by Cathy
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| Bruce joined Jim and Sam on race committee. |
The forecast was that the wind would shift from SW to W, then N and the temperature would work it's way up to the low 70's and then start dropping like a rock as the cold front arrived. Meantime the wind would be pretty nice around 10-15 mph then drop a little as the wind shifted to the W and then there was a wind advisory from 3 pm to midnight as the front began arriving. It sounded like the timing would allow us to get in some races and that is pretty much how it worked out.
There were 7 Butterfly sailors and 5 Lasers with the Lasers getting a separate start. We managed to get 2 races in before the race committee had to reset the course but that 2nd race had a big shift as the race started. All of a sudden the committee boat turned parallel to the starting line and several of us had to circle and jibe to get back across. It was an exciting start!
As race committee was resetting the course for the 3rd race, several of us bailed out because by then the wind had shifted to the N and started to pick up. At my skill level, going in was the right thing to do.
All the Butterflys stayed upright with no capsizes. The Lasers tend to capsize but can mostly right themselves but apparently one of their fleet boats had some problems and the mast filled with water and the boat got stuck in the mud. Race committee had a challenging job with all the wind shifts and the high wind, the cold front coming in, resetting the course, and rescuing the Laser. Thank you race committee!
Race results: 1st race - Sandy, Paul, and Burton
2nd race - Nancy, Paul, and Sandy
3rd race - Paul, Sandy, and Burton
The day in photos:
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| Race committee setting the course for the 1st race. |
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| Still setting the course. |
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| Checking the wind. |
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| Before the 1st race. Warming up nicely. |
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| Doug P. talking to race committee, Nancy off to the right - before the 1st race. |
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| Probably telling the Lasers they'll get their own start after the Butterflys. |
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| Race committee on the finish line - boats in the distance have finished. |
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| Downwind (Gold Cup) finish - 1st race. |
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| Finishing up the 1st race as the dark clouds roll in. |
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| White Rock Boat Club with some nice fall color before the front arrives. |
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| End of the 1st race. |
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| Mix of Butterflys and Lasers at the end of the 1st race. |
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| Finishing up the 1st race. |
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| Waiting for the course to be reset for the 3rd race. Then I left . . . |
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| Downtown from Peavy on my way home. Cold front has moved in . . . |
