TEAM SPOT (BARNEY HARRIS AND DAVID BYRON) WINS 2009 CANADIAN NATIONALS COMPETING IN A FORTY FIVE ALBACORE FLEET!

Canadians report day 3

 Sailed out in drifting conditions with a light to no wind forecast – but at 1100 or so the breeze filled in from the east – the best wind so far this week end. probably 10-12 kts. after initially botching the line and first leg length the RC fortunately called a general recall, lenghtened the wwd leg (to greater than the start line length) and set a line that one could at least cross on both tacks. we nailed the pin end, with us at 20 sec 3 BL off the pin and right on the cut off. boats below could not lay the pin and those above were held stopped until we pulled the trigger at about 12 seconds. our bow was at the pin right as the horn blew, fully hiked and at full speed. we sailed for 100 feet, tacked and crossed the fleet, laying the first mark. break away bullet. boom shakalaka!
    

 
for the second race we backed off the pin and ended up in a second row start below bobsky and dave harris. we sailed a few seconds – the wind shifted to the left a small amt and boats on our windward hip, all in a stick /point fest seemed to momentarily stop. we popped in a tack and just crossed them all – not break away first but at least in a lane and on the lifted tack. We rounded in 10th or so. Adam N. and Ian and Jeff led most of the race around – by the ddw leg we had come within several boat lengths. on the down wind leg we split towards some what appeared to be stronger wind on the left, and passed the two, rounding the final mark ahead for the second win of the day.
 
third start was even more difficult – we were 2nd row with no holes – and then the guy to windward tacked – we threw in two tacks within 1.5 BL of a pack of boats to windward and just managed to claw into a lane to windward and behind ralf and leeward and a few feet aft of bow even of another boat. somehow we managed to pull fwd on the guy to windward, gassing them off and then climbed clear of ralf into a clear lane. We rounded 10th or so – Adam N. had broken out and was long gone sailing in clear wind and water. we managed to get to 2nd place on the second upwind leg – only to duck 4 boats on stbd at the second windward mark – but then passed them off wind for a 2.
 
we had the boat packed up, trohpies collected, showered and were on the road at 1600, slipped thru customs with the trophy trick and made it home by 0200. a nice trip. we ahve a lot of canadians coming down for US nationals – we were selling that has hard as we could.
  

 


From: teamspot@hotmail.com
To: sailblitz@aol.com; sailfaster@aol.com; larathjen@aol.com; df@pw-lawfirm.com; mattedwards@cox.net; pascal@gravityproof.com; chrisgo3@netzero.net; trailstrider@gmail.com; billyeightbits@aol.com; skycomp@earthlink.net; heyjfb@earthlink.net; lescrane@mitre.org; dbyron@dbyron.com
Subject: canadians report day 2
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 09:02:53 -0400predicted winds were to be light but they filled in from the north and gradually went right all day sometimes pulsing to 10 or so knots but never dropping to zero. verytricky day with puffs all over and widely shifting direction. we managed to put together a 1-2-1-5-1 for the day, and, with the throw out (one after 5 races) we sit in 1st with 11 pts with raines in 2nd with 16. he is dropping an 8 at this point whereas we have a dsq, so today could be interesting.
 
we had a tailgate party out of the truck after sailing – half gallon of capt morgans and a bottle of cola. it only lasted a half hour before the rum was gone. 
 


From: teamspot@hotmail.com
To: sailblitz@aol.com; sailfaster@aol.com; larathjen@aol.com; df@pw-lawfirm.com; mattedwards@cox.net; pascal@gravityproof.com; chrisgo3@netzero.net; trailstrider@gmail.com; billyeightbits@aol.com; skycomp@earthlink.net; heyjfb@earthlink.net; lescrane@mitre.org; dbyron@dbyron.com
Subject: canadians report day 1
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:57:25 -0400rigged and launched today. winds had shifted 180 deg to the west and went to the NW shortlay after we got to the course. the rc was a bit off today. got the flags messed up (apparantly the pro was attending a funeral today) and had to cancel the first sequence. then started the fleet with the pin sofavored one could barely lay it. we escaped thru a hole on port and to the right. a large shot came in from the left and scooted several boats around in front of us leaving us fourth. we eventually got past for a win. as i told david this rc was so sketchy and with the light wind for cast for tomorrow we HAD to wind this race cause it might be the entire regatta.
 
wind held on – but the rc was not able to set a square line. we had several general recalls with the pin so far to leeward that boats on stbd at the boat were over boats further down the line. no fun.
 
on the last start of the day we were going for a boat end start. right end of the line heavily favored. another boat was too leeward and roughly bow even as we approached the line. we sheeted in and bore away once clear ahead and rounded up to leeward and ahead of this other guy – had never seen him before – he was a local guy in a borrowed boat. he then bore off and sailed to leeward of us from behind, contacting a boat to leeward of us in the process. we tried to head up – and had contact – as he was inches from our leeward quarter and even the slightest helm change put our transom into his boat. then the crew reached over into our boat and grabbed the carlin and the skipper grabbed our boom and tried to pull themselves forward (!) ugly scene. had not seen THAT move since i was in high school. we sailed 50 ft, did a 720 and protested under rule #2. this guy’s behavior was utterly inappropriate – suitable for a rule 69 hearing. in the room the protest comitte ruled that we did not do circles “soon enough” and that crews are permitted to “fend off” after a collission. we ended up dsq’ed. i guess i did not make a loud enough case – but the real error was to be there jacking around with the villiage idiot in the first place. oh well. just shows how its all wide open and how anything can happen in the room.
 


From: teamspot@hotmail.com
To: sailblitz@aol.com; sailfaster@aol.com; larathjen@aol.com; df@pw-lawfirm.com; mattedwards@cox.net; pascal@gravityproof.com; chrisgo3@netzero.net; trailstrider@gmail.com; billyeightbits@aol.com; skycomp@earthlink.net; heyjfb@earthlink.net; lescrane@mitre.org
Subject: canadians report day 0
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:21:17 -0400left my house at 2100. drove till o200 and woke at 0630. had 8122 on the single trailer.  met david b at BUF airport at 0830. i filled up spot before departing DC and had a 1/4 tank left after getting to hamilton. not bad mileage – if one is not dragging a parachute-like triple trailer. we checked out, re calibrated and rigged 8122 and went for a sail. not much to do –  we are coasting from worlds preparation. weather is pretty nice here today 70s sunny and moderate breeze. tomororw its supposed to be cooler and windy and lighter sat and sun. we are staying in a crummy hotel – the worst i have seen in some time – but its next door to a HOOTERS with wireless. so i guess its not all that bad….  ahem… there are 45 boats pre registered for this event. not bad turn out.
-barn

 

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