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Sunday, August 24, 2003
MBYC Labor Day Triangles Regatta and Championship Regatta #4
Kitty, Fever and TGIF hit the water on a slightly overcast morning, ready
do duke it out on the water. As the Thistles had no fleet, we invited the one boat, Will Cummings and
family, to sail with us. Bad idea for Kitty. As the wind was light at times,
he kept up & caused some difficulties for the Kitty on the downwind leg in
the first two races.
After a couple of trying races (for Kitty - TGIF is going to cover those), all
went in for the lunch break.
As the TGIF crew as quaffing beer, the Kitty crew concluded that the only way
to deal with such a drag racer (esp. that huge red BS) was to cover from the
start. Fever lost crew and retired. So we let Steve and Carl know it was a
grudge race.
Race #3
As luck would have it, the race three start allowed Kitty to cover TGIF right off the starting line. That was our intention, so promised at lunch - but it actually happened. The Thistle helped channel TGIF right in behind us and TGIF was gassed almost all the way to the weather mark. We split at the top mark: Kitty went ddw & TGIF went right and with some reaching that almost caught Kitty. But, it was not to be. In a one lap, WL race, we fetched the Leeward mark first, covered again and finished ahead.
Race #4
The fourth and final race started with Kitty getting another break. We covered very aggressively, taking TGIF for a long, long ride way over to the right of the course. Finally, TGIF tacked & broke cover, and we both planned over to the windward pin. TGIF was inside for part of the leg, then decided to break from the cover. That is an interesting issue, as we were even, and TGIF had to point higher to make the mark but may have been closer. The Kitty had to plane into the mark. Kitty rounded first.
The final downwind leg was all over the course with TGIF trying to roll Kitty. Downwind and slightly ahead is such an interesting position to be in. Both boats had gybe set at the weather pin, with Kitty ahead. JB3 called TGIF's position and flew the kite. We finally thought we picked TFIG on the weather finishing pin (separate starting and finishing lines, al la ABYC provided by the Laser class), forcing TGIF to follow on a very deep reach. It was not to be. TGIF broke inside and was heading toward the leeward mark. Both boats on Starboard tack. What to do?
Roll em' by jibing to port and taking the chance that Kitty’s chute would slow them enough to get inside? If I did not make it, Steve would call room and I would blow past the leeward mark to weather. Waiting for the right time was the key.
We did it.
But, as the Kitty was doing this, I thought back to the last few months:
- Sticking Kitty’s transom into White Trash in PCC's. (bad.)- Snapping off two sets of wings on the Aussie 18 (bad, bad)
- Bumping Dan M's new boat on a port/starboard at the weather mark, a close 'tack in' that has been specifically cited in the rules as, well, the pits.
-Wally Eaton, Kitty's current repair guy noting that Kitty has been speared four times on the port side – wait a minute, I didn’t do that!.
But then I recalled the slogan on the Aussie 18's bow: "Go Hard, or Go Home!" and that says it all. These are 5o5's, a racing machine.
So, we went for it...but gave it a whole extra 1.5 seconds to make a clean cut across TGIF's stern.
Recap:
The last ditch maneuver, Kitty did the quick jibe to port, covered TGIF, shot ahead a boat length to establish a inside overlap just prior to the pin, at about 4 boat lengths. It was a very close, as we had to flatten the chute to keep from brushing the back of TGIF's main, while almost coming up on a plane.
The gybes were so fast that both boats had launcher lines got knots, causing the pole to retract only 50%. We had it happen twice. TGIF had it happen on this final rounding.
Race #5
We were both done. Wasted. TGIF suggested Kitty go start the next race to win the series. Team Kitty did not care. The racing was what we came out for. The tie was a fitting end of a great day.
JB3 remarked that this was the best series we have had to date. With a fast boat, wire reaching wind, and tight tactics, it was a great day.
Team Kitty is looking forward to the fifth and final fleet Championship race: The September Bay Series on the 14th.
John Billings
US 7773 "The Kitty"