Wed., August 18th Haaland Series Results
A light westerly provided some fun challenges for the Fleet. A short beat to Manset was followed by a light run to Seal Harbor. The leaders got richer as they sailed upwind into better pressure. Everyone took the high road through Southwest Harbor and eventually gybing at the mouth of the Sound. Congrats to the team on Flirt who won the start and got free on port tack to never look back again.
Wed. August 11th Haaland Series Results
A light NW breeze with abundant sunshine made for an interesting first leg from Mark S up to the mouth of the Sound. It was a game of evading the ebb but also chasing the pressure. A few boats got stung by paying attention to one and not the other. It was a very tight race until a big lefty filled from Norwood Cove. Stu Johnstone showed the way and never gave it up in Tern. The breeze got very light on the downwind leg to Q and fortunately the tide helped everyone get there. The breeze was really getting light on the upwind leg and your RC decidied to pull the plug while sailing by the anchorage. A breeze was filling from astern but the northerly was very squirrely ahead. It might have taken an extra hour and a half to go back to P and return to S. Everyone was happy that the light wind torture was over. It was great to have new Fleet Member and Boat owner, James Loutit, helming his gorgeous green IOD 'Top Cat' to a third place finish today. They might have done even better had the breeze not completely quit for them about 10 minutes from the finish line.
Wed., July 21st Haaland Series Results
An inspiring seabreeze had freshened early in the day and the Fleet assembled at Mark A. With 12-14 kts the RC sent the fleet out to Long Ledge, around the Cranberries to port and back into the Harbor. A very tight start was hotly contested with all boats pressing the line. Va Pensiero jumped the gun with 8 seconds to go and had a tough time letting the fleet go before turning back to start correctly. Unfortunately some fog moved in 10 minutes after the start along with a layer of higher clouds. The seabreeze gave up quite easily especially outside the Western Way. The RC raced Shearwater to the Green Can 1, Mark G, just in time to shorten course at Baker Island. Congrats to jean Burden on Cygnet who won by 20 seconds on correceted time
Wed., July 14th Haaland Series Results
Today's racing was started just after the torrential rain halted at noon. The temperature kept rising and layers of clothing kept getting peeled off. A very light NW breeze began to fill from the mountains and hills freshening in at about 4-7 knots. A reaching start from Gilpatrick Cove sent the Fleet off towards the Flasher at Bear Island for a starboard turn towards the Spurling Point Gong and then back to the recovered Fleet Mark S, twice around. Course length measured out to 7.6 miles and racing was very tactical at a few points. Tern started at the leeward side of the line and crossed up in front of the crowd forcing all to stay off its air- even the big red boat. The only passing lanes were to leeward. The second leg was quite open and a bit of gybing ensued. Tern held the inside coming back up towards the Fleet and maintained an inside starboard tack advantage over Far Out at Mark S- they wouldn't let them cross and made Far Out wait until they fetched. Important lesson here is to protect the starboard layline on a starboard rounding- always approach on starboard as close to or over the layline. The second lap got a bit light as the breeze started to lose pressure and it went about 15 degrees to the right. Fortunately there was enough to get back to the finish as the current had begun to ebb. The Harbor was glass 5 minutes after racing had concluded.
Wed., July 7th Haaland Series Results
Race 2 of the Haaland Trophy brought a light, receding seabreeze to the Great Harbor. From a starting line off Fleet Mark S, the 10 boats headed around Greening Island to starboard and down into the spectacular beauty of Somes Sound to Sargent Point and back, leaving Greening to port. The breeze came on while boats were exiting the sound to assist with the fight against a very strong flood tide. Breeze again waned as competitors made their way around Greening and back to the Fleet for a finish. Far Out's protest against Tern and Reiver for not complying with SI 8.2 was dismissed.
