My Rental Car is a Six Speed

After a week driving my rental car, I just figured out today that it is a 6 speed transmission and not a 5 speed. Winds today started around 10-12 for the first race and around 14 for the second race. Wind was very shifty today with very big shifts, some as much as 40 degrees. First start, pin favored, and I won the pin easily only to find out that we had a general recall. Ah well, next start, and 1 minute before the start, 40 degree left shift, sailed hard to the pin, tacked and would have crossed the fleet, but postponement because of the shift. Then a very long delay to wait for the fleets that had started to finish so the course could be changed. Finally got a start off on a square line, started in the middle, and worked to the left side of the course. Picked up a nice left shift, and got to the weather mark around 20. Held on the reach and took back a boat on the downwind leg. Looking at the shifts, I was sure we would see a right shift on the secind upwind leg, so worked the right side. The shift came in, and it was big, turning the fleet inside out. Since I was closer to the middle, I held my position, and finished in 19 overall. Better race but on the last tack to the finish, my mainsheet block shackle blew out, I have no idea why. Luckily it happened right at the finish. Luckily John Bertrand's girlfriend was out in a RIB and she had the tools I needed to repair the block, very lucky and appreciative to both of them.

Second race, wind has increased and started to work right, no more left shifts. Of course the line was very pin favored, so how to start on the favored end and go right. At a minute to go, I had the entire pin side to myself, everyone else was on the boat. I got a great pin end start, tacked over and crossed everyone except for the few boats that went right at the boat. It was kind of funny, even the guy on the pin boat cheered on my start, I told him I was lonely by myself on that end of the line. Going well, worked right and rounded the weather mark in 18th. I slightly overstood, so was able to reach over several boats at the mark, launch onto a plane and passed four boats on the reach. Nice, then took another boat on the downwind, and rounded the leeward gate in 13th. Good stuff, I rounded the right gate and went right looking for a small right shift as the wind continued to clock. The right shift came in, but it was not anything like small, it was huge, and there I was well overstood on the right side, and last to the weather mark as everyone worked up the leg inside me. Very frustrating. I passed 2 boats on the downwind leg and another two in the reach leg, and held them off to the finish. Not good finishing 34. Ah well, some very good things happened today.

It was great to pass boats on the reach, I think it was borderline planing conditions, and being the lightest guy on the course, I was able to plane just a little easier than the rest. Still more reason to sail Radial. Second, on one upwind leg, I tacked 3 lengths to leeward of another boat. I was able to work up on him until I was right next to him to leeward, then I pulled on hard vang, eased a little mainsheet, and hiked extra hard, and sure enough just pulled away from him, onto his lee bow, killing him and forcing him to tack away. That felt good, especially since we were on the layline, and when he tacked back, he was 10 lenghts behind me. When one is doing poorly in a regatta like I am at this regatta, small victories like this are cherished.