Back to the racing season at long last. SMSA Frostbites #1, and my first race on Red Baron. Michael was down visitng for the weekend and he raced with us, and we divvied up crews between us and Harm's Way at the dock, and ended up with 7 total - a very full crew for a little boat. I ended up on the foredeck, and spent some time learning the layout differences between this boat and Dangerous. The breeze was a little in and out, but we set up with the #3 and rigged for a peel if conditions allowed a switch to the #1.
We excecuted a flawless start at the windward end and set off towards the first mark. We executed a pretty clean leg with a couple tacks, and cracked off to a deep reach to the second. Another tidy leg, if a bit slow running deep with the small jib, and then we set off for the long beat to the bridge. We spent some time a bit overpowered, and decided to put in a reef, unfortunately losing a little time in the process. Ultimately the wind backed off and we shook out the reef before rounding the bridge. We sailed a tidy close reach to the next mark, and then turned down for the finish. We finally got the necessary conditions to launch the #1, though unfortunately on the opposite tack of what I had set up for the peel. A little bit of sloppy foredeck work later and the big sail was up and we charged to the finish.
Great conditions on a fun boat with good friends made for a fantastic first day back racing. After the race, we enjoyed the Solomons Spinsheet Crew Party.
