the 2005 CanAm CL16 Regatta
Hilton Beach, August 6-7
Race 4, part 1
photos by Jake Cormier (commentary by Uncle Al)
2005 Regatta Photography is available to purchase! Please view the gallery and note the image names, then contact jake@hiltonbeach.com to order digital versions ($20 each) or professionally printed 8x10s ($35 each, includes postage).
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It's Sunday morning and the fleet has just begun race 4 in SSW winds quite similar to those in race 2. The RC has the "T" flag up to indicate that the course is an Olympic triangle.
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Bad news for Colin and Heather (929) who will score a DNF after their jib halyard breaks right at the start - hopefully not another of the rinky-dink 1/16" jobs! Bad news for the fleet: Uncle Al and Marc (2nd from left) have finally gotten a favoured end start in clear air and will be hard to catch. Here, they are crossing John Kupers (2136) and Eric Kirby (2469) with the intention of playing the left side early, since they see no reason why the left side should not still be favoured - due to current factors and the fact that getting close to shore faster in oscillating offshore breezes gets you bigger and more useful shifts.
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Although the boats that went far right early looked good for a while - the other side always looks great at times in oscillating breezes - in the end, it was boats like (l to r) Mac Thomas (1142), Conrad Peters (1755), Jim Hill (1236) and Richard Warren (2762) who made out the best by coming from the left side along the Hilton Beach Tourist Park (see background).
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The fleet nears the end of the first beat with the Tourist Park (campground) and ...
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... the Hilton Beach Marina in the background.
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We were indeed a pretty sight.
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Peter (1979) and Mac (1142) in a close duel. Now, Mac, I hope that's not your traveller off to leeward of the centre line, 'cause you'll never point that way!
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Good news for Peter and Mac in that they have a big lift on port, but the bad news is that Charles (far right)  has also been lifted and is now way up inside them.
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Beautifully backlit, Al (3854), Steve (523) and Alfred (2767) round 1-2-3 onto the first reach.
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Jim (1236) gets a big puff as he's about to round and could stand to ease his main to decrease the rudder turbulence caused his boat's heeling and resulting weather helm. Meanwhile, Becky approaches on port.
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No shortage of gusts near the weather mark as Conrad (2nd from left) ...
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... gets set to ...
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... round just ...
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... ahead of ...
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... Tony and Stu.
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Glenn (1916) makes it around just ahead of Kipp, while Eric (2469) has to throw in a short port tack hitch before he can lay the mark. He'll have to hurry it up or he'll foul ...
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... Peter Foster (1979) zooming in (with too little vang!) on starboard.
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And they set off almost side by side down a ...
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... lovely, scenic ...
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... reach.

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