Back on Shark. Time to see if we can repeat a clean score, or if those three firsts had just been flukes. http://giovannigaleotti.blogspot.com/2008/12/317.html.
We face a couple of challenges right off the bat. First the weather. The racing area is smack dab in the middle of three minor lows. The forecast is for a shift 50 degrees to the left at pretty much a constant rate throughout the day. Looking at the isobars the only predictable thing is unpredictability. That's how it turns out; the wind ends up shifting 30 degrees to the right. On top of that, the breeze is a patchy 10 to 14 with a minefield of holes.
The second challenge is our new beautiful, super fast 3DL 850 carbon sails. There has been no time for tuning and we will be playing with the rig tension between races. Given the tricky conditions our beautiful but unfamiliar sails could become a distraction if we only give it half a chance.
When expecting large random shifts, the thing to do is start well and then consolidate any gains immediately. I ask the guys to prepare for a fight as there is no way we will lead 100% of the time as we had in the steadier conditions of our previous sail.
We are early on the line in the first start and have to shed too much speed. Terrible start. We take some transoms and after a couple of tacks to clear our air find a lane that takes us to the weather mark in fourth. A couple of well placed jybes on the first run and we get inside at the leeward mark and into second. The first boat is too far ahead and that's how we finish.
The next two races good starts, tight covering and good tactical runs allow us two victories, one comfortable, one tight despite some minor boathandling issues.
With a 2,1,1 we win the day, not perfect but we will take it. Good job, Christopher, Jan, Jim, Steve, Joost, and Giel. Those sweet new sails are well deserved.
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