The First night of match racing produced some exciting sailing. The wind started out of the west at 4 knots and shifted to the northwest and increased to almost 6 knots before it started to diminish during the second race. The wind shift required a last minute change in the line and windward mark placement, delaying the start of the first match.
The match started with DeCouteau-Koran and Visser-Stuart mixing it up at the pin end of the line. DeCouteau-Koran on port tack was called for a foul as they gybed to starboard close in front of Visser-Stuart causing them to have to alter course to avoid a collision. With one foul already in the bank even before the start, Visser-Stuart forced DeCouteau-Koran away from the starting line and started well ahead and heading toward the favored side of the line. Visser-Stuart held a commanding lead at the windward mark but forgot that it was to be left to starboard and they rounded in the wrong direction. By the time they realized their error and rounded correctly, DeCouteau-Koran hand caught and passed them. Visser-Stuart kept it close knowing that DeCouteau-Koran had a penalty to take. As they approached the finish DeCouteau-Koran took their penalty and finished just ahead of Visser-Stuart.
In the second race both boats were circling in close quarters near the committee end of the line. At one point DeCouteau-Koran went head to wind and backed their main to slow their forward progress forcing Visser-Stuart as overtaking boat to alter course to avoid a collision. Visser-Stuart wanted a penalty for a violation of Rule 20.3. No penalty was given by the committee, because although the main was backed DeCouteau-Koran was never moving astern to violate the rule. DeCouteau-Stuart won the start, but Visser-Stuart were forced to retire due to a main halyard failure giving DeCouteau-Koran the match.
This match featured some close racing as Thompson-Thompson and Smith-Anderson were all the way around the course. In race 1 Thompson-Thompson won the start and had inside overlap at the first mark. When rounding the mark Smith-Anderson failed to provide room and was forced to take a penalty. However, forgetting that the penalty is only one turn, they took two turns. Thompson-Thompson managed to hold this lead around the course to win in race one.
Race two was just as close. Thompson-Thompson won the start, but Smith-Anderson managed to take the lead during the first beat by forcing Thompson-Thompson past the port lay line. Both boats came in on a reach with Smith-Anderson in the lead. Smith-Anderson held the lead on the run, however, they didn’t see that the course was shortened at the leeward mark and were heading for the pin, while the committee boat was the favored end of the finish line. Thompson-Thompson recognized the situation and headed to the committee end to finish with their bow just ahead of Smith-Anderson to win the race and the match.
During the starting sequence both boats failed to enter the starting area in the time required, and were assessed offsetting penalties. Dillashaw-Olsen won the start as Hansen-Hansen started on the wrong side of the committee. By the first windward mark Hansen-Hansen had managed to work their way into the lead. They held a close lead over the rest of the course, but stretched it out on the last run to the finish as they caught a wind shift and velocity increase on the right side of the course. Both boats retired before the start of their second race calling it a match.
After the racing we met at Tugboat Annie’s to tell lies and the winners of the matches treated the losers. It was a good night for me personally as my foul mouth only cost me $1 to my daughter’s college fund. The next night of match racing is scheduled for June 2. Make your plans to come and join in the fun.
Norm Smit
The second night of match racing had it all, a rematch, a grudge match, some newbies to match racing, some that called at the eleventh hour and some that cancelled at the last minute: a no-no when match racing. As it turned out everyone that came got a match and the wind cooperated filling in nicely from the northwest at 4 to 6 knots. We had 4 matches going at the same time so George “Gudenuph” Hansen and I were starting races non-stop and didn’t get to see much more than the start of each match, so most of this report was gleaned from listening to the lies afterward at Tugboat’s.
Mike was obviously determined not to make the same mistakes as in the first match and bringing in his ringer crew of Jamie Hamza, left no doubt who was the better match racer at least on this night. It started with the first race where Visser-Hamza left DeCouteau-Koran dazed and confused at a dead stop as the starting signal sounded. Visser-Hamza has them pinned away from the line and they started a good 30 seconds ahead of DeCouteau-Koran, which is an eternity in match racing. They held the substantial lead gained at the start the rest of the way around the course.
In the second race it looked like DeCouteau-Koran had the kinks worked out at the start and managed to leave Visser-Hamza at a standstill and had a good lead at the starting signal. It looked like all they needed to do was protect their lead and take Race 2. But, somehow Visser-Hamza managed to have a commanding lead by the first leeward mark. According to DeCouteau, "they got a lucky shift near the windward mark". I think DeCouteau-Koran forgot to cover. But Visser-Hamza were not available for comment after the racing.
In the third race it looked like DeCouteau-Koran had Visser-Hamza on the ropes. They managed to block them from crossing from the course side in time, and Visser-Hamza had a penalty before the race started. If that wasn’t enough DeCouteau-Koran worked Visser-Hamza into a disadvantaged position at the start and had a commanding lead at the starting signal. It looked for sure that this would be DeCouteau-Koran’s race. But it was not to be on this night. By the end of the race Visser-Hamza had such a lead that the penalty was no problem to take. In fact, they could have taken multiple penalties and still finished ahead. This was a night dominated by the Visser-Hamza team and DeCouteau-Koran were left dazed and confused, and wondering what happened.
There was some trash talking being done by the Downings at the last après fleet racing gathering at Tugboat’s before the matches. I overheard some talk about showing Thompson a thing or two about match racing as the challenge was made by Downing. However, Myra having other commitments, forced Joe into showing up alone to take on John Thompson and his son Kyle. During the first race Downing was trying to figure out the match racing starting rules, and how to handle his boat single handed. Thompson-Thompson won in a walk.
By Race 2 Downing had it figured out and the match was close as they matched each other tack for tack up to the windward mark. Thompson-Thompson managed to win the race but Downing was coming on and the wind was getting lighter making Downing’s task for handling the boat more manageable.
In the third Race Downing worked his way into the lead at the first windward mark and for awhile it looked like he may get a win. But as luck would have it, Thompson-Thompson used some of the boats in another match as a pick near the leeward mark and got inside of Downing to take the lead. Thompson-Thompson held the lead for the next two legs, but it was a close tacking and gybing duel up and down the course to the finish. Although Downing didn’t manage a win, he made a match of it sailing solo. Well done!
This was the first time match racing for both Mark and Jeff and they had some good starts without penalties. Unfortunately I was not able to get any good lies after the races from either competitor so I don’t have much to report.
All three races were taken by Foley-Lonfonno. After close starts Foley-Lonfonno were able to stretch the lead to finish ahead Kloppel-Kloppel.
This race was a last minute addition to the program and turned into a blood family feud. At least that is what it sounded like from the committee boat as this was the noisiest race of the night with much hailing back and forth between the father-son pairing.
Race 1 was extremely close as they dueled up and down the course. It looked like Donnette Jr. was going to take the race when they lost a jib car and Donnette Sr. crossed ahead to win the race. Donnette Jr. wanted redress for the failure of the jib car, which of course was not granted because Donnette Sr. was not the cause of the failure.
After Donnette Jr. made some quick repairs to the jib car, race 2 was off and running with a close tacking duel to the windward mark. It looked like Donnette Sr. might win race 2 when he got tangled up in the leeward mark rounding of the Thompson-Downing match and Donnette Jr. was able win the race. When Donnette Jr. found out that a third race could not be run because of time, and that he was the winner of the match since he won the last race, all he said was sweet while he sailed toward his father to rub it in a bit I expect.
Norm Smit