Hanging In There

Yesterday was classic Wrightsville Beach conditions. About a 15 knot sea breeze and big waves.

I got off to a good start in the first race near the pin and was able to tack soon after the start and cross most of the fleet. I rounded the first weather mark in a close 3rd. I then proceeded to start losing boats downwind. The wind was strong enough to really ride the waves and I just wasn't getting in the groove. As the race went on, I fell back to a disappointing 6th and was very frustrated with myself.

The next race, for some reason, I just wasn't aggressive enough and I had a really awful start about 100 yards up from the pin. I managed to bail out and duck a few boats and get myself in a pretty clear lane and I guess I must have been going pretty fast because I was in the mix near the weather mark. This race, I did start to get my downwind mo-jo going a little better and passed a few boats but on the last run to the finish, I lost Tracy Usher to again finish 6th. I was getting a little discouraged to say the least.

The 3rd and what turned out to be the final race of the day was in slightly stronger breeze at the start. I knew it was going to be a bad start when I had 4 really good boats all around me on the start and I got flushed out the back. Again, I found a good time to split off and start working right. I was amazed again to round the weather mark in about 6th or 7th. This time, we had an Olympic course and I actually kicked butt on the two reaches to work my way up to a close 5th at the leeward mark. Gradually, I started reeling in the leaders and I rounded the next weather mark in 4th.

I held my own on the run and rounded a very close 4th. On the beat to the finish I was able to pass Tracy Usher for a hard earned 3rd.

Going into the last day, without a throw-out, I have 37 points followed by Marc Jacobi with 49, Peter Vesalla with 59, Andy Roy with 60 and Mark Bear with 64.

With a throw-out, things change rather dramatically. Peter Vesalla throws out at 28 and moves to 31 points. I throw out at 6th and tie with 31. Mark Jacobi is 3rd with 39, Ari Bashi has 42 points after throwing out a 39th and Andy Roy has 44.

The forecast today is for the wind to shift to the SW..then to the West and then to the North with thunderstorms this afternoon. With the wind blowing more off shore, it will be interesting to see what the sea state is and perhaps there will be a few more windshifts to play. We shall see....