Piscataqua Sailing Association

Portsmouth, NH

Fleet 139 J24 2014 Spring

Overall

R1 - 5/22

Well, it looked pretty grim at 4:30 PM, a dense in-penetrable fog hung over the race course, what difference a 1/2 hour makes. Tom poked Chumly beyond the breakwater … suddenly there were the Isles of Shoals. Yup it rained, yup it was cold but the most fun I have had in a long time.

A course D was set with a 5-10 knot easterly and a heavy current holding the fleet back from starting early. Six boats answered the gun. A clean start, split the fleet early, the traditionalist staying left early, some hunting wind lines on the right side. Caleb rounded first and held the position for the bullet. The middle of the fleet was more interesting, positions changing many times. FruitCakes held the middle with the corner hunters Stay Calm and Powderwhore looking for the big lift on the right…

Caleb and the crew put on a great feed at KPYC, the warm Gumbola hit the spot. Thanks Caleb

R2 - 5/29

The weather has been so cold and rainy, we managed to race on the single clear night this week, I would like to think my order for the clearing was fulfilled. A decent south, south east breeze held for the entire evening, a bit cold but I'll take it.

Eleven boats showed up, The KPYC Sailing School boat "Che" with Bruno at the helm made its debut, along with a boat from the Kittery Yacht Yard. Only Rear Admiral and Hurricane were missing, among the boats registered. So the fleet will round out somewhere from 13-15 boats. Emmet, how is the allgrip job going on Epic Flight? The rumor is Bill Stewart will be racing on Phat Tail and Hurricane may convert to geranium holder in Bill's driveway…

R3 - 5/29

Tom set up course D with gates for the first and a simple course 1 for the second. A bit more pressure on the right side made it the way to go. Rob Pruyn, also sailing his season opener, got a clean start and worked the right favorably capturing both bullets. Vox was in the hunt in the first, hanging with the front pack at the first rounding. Chuck Pinkerton, managed to find some speed in Phat Tail in the second.

Our social calendar is completely, open with Bad Dog hosting on July 3rd. Please let me know what night you plan to host.

R4 - 6/12

The forecast called for 10-15 knots with gusts to 25 knots from the south-east. Observed at the Isle of Shoals was 15 knots. So the big question, what to set your rig at ? Those who stayed at the light air setting got it right.

Tom set course D with the weather mark about 3/4 of a mile out, 10 boats answered the gun with Hurricane and Corona taking the night off. At the start a decent 8 knots with big lumps, the line pretty square by my read. Big Ben hit the line with speed at the gun down at the committee boat end, Powderwhore was caught barging and had to go around. The breeze faded making it a slow slog to weather in the big sea. After the leeward rounding the breeze real died, some boats were going backward. It was a night for those with patience, three boat withdrew anticipating an abandonment. 1/2 way up the second weather leg the breeze filled a little, enough to get the fleet moving. Sugaree got to the wind first and got the bullet.

R5 - 6/19

Andy's Race Recap:

Puffy 10-18 knt west winds with virtually no seas, for the most daylight we will see on race night this year. A great night!

Tom set a course D with leeward gates, the line slightly pin favored. 12 boats answered the gun. There were more puffs and pressure on the left, the right seemed flatter and steadier. Rear Admiral stayed left, it worked for him capturing 1st in the first race. Big Ben was called over early in the first spoiling what would have been a great start. Sugaree swapped to the Genoa after the first beat, he won the second race.

R6 - 6/19

Lenny Cushing and the crew of Rear Admiral put on a great hamburger and hot dog feed post race at KPYC, Thanks Lenny.

R7 - 6/26

Yesterday, I was sure that we would be getting wet and watching out for thunderstorms, fortunately the front passed earlier than expected and we ended up with a very pleasant evening.  The winds were N-NE about 10-12 knots with big lumps, clear sky and current at the tail end of the ebb.

12 boats answered the gun with a clean start in both races. The course was  the familiar “Delta” with leeward gates, up and down twice. Big Ben got away at the start clean and dug left and managed to hold off Sugaree. Big Ben managed to do it again in the second.  Chris Folansbee was driving PBR very short handed but managed to pull out a pair of sevens.  Corona and Rear Admiral were amongst the missing.  All and all a great night of racing with positions changing on the upwind and downwind legs.

R8 - 6/26

There was a protest by Big Ben against Sugaree noted on the score sheet (R7 or R8?) which was subsequently withdrawn via text message accompanied by some entertaining jousting, now now gentlemen.

Next week, it is Bad Dog’s turn to host the social, so are you ready for that famous Randy Johnson clam chowda?  

See you all then.

Best 
Andy

R9 - 7/10

A delightful night, gentle west winds fading to less than 5 knots at the end of the second race and the biggest moon I have seen in a long time. What a difference a frontal boundary makes, last week we had tornado warnings at race time. I thought a poltergeist had invaded my phone last week with the weird sounds it was making. We had a race committee member hiding in his basement at race time no chance of getting a race in even though Scott Bridge, at every break in the storms thought we should head out; Ah, youth, it's wasted on the young.

R10 - 7/10

Winds 5-10 West fading for R10

This evening Tom reached back into the past and resurrected course 2, no problem for those who read the SI. It is a simple windward leeward with the start in the lower third of the course, adding a short windward leg for the finish.
13 boats raced with Epic Flight and Crazy Horse resting. Crazy Horse hasn't sailed this year but was spotted on the river last week. We hope to have him for the summer series which starts next week.
The fleet was very eager at the starts, Big Ben, Hurricane, Powerwhore and Phat Tail being called early in the first. The fleet earned its first general recall in the second with the I flag (round the ends rule) making its first appearance and Big Ben again early in the restart. Caleb found enough pressure on the course to earn two bullets, Big Ben after being early and hitting the windward mark in the first race still managed 2nd. Fruitcakes and Powderwhore found the breeze in the second finishing 3 and

Scoring codes used

wordpress-827071-2844725.cloudwaysapps.com

Sailwave Scoring Software 2.9.7
www.sailwave.com