2018 FBYC 79th Annual One Design Regatta
Saturday
The forecast was pretty dismal for the 79th Annual Regatta at Fishing Bay Yacht Club and we were treated to a nice of weather as we could have gotten – I was expecting cloudy skies turning to rain by the afternoon and didn’t even take sunglasses or sunscreen out. We ended up sailing 4 races in 0-7 and the clouds broke up and gave us some sun before the end of the afternoon.
In the first the wind started out more to the west of south and the left side of the course was favored. David went left, while Charlie and I went right. I bailed out halfway up the leg and got somewhat left and managed to round just ahead of Brad. We held our positions downwind and on the second upwind David covered me to the left side of the course allowing Brad to catch a lane out to the right and sail around us. I would end up 3rd.
In the 2nd race I had a great start, this time also worked my way a little left and had to pick my way back right. Alain rounded just ahead of me and I followed him downwind. The two of us again went left on the second beat, this time the course was set 10 degrees more to the south. Charlie and Brad were able to sail around us and I finished 3rd again.
In the 3rd race the boat was heavily favored, I had a great start and punched out working the middle left of the course. Most of the fleet went way to the left and I found more pressure, less dirty air from the other fleets and a favorable shift at the top mark on the first beat. Charlie caught up to me downwind and we jockeyed at the downwind mark with me just ahead of him. Upwind Charlie split out to the left while I stayed middle right and Mike stayed far right. Mike caught up and crossed ahead and headed to the left while I stayed middle right and again found better pressure and shifts rounding 15 boat lengths ahead and held that to finish 1st. That put me 1 point ahead of Charlie, David and Brad who were all tied for 2nd.
For the 4th and final race the wind shifted way right as the race were getting started and it ended up as a parade lap. Those who went high and avoided the other fleet traffic had clearer air and got ahead. The wind for most of this was 0-3 and at one point I think we were making wind by riding the current. I picked up a spot on the final leg and finished 3rd again. Charlie had pulled ahead on the 3rd leg and David squeezed ahead of me. So after 4 races in a regatta with no drop races, Charlie is 2 points ahead of me and David who are tied.
Sunday

This morning we were greeted to sunny skies and light winds out of the North. We launched and sailed almost to Gynn’s Island in area C so we’d have the most fetch with a north wind. We got the first race started and just as we were about the start the wind clocked around toward the east and came in a 8-10. The mark was easily fetchable so we had another parade race. There was some passing and it was important to stay as high as possible so as not to be blanketed by the other fleets on the opposite leg. I rounded the first mark in 4th and then made up two spots on the 2nd ‘upwind’ to finish 2nd.
The course was reset for the 2nd race and the wind picked up to 10-14 with some whitecap and small waves. I had a great start, held my lane and used speed and hiking to pull away from the pack a bit. Charlie and David were to leeward going out left as well. About halfway up the beat I tacked to catch a shift to the right and ended up with less air and more headers. Charlie stayed all the way out to the left and came into the windward mark about 15 boat lengths ahead and I was almost as far ahead of David behind me. On the second beat I tried going more left than Charlie, but couldn’t get any shifts and we held our positions for another 2nd for me. That put him 1 point ahead in the lead again.

For the 3rd race we had a pile of boats at the boat end for the start. Charlie and I pulled ahead a bit and we rounded 1-2 at the top mark. I stayed within 3 boatlengths downwind and we crossed close a few times upwind before I got a shift out of phase and he put 3-4 boat lengths between us and held that to the finish.

It was great being out on the water – I feel a lot better and up to speed before going to Masters Nationals in Brant Beach in two weeks. Thanks to Rebecca and Massey for organizing the event and to John K and all of the folks on the race committee running the races and marks around.