2014 GRSA Frostbite #4

I got to join Rob Whittemore on a Flying Scot for the 4th and final day of the Greater Richmond Sailing Association Frostbite Series.  We had an absolutely beautiful day with temperatures in the high 60’s and shifty winds from 5-12 knots.

We sailed in the cove right off the shore.  To windward, the weather mark is set right below a roadway on a berm which is pretty open, but makes it very hard to see the wind beyond it coming down the course. The starting line was short and with 9 boats the starts were all tight with boats barging the line on every start.

In the puffs the weather leg could be sailed in 2-4 minutes…. in the lulls it could take 5-8 minutes or more.  While we were never really able to figure out the exact patterns there were a number of things we used to help gauge which way we thought the wind would go and where we thought we’d find more pressure.  These things ranged from the fetch up the lake we could see under the bridge, the flag on the other side of the bridge, the flag at the yacht club and of course the wind on the water in what little fetch there was between the weather mark and the lee shore.

As shifty as it was – we definitely had to be on our toes.  Miss a shift – and we learned this the hard way- and we could be passed by a couple boats immediately.  We did well to stay in the front of the fleet around the course and our consistency paid off allowing us to recapture first whenever we let it slip and we were able to take 1st in all 5 races today.

Following racing Rob and I were asked to judge the chili cook off.

A big thanks again to GRSA for hosting this frostbite series.  All of the FBYC sailors really appreciated being able to get some winter sailing in so close to hope.  I’m looking to being back again soon!