Glenn Penner and Ken Dueck (1916) are in the process of jury-rigging a jib halyard after the previous one - a totally inadequate 1/16" in diameter - proved unequal to the task of dragging Uncle Al's CL out of the best spot on the start line a few seconds before the start. When Glenn hooked the end of his boom over Al's forestay, the pressure increased on both boats' systems, and the weakest link - Glenn's jib halyard - snapped.

A nice gust heats up the action at the first windward mark as Colin (929), Becky (2756) and Eric (fourth from left) prepare to follow Al (third from left) onto the run. In conditions like these, Becky should have Andrew on the windward deck to keep the boat flat so that she has less weather helm to fight as she tries to bear off onto a run. Here, her crew has already eased the jib, and in fact, the very opposite should happen: the main should be radically eased as soon as the danger of the boom hitting the mark is past, while jib is kept in briefly. Beware though, that you don't fall out of the boat and/or lose steering control when you do this, because the boat will heel significantly and rapidly to windward if you are both hiking. But this windward heel is what you want since it will make the boat want to bear away, and you won't slow down while trying to get the rudder to do all the work. Meanwhile, John (2136) and Alfred (2767) are taking a risky port-tack approach this close to the mark in heavy traffic, since rule 18 - see http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIT/race.related/RacingRulesOfSailing/RulesIndex.html for more Racing Rules info, and more especially http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIT/race.related/RacingRulesOfSailing/Rules.in.Pictures/Rules_in_Pics_index.html for my illustrated explanation of the Rules - places severe restrictions on boats tacking within two boatlengths of the mark.

This would be a perfect spot for Conrad (1755) to totally ease his main and make the turn to a dead run much easier - note the rudder turbulence!! Following Conrad, I think I spy Bill Hibbard crewing on his CL for Charles McLaughlin. Marc and I specially want to thank Bill who was most helpful and welcoming as we first arrived on the Friday morning!!

Note how the rich are getting richer here as Uncle Al (2nd from right) can feel free to sail a significantly shorter (i.e. straighter) course to the leeward mark while the rest of the fleet - almost unavoidably - works itself well up to windward of the rhumbline and will sail a big curve instead of a straight line. 1140 is Steven and Owen Vail who will shortly set off in pursuit of Bob Tisdall (1237). If the latter had added more vang tension while the going was good , i.e. while closehauled, he would not only project a bit more sail area going down the run, but also find the boat easier to gybe with the main twisted off less. Of course, Bob would have to duck a bit more during the gybe since the boom would sit lower.

Heading up the second beat (see windward mark at left), Charles Marquardt and two strapping crews have no trouble keeping the boat nice and flat, and note the minimal wake turbulence as a result. The extra weight in the boat will however, cost him pretty dearly off the wind - more than he is likely to gain by sailing 3-up on the beats. Al, meanwhile, is letting his boat heel and subsequently round up some before easing the main and bearing away back to a normal closehauled course. Note how, even from this distance, there is no white water to be seen coming from the rudder, a sure sign that Al is not wrestling with his rudder.