2019 FBYC Laser Fall Regatta
The FBYC Fall Regatta started out with a late start due to some confusion over the race time. In the morning the wind was blowing great – into the low 20’s as folks were arriving and those that would have sailed standard rigs all elected to switch down to the radials and join the juniors so we could sail in a single fleet with the same rig. All of the Flying Scots bailed on the day. By the time we had a race committee the wind had cracked off into the low teens – perfect standard-rig weather had we all not already decided to go Radial.
We finally got out to the race course for a 1pm start. Unfortunately for Henry, he broke his gooseneck in the prestart dropping us down to 7 boats. I had a great start and sailed up the middle left of the course while Finn and Reed worked the right in better shifts and pressure. I was right behind Finn at the top mark with Reed behind me. By the 2nd upwind the wind had dropped to 10-11 and I really had to focus on staying in pressure. I managed to beat Finn to the top mark, but downwind he caught a puff and blew right by me. At the finish Finn mistook the lap we were on and went for a rounding while I went across the finish line.
At the start of the 2nd race another boat flipped over and startled me when the top of the mast hit my deck just beside me. I pushed off the mast to keep us from tangling and was able to go on and start relatively on time. In this 1-lap race I stayed right behind Finn the whole time finishing 2nd.
In the 3rd race I won the boat but was a bit slow upwind with the traveler looser than I would have liked. I tried to play the shifts to the left, but was mostly on the wrong side of the course letting Reed get around me and had to settle for a 3rd.
In the 4th race the left finally paid, except Britt went even more left and led us at the top mark. Chad was right behind us and gave Finn some trouble and I was able to get around Britt to win the race with Finn behind me and Chad behind him.
At the start of the 5th race Margaret had a fantastic start and was mixing it up with the leaders to begin the leg. After many days of practice, today was her first time racing. I tried to bang the left again, but it didn’t work and I trailed Finn and Britt at the top mark. This being an H course I was able to tack early on the upwind to lay the finish and just managed to beat out Britt for a 2nd. Finn would go on to win the day by 2 points.
We had a ton of fun racing today. The wind held in most of the day. Finn, Reed, Chad, Britt and the rest of the fleet were all fun competitors to sail with and the race committee did a good job keeping our course square and getting us started.
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