Groundhog Day Race Rept – Feb 12, 2012

Final Try Results

After one try cancelled because of too much wind (Jan 22nd), and a second try cancelled because of no wind (Feb 5th), this year’s third attempt at completing the Groundhog Day Race met with success. Five boats were present at the start line, although the original plan was to try the much longer Portland-Moresby Race. The P-M race had enthusiastically started in the hope of building wind, but within minutes the wind began to lose consistency and speed, and a fleet decision was made to return to the start line and try another course. This avoided the likely scenario of a long float and an incomplete event, and turned out to be a wise decision as it allowed all boats to complete a meaningful course with enough wind to have fun.

Close racing was made possible by the reverse handicap starts. Although one boat misunderstood its start time and took off 10 minutes early (so fast that its name was a blur), that only provided more incentive for the remaining pack to wait for the correct time and follow in hot pursuit. By the first mark, the gap had closed considerably, and by the second it was apparent that a decision to venture deep into the tidal flow of Captain Passage toward the wrong mark cost the first boat the rest of its huge lead. This put things approximately right, at least in the opinion of the other four boats, and showed if nothing else that everyone was quite relaxed on this particular Sunday morning.

The finish order reflected various Skippers’ decisions to manage tacks and spinnaker hoists on the relatively short course, and was basically baked in from Welbury Spar. One boat, which shall also remain nameless, took its usual concern to keep displacement as light as possible to a new extreme: it simply ran out of fuel at the start line and completed the race undaunted. Good thing it had sharp crew to help it sail into its berth and moor without incident once home. – Report by Philippe Erdmer on Electra