Caspar Cup, Oct 14-15

Winner Steve Fleckenstein reports: Unaccustomed as I am to being asked about the set up on Bablouie for a contest, here are my thoughts and numbers from the weekend: Firstly, it is key to attempt to pass the harbour lightship on the left exiting the harbour, then pull a 90 degree turn, torquing your outboard off its bracket and into the chuck. Once we got towed out to the course, we set the rig at 18-15, checked the 7 meter/min inflow current at the start, and found plausible highs and lows for the 5-6 min, 20 degree occillation. We found the pin to be 10 degrees favoured and expected the breeze to back to the south as the day progressed. We started at the pin, had a chance to cross after 30 secs or so, got greedy looking to the left, and limped in to the top mark in less pressure and on a 20 degree knock. Downwind we played the pressure on the west side and scrabbled back into contention. We sought pressure and tried to stay in phase on the right side. Race 2 we started in the middle of the pack, stayed right looking for pressure, and limped into the top mark out of phase. We went to the well on the left downwind, but the right paid. Upwind for lap 2 we slept through the shift at the start at the start of the beat, overstood, and dragged our tails into the top mark. Of course the Skipper's Manual indicates that this an excellent time to yell at the crew, but I found sarcasm to be more appropriate given that we tacked at the bottom mark and were likely aimed right at the top mark before tacking off to right. A solid team effort. Pressure increased for race 3, we moved to 21-18, and started on the pin for the next 3 races. We tacked to cross when we had the opportunity, and tried to stay in phase. Downwind, we preferred the pressure from the right side, as the run was 20 degrees right. Race 4, we dropped the tension back to 18-15, at the start we fouled, did a 720, shot the left corner, found the 20 degree shift that we looked for in race 1, then stayed middle on lap 2. In traffic on the run, I liked to be to the left of the boats in the immediate vicinity as the speed penalty for gybing is minimal. Race 5, we had a nice pin start, tacked to cross the fleet, and didn't have the pressure to pull it off. Boat end starters got into pressure first and that was that. I don't have too many constructive things to say about the race 5 run to the finish. From out view, the racing was close, the shifts large and the pressure differences across the course were decisive. Luck played a big part of Race 1,3, and 4, but there is nothing wrong with that.

RVYC Fleet Championship, Sept 16/17

Winner Jim Burns reports: In the first race, I deviated from our usual game plan and tried to start at the pin. I totally screwed it up, fouled Graham, and ended up doing turns from which we never recovered. After that, we just tried to start ANYWHERE there were no other boats so that we would have clear air off the line and be able to sail where we wanted to go an not where others forced us to go. Accordingly, minding our own business in the middle of the line, we were a little surprised when Graham did a "full on" match racing dial up on my lee bow at one start, forcing us head to wind, and then leaving us there OCS and flapping as the gun went. It must have been "get J&B day" on Blurr and therefore it was particularly sweet to pass him on the run and win the race. As for the rest, it was not rocket science, get a clean air start, sail towards the pressure and try to stay in pressure downwind

WAVES, June 25, 26

Winner Jim Burns reports: I wish I could determine the reason for our success, I really do. Val-Marie set aside her Keelboat Course Chair position for each day to sail with us because Gary was out with a bad back. She kept us calm and focused. Chuck and Angel were paying close attention to the compass and the speedo to determine "good tide" and bad tide" and to try to divine which way to go and Tom did an awesome job downwind with the kite. It was REALLY hard trimming when the boat was corkscrewing downwind and especially when we were "dancing" with other boats. It is so nice not to be able to worry about trim and just place the boat where I wanted to and know that the kite would be trimmed appropriately (even when I wasn't very good about letting people know what I had in mind!).

Then of course there was a lot of just plain dumb-ass good luck involved. On at least one occasion, we were "pinged" to the "wrong side" of the course, hooked into a Northerly and ended up going from about 8th or 10th to first on the first beat. Admittedly, when we got "pinged" we could have tacked back after getting up to speed but Chuck wanted to hang on and it paid off big time.

We tended to start at the boat as it did give us an easy "bailout" if yours truly screwed up the timing. However, more than a few boats had the same idea and it got very busy there. Also, as the day wore on and the breeze, the tide and the lumps increased it became increasingly important not to sail in bad air. On one beat, Celerity took the "low road", way below the port tack layline. John just put the bow down in clear air and sailed around us and about three other boats to round the top mark first.

On another beat, we tacked onto the port tack layline with a M242 about 15 boat lengths ahead and to weather. We thought that he was far enough away in that breeze for his exhaust not to disturb us but apparently not. Sail Naked who had been bow to bow with us but a few boat lengths below us going out to the layline, "overstood" the layline by about 3 or 4 boat lengths, tacked and just powered through over top of us. When you are fighting dirty air and trying to keep the bow up so as not to loose gauge, it is just plain slow.

So, I am sorry but I really cant say how we managed it except to say that, it aint over until its over and we just never gave up, even when we were DFL in the last race we just kept grinding away.

It was GREAT to have 5 American boats up for the Regatta, it really added depth and colour to the racing as most of them (except Eric) were unknown quantities. How many people knew that Pat Dore, who normally sails with Keith on Tundra Rose, was on "Tremendous Slouch".

Spring Wing Ding, May 27/28

Winner John Poglase reports: That was an excellent weekend of racing. Good committee work by West Van getting off all nine races, especially in the changing conditions on Saturday. Our starts and first beats were so-so and we rarely rounded any mark first, so what worked well for us in the regatta was keeping out of trouble with other boats, excellent crew work around the corners, fast tacks, and working hard downwind. Often at the windward mark it seemed we were approaching on port, tacking around to a quick hoist and looking to jibe out of traffic right away. Downwind it was critical to keep the air clear & consider the tide sweep when picking the layline. As for upwind speed, everyone seemed well-matched and even when it got windier on Sunday we were surprised to see the boats with four crew hanging in there. A lot of boats were pointing very well...Blurr, Now, WallyWorld, we tried not to have these guys to leeward & ahead.

Honestly, throughout the weekend but especially Saturday, we just weren't getting which way to go when or why. At times it was pretty frustrating as we often found ourselves losing places upwind. So many variables with tide, wind speed and shifts all playing a factor. For a while we figured it paid to go left, later we decided left was too light. Finally we decided to stay with the fleet and pay attention to the West Van boats. In fact, I would like to hear Sail Naked's comments on 'local knowledge', because they seemed to have it nailed.

Just before Sail Naked had to retire with a broken halyard on Sunday, there were 3 of us within a point of first place. In the last two races it became a duel with J&B and we decided to just stay close to them from start to finish.

It was really great having the extra couple of boats on Saturday. Everyone on our boat likes the idea of one-day regatta.

Spring One Design, April 8/9

Winner Robin Avery, our international man of mystery, did not submit a winner's report