CAPTAIN PASSAGE RACE RE-RUN Oct 23, 2007

Sunday’s re-run of the Captain’s Passage proved to be exciting, close and surprisingly quick for all nine competitors. It included a welcome newcomer OUTRIDER, a classic C&C 39 just acquired by Saltspring newcomers, Peter White and Krishna Rodriguez. They wisely persuaded Tony Meek to join them and donate his prodigious local knowledge at the helm. It was only blowing 6-8 knots but the South Westerly was laden with moisture trying in vain to form rain and so the breeze was fresh and consistent.

This wind direction prompted the fleet to indulge in some creative starting strategies. Only ARBITRAGE got it right. He pulled off the best start of the year. Russell Coutts couldn’t have done it better. Norbert timed his starboard tack perfectly and barreled across the line at the far pin end hitting full speed right at the gun. He thwarted the port tack start plans of FINAL DASH and ELECTRA who were obliged to duck behind his stern. Meanwhile at the other end, HARP and IMP were competing for the pin position with starboard tack calls and feinted tacks. The rest of the fleet wisely chose the middle of the line.

ARBITRAGE led the way on the left side with IMP playing the lifts in the middle of the channel. After a series of tacks to the Sisters Island, IMP, FINAL DASH, ELECTRA and ARBITRAGE were ahead on the left side that delivered stronger wind. The flood tidal current proved surprisingly weak and rewarded ELECTRA who kept to the left side in the slightly stronger wind and tacked only once to fetch Batt Rock just ahead of IMP, FINAL DASH and ARBITRAGE. Not far behind was SOUL DANCER going well and just ahead of ALACRITY and SOARSA.

The fast reach to U62 stretched the fleet out a bit except for ARBITRAGE who was making nearly 8 knots as he made up ground on FINAL DASH and IMP. Then the run to Welbury closed things up as the ELECTRA, SOUL DANCER and ALACRITY chose not to fly chutes and ARBITRAGE and OUTRIDER were NFS anyway. ELECTRA, IMP and FINAL DASH rounded the buoy almost at the same time politely giving each other the required room at the mark.
At Batt Rock the same mass crowding was repeated and these three boats set chutes for the last leg. ELECTRA lost a sheet and fell behind while FINAL DASH roared along using their jolly green gennaker to advantage. They scored line honours just over two hours after the start, ahead of IMP and ELECTRA with the rest of the fleet not far behind.
The post race scuttlebutt on SOUL DANCER lasted longer than the race!
A good day for all.

RWK