February 23 Race Report
by Martin Herbert aboard the Kay D
Flat calm on St Mary Lake and flat calm on the harbour with a forecast for lots of rain. Still, four boats showed up and options were bandied about before our fearless Fleet Captain Racing told us, “the wind will build and we are going around the Channel Islands to port”.
We paddled out to the start line and then, as if God had spoken, the wind filled in. Starting strategy was complex; at five minutes to the gun, the club side of the line was favoured by wind angle, but the other end had much more wind. At two minutes to go, the wind strength was more even across the line, but the right hand side of the course looked light, then some wind filled in by Walter Bay. Invictus was on a timed run towards the club mark, the Kay D squeezed up to take the mark but was early and had to kill speed. Ono and Shingebiss were further down the line. Invictus’ timing was perfect and blew through the lee of the Kay D as if she only had a 23’ mast.
The wind was now full-hiked-out mode on the Kay D and the skipper was grateful to have Jill Oakes hiking hard. Shingebiss and Ono were leading the charge to Goat Island in a wind that was showing shifts of 5-10 degrees, much steadier than last week’s 30 degree shifts. When they tacked over, they crossed behind Invictus but ahead of the Kay D. The order of the day was to get to the ebb in Captains Passage as fast as possible, which everyone did with minor variations. There were no big passing lanes and you had to settle into sailing your boat the best that you could.
It was a perfect day for me to tweak the new controls I had put on the Kay D and, by weather hauling the traveller, I was able to get all my leech telltales flying. The boat felt great. Despite that, however, Vern’s 34’ boat was only 1” long when I looked upwind as he rounded the Channel Islands. Invictus’ spinnaker bloomed, and soon after that Shingebiss also had the kite up. The 20 footers trailed behind and the wind speed peaked and started to go lighter.
All visions of planing home under spinnaker evaporated. It was hard to see that far ahead but I think Ono closed the gap downwind. I was told that Shingebiss got by Invictus downwind and took line honours.
Aboard the Kay D we were having a fabulous sail. Jill was flying the spinnaker with full focus, keeping the weather luff of the sail on the very edge of trim. We did two gybes where the spinnaker was full the whole way round and we crossed the finish line at 13.09.10, firmly in last place and with great big smiles stuck on our faces.
I made it to the concert at Artspring on time, a tribute to a Fleet Captain Racing who can pick a good race course and get us home before the wind quits and the rains descend.
Club Handicap Result
| Club | Finish | Corrected | Rating for | club | |||
| Rating | Boat | Skipper | Time | Time | Place | Next Race | points |
| 135 | INVICTUS | Lhotzky | 12:42:55 | 02:11:54 | 1 | 129 | 100 |
| 110 | SHINGEBISS | Keating | 12:41:45 | 02:15:56 | 2 | 107 | 75 |
| 100 | ONO | Faget | 12:47:52 | 02:24:32 | 3 | 103 | 50 |
| 173 | KAY D | Herbert | 13:09:10 | 02:29:17 | 4 | 179 | 25 |
PHRFBC Result
| PHRFBC | Finish | Corrected | |||
| Rating | Boat | Skipper | Time | Time | Place |
| 117 | INVICTUS | Lhotzky | 12:42:55 | 02:15:38 | 1 |
| 84 | SHINGEBISS | Keating | 12:41:45 | 02:21:47 | 2 |
| 205 | KAY D | Herbert | 13:09:10 | 02:22:42 | 3 |
| 100 | ONO | Faget | 12:47:52 | 02:24:32 | 4 |
