Chalk Talk – June 26, 2018

[SethParticipant]

• Wind S at 16 -18 A Beautiful Day on Casco Bay
• 2 Races WM 1; 1 Race W 1
• 13 Boats, 1 retired after race 2

Matt, Great job on our Fleet 27 website! It reflects our fleet’s effort to be welcoming and supportive as we strive to compete more effectively.

Each Tuesday’s recognition of the “most improved” boat is also reflective of that spirit. My crew on Medusa received that award this past Tuesday. As PRO Tim Tolford explained, it was not hard to figure out who the winner was, as we went from DFL on June 19 to winning the night on June 26. There is always hope. NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

So how, one might ask, did that happen; from worst to first? It would be presumptuous of me to say I really know the answer, as one good night does not make me an expert or entirely reliable source. But a few things are obvious, even to me, and perhaps they are worth sharing. Crew work and boat handling are always important, but it is magnified when the breeze is up as it has been for the last three Tuesday nights. On my DFL night I had planned to sail with four rather than my usual three, by adding an eager young friend who wanted to gain some experience. Then my bowman Peter Talbot was unable to sail due to bruised ribs he sustained during the prior week’s race. Our mast proved to be an unforgiving immovable object during a wrestling match with an uncooperative spinnaker pole. The result was that we sailed with three and were very light. Chris Carney, my regular middle crew, ended up jumping all over the boat that night trying to keep us in one piece. So this week I was pleased to pick up a fourth at the last minute in the person of George Holt. George was immediately helpful calling tactics and spelling Chris on the main. The extra weight was important. And George, at seventeen was way more committed to keeping his weight out than the rest of us old guys. The extra set of hands during mark roundings really helps keep things more under control. Our speed was good all night especially upwind. Having taken a few extra moments to mark our backstay, per the Doyle Tuning Guide, I had more confidence that my backstay tension was right. Also, we sailed with a flatter main than we usually do, and the traveler didn’t move above the middle as we sometimes have it. I think that combination helped both our pointing and speed in the conditions, which Tim reported as a fairly steady 16 to 18 knots.

Although we were thrilled to place first and second in races one and two, I think we may have sailed our best in the third race when we placed fourth. After two good results I was all fired up for the start of the third race. Perhaps too fired up, as we were over early when I pushed too hard to win the boat end. Being right at the boat, I was able to promptly tack back. I then severely tested the turning radius of an Etchells when I chose to head off sharply to try to return to the line inside the Signal Boat. We almost made it. Fortunately the down wind, high-speed, glancing blow caused no damage to either boat and the heart pounding of the horrified Race Committee and my “braced for impact” crew subsided in a collective sigh of relief. After adding a circle to our ignominy we were finally off again to see if we could catch up to anyone over the shorter windward – leeward course. Good tactics then started to help. We quickly talked it over. Having really messed things up at the start should we split with the leaders (that was everyone) who were continuing out to the left and go hard right in hopes of getting lucky? Playing follow the leader at that point seemed a fruitless exercise. The call was to continue to the left. Going right had not paid off for anyone all night so we decided to rely on our newfound speed and be more aggressive tacking on any headers to try to get back into the mix. That plan worked well. Good speed and at least two extra well-timed tacks helped us pick off three or four boats on the beat. We were well positioned as we reached the starboard layline. A good call on the layline tack – under a boat that had overstood – gained us a place, and then we watched as a port tacker ahead of us had to duck the parade of boats ahead of us and then us as well. A clean windward mark rounding, set, and a well-timed jibe moved us past a couple more boats on the run. Before we knew it we were fourth at the finish, out of twelve, and wishing the race were a little longer. It was cool. Makes you forget the DFL.

Seth Sprague
Medusa
310
6/28/2018

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