18: Shore Acres

Saturday, race 1 was light and lumpy with powerboat chop. We were in a terrible position in the middle of the line about twenty seconds before the start. Trying to get out of trouble we jibed out and tried to salvage a late port tack start at the boat. This sent us off to the right but it was looking like the left had more wind. We tacked back to the left but it was too late. We were last to the left and almost last to the first mark. We only managed a seven.
In Race 2 the breeze was building to just double trapping. We pullet the rig way up and had good speed after a nice start. Fortunately we managed to get out in front and stay there to win the race.
Race 3 we were too early to the line and had to dip down a bit just before the gun. The fleet got a jump on us and we were third row quickly. To make matters worse we fouled another boat when we tacked out and had to do a circle. The breeze had increased and we had good speed to stay in the mix. On the second beat we got to the right of the fleet and got a nice right shift to make a gain. We played some shifts on the run to catch a few more and ended up in third with a nice comeback.
The last race of the day was windy (over 20 knots) We had a great start and good speed it was quickly a three boat race between us the Payne's and Wally and Gladys. Rich and Fluffy had been launched but fell back after some swimming. The Payne's flipped late in the race and we managed to stay out in front to win.
Sunday race 5 was light again but I was thinking that the breeze was building so we had the rig pulled way up. We had a good start but were not pointing well and rounded the first mark in fourth of fifth. We had a slow first run as well and lost a few more. We eased the right off and had better speed for the rest of the race but passing lanes were hard to find.
Race 6 was another good start with good speed in just double trapping conditions. We rounded the first mark in third. Tyler and Andy were winning with Wally and Gladys in second. At the gate Tyler forced us both to the starboard gate. We got around Wally on the run and lead out to the right. It didn't look like we needed to go left at this point so we went right with good speed, nailed the layline and rounded in first. Wally tacked short of the layline and lost some boats.
We won another squeaker by one point over Wally and Gladys. Rich and Fluffy were third. Full results are on the Division 11 website.

Pressure Drop

I finally got the name on the boat last night. Now we need t-shirts.
Lars Guck had a 5o5 named Pressure Drop when we were at URI and I always liked the name. That boat was supposedly named when the owner Dropped a high Pressure teammate.
I guess I'm the high stress teammate here but the Hobie 16 is a big Pressure Drop from 470 sailing. Not to mention that the company I work for sells hydraulic components that Drop the Pressure in hydraulic lines. The line on the logo represents a hydraulic grade line. Oh yea and Pressure Drop is a cool song also.

16: Spray Beach.

Saturday, what a day, warm and windy. The first race was only moderate trapeezing but building. I forget what happened but Liza and I won the race.
In the second race it was about 15 knots and we had a nice mid-line start. Mark and Mike won the pin and were in the lead off the line. We both went left but M&M over stood a little and we got to the mark in first. They passed us back at one point but then got hurt on the right in the last beat. We were on the left with Rich and Carol and got the lead back at the top of the last beat and won the race.
Race three it was up around 18 knots. We had a second row start and had to bail out to the right and paid for it. We were somewhere around last at the first mark. Despite working hard for the rest of the race we only got back to 8th.
Race four on Saturday was a drag race out to the left in breeze. We were well raked with jib leads 5 inches out and Liza was dropping the traveler in the puffs. M&M had an edge on speed but we hung tough with Rich and Carol close behind.
Sunday was light. We got in one race duking it out with M&M again. Mark and Mike got to the top mark in first but we got buy them down wind. We rounded the left gate to go left and they went the other way. They got a nice right shift and passed us back along with a few other boats.
On the run M&M along with Jim and Rakel were sailing low above the port layline trying to make the gate. We sailed higher and did the extra jibe and got an overlap to catch them. We all went right and we managed to hold them off for a second and the win.
Full results.

14: Sandy Hook
It was a hot weekend with temps in the 90's. Saturday I expected a seabreeze that never came. We had a few light air races with winds out of the south. In the first race we had a come from behind third fighting with Tyler Myers at the finish. The kids are good. In the second race we though we were OCS and went back then proceeded to sail to the wrong side of the course to round in last. We finished 10th of 12 boats on the water. Ouch. Good thing we won the last race of the day to save our pride.
Sunday was not much better we had a 6, 4, 1, lucking out in the last race to get a big left shift on the shore going from fourth to first. That was the tie breaker that gave us the regatta win we didn't expect. Bill and Lyn tied us for first. Mark and new crew Gladis finished third. Full results here.