in 6th.
It was now getting later in the afternoon and the wind was even more uneven. The RC moved the course for what seemed like the millionth time on the day. Scott Norris, who had won the first three races, was again in the front of this one. Bob Wynkoop, Bob Cole and Chris Hawk were right behind Scott. I was right behind them with Chris Craig right next to me. Other than Bob Cole on the hunt to catch Scott, which he did pull off, the race stayed this way the whole time. Craig and I swapped positions twice, but I stayed in front at the end. Wynkoop fell behind Hawk, but managed to stay far enough in front of me. I finished 5th. This put me in 4th for the regatta.
At the end of day 1, Norris was way in front with a 1,1,1,2. Stuart was in second on 16, Hawk with 17, Sean with 20 and then Bob Cole with 31. With two scheduled races left and a throw out if we hit 6, I figured the next day would be a battle for 2-4.
Sunday dawned with a nice south thermal. Unfortunately the RC went far out to the middle of the lake where it was less steady. We were able to get a race sequence going, but the fleet was all over the line and so we had a general recall. The wind was all sorts of squirrely. I wanted them to just start a race as it was no worse than from Saturday. Unfortunately I did not get my wish and they moved the course and got a start only to have the wind die out in the middle of the first leg. It went from light to very light to drifting conditions. I was slightly better than mid pack at the first mark. Bob Cole managed to catch the only available zephyr and he was lights out ahead. I drifted along with the rest of the fleet. I thought I should go farther right once we got near Marlena point, but was afraid to tack with no speed in zero wind. It was a mistake. I was second to last around the leeward mark. The boats that went right made out. We all drifted painfully slowly toward the windward mark. The guys in the back caught a slight puff to consolidate near the windward mark. It was slow motion with words being exchanged going around the windward mark and getting to the offset. Though I don’t think any paint was traded in all the exchanges. The boats that escaped had a nice lead on those of us in the back. I went more to the right than everyone but Chris Hawk for the first ¾ or the leg. Unfortunately I did not go right at the correct time. I still passed some boats but not enough. I drifted in at 13th place and with Bob Cole winning the race he passed me for 4th overall. Scott Norris had a scare as Hawk managed to get up to 3rd and he was back with me. Scott managed to finished 11th to close out his regatta win. Chris managed to get the points on Stuart to finish in second.
It was a fun time. I know I need to work on my starts but my speed and my decisions on what puffs to tack on and where to go were decent enough that I was able play catch up.
Next up Cowan Scow'n. I was qualified for the Blue Chip, but had to bail out due to sickness. As the weather was forecasted to be in the 50s with rain, lots of people bailed and only 10 teams raced. Somehow I bet that was the lowest Blue Chip turn out ever.
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