Race Week - Day Two

Day Two of NBYA Junior Race Week.  I joined the 420 circle this time, and while the clouds and rain were gone, the breeze remained and even stronger than the day before.

There was a stiff westerly breeze of about 15-20 knots in the morning, holding into the afternoon.  While these breezes tend to die and make room for the southerly sea breeze, that wasn't the case on this day, and soon the gusts were above 20 knots.

Needless to say there were capsizes galore!  Wind, swell, and chop, it was truly a junior sailing spectacle.  The sun was bright and comfortable, like any perfect summer day, and if it wasn't for the frequent hoots and hollers from kids whizzing by you'd almost forget you were in the middle of an adrenaline pumping sailing event.

Race Committee must always weigh the benefits and risks for heavy air sailing, but you'll never get any better in breezy conditions like these if you don't give yourself the opportunity to try.  There were plenty of support boats and coaches on hand to keep an eye on the sailors as boats took turns flopping onto the water, but after about 4 races it felt they had accomplished enough for the day and the RC sent the kids in early.  I think the most wild part of the whole day was the EBSF rig that snapped in half at the gooseneck, sending the mast and sails over the leeward hull and into the water!  No injuries to report, just a couple of wide eyed and laughing teenage girls just in awe of their incredible boat breakdown.

See all the shots in the NBYA Race Week Gallery