The race was a carbon copy of the first race in terms of condition - a nice all be it light northerly that meant we were sailing the same course as race #1.
This series is pursuit style racing, with the slower boats leaving first, and everyone having a a fixed time to start racing at. This week we used start time #3.
We got off on time and at the favoured end, following EX out near the pin. We were able to clear the breakwater on the first tack and even though the current was running with us meaning we should be heading out we choose the lift up the beach and to minimize tacking ( mostly because as we are in cruise mode - tiny jib only - we do not excellarate well enough to tack effectively.)
We managed to pass everyone but EX as we neared the turning mark and only Avalanche was threatening to squeeze by us and they did just as tacked and approached the mark - solidly in third place.
We did a jibe set and got the big red A2 up but didn't seem to be making up as much ground as we had hoped to. Plus 10 and Marquis headed in after rounding and seemed to be doing better. We knew we needed to get to the shore to get out of this bad tide so we jibed over....only to struggle badly with pressure! We looked back at EX and Avalanche and they seemed to be getting away so we bailed on our plan and went back to chase after them.
We made up ground fast but as we approached the break water we knew we were "treading water". We had caught right up to EX but Avalanched had squirted away. We knew weren't going to catch them if we just followed so we tried again to get to the shore........and this time after 2-3 minutes it worked. We stopped drifting sideways and managed to get pressure in the sail. We hit our lay line and jibed over, now in some real nice pressure.
Matthew took over driving from Alyssa, who helped Ivan and I jibe the boat and when we finished the jibe we just took off, eventually doing 6.2 knots over the water - while everyone else just floated along. We were very close to the finish line and managed to pop out on top by about 30 seconds ahead of Avalanche.
Back at the dock - talk was that we must have turned the motor on to get that much speed at the end, while we told them it was all skill, when in truth it was as lucky as it was skillful:) but you have to be good to be lucky and we will take the Win.
Happiest moment for me was that my daughter, who was out for her first ever race, got her first win, just like Matthew did in her first race......
Thanks to Andrea we were well fed and enjoyed cold drinks........the full moon was an added bonus not to mention the amazing sunset. A perfect night!
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