Now it’s happened from time to time that i don’t get a race report from anyone, but I have LOVE this years Enthusiasm– Two reports right off the bat. Keep it up all you Shakespeares out there!
On a beautiful early spring day on Narragansett Bay, Newport Shields Fleet #9 competed in the opening race of the 2009 Spring Series. With about 14 boats in attendance, Dr. Robin Wallace and his crack team of race committee volunteers wasted no time in starting the season off on a high note. The race was sailed in a southerly breeze at about 5-10 knots and the current was just changing to flood. Dr. Wallace chose a starting area south of Rose Island and sent the fleet to the race buoy off of Hammersmith Farm. The course was 4p Sp twice around. On the first beat we decided to work the left side to get out of the incoming current. We soon found out, somewhere around the point of Fort Adams, that the current was still going out at the Dumplings. We decided to head west to the uphill flow but we never really crossed the tide line. 258 was the leader out of the right side and 222 did well by working the left all the way to the weather mark. They rounded 1, 2 and we ended up rounding 5th after missing the last shift to the left.
Dr. Wallace’s choice of a twice ’round course was vital in the 217 comeback as the racers maintained their placements around the first leeward mark, the red bell off of Rose Island lighthouse. This time 217 struck out for the right side and tactician Tim Healy sited the Dumplings honor buoy perfectly. Working up the inside right, John Dory experienced a right shift and slack current at the Dumplings and then dove back left in good pressure to cross the incoming river. We managed to cross 226, who worked the Newport side hard, by 2-3 boat lengths. 222 sailed the middle of course and faded back a bit due to the incoming current. We rounded in first followed by 226.
The course was changed to 6p (green bell) for the last leeward mark and our crew worked hard to maintained our lead to the finish line 1/4 mile to weather of the green Bell. . All around it was a great start to the 2009 Spring Series. Thanks to the RC and the fleet for a beautiful night o racing!
Eric Hanson- 217 John Dory