WNS 2021-08-04 Race 11 Habanero

Breeze at the start was ~9 kts, 200˚ built to ~15 kts at the finish. Trend was left from ESE to E making the left side of each beat favored.

Flooding current held starting boats off the start line. Sea Star was at the perfect dip, but in danger of being OCS in the line but dead in the water. Genoa luffing. No speed.

What a difference a week can make.

Crew work could not have been more unlike last week.

Crew work was a giant leap forward.

Maybe the best we have ever sailed together.

Habanero's previous performance problem stemming from having too many crew in the cockpit was dealt with in this race.

Rory enforced the rule that only the driver and mainsail trimmer be stationed in the cockpit during this race.

We were able to point significantly higher on each upwind leg of this D2 course.

Bobby Waltz smoothly handled the pit, releases and sheeting for each tack before getting back onto the rail to hike.

That helped Rory concentrate on steering.

Speck rounded the first upwind mark first, Habanero was second around. Ishkoodah and Tenacity were in striking distance behind us.

First run ... ???

First leeward mark rounding ???

Second beat ???

At the top of the second beat Habanero rounded the upwind mark just behind Tenacity and Ishkoodah, but well behind Speck.

Habanero and Ishkoodah go right as we both dealt with spinnaker wraps. Within seconds we were unwrapped and we jibed left for clear air. At the bottom of that run Habanero crossed Ishkoodah astern ceding the an overlap and the inside lane to the leeward mark. This had consequences.

Coming into the downwind mark Tenacity was on Habanero's right and gave buoy room to Habanero. Ishkoodah had rights to the inside lane, but as they made the turn they suddenly slowed down.

Habanero's bow sprit had not been retracted during the spinnaker takedown.

Habanero hit Ishkoodah's stern rail from behind with the sprit. Damage to Ishkoodah's stern rail. Damage to Habanero's sprit is undetermined at this moment.

Ishkoodah has protested. Protest meeting on Monday, August 9, 2021

After Habanero completed its penalty turn, we proceeded up the left side of the beat while Ishkoodah held 1/4 mile to windward.

Near the top of the third beat, port tack Habanero ducked starboard tack Ishkoodah close aboard. Ishkoodah covers.

After about 90 seconds on port, Habanero was headed and we tack back to port on the layline to the finish.

Rather than overstand the layline Ishkoodah tacked to port tack 3 boats behind and upwind of Habanero giving us safe leeward control of their path to the finish line.

Ishkoodah attempts to press down and close the gap on Habanero.

Rory made the most of our perfect safe leeward position by both out-footing and gaining to windward on Ishkoodah to finish third on elapsed time, 2nd place on correcting time.