Spinnakers as anchors

Yesterday evening we restarted Prairie Gold’s racing and ended up with an abdominal workout from intense laughter. Yolande, Joe Morgan and I were the crew and we had good wind – 10-15 kts. The course was #6 which included 5 mark roundings. This was a race of many firsts. At the start we were very competitive with about 10 boats in our division starting simultaneously. This time we didn’t get barged out and we made a good start. By the first mark we still had a few boats behind us (a first!) and none of the faster boats that start 5 minutes behind us had caught us. Another first. As we rounded the second mark we were still in good position and decided to fly the spinnaker. Poof, up it went and we were flying. We then rounded the leeward mark and dropped the spinnaker and we were really competitive. Another first.

But then…….we determined empirically that spinnakers act as great sea anchors. I will remember this one incase I need this when offshore in a storm. The foot of the spinnaker dragged in the water and before we could rescue it the whole spinnaker went over board. Another first. We have a snuffer around the spinnaker and due to our motion through the sea the snuffer unrolled from the spinnaker, much like peeling back the skin of a sausage.  It was a hilarious sight. Down the side of the boat was a red white and blue spinnaker followed by the grey spinnaker snuffer about 50 feet behind us. Joe and Morgan battled to try to bring it on deck, but we had to stop the boat. A few minutes later they got her on board and had a great workout and we resumed the race. By the end of the race we weren’t in such a  great position. However, we are learning a lot about how not to race, and that we really can be competitive when the wind is above 10 kts, and when we keep all sails on the boat. We will put it together.

Maybe next Wednesday will be our chance. The following weekend is the around the island race at Martha’s Vineyard. Hopefully by then.....