Daily Reports
Day 4 –
April 16, 2005
Conditions: Winds 6-11 knots
Regatta Chair Dan
DeLave reports:
The
fourth day started out challenging for the sailors and the race committee
when the fog rolled in during the race. The course had to be shortened and
there was some talk by the race committee about the fairness of the race.
The fog lifted enough allowing the racers to see the weather mark so the
race continued. In the end the race lasted thirty minutes, the positions did
not change with any significance and the race was considered a success.
The second race conditions were shifting about 3 degrees while the marks
were being placed. It finally settled in until the end of the first lap then
shifted for a mark change. The race lasted forty-two minutes. Pete Melvin
and Jay Glaser seemed to be giving a clinic on how to sail these boats to
the competitors sailing in fleet B. They had an unfortunate race that put
them there and now really need to pay attention. There are only three teams
that, at this time, have not moved back to the fleet B, Thomas, Tomko,
Noriega.
The third race got underway in mostly steady 6 to 7 knot breezes. Not a lot…
but enough to get a good race in that lasted about 35 minutes. At the first,
second and third marks Jennifer and Kelly showed what they are made of by
being 2nd around. They let Greg and Jacques get them at the end
but came in with a really respectable place of third in a very tough fleet.
Tomko had a hard time of it and will be sailing in fleet B next having ended
the race with a 10.
Noriega, presenting the Hobie 16 Continental Championship, was the chief of
that 16th race as he led from the first mark to the end. Right
now it stands at Thomas 15, Schreyer 27 and Tomko with 30 points. There
should be about 5 total races left.
Fourth race got off in about 8 to 9 knots of breeze. Camera was leading the
first two marks but got passed by Montague on the last downwind leg. Casey
was third and those three can look forward to racing the second race
tomorrow in fleet A. This looked to be the perfect breeze for this boat as
all of the sailors were able to handle the conditions well in double trapeze
conditions.
Five races in a day was the goal and the goal was met. Race number five was
sailed in 9 to 10 knots of breeze with gusts around 11 knots. This seemed to
be the way to separate the fleet a bit. May not seem like much of a
difference but the boats started to string out a bit more than in the
lighter breezes. Thomas had a 29 second lead on Schreyer at the second
weather mark and added only 2 seconds to that at the leeward mark. In the
end he was only 15 seconds ahead for another win in this event. Others were
Casey taking a third and Melvin in fourth. Noriega was around the leeward
mark in 3rd and ended up 6th behind Shafer.
Now back to the yacht club for a presentation by Pete Melvin about his
boats, a steak and salmon dinner, and a great band to help end the night and
get us ready for the last day of a very fair event. If all goes well
tomorrow’s weather will be a duplicate of today’s… minus the early fog.
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2, 3, 4,
5
