Lucy and Machbuster Get Wins in the Fog

For the first time in recent memory, Fleet 12 raced in fog that came and went throughout the afternoon. Often fog is seen across the bay on race day, but today the fog was on the race course itself, adding a new element to the test. The wind was fairly steady at about 12 knots from the south southwest, the tide in the last hour of ebb at the first start. Race Committee Dave Cain and Peter Converse successfully set a square and generous line, belying the difficulty of setting the pin in the deep channel. The course for race #1 was Zp, finish.

The proper starting line and the limited visibility prompted the fleet to reach back and forth in tight formation during pre-start maneuvering. Seven boats were on the line, Bad News (coaching at a jr. regatta) and Good News (boom under repair) were absent, Chaos and as yet a mystery boat, USA 221, were first-time starters this season. The pin was heavily favored on account of proximity to the windward mark and the outgoing tide gradient. Lucy, skippered today by the estimable Cory Sertl with crew Denise MacGillvray and Emily Gowell, found herself early at the pin, and had to bail out. The newcomer USA 221 squeezed by the pin and then inexplicably (perhaps not realizing that Lucy, not Machbuster, was the boat to beat) sailed a very high, slow angle when bow down towards a more favorable channel current was called for. The ensuing jam-up to windward slowed Machbuster and Conundrum, allowing Lucy to cut her losses. Matt Dunbar’s USA 1575, and Lowell Thomas’ Chaos, more to the middle, ended up with the best starts. Visibility was still not too bad and the fleet stayed close on the way to Z. By the windward mark, Lucy had moved to the front by several lengths ahead of USA 1575 and Chaos. USA 221, Machbuster, Conundrum, and Paladin rounded almost nose to tail. Machbuster rolled USA 221 after a slow set, and she wasn’t seen again (hopefully it was a gear problem, or the fog, and they will return). Sailing with only two aboard, the mystery boat clearly showed competitive speed and spirit during their brief appearance. The remaining fleet spread out on the run to the finish, as a variety of tactics vis-à-vis tide, wind, and finish line angle were viable. Machbuster sailed more of a rhumb line course to the pin end, hoping the ebb tide was diminished, and nearly stole second place from USA 1575 in a bang-bang finish. Chaos, fresh off last Fall’s huge Around-the-Island win, was, relegated to fourth. With Conundrum’s middle crew stuck in Newport traffic, Bill Porter had elected to turn over the helm to Adele Huffine and do everything else himself. While they gamely stayed in the hunt, they only managed a fifth, just ahead of FJ Ritt’s Paladin.

The course was unchanged for the second race and the visibility slightly worse. This time Machbuster was early at the pin and got flushed, having to duck everyone on port. As in race#1, the windward leg saw Lucy quickly move to a controlling position, only this time Paladin had a better start and dueled with USA 1575 for second, with everyone still in touch. The rest of the race played out like the first one, only this time Paladin just held off Machbuster at the line for third, behind Lucy and USA 1575. Chaos and Conundrum followed.
Race #3 kept the same course, but by now the tide was beginning to flood. It was Lucy’s turn to be early at the pin, leaving the best position for Machbuster’s taking. It wasn’t clear whether the tide change or Lucy’s forced port tack start was the cause for the rest of the fleet to also go right almost immediately, but regardless, Machbuster found herself alone on the left. A decent righty during the first four minutes lifted the fortunate blue boat to a nice advantage, which she consolidated with a tack back to the right. As the fleet approached Z, visibility was down to about 75 yards, Machbuster was slightly ahead and to leeward of Lucy and when Z finally appeared, Lucy was overstood, allowing Machbuster to lead at the top mark. On the run, Lucy sailed slightly higher and faster to the Jamestown shore, while Machbuster stayed closer to the rhumb line, and perhaps better current. The inability to see the finish from more than 75 yards away added to the drama, and when the committee boat finally came into view, it was on Machbuster’s bow and the vaunted Lucy was forced to fall in line astern. Fittingly, the Thunderbirds (Quonset Air Show) zoomed overhead rattling windows just as Machbuster took her first win of the new season! Matt Dunbar came third, wrapping up a career day for USA 1575. Conundrum, finally with three aboard and Bill back at the helm, took fourth, ahead of Paladin and Chaos.

Bad News’ absence today ceded the early season lead to Lucy who leads Machbuster by three points, USA 1575 by four, and Conundrum by seven. Of course throwouts will eventually render these early standings meaningless.