Lucky Miss

Light to Medium Air. We started on the starboard end of the line even though the port was heavily favored. All right by me. Clear air and we could take the right side by the beach and the kelp, un-molested by lighter boats. Personally, I like the close tacking up by the beach. I always get that old dinghy feeling if there's enough wind to get a decent heel. The downwind current was more than many boats had counted on, but only the Tri had to throw in an extra tack to scouch around the weather mark. Possibly it impeded the boat just in front of us.

After the windward mark, this year we are getting used to the fleet breaking into Group A and Group B, with us by ourselves with free air. So when we look back, we see colorful spinnakers in the distance. In adequate breezes, we're used to seeing it stay that way.

However, today, the 2nd group steadily encroached on us. On customarily our most profitable leg, we were stricken by a dismal case of the 'slows'. Just short at the leeward mark, the Morgan-27 caught us with an inside overlap. We tightened up to prevent the next assailant in the parade from doing the same. All of a sudden I saw we were overtaking the Morgan. We must have easily been inside the three boat length radius. I felt trapped inside where I had no rights, hesitating too long, and missing an opportunity to clear his stern. I elected to hang in there as we doused. I do not understand why the Morgan didn't hail us. I was resolved to be protested. In any event we passed inside them as if they were dead in the water. My only guess is that they had some sail-handling problems with dousing their spinnaker. Perhaps our bad air contributed? Anyway, this lucky break allowed us to control the final leg: being the first boat in a parade in the final leg is almost insurmountable.

Insignificant however, as we failed to save our time on three of the boats pursuing us. Okay by me. Despite missing Bowman, sail-handling was again silky-smooth.