Monday Night Races 5-5-2025
We had thunderstorms threatening to the west but we got off two races before I got too nervous and sent everybody in for the evening. The storms all stayed to the west.
The takeaways tonight:
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Shoot the finish line – If you are approaching the finish line neck and neck with another boat turn the boat directly upwind in the last boat length. Your speed will carry you directly upwind for that last length and you can beat out the other boat that doesn’t do this. Remember as soon as your bow crosses the finish line you are finished.
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Don’t Pinch (sail too close to the wind) – The helmsman should be locked on the telltales and the horizon constantly adjusting the boat so that the jib stays full and the tell tales are flying. If you pinch you might be faster for a boat length or two but eventually you are going to lose your momentum and come to a halt. If that happens foot off (turn off the wind) and get the boat going fast before coming back up to close hauled
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Watch tacking too close – make sure you can complete you tack and get on close hauled before another boat has to avoid you. You have no rights while you are tacking.
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Avoid other people’s mistakes – you can be right and slow at the same time. If another boat is making a mistake give them space. Just because you have rights don’t sail into a cluster and get bogged down. Packs of boats sail at the speed of the slowest boat.
Here are the pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/i9kVHd2TXogg7oFg7
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