Another Near Perfect Night

Yea, I know, it would have been a good night for Silver Eel Cove, but...not really.  Two laps around North Hill was the obvious choice with a solid 10-15 knot southerly and a dying flood.   So, what was on the left that attracted 90% of the fleet on the first upwind leg?  Then, right seemed favored on the second upwind leg.  Scuttlebutt over cocktails after the racing was divided, unsure, committed..it all depended on who you talked to.  In the end, going fast is the game and it was a night for many to do that.

Some scenes that impressed...Ursa Minor gybing back and forth in front of Patriot on the final downwind leg.  Patriot towering over head, a giant Baltic 39 chasing down the nimble Evelyn 25.  Ursa Minor hung on, zipping back and forth, to take the fleet gun. Patriot just 15 seconds behind.  Wild Horses and Eclipse screaming into the leeward mark, Horses looking very much like it's name in the puffy breezy.  Meanwhile, Crystal Slipper and Defiant battling their own spinnaker demons right in front.  The next few minutes were chaotic as Slipper rounded, dropped their chute and all looked good until suddenly the chute got away, into the water, the boat did a 180, pulled around by a shrimping chute and crossed back into the rounding traffic, threading their way right over Defiant's chute.  Or something like that.  The story will likely be told at the Awards party on September 7th!  Late... when the last award is handed out.  Matt, make sure you are there too!

Meanwhile, Plummet made a great recovery after last week's dark adventure, by grabbing the Class Two gun.  Jolly Mon opted for wing and wing strategy and grabbed Class One.  Pleased to see Dan Andrews in the hunt on Breaking Wind.  They were 3rd boat to the leeward mark on the first lap.  It sure helps when you have crew, Dan!  More wild finishes than we've seen in awhile, with boats surging across the line.  Shearwater and Quantum Leap crossing from opposite gybes inches apart.  Ringle showed her stuff...finally the right breeze, and Banjo took the measure of the competitive Class Four with a summer win.  And what's with Brer Rabbitt?  Two weeks in a row with Class 3 wins.  

So, we are down to one race to go.  The overall results both in class and in fleet have been posted so far and we have some very close races to contend with going into the final Wednesday night.   And who will win the Runner Up Cup?  So, secure your boats over the weekend from Irene so everyone is able to make the final showdown.   Here are the results.