Long and Tough First Day

Today was the first day of the Miami OCR, and it was a long one.  I arrived at the site at about 8:45 with the intention of launching just before 10 AM.  But just as I had rigged my boat and changed into my sailing gear, the RC postponed us ashore in anticipation of some thunderstorms coming through.  We ended up sitting on shore waiting to go for most of the day as classes all around Biscayne Bay were being cancelled and sent home.  At about 2:15, we were finally sent out to a closer race course with the intention of sailing one race.

We reached out to the course in 20 knots, excited to sail a breezy race.  At about 3:30 the RC tried to start the first fleet, but they were thwarted by a 30 degree right shift.  At the same time, the temperature dropped 10 degrees signaling the arrival of the front.  It took awhile to reset the course, and the first fleet was finally started at about 4:15.  I was in the second start today and sailed the inner loop.  My fleet started shortly afterwards in a dying breeze at 4:30.

By the time we started our race, the breeze was about 8 knots and dying to 5 knots.  I had an ok start in the middle of the line, but quickly tacked to port as a lot of the fleet at the pin had tacked and were crossing the fleet.  I was pin-balled around in the middle a little, trying to work out to a side, but the pressure was all left, and I had nothing to get back to them.  I rounded the first mark in about 35th and tried to pass boats from there.  I was able to pass a few on the first run and headed left on the second beat hoping for more pressure.  This time there wasn't an advantage out left, and I bounced around in the high 20s, low 30s for the rest of the race.  I had a pretty good last downwind, catching a few boats and closing some distance to 26th place, but it was certainly not a good first race.  The fleet is very competitive here, so I was hoping not to use my throwout in the qualifying series, let alone the first race.  As we finished our race the sun had already set!  It was a long day!

Hopefully we can make up the extra race tomorrow if the conditions are nice and get back on schedule.  Tomorrow's a new day!

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