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| Marc and Al decide to hold on
just a tad longer into this knock since we are nearly on the starboard
lay line. As I recall, everything went right for us in this race,
including a last-second lift that got us around an iffy weather mark. ... |
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| Surprise! Surprise! Brian and
John (2nd from left) have
found happiness on the right side and are now coming in along the
starboard lay line, poised to round 2nd. ... |
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| Bill (937) can cross Andrew here
but can he tack without fouling Jamie (4594)? ... |
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| Doesn't look like it to me, but
with a camera's zoom lens in action, it's hard to be sure from only
looking at the picture. ... |
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| What a mess! Looks like Bill has
stopped in mid-tack, having just noticed Jamie (4594). The latter
decides that ... ... |
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| ... this would indeed be a good
time to tack and does so crisply. ... |
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| Aboard 937, Frank quickly backs
the jib to get out of Dave's way. Interesting how tight John has
sheeted Brian's jib aboard 6082. Is that the Mike Mac Quantum design or
are they just getting nervous? ... |
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| No matter ... ... |
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| ... Brian and John have Afternoon Delight around in a fine
2nd place. ... |
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| Jamie and Ben (4594) demonstrate
what can sometimes be achieved by tacking to underlay the mark a bit.
If Jamie had held port until he was sure he could lay the mark ... ... |
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| ... ... he would have rounded
behind both ... ... |
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| ... Andrew (4610) and Dave (282). ... |
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| Bill (yellow hull) looks a bit
down after this latest kefuffle of his and Frank's strange day. ... |
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| Suddenly, Bill comes up (to
defend his wind?). This is a dangerous time for Dave (282) who will be
busy with the spi hoist, and prone to not keeping a good lookout. ... |
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| Good! They've seen Bill and
taken avoiding action. Meanwhile, Alan (7346) and Robin (6071) approach
the
mark on port, and way back there, we
have Jason, to whom the right side has not been nearly as kind as to
Brian! ... |
 |
| This close spinnaker reach would
have been a good time for Brian (red
and white spi) to sail really high early until everything was
all set for a fast hoist. Meanwhile, he could have pushed Jamie (4594)
and Andrew into going low. As it is, Brian ... ... |
 |
| ... is about to get buried in ... ... |
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| ... most frustrating ... ... |
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| ... manner. Meanwhile, Spinnaker
101 continues for Penny Gumley who is serving the apprenticeship we all
did. ... |
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| Jamie and Ben (4594) need their
weight further forward: Ben up near the shroud, Jamie near the aft edge
of the main thwart. Note how their transom drags by comparison to 6082. ... |
 |
|
Ditto for Andrew and Penny who
got the spi up just in time to avoid getting passed by Dave (282) and
Bill. Note how the latter is wisely going way low since he won't want
to get into luffing matches with the other four boats near by. The
trick for Bill here will be to pick gusts in which to bear well away to
combine his separation with longer time spent in the gust.
... |
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| As Andrew and Penny (4610) give
chase, Brian (6082) comes up in an attempt to re-take 2nd place from
Jamie. ... |
 |
|
Threatening looking clouds and
increased breeze have Penny taking a "death grip" on the rub
rail, something I vividly recall doing on a dead run under spinnaker in
30 knots during the 1989 Denmark Worlds. Hard to steer sitting
that far aft - especially in my case since I had Tom Wharton snuggling
on my lap.
... |
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| It remains a close, exciting
race! ... |
 |
|
Looks like Brian has moved back
into 2nd. Of course, Jamie still has the the inside with the gybe mark
coming up. If only they'd get their weight forward, lightweights,
Andrew and Penny, might well pass both Brian and Jamie! But then,
considerate husband that he is, Andrew probably doesn't want to put
Penny into any nasty situations like luffing matches.
... |
 |
|
Perhaps Andrew could steer and
fly the chute, giving Penny the mainsheet duties with one overriding
instruction: "Keep it in your hand. Uncleat and let go, if I tell you
to/scream at you in fear." This worked with my son, Dave, when he was a
young lad of 10 and we had a windy close reach
under spi.
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