Windsor Wednesday Race - You got fins to the left, fins to the right

This race was only one leg out and back to finish. Thunderstorms to the north and thunderstorms to the south. 5 minutes before the gun we were reading 60 degrees apparent on port but at the gun we were getting 40 degrees at 8 knots, too little for a code 0.  This seemed to be the day Jayhawker would seem to follow me around the start. I could not just shake them and therefore could not get up to the pin end of the line. Night Moves was to the far left and then Merlin. We started up even with them and managed to scoot up enough to round with NM to the outside and Merlin behind after they got gassed by Night Moves. Jayhawker just did not start with her nose out enough in order get traction on us to the right. Hot Ticket had managed to get ahead of us at mark A by reaching up from below. They rounded in 15 knots of air and immediately shrimped the spinnaker, stopping the boat. I dove inside just missing them and NM got to the windward side of us. Fortunately the spinnaker raise was nearly perfect so we managed to get our nose in front of them. At that point it was a drag race with our .75 to the river. I boats to the left and boats to the right and we were the only bait in town to paraphrase Jimmy Buffett. We managed to hold of NM through the river nearly going aground. When they went up on us we went with them so they would not roll us but stayed on the left side this time. With nearly perfect trimming by the crew we finished 35 seconds ahead. The lesson I learned last week was that the wind lasts a little longer on that side and it turned out to be the right move.

Result: 1st out of 6 J120s
Link: http://www.windsoryachtclub.com/regatta2006/WYC 2006 Fall Race 5.pdf

COURSE 5 - 4.6 nautical miles
Start to A (110o) leaving it to starboard
-then to DP7 (275o) leaving it to starboard
-then to DP5 leaving it to starboard
-then to finish line.