| 26.Jun.09 | Overcast skies today with wind predictions in the 8-12 range from the W to S (depending on which weather models you believe). As it turned out they got a race off ten minutes after the designated starting time (10:30 a.m.) and the wind was quite heavy with fog. We had our rig set for light and were thinking of going lower when the big breeze came in. We had a decent start on a course that was 220 degrees with the wind at 240. We had a few not-so- great tacks and finished 7th of 20. Damian Emery's ECLIPSE won the race. The second race was started in lighter air and we again got a good start at the boat end. We legged out to the left side when the wind died completely. The RC heard from their weather sources that there was no more wind expected for several hours, so they sent us home. We thought we had the best position on the course when it all ended. So for the week we passed both WOODY and HIAWATHA and finished 7th. Since we were expecting a "top half" finish and had not expectations of making the top five, the 7 was a pretty happy finish (especially with crew that never sailed with me before). And we were only two behind the sixth place boat, SEA SHADOW. And guess what? The top five that I picked earlier in the week finished top five (although the order was slightly different). POWER PLAY did not win a race, but had no worse than a 5 to finish first. SAVASANA had one bad race and finished three back for second, followed by KINCSEM, ECLIPSE, and MOPELIA. The daily paper today had three 105s on the cover with the faces of most of our crews: MOPELIA, SAVASANA, and KIMA. We had a bit of a dust-up at a weather mark yesterday with MOPELIA doing their two turn penalty and SAVASANA doing a one turn penalty (should have been two within 3 boats of the mark). They were exonerated in a penalty hearing, but their 13 in that race prevented them from winning the regatta. That's all for this year. Let me know if there's anything else you need to know in order to be a BIRW attendee in 2010 (nelson@j105.org). Cumulative results |
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| 25.Jun.09 | The forecasts were grim and the reality was just as grim. There was no wind predicted on any of the weather models. They kept us waiting until 1 p.m. and finally sent us out (after we had given up any hope of sailing today). As it turned out there was decent sailing breeze, mostly with half the bodies to weather and half to leeward. KIMA started at the leeward end (barely) and was rolled by several boats going toward shore. The course was 220 degrees at 1.5 miles with four legs. This is typical of Block Island. So by the first weather mark we were well back in the pack. We held our position downwind, but those boats that went to the right made out on the second time around. HIAWATHA was a new winner for the day, followed by ECLIPSE and POWER PLAY. Not sure how all this sorts out in the final standings, but we do know that KIMA moved down two positions when we let both WOODY and HIAWATHA passed us. We're hoping for a reversal on the final day, which promises more SW breeze, but a little stronger. Cumulative results |
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| 24.Jun.09 | It was more breeze than we expected on Wednesday and we got in two decent races. They posted 1.7 miles to 20 degrees for the first race, but then cut it to 1.2 the second time around. The breezed dropped from about 12 to about 6. In the second race they postponed our start while they replaced the pin boat with a pin because of "technical difficulties" with the anchor line on the pin boat. When we got started it was another four legger to 75 degrees (the wind went East) at 1.2 miles. It was sailed mostly in 8 knots of breeze with puffs to 10 and lulls to 6. ECLIPSE had a bad day and was replaced in the top five by SEA SHADOW. The top five are now SAVASANA, POWER PLAY, KINCSEM, MOPELIA, and SEA SHADOW. SAVA is legging out on the fleet (6-1 today) and stands 6 points ahead. KIMA had a good day, moving to a tie for 7 with a 9-4 today. I don't think I mentioned that KIMA had a complete crew breakdown this year with two sons and two friends not able to sail as they usually do. So Vicky Jo Neiner pitched in and found some pinch hitters who have turned out to be very good. So thanks to VJ we're still in the top half and still getting better. Tomorrow, one of my regular crew returns for a "cameo", but the prospects for wind are not good. Cumulative results |
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| 23.Jun.09 | For long time readers of this blog, yes, I have been taking my morning bike rides. And Block Island is pretty much as it has been over previous years. There's been some more building, but not a whole lot. In particular, I noticed a complex on Mohegan Bluffs being built by a Bernie Madoff wannabe. The honeysuckle smells just as intoxicating as in previous years. Today was another good sailing day. The courses were 1.5 miles at 20 degrees (NNE breeze at about 18 for most of the day, but dying down to 10-12 later in the day). They ran three races in these conditions hoping for 10 for the week. After two days of racing the top five were the top five I picked before the racing began. SAVASANA, KINCSEM, POWER PLAY, MOPELIA, and ECLIPSE. No guarantee it will stay that way, but after two days, I'm still looking pretty good. Our course is the northermost of three, the White circle. As we went north today, the current was initially hurting us around the weather mark, but later in the day it was helping us. On the third race we tacked near the layline and wound up badly overstood while a boat well below us rounded with no problems. Our best finish of the day was an eighth in the last race when we found more wind in the center of the course than those boats who went left. We managed a pass of those, while the boats out to our right passed us. Occassionally, we were sparing with J/44s as they were starting races while others were finishing. Full results |
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| 22.Jun.09 | Forecasts called for 18-20 NNE moving N today and they called for the Around-the-Island Race (a first for me to have it on Monday). This is a good move since the best winds for the week are today, tomorrow, and Friday. Lighter winds predicted for Wednesday and Thursday, traditionally the Around-the Island Race days. There was little rain yesterday and again today there was little wind. The ATIR was "C" for Clockwise, another unusual situation since it is usually sailed in a southerly. KIMA got a late start at the RC boat end and sailed for the beach. We did not play that angle agressively enough and were well back in the fleet going to 1BI. It was not an immediate spinnaker set at the mark and we sailed halfway back to BI before we set the kite. Then the fun began. The spinnaker reach down the east side was enhanced by large surfing rollers. KIMA did well to pass a couple of boats (and we hit 13.9 knots through the water), but lost them again on a fouled up jibe. At the southern end we had a less than elegant douse and wound up losing a couple more boats. But coming up the west side, we found our groove and passed at least five boats. In the end we were 9th of 20, which put us in our sweet zone. We could see KINCSEM's distinctive kite ahead, but did not get close enough to pick out the leaders. Later we learned that the top five were SAVASANA, POWER PLAY, KINCSEM, ECLIPSE, and PLANET CLAIRE. Winds were gusting to the upper twenties during the race and we saw 30+ at the dock after the race. On KIMA, nothing broke and nobody got hurt. We survived Day 1. Full results |
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| 21.Jun.09 | We went out for practice today and the winds were substantial. To start, the winds were maybe 18-20 knots from the North. We went out at about 10 a.m. and came back in about 3 p.m. and they built after that. We managed some turns around the practice courses set by the STC and some starts (alone) during the practice starting sequences. We managed some upwind tuning runs with KINCSEM and SAVASANA. We pulled out our old Sharkskin main (bulletproof) for the day and many were wondering if we were using a new carbon main. Some boats decided not to wear out there crews and canned practice today. But tomorrow, we have been promised more of the same. Maybe we'll not see the predicted 40+ knot gusts, but it should be heavy air for the first day. Now for the exercise of making enemies. Who are the boats to beat for this regatta. If you look at the scratch sheet, you have to be impressed with KINCSEM, SAVASANA, POWER PLAY, ECLIPSE, and MOPELIA. These boats make few mistakes and should all be vying for podium finishes. Check back at the end of the week and see how this pans out. We're aiming at keeping KIMA in the top half, but we have some challenges to overcome. |
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| 20.Jun.09 | The delivery went well. We left Wickford at 9:45 and arrived at Block Island about 2:15. The passage was foggy all the way across with little wind. Down the bay we barely saw either shore and did not see the Jamestown Bridge until we were almost on top of it. Across Block Island Sound there were big rollers and very little wind. What there was was from the south. Tomorrow and Monday we are expecting lots of wind, so it is problematical whether there will be much practicing done on Sunday. Some of the forecasts I'm hearing are touching 40 knots. We'll see about that. Should be interesting. We are 20 boats the last I looked at the entry list. There are only two of us from RI, bunches from MD, NY, CT, and MA, but also TX and CA. A very diverse group indeed. |
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| 19.Jun.09 | Whoa. I'm not even on Block Island yet. Delivering on Saturday (tomorrow).
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