Regatta

I sailed in my first regatta Saturday, on my friend's boat Dragonfly. Dragonfly is a J-80, a 26' racing sailboat. We finished 2nd in the first race, and 2nd in the second race, each time behind the same boat.

The second race was really exciting: we were neck-and-neck with the other boat for an entire lap: one mile to windward, and one mile downwind. There must have been 3 or 4 lead changes. Essentially, we outtacked them on the windward leg and overtook them; the outjibed us on the downwind leg and overtook us. Near the finish line, there were some shift tactics going on: we were trying to steal their wind by interposing Dragonfly between the 15-20 knot breezes and their spinnaker. It didn't work especially well, but it was pretty exciting.

Then we headed into port and drank beer.

My crew position was in the #4 spot, furthest forward. My job was mostly to hoist the spinnaker as we rounded the mark, and to ease the tack line and spinnaker halyard as the spinnaker came down. I also helped bring the spinnaker around when we jibed. Between raising and dousing the spinnaker, I usually leaned my weight over the windward side of the boat to balance her and make her go faster.

Previously -- on the occassion of my batchelor party, in fact -- I have trimmed the spinnaker sheet. That's a tough job: always craning the neck upward, trying to keep the spinnaker full of air...but not too full. Anyway, the more I learn about sailing, the more I'll know, and the better sailor I will be.

Maybe someday I'll learn what a cunningham and an outhaul are for. I never can figure them out.

My thanks to the skipper for including me in the fun. I've got a bruise, a scrape, and a localized sunburn...but I'm eager for more.