For fun we mounted the GoProc camera on the mast facing back. That was fine until the first douse ripped it off and took it into the boat with the sail. It is surprising we did not lose it on the next hoist.
Start 1 was good. George was down the line from the boat. Brent Penwarden won the boat. As soon as we had just enough clearance over Joe Meade we tacked to port. We ducked just behind Brent and headed right. I turned to George and said "That's the race." It was. Brent continued East into lighter breeze while we picked up a nice shift and pressure. We were first at the mark and extended.
Start 2 was similar. We lazily approached the line just below a boat and above and ahead of Hudsons. With seconds to go William luffed us up into the lee of the boat to windward. but we had enough forward momentum to go over William and lee bow the boat above us. We led the remainder of the race.
After lunch the wind had remained. We had 7 MC-Scows for the afternoon, a little light.
Race 1 (2 laps) I started down the line a ways. I was able to get out pretty quickly, get some good shifts and lead at the top mark by a few lengths over a charging pack of Steve Bender, Brent Penwarden, and Sean Treacy. I held on losing some of my lead but still rounding first. I extended on the long windward and held that to the end.
Race 2 (1 lap) the wind started to lighten up. The course was too long for a 2-lap so we shortened it to one. At the start I held back out to the right, timed a run and squeezed into a slot at the boat about 5 seconds late. I had full speed though and controlled the right. I picked some good shifts and ended up leading at the top by a couple lengths over Brent. I held that lead to the next mark by protecting the inside. I survived Brent's attempt to shoot up inside at the mark and covered to the end to win the race.
Race 3 (1 lap) showed some SE shifts early. I tried to port tack the fleet but was thwarted by Sean who I ducked. But I was able to cross everyone else, get right and lead at the top mark with Sean about 5 lengths behind me. I kept just West of him to protect the inside at the next mark. I rounded ahead but not by much, not enough to keep a tight cover. He tacked out from under me, picked the shifts right and was able to get clear of me. I tacked into a particularly nasty set of powerboat waves that certainly didn't help. It was a long drag race to the finish line where Sean beat me by about 1 second. It was a close fun race. It was also the first time since July 4, that I trailed in a race at any point.
Race 4 was more of the same. This time I successfully port tacked the fleet and headed out to the right, just like I had in three races prior. I decided to push it all the way to the corner because I was lazy, and saw something over there for pressure. Three boats went to the left corner, 2 up the middle, and the others were with me. The fleet was as spread out as possible when the next air came in, a 40 degree shift to the left. I was hung out to dry. The three boats to the left made huge gains. I was way behind in near last place. I held my port tack through the new wind waiting for the shift back. There was some oscillation but not nearly enough. I came back to the fleet and held a header to cross them and get left on what was left of the leg. I picked up a couple boats and some distance by coming into the top mark from the left. but I rounded fifth, about 2 minutes after the leaders.
The leaders held onto that SE wind and rode it to the east side of the course on the downwind. I split from them seeing something new coming up the lake. Spencer Jenkins who rounded in 6th right behind me also went west but much much farther than me. He was first into the new breeze, I was second, and Sean Treacy who had come back from the east pack picked up the lead. At the bottom mark I rounded third behind Sean and Spencer. Sean had a problem with his board and rounded slowly. Spencer had no place to go but inside and unfortunately hit Sean. I was trying to round on Spencer's transom and ended up also in trouble as Spencer slowed. I had no place to go but between the two. Fortunately there was room. But now I was trapped. I tried to talk Spencer into his penalty turn but he wasn't very quick on it. So I slowed and ducked behind him to get left. Sean covered. And that is the way we finished. I was happy as a clam to recover to a second place though.
All in all, four firsts and two seconds for the day. A good day of sailing. Getting off the water at 4:30 and home by 5:00 was quite late though. I'm quite tired today.
Next week is a regatta weekend, the second half of the NYS Champonships for E-Scows at Keuka.
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