Sunday Night Race 5/3/26 and Monday Night Race 5/4/206
Sunday Night Race
The race was through the Naval Academy Bridge and back. Ian talked about how shifty it is going up the Severn and how important it is to stay on the lifted tack. The tide was still flooding slightly as the race started.
Caleb served as RC and set the starting line over by Greenbury Point. Everybody started reefed, but the breeze started to slacken and most boats shook out their reefs on the long beat up to the bridge. Ian was correct: the boats that tacked on the shifts did really well and the ones that didn’t fell behind.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RA7zUyX33n9QAFcMA
Monday Night
During the chalk talk Ian noted that it was gusty tonight and to lock out the main sheet with a piece of line and vang sheet up wind. He set a starting line and sent the boats to R “2” then 1 AH and back to the start line. Again everyone started reefed, but nobody shook it going upwind. In fact the breeze actually built for a little while. The Annapolis NOAA Buoy recorded a period of steady15 knots gusting 23 from 17:54 to 19:06. The winning skipper noted that he was going to keep his reef in after rounding 1AH, but he noticed the boats behind that shook the reef for going downwind were gaining, so he shook his reef out as well.
The winning skipper chose to stay close to the southern shore of the Severn River. His rationale was less wave action and maybe slightly less puffy. He didn’t realize that the tankers were still showing flood out in the Bay. The boats that had to go out towards the tankers had a very hard time making it against the swell and tide to R “2” while the boat that went inside had an easier ride with less current and flatter water. The tankers never lie
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