the 2008 Pumpkin Regatta
Fanshawe YC * London, ON * October 4-5
Race 3.06
photos by Bob Steer, Steve Currie and Paul Chesman
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A nice cliff-top view of ...
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... Ed and Adam who have just finished 3rd among the Y's.
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Having chased Al down the "parade" of a reach, Sue and Steph now have more options on this ...
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... virtual run down to #2. Don't know if Hannah and her Radial are affecting Sue's wind much, \
but all in all, I'm happy she was not in that position behind us!
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Also still threatening for the W lead are ...
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... Dwight and Pat. Strategically, Al has two priorities here: 1. the rhumb line from #4 to #2 runs through the Race Hut point, so that sailing the shortest distance will mean shaving the point   2. With the wind blowing straight down the lake here, it should be strongest nearer the shore, especially near the point (once we reach the moorings, all these bets are off!) In other words, two compelling reasons to cut the point close!! Tactically speaking, Al will try to keep Sue and Dwight off his wind, mostly concentrating on sailing fast by going up in lulls, down with puffs. Here, Al is furthermore nicely placed in the gap between Dwight and Sue, where the wind should also be funnelling.
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Everything looks good aboard ...
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... SHADES as photographer, Paul Chesman , sees it from the cliff.
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Mystic also looks fine, as does ...
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... Eclairelle with ...
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... Dwight and Pat.
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The SHADES pole could be raised a bit, but heck, Al would have to move to do that.
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Jens passes Hannah to leeward near the Hut.
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A not unexpected shift off the Hut requires a gybe if we're to stay on the rhumb line.
Julia does barberhauler duty (free the leeward one, crank in the windward), and then ...
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... she switches the pole while Al makes the most of a puff by keeping the chute flying, steering with his knees.
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A re-cleat of the barberhauler which has come undone, keep clear of the cruiser, and then we can relax.
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Just past the Hut, Dwight (4606) and Matt Dietrich cruise along side by side.
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A quick adjustment by Sharon as the wind comes forward, and now Jens ...
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... can give Sue something to worry about!
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Mystic is being moved well by Sue and Steph, but has strayed a bit far to the left of the rhumb line.
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This last part of the leg was a stretch of good luck for SHADES: whenever we hit a soft spot in the wind, I would warn Julia that I was going to come up a bit, and within two to three seconds we were invariably back into a glorious gust. Here, Al may look a bit ...
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... grim, but inside, he is rejoicing at ...
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... SHADES' ever widening ...
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... lead over ...
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... Dwight (4606), Jens (7663) and Sue who is off to the left somewhere.
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