SanDiego505 - Coronado YC Small Boat Regatta

Saturday-Sunday, October 20-21 2001

Coronado YC Small Boat Regatta

Team Fever Pitch (6931)

The first race is three laps windward-leeward. 6992 can't quite figure how to get under that boom while tacking and flips twice. The second time over the helmsmen pops up out of the water with the tiller extension still in his hand and they're done for the day. TGIF turtles but they save the beers and finish second. Amazingly, we manage to keep the Pitch upright and though it's an ugly three lapse (pun intended) still get the gun.

The second race is again three laps windward-leeward. TGIF is fast upwind and Dan is frustrated. The Pitch is a "little" out of tune (seems I've had the ram settings inverted-no wonder Chris and I had problems pointing) and we can't find the groove. We are faster downwind but can't quite close the gap. On the second leeward leg Steve helps us out by sailing through the line (it's protected). Then, thinking we were only racing two laps instead of three, he rounds the leeward mark and heads for the line again. Sailing past the RC we confirm it's three laps and start on our third. Unfortunately, Taz follows TGIF across the line and DSQ's as well. Mental Floss has lost her main sheet block and retired. That leaves the Pitch to circle the course for a bullet.

Third race and though it's late and the wind is dying the RC calls for three laps windward-leeward. TGIF starts well and for three laps covers well. The Pitch is still out of tune and we can't find a way past Steve. Bullet for TGIF, 2nd for the Pitch. Taz violates the line again (you'll have to ask Mike) and is DSQ'd.

Day Two: Sunday dawns and we arrive at CYC knowing that as long as TGIF doesn't put more than one boat between them and us on both races we'll win the regatta. Crews work to repair the previous days carnage and calibrate their rigs. Dan runs a mini-clinic tuning the Pitch, and then helps Geoff tune Floss. We hit the water just as the wind dies. Limping out to the start we wonder if the RC will even run a race. Finally it fills in and we decide to make sure everything is in tune. Was that the gun? The Pitch is at the top of the course and it looks like we'll be a little late for the start. All we had to due was make sure.....

We spot the fleet a two (plus) minute lead and get to work. Keeping the boat flat, playing the shifts, finding the puffs we are right behind Taz and Floss at the windward mark. Rounding the mark Floss drives Taz high and we dive under and past. Geoff lets us know it's three laps around and there is hope. It's time to reel in Steve. We are sailing well and by the second leeward leg almost on top of TGIF. At the mark they go left and we go right. This time the left pays off and Steve is out of reach. TGIF can't catch 6992 and our guests from up North get the gun, TGIF is 2nd, and we finish 3rd.

Last race of the day is a single lap. The RC end is favored and we are right there as the gun goes off. Floss is just inside but can't out-point us and soon has to tack away. 6992, TGIF, and Taz have started at the pin end. One by one they tack over and cross under our stern. 6992 is fast and the next time we come together they're ahead. At the windward mark it's 6992, The Pitch, TGIF, Taz, and then Floss. We keep trying to get past 6992 but too much of a fight might give TGIF an inside track to the leeward mark so we are content to play follow-the-leader. Positions are the same around the leeward mark and we aren't going to catch 6992 so now it's just a matter of covering TGIF and the weekend is ours. 1-1-2-3-2.