Lightning Racing on June 26, 2005

Six boats competed today and close racing was the order of the day. With winds light and variable from the east, it was easy to get behind - and easy to catch up for boats in the right place at the right time.

Before the first race, the Race Committee's course was looking questionable - but when they fired up the start sequence, it was clear that they had placed the marks exactly where they belonged. Dave Vietti, Sandy Vietti and John Fishbeck did an excellent job.

"Wind Dancer" was sailed today by Pat Dolan, Chris Miller and Gil Chesbro. Here they display some of the form that resulted in wins in both the first two races of the day. They finished second in the third race. Chris is looking for wind, waves and traffic - playing her key downwind role of tactician.

Two of the highest priorities in lake racing are finding more wind and catching the shifts. Believing the wind was in a left phase at the start, "Wind Dancer" has gone right - then tacked as a "righty" came in.

The decision was justified as they cross the fleet.

Here is a leeward mark rounding sequence. "Wind Dancer" is completing her spinnaker douse and is set up for a good turn back to windward. Mike Moody (green and white spin) is approaching on starboard tack - ready to exercise rights against the remaining boats, most of which are on port tack. Any on starboard, Mike will have leeward rights on. Mike's angle also has him coming in hot. To be successful, the crew will need to execute a high quality gybe tackdown.

"Wind Dancer" is ready to pass the mark on her way back to windward. The crew is leaning in to achieve leeward heel - facilitating the turn.

The next two pictures show the skill of Jamie Rasmussen and Jennifer McKervey. In a very short time frame, the spinnaker goes from full and pulling to dowsed and a "in wide, out close" rounding. Well done. Bananas (red and white spin) is also on starboard, but her angle isn't allowing the speed Moody's Booty achieves so the boats in front are not threatened with having to yield right of way at the two length circle.

Although the Moody's Booty crew is still cleaning up from the takedown, the boat is going fast and has executed the rounding well.

"Banana's" crew of Coleman Baar (front), Maribeth Fletcher (trimming the spinnaker) and Jim Fletcher (driving) has the boat going very fast. They finished a close second in race one.

Mike Moody prepares for the start by timing the line, getting a transit and checking the wind.

Merrick Hurlbutt executed a quick gybe at the windward mark and got inside the other boats. Adrianne Tuttle is finishing up some foredeck work while Scott Watkins keeps the spinnaker full.

Neil Harrison had some good moments. Not too much further down the leg, he has caught a gust and moved up to lead the group.

Tom Rasmussen and Gary Marx sailed with Larry Koster on "Shibumi". Here they have caught the first shift and are moving to consolidate their position.

As "Shibumi" goes around the windward makr, Tom Rasmussen has the pole set and Gary Marx has pulled the spinnaker to the end of the pole - ready to fill.

The "Bananas" crew works to get the spinnaker full after having just rounded the windward mark.

Neil Harrison and crew work to achieve just the right balance going to windward. Alanna Harvey and John Quensen go to leeward in order to make it possible for Neil to be on the windward side where he can see better.

The work of Neil and his crew pays off with a windward mark rounding in first place.

A key moment in race three finds "Wind Dancer" to leeward and slightly ahead of "Moody's Booty" with several hundred yards to go on port tack and fifty yards to go on starboard for the wind ward mark. "Wind Dancer" decides to tack and go astern of "Moody's Booty" thinking there was more wind there. Mike continues on, wisely it turns out, and opens up a lead that he extends all the way to the finish.