Day Two
We started the second day of the Laser Midwinters East with a one hour postponement on shore. The Radials left the shore on time, so I think the Race Committee's thinking was to let the Radials launch and start first before sending us out. Anyway, we headed out an hour later for two more races.
After many course reconfigurations and general recalls, we finally got our first race off at about 1 PM. Our first race was started under a general recall, and I have to admit I was a little hesitant to push the line. I started in the middle and quickly tacked out right, ducking a few boats, but finding a clean lane. I sailed to the right in nice pressure and tacked back left, crossing the guys I had just ducked. I looked really good and connected a few puffs at the top of the beat to round in first. On the first downwind, I maintained my lead until right at the end. At the bottom of the leg, the wind died and the guys right behind me carried some pressure down to me. I lost a few boats right at the end and rounded the gate headed left in 4th place. Unfortunately right as we rounded the breeze went about 20 degrees right and a handfull of boats on the right instantly were ahead of me. I played the left, hoping for a chance to gain back the boats I lost, but ultimately rounded the mark in 11th. I closed some distance on the fleet but lost one more boat on the last downwind. On the last reach the breeze died, and I was able to pass two boats by soaking low at the end of the leg. On the final upwind, I played some shifts and excuted some tacks well to pass two more boats. Andreas Geritzer and Paul Goodison were black flagged, bumping me up two more spots to 6th in the race.
After sitting around for a long time, we got our second race off in a dying breeze. The breeze looked pretty uniform around the course, but it had been shifting right as we were waiting. WIth that, I played the middle right up the first beat and looked really good half way up. I was probably in 5th crossing back to the middle of the course when I got a header. I noticed some more breeze out right, so I hitched farther right. Big mistake. The next thing I knew, the fleet was in a big 20 degree left shift and guys I was very easily crossing were lifting off me. I struggled to get back to the mark and finally got there in about 25th place. We reached over to the outer loop and the breeze died even more. Half way down the run, the Race Committee decided to shorten the course and finsh us at the leeward gates, thus ending any opportunity for a comeback. I crossed the line in 22nd place.
Overall, it was a difficult and tricky day. Tomorrow the fleet will be split into Gold and Silver.
