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| Mike and Janine check out the
potential course for our finale, and radio the information to the mark
laying boat where ... ... |
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| ... Albert and Nancy spring into
action. ... |
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| Janine hoists the yellow
5-Minute shape. ... |
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| This series of ... ... |
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| ... pictures ... ... |
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| ... documents the final 30
seconds or so of our countdown. Uncle Al (3854) feels uncomfortable
this far down the line after a recent starboard lift, and so will make
a quick couple of tacks in order to ... ... |
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| ... sit nearer the boat end.
Looks like Dave (282) is on his way to a better start this time. With
more practice, he will be able to luff up and sit where he is in the
photo above, but on this day, he gets nervous about barging, and ... ... |
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| ... sails across the bows of
Jason (3140) and Al and Bill to windward of Jason. The trouble with
this approach is that Dave (282) will now be at the mercy of boats to
leeward like ... ... |
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| ... Jason (3140) who can push
him up over the line. Note how Al (3854) and Bill are still sitting ... ... |
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| ... cool, calm and collected
while Dave (282) and Jason (3140) are sailing quickly away from the
favoured RC boat end. ... |
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| Now we're into the final 5
seconds or so. Dave is far better positioned than in several of the
previous races, but ... ... |
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| ... problem with his full speed,
down-the-line approach is that now Dave is having to make the boat slow
down (backed jib) just when it would be great to be gaining speed like
Jason (3140) is doing. ... |
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| The "gun" goes. Dave and Carol
(282) still have forward momentum and ... ... |
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| ... make a fine start. With
Jason (3140) hitting the line at full speed ... ... |
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|
... Dave wisely sails low. This
does two good things for him: 1. it increases his speed faster and to a
higher level, and 2. it gives him separation from Jason and his wind
shadow which of course angles aft, so that the further to leeward Dave
is, the less chance there is of getting blanketed.
... |
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| And this, as you can see above,
would be a killer of a place to get
blanketed. Most racers would give in to the temptation to point here,
but ... ... |
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| ... Dave didn't!! Well done,
Dave!! However, note how much Al (3854) has gained by sitting near the
RC boat and starting at the favoured end. ... |
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|
Brian (6082) is also off to a much
better start in this one. He is in a tough spot here though: He can't
afford to pinch up into Al's (3854) wind shadow but if he foots too
much, he may fall into Jason's (3140) backwind. The latter is the
lesser danger here, and Brian should foot off a few degrees to get
better speed. With luck, he could then keep his nose ahead of W3140.
Bill (937) has had (many) better starts than this one!
... |
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| Dave (282) has held his own
nicely and could now afford to pinch off Jason to windward of him.
Meanwhile Jamie (4594) and Bill (937) go off on port in search of clear
(and, they hope, stronger!) air. ... |
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| Unless there's a lot better
breeze off to the right, Jamie and Bill don't want to spend too long on
port because starboard tack is favoured by a fair bit right now, which
is why Al (l) needs to fight
his natural urge to pinch: Unless he puts some of his lead ... ... |
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| ... out front, Al remains
vulnerable to the starboard tack knock that is almost certainly coming
(soon!). Here Al has done this a bit. ... |
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| Brian (6082) and Andrew (4610)
are also looking very good, as is Dave
(282) who has won the battle of nerves with Jason - for the moment, at
least!! Enough that he is able to ... ... |
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| ... tack onto port and cross
without fouling. ... |
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| Excellent form for Team Banshee as
they head right in hopes of better winds. ... |
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| Al and Marc still like starboard
where they have clear air and a nice lift. |
| next photo page return to 06 Onts index |