A Windy Test

Survival was the name of the game for many sailors today as the wind broke the 30 knot barrier in Weymouth. With conditions at the edge of sailable for many boats, the race committee kept the fleets to two courses, each manned with plenty of safety boats.

The Stars were the last to start on the Harbor Course as the dark clouds began to push in from the east and the wind topped out at 38 knots on the lighthouse at the harbor entrance. Andrew and I decided to start safe to leeward of the pack bunched up at the heavily favored boat end of the line. We made it to the weather mark in the top ten, but the boats were so tightly bunched that we had our air stolen and had to bail out, finally rounding in… LAST!

Down wind it was full on and we jibed away from the fleet into clear water as Stars make a huge stern wake in these conditions. By the leeward mark we had clawed back to mid fleet and a good leeward mark rounding put us back in the top ten.

On the second run it was survival conditions, no pole running. Half way down the run a massive puff came down the course causing chaos and taking one rig out. We adjusted our course and caught the puff perfectly, planning down the run, rig pointed skyward.

On the last beat we were able to hold position and then fend off a tight pack of 6 boats close on our stern to finish 7th. An improvement on yesterday but it showed how much work we still have to do in these conditions.

Tomorrow the weather looks to be more like traditional Weymouth; cold, windy, with rain. At least two races scheduled tomorrow with 7 more by the medal race on Saturday.