Went out singlehanded in the annual persuit race: boats start based on their handycap, so theoretically everyone should finish at the same time. I was the first boat off 12 minutes in front of the fleet of 15 boats. I really like this format because you get feedback how well you are sailing.
Course was a triangle: 4 miles to a mark by Ajax, 4 miles out in the lake to the Ajax weather buoy, and 6 miles back to the finish. Winds were 6-8 knots from the south west.
I headed way in shore on the first leg and tacked when I saw less than 5ft of water. In 45 minutes, I was the first boat rounding. I was regularly doing 5 knots of speed.
On the second 4 mile leg, I was the second boat to round the Ajax weather buoy in about 45 minutes. Nirvana just past me at the mark. Winds were diminishing.
On the last leg, I decided to sail the rum line directly to the finish. Usually in light winds that works, as all boats in the wind; sail the shortest route. However, the wind had died completely, and I could not get the boat moving move than 1 knot, bouncing around on the waves. At one point I was sooo hot, I spent about 10 minutes cleaning the cockpit, getting water from the lake with a bucket. The water was very refreshing, so I closed the cockpit drain seacock, and filled the cockpit with about 2" of water to cool off. I went slightly off course because there wasn't enough momentum to steer (you can see the dip in the GPS track).
Well that last 6 mile leg took almost 4 hours! Finished ahead of Scotia Girl (CS36), Abcracadabra (Morgan 33), Sandpiper (Tartan 3400), and a little after Sumac (Viking 33).
After the finish, I jumping the water and scrubbed the hull and rudder. There was a layer of green scum that came right off. Very refreshing!
After race analysis over some beverages showed that the boats that went inshore got shore breezes and finished on the podium.
Trip Odometer: 15.49 miles
Moving Avg: 2.6 knots
Moving Time: 05:53:27
Google Earth track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120714.kmz
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