the 2008 Warm Water Regatta
Race #2 pics - 1
pics by Joanne Van Kampen and Rick Goldt
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Race 2: start-1-2-3-1-3-finish. Winds WSW at 6 to 15 knots.
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John and Alistair check the angle of the line.
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We're into the final minute of our race 2 start sequence.
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The W flag notwithstanding, this ...
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... looks distinctly like the ...
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... race is underway.
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Roger (7700) and Ben have tacked away, while everyone else holds a slightly lifted starboard tack.
- click here for full-size pic
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Now Dwight (3rd from left) has tacked onto a port lift. No point in Al's tacking here (3rd from right) - not while he's this lifted.
Better for Al to wait until he sails into Dwight's slant, or until Dwight sails into Al's wind.
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Roger tacks back to starboard in a gust but Ben looks able to cross on port (see apparent mast height).
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Leo holds port towards the north shore.
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(l to r) Dwight, Ben and Al Nichols come in from the north shore in a nicely lifted gust, as does ...
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... Uncle Al (r). Coming across on port (knocked!) are Brian (6082), Kirk (421) and Marc.
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Lifted beautifully on port, Brian crosses Leo.
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Al S. (3854) is already sailing to defend against Dwight (4606) as both of them labour through a flat spot.
Meanwhile, Al N. (r) is just sailing into a huge knock, which will let ...
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... him (l), Mike (CAN90) and Roger tack and lay the mark - at least for now.
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Oops! Roger (7700) has already sailed back out of the lift into a very headed soft spot - typical of this area that is influenced by the windward shore. Even moving the windward mark further off shore hasn't helped much.  Note how (l to r) Brian, Kirk and Ben still have the lift and ample breeze.
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A fine moment for Brian Hickman and Crystal who round first, ahead of Dwight and Al. The latter is under-amused, having had a nice lead just a hundred yards from the mark. Dead spots and shifts, sometimes there is nothing to be done, except to keep the chin up and do your best not to fall too far behind! Looking like he'll round in good shape is Kirk who is just crossing Marc (864) on starboard. Alas, the winds have not been kind to Roger and Rae (far right) who have very rapidly lost a ton of ground!!    - click here for full-size pic
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As the leaders round, Marc crosses behind Kirk, and will now tack, no doubt hoping to trap Kirk in a position
where he can't tack for the mark, should he be unable to lay it on this tack, something that could very well happen!
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Of course, just when he really doesn't want to see a major starboard lift, Marc (864) gets a juicy one, and more to the point, so does Kirk (421) who, by rights, should have had trouble laying this mark, but is now cruising up to it on a reach! Meanwhile, Brian and Crystal ponder that question that has plagued race leaders since time immemorial: Where the heck is the next mark??!!
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Brian is understandably eager to protect his wind by going high, but this seems a bit extreme, Dwight (4606) seems to be thinking. As mentioned in race 1 coverage, if Al (yellow cap) has catching up to do rounding onto a reach or run, especially one starting near a windward shore like this one, he likes to make getting away from shore priority #1. And this gust is his perfect opportunity to do so. Thoughts of the spinnaker are already in Al's head but first he'll wait to see if the wind settles in from this new direction.
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Marc (864) could be forgiven for being irked here: seconds ago, he tacked where he was just nicely going to lay the mark on starboard, while Kirk (421) was hard pressed to lay it. Now they're both broad-reaching towards it, and to add insult to injury, Ben (8228) will ...
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... also be able to reach up and ...
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... squeeze around ahead of Marc. Of course, it could be worse: one could have been coming in on port like Mike is doing here.
And Mike can't even swear, what with his young, impressionable crew!!
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