Winter Series - Race 7 & 8
After the lighter‑than‑ideal winds in last month’s winter races, there was some optimism across the fleet. The forecast promised 6–7 knots from the east‑northeast with occasional gusts, and that’s exactly what greeted us on arrival at the lake and during rigging. At the briefing, Commodore Tim presented the course for race 1: fast cats would sail a triangle‑sausage‑triangle on a port course for a change, while other divisions had two triangles of various sizes.
Not long after the start, the optimism faded as we discovered how fickle the wind would be, with frequent pauses. Some boats could point high enough to head directly from A to C, but that meant sailing close to the shore where the breeze was even less reliable. The leaders bunched up at the C mark, barely moving and facing in all directions. A couple of boats, through either skill or luck, managed to dodge the holes and round without frustration.
The broad reach north to B offered more consistent wind over open water. Nobody was heeling or trapezing, but it was still my fastest sailing of the race—4 knots. Downwind towards A, the lead changed a couple of times as the breeze softened again. We were advised of a shortened course: the final triangle was abandoned, though D division still had a windward return. For the “fast” cats, the finish was rather unsatisfying, reduced to a crawl as the wind virtually disappeared.
The psychological toll led to a few withdrawals from race 2. The flags hung limply during the second briefing, where an A‑Hi‑Finish sprint (one or two laps) was announced. A very light breeze arrived from somewhere just after the start. The lead changed several times on the way to A, and then downwind towards Hi. Sailing straight might have avoided a gybe, but at the risk of falling into the wind shadow—would it pay off? As the leaders rounded Hi, the first gusts of a small squall arrived. My beat from Hi to the finish began at 3 knots and ended at 8, and the blustery wind kept building. A few exciting moments of hiking and spray made for some joyful post‑race sailing to cap off the day with a grin.
Thanks to the volunteers who made it all happen.
John W.
