... short of the layline. At this point, the 2nd-place boat should consider the leading boat a lost cause, i.e. strategy should no longer concern itself with overtaking the leading boat at all costs. In this case, it is realistic to assume that barring a real long shot such as odd weather or a gear breakdown on the lead boat, you will not catch the leader in the time left in this race. You now turn your attention to making sure you maintain your 2nd. I have learned that the very hard way on numerous occasions in the (usually groundless) optimism of my younger racing days. Playing a 1000 to 1 shot of overtaking the leader and usually losing a boat or two that I could have easily defended against while gracefully accepting 2nd place or whatever. Here, Dwight has left himself in a good position, not too far off the rhumb line (straight line mark to mark) and still has lots of opportunities left to play shifts and nibble away at Al's lead, all the while making sure he stays between his nearest pursuers and the next mark.

Hoping to shake the pursuit of Roger (7700) and Al N., Marc and Julie set their spinny. Pub Crawl not yet being equipped with what I tend to call "pole ears" (pole storage loops along the boom), Marc and Julie have taken a giant step towards admission to the Red Green Hall of Fame, having created ...

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