July 1 Shakedown Race
By Tomasz Dvorak
We Knockabout racers often call the first race of the summer the “shakedown” race, in which we demonstrate the efficacy of our diligent off season maintenance (or lack thereof). The possibility of public humiliation in front of the whole village, the probability of minor breakdowns, and the certainty of porch beers brought out five boats, the rest of the fleet still relaxing in winter quarters.
The race committee, aiming for a “shake” race (as in “shake off the cobwebs”) and not a “down” race (as in “the mast came down”), mandated a reef and sent us through the Hole and under the lee of Nonamesset. The course would be to Hadley Rock buoy, upwind to a drop mark, back around the buoy, and then twice more upwind before running back home to the finish. Conditions were a gusty southwesterly breeze paired with more-or-less slack tide. Under these conditions the fleet might enjoy the luxury of splitting tacks and seeking air.
Despite a winter’s worth of cobwebs, the fleet hit the line for a postcard start, with the only laggard being Luciole (her skipper, brain pickled by a winter on Bourbon Street, had whiled away precious pre-start minutes chasing that elusive creature, the port-tack start). Rumblefish led, followed closely by Skimmer, Escargot, Luna Nova, and then Luciole. The optimism of the early race, before one’s illusions of a win are shattered and positions calcify, the exuberance of finally-finally! enjoying the summer southwest, and the occasional feeling of pure panic when a hitherto unseen boat hails “starboard!”, are what brings me out every year. It’s beaten only by the (rare) pleasure of looking behind to see the whole fleet.
With the current doing not much of anything, and the breeze freshening, the fleet beat towards Devil’s Toe, trading positions still. Luna Nova tacked for the channel, only to discover Luciole charging towards her on starboard, forcing a sudden, slow, sail-shivering second tack. After flopping over on port herself, Luciole discovered Escargot had somehow snuck ahead on starboard and was forced to duck downwind, losing her “slot” of clear air-and disillusioning her of any hopes of catching the leaders. The fleet, now having made the channel, settled in for a long close-hauled leg into outer Hadley, with Rumblefish and Skimmer staying high, followed by Escargot, with Luciole still seeking clear air below them and Luna Nova footing off for speed and just-barely clearing the Devil’s Foot spindle.
Racing into outer Hadley’s with a southwest breeze is often an exercise more in luck than skill. Nonamesset, the island that makes Hadley such a popular anchorage for the cruising class, occludes, deflects, and sometimes blocks the wind. That steady southwest becomes swirling southerly and westerly zephyrs that vary not only in direction but also in velocity. One can go from hiking out and pointing up twenty degrees in a strong lift to groaning and bearing off, desperately trying to keep the sails full as the island’s topography sends a header and a lull at the same time.
Rumblefish led the fleet, closely observed by the rest of the fleet for any sign that one tack or another would be more favored. As if we didn’t really know better; those breezy sprites under Nonamesset never do the same thing twice. Skimmer swung to starboard, hoping to swap places with Rumblefish by switching to the other course side. Escargot stayed on port all the way up, while Luciole (skipper’s neurons re-activated by saltwater to the face) decided that maybe doing Something in clear air was better than definitely doing Nothing in Escargot’s bad air, also went over. Luna Nova, perhaps watching the rest of the fleet wobble in the capricious breeze, chose to stay further offshore in steadier wind before taking a long starboard tack in.
At the mark, a shocker: Rumblefish led. Skimmer followed, then Escargot, then Luciole (having caught up to within a few boatlengths of Escargot), with Luna Nova in a distant fifth. The parade downwind began, with Luciole wishing-hoping-praying for a mistake by a boat ahead that would put her in third. In the event, the mistake was Luciole’s. While trying to sneak inside at the leeward mark, she neglected her mainsheet and slowed to a crawl before heading up. Luciole’s malediction having backfired, Escargot opened up the lead again. At the next windward, however, Luciole slid in front of Escargot - hard to explain why, other than inarticulate gestures indicating the randomness of the breezes underneath Nonamesset - and kept that spot for the rest of the race.
The fleet, now sorted into Position for the week, now relaxed and appreciated some beautiful sailing weather. Not really. They kept sailing like there was some kind of race happening. Skimmer chased Rumblefish across the Hole. Luciole fended off a late downwind attack by Escargot using a time-honored three part strategy: 1. well, it’s hard to pass downwind 2. these boats aren’t that fast anyways 3. and anyways the finish is pretty close now. Luna Nova picked up speed coming around the last windward mark, and free to sail the best course rather than keep an attacking boat from passing, made up substantial distance on Escargot and Luciole.
Results:
1. Rumblefish (Nick Lowell) 0:00
2. Skimmer (Freddy Denton) 0:44
3. Luciole (Tomasz Dvorak) 1:43
4. Escargot (Brett Longworth) 1:47
5. Luna Nova (Fran Elder) 2:26