Piscataqua Sailing Association

J24 Summer Race Series 2012

Overall

R15 - 7/19/12 at 

Light, light; a shifty light breeze prevailed during both races. It was questionable if racing was even to be had this pleasant July evening.

Tom set the first course, #2 once around. At the start, a big shift made the pin heavily favored. Race one turned into a reach- reach with some boats not bothering to set chutes. Matrix captured a bullet managing to get ahead of Big Ben who had rounded first. Boats starting at the RC boat were heavily disadvantaged, many boats continued to sail sheeted in on a reach.

R16 - 7/19/12 at 

For the second race Tom re-arranged the marks and set a course two twice around with the breeze steadying a bit. With another shift the boat was heavily favored. The ensuing jam-up at the boat with no less than 1/2 the fleet being early, earned us the first general recall of the season. The RC boat moved back a bit but not enough, on the restart another jam up ensued. Stay Calm with a guest skipper at the helm tried to barge in at the committee boat, ended up colliding with at least one boat may be more and didn't seem to know how to sail clear to do his turns. What a mess. Corona stayed clear of the crowd, got a good shift and managed to round first but failed to find speed down wind. The course was shortened to finish down wind. Sugaree emerged from the fray with a bullet. Congratulations Caleb.

R17 - 7/26/12 at 

On my way out to race tonight It seemed doubtful if any racing at all was going to be had. A light southerly breeze had faded to nothing. We pick up a lobster pot, sat and waited with the sails below. As if on queue about 15 minutes before the warning a bunch of easterly zephyrs filled in just enough to get a race off. Tom set course two once around, the line fairly square with the pin being favored by my read. The fleet behaved with a clean start.

Matrix & Stay Calm went with tradition in an easterly and dug deep left, myself and a few others spied a wind field left of middle and sailed for that. Boats heading right seemed to run out of air. Stay Calm rounded first and held on for the bullet. Rob on Big Ben, on the down wind leg reached for the mouth of the river and seemed to gain a boat or two. All and all a challenging but fair light air race. The breeze faded toward the end of the race precluding a second start.

Andy

R18 - 8-9-12 at 

I guess 2012 will go down as super light, jibs could have been left at home. This evening a few clouds rolling through brought some wind to the race course but over all a challenging race that was on the verge of being abandoned. I guess we can be thankful the few thunderstorms in the area missed us. Tom set up course two twice around but quickly shortened to once around as it became apparent the wind under the cloud was dissipating. 11 of the fourteen answered the gun with Ken Early skippering Stay Calm for the cruising Doug Pinciaro.

The line was short with the boat favored by my read. Fruit Cakes was early and couldn't get around the ends, Bad Dog was closed out by Cork Soakers at the committee and was forced to go around with the wind going really light with 1 minute left in the sequence. Boats made it to the windward mark ok but it really shut down about 1/2 though the downwind leg. Spinnakers disappeared, the wind went forward then aft, many boats sailed the

R19 - 8-16-12 at 

The thunder storm in Kittery made racing questionable but was just out of the area. At 17:30 no wind; out toward Appeldore Tom found a SSW wind field and set a course. It was light but enough to get a short one in. Race one, started as a course two once around but was shortened to a downwind finish. 9 boats answered the gun with Ken Early again skippering Stay Calm for the cruising Doug Pinciaro. Hurricane off the mooring but not reporting for the race.
Race one, the committee was heavily favored, with Brew HA HA and Bad Dog contending for the boat end start. Matrix went left almost to port lay line. Brew HA HA tacked early to clear his air and went furthest right; Groves the corner hunter at his best. He who was able to gybe immediately after rounding had a big advantage, no letting the crew settle in after the rounding. Matrix showed how it is done, rounding first, setting without a pole, pole up after gybe. Matrix finished first with Bad Dog just behind.

R20 - 8-16-12 at 

Tom reset the start line for westerly shift and got another course 1 once around race off. The line was much squarer for the second race. Matrix led most of the fleet off to left with Fruit Cakes and Bad Dog choosing the right side. Matrix rounded first, followed by Bad Dog and then Fruit Cakes, with boats pretty much finishing the race in the order they rounded.

The crew of Phat Tail put on a great lasagna feed with an apple and ice cream desert. Thanks Jim. Next week Lenny Cushing and the crew of Cork Soakers will suprise us.

A hearing was held at he KPYC post race by the protest Committee on Cork Soakers redress request to abandon last weeks race. The request was denied.

R21 - 8-23-12 at 

Thursday Night Sailing Minute,
with your host Andrius Keturakis.

Finally, the most breeze all year; a nice 10-12 south west breeze at the start of the first race. Tom set up a course two, with the committee heavily favored, four boats early near the boat obscure the rest of the line getting us the second general recall of the season. Another shift during next sequence made the boat so favored Tom abandoned. A stuck anchor later, the line was reset Tom overcompensating making the pin favored. Finally a race was off.

Doug Pinciaro couldn't get there in time showing up as a spectator in his whaler. Emmett Todd of Epic Flight was playing soccer and Bill from Hurricane MIA. Lenny Cushing showed with a new boat for him Cork Soaker II aka Nuclear Pigs.

R22 - 8-23-12 at 

The second race, started as course two and with the fading breeze was changed to a downwind finish.

R23 - 8-30-12 at 

Crisp clear fall breezes have arrived, a nice 10-15 knot west south westerly with relatively flat seas greeted the fleet tonight. 13 of the 14 showed up. Tom fearing a loss of wind and daylight set a once around course two for the first race. For the first time this year the fleet had to think about tightening up shrouds, what did you set your rig to?

The start of the first was generally square with oscillations slightly favoring the pin. Most of the fleet dug deep into the left side of the course, some holding starboard till well past the port layline. Of the left crowd Bad Dog tacked first and was lifted nicely to the mark, rounding first. Matrix won the ensuing down leg and held the position for the bullet.

R24 - 8-30-12 at 

The wind had faded quite a bit for the second race, Tom set a quick course one. 4328, Nuclear Pigs, Lenny's new boat grabbed the win.

Well one more race and its a season, see you all next week.

Best,
Andy

R25 - 9-6-12 at 

Well that's a season. A fading 8-10 Knot S-SW breeze with big lumps and huge holes presented some challenging conditions. Tom set course 1 with a down wind finish, once around with the pin heavily favored at the start. A portion of the left side had a significant wind advantage and those going left made out. The wind nearly died on the right making it difficult to make way in the lumpy seas for the unfortunate souls that choose or ended up on the right. Cork Soakers grabbed the win making it two in a row. Corona showed some good speed ending up 4th.

The season end celebration will be held Saturday September 29th on the lawn of the Tarbell Estate in New Castle, I look forward to seeing you there.

A fleet haul out date of the 28th of September has been set with Noel at the UNH. Please let me know if you are interested. He can accommodate about five or six boats.

Best,
Andy