Across the Hole
By Tomasz Dvorak
Note: The race reports are now also available online at racereports.jibsheets.com
Wind: a steady southwest, maybe ten knots, maybe not that much, dying as the sunset (so much earlier than in July) approached. Current: running south-east through the Hole. No slack at the current-change today either, so that whatever the tide did, it would be consistent for the whole race. Course: HDA.
Last week’s race on the south side of Nonamesset was so pleasant that we decided to do it again, but this time with foul tide in Vineyard Sound. First out to H, beating slowly against a foul tide, then ride that same tide to the Gaslight, turn upwind for A, then cross the Hole and finish (crossing the Hole, only three words now, but just you wait until we get to the part of the race…)
Ten boats came out to enjoy some summer sailing. Luciole, delayed and short-handed, arrived late to the line and watched the fleet get a picture-perfect start. Up-ahead, Ragwagon and Luna Nova took their accustomed positions as leaders of the race (Rumblefish, also running late, wasn’t among them-yet). With the tide streaming into the Sound from Buzzards Bay, the fleet battled across two current plumes, one racing down the Strait and curving towards Juniper, and the other rushing through Broadway and thence into the Sound.
Said currents have a nasty tendency to push boats alllll the way down to Juniper and make them miss the Respecting Mark which separates salty Cape Cod sailors from day-tripping Vineyard tourists. Boats today demonstrated three approaches to this conundrum: 1) foot off, gain speed, and tack for the mark once outside the worst of the current; 2) point up, stay high, and hopefully make the mark; or 3) switch between the two approaches, realize that not only have you lost all your speed trying to point up but that you’re still not going to make the mark, flop over onto port so as not to be disqualified, and count the transoms of more decisive boats up ahead. The majority of the fleet picked either option 1 or 2, while Luciole and a few others meandered across the passage and found out they’d chosen option 3.
After making obeisance to the Gaslight, the fleet began the long tacking-tournament up to H. The foul tide kept boats close in to shore, and more than once what looked like a sure layline to the mark slipped away. In conditions like these, the urge to pinch becomes irresistible…just point, just a little, just make it a little higher…maybe we can trim in a little more…was that Rumblefish that just passed us…?
At H, only newcomer Seattle Gray and Escargot lagged behind Luciole, and Escargot was coming up fast. Libations aboard Luciole distracted her momentarily, and Escargot surged up to attack. The two boats raced neck-and-neck downcurrent, caught up in a private competition. Escargot loomed on the starboard quarter, then fell back again, slipped behind Luciole’s stern, blanketed her, and passed her right at the mark.
With a lovely view of the fleet going home, Luciole tacked in desperation, then found herself far ahead of Escargot and gaining still. Maybe we could still get the boat moving a little fast and hold on to a little hope of catching another boat.
Up ahead, the leaders encountered Broadway at full force. The impact of the tide went through the deck and into the feet of the crews crossing the first channel. Boats ghosted along under the lee of Sheep Pen Harbor, then slid far to leeward, sails shivering in the chop. Luciole, benefiting from the vision of boats struggling to stem the tide, tried a secret tactic, and nearly picked up a place on Who’s There. See, there’s a little eddy that forms on the inside of Red Ledge, and you can ride it all the way up into the current-lee of the rocks…staying high for the Strait crossing…and gain a bit on any boat that bore away too far to try and keep the wind.
With that and a few other tricks, Luciole nearly-almost overtook Who’s There, who had been taken aback and was floating somewhere out by Parker Flats. And now – the bittersweet finish of the final race of the summer for Luciole’s skipper. You’ll all have to turn to the Actual Currents blog for more Knockabout racing reports, which features pretty, interactive maps, well-written commentary, and sections that require a Ph. D. in applied computational synoptic near-shore oceanographic dynamic fluid modelling to understand (and I know that many of you do).
Results:
1. Ragwagon (Peter Ochs) 0:00
2. Luna Nova (Fran Elder) 0:08
3. Rumblefish (Nick Lowell) 0:55
4. Skimmer (Ava Warner) 5:26
5. Jilt (Chuck Verbeck) 5:54
6. Ghost (Tom Lanagan) 6:30
7. Who’s There (Sam Munson) 8:00
8. Luciole (Tomasz Dvorak) 8:30
9. Escargot (Brett Longworth) 10:41
10. Seattle Gray (unknown) 14:25