Ming - Perata Race Series

RACE 2 - May 17                                                     (Contributed by Hank Lindemann)
The weather was a fairly consistent, wind speeds 10 to 15 knots, a good flood with barely enough water to get us all out to the course by the start. The start was postponed once with the start gun at 13:16:05.  Three boats arrived at the course, Blackjack, Free Spirit and Anemone.  Blackjack experienced boom gear trouble and had to return to the Club.  Free Spirit and Anemone started with some challenges for each boat around start times (Anemone) and Free Spirit with a tough time getting on a starboard tack. Both boats split tacks Anemone going south and Free Spirt west.  

First to A1, the weather mark, was Anemone.  The next mark, 36 Free Spirt laid perfectly with Anemone going too low and having to heat it back up in lumpy, breezy conditions and while carrying too much sail.  Free Spirit rounded about 3 minutes ahead of Anemone.  The breeze still strong made for an exciting close reach back to A1 with Free Spirit rounding about the same 3 or 4 minutes ahead.  Free Spirit went further North on the downwind leg, maybe anticipating flood sweep to the right and Anemone covered and tried to shave distance.  

The breeze lightened to the North and by the leeward mark. Anemone rounded 30 seconds behind Free Spirit.  Both boats headed for the finish line.  Free Spirit tacked onto Starboard and Anemone had to duckfree. Spirit and sailed on to the Committee Boat layline and tacked back to starboard. This time Anemone got the right-of-way and went for the line still on starboard getting the gun and Free spirit a clocked 11 seconds later got a horn.  All in all a very exciting last few legs with a number of position changes during the 8 ¾ mile course. (Final Results Detailed Below)

A special thanks to the Committee and the salad makers at the BBQ.