Johnny Heineken is sponsored by Ozone, Mike’s Lab, and Tectonics Maui.
Yesterday we had 3 more races in really nasty conditions. A lot of the game was finding the weather mark which was a small yellow cone in head high chop.
The first race I started conservatively on starboard near the pin (favored). Andy crushed the port tack start, crossing with about 10 other guys. From there I rounded behind Sky, Damo, and Julien, passing them all on the downwind leg. Adam had a bad start but was able to grind back to second. We definitely have superior speed on the rest of the fleet. Thanks Mike and Ozone! Sky got 3rd.
The second start was similar, and I didn’t want to risk a tangle and stuck with starboard. Adam got farther left than me and lifted off me in a left phase to the weather mark. I was right behind him at the leeward mark after gaining downwind, and hipped up on him during the last beat, but wasn’t able to find the tiny weather mark and fell on a few tacks looking…ooops. Once again I almost caught him downwind but fell pushing it too hard and finished second. Adam had a great race. Julien Keurner (Takoon, France) got 3rd.
The 3rd race was kind of wild. I had a great start, and stuck with the same strategy. I tacked onto the long port tack because the mark was way right on the course. I was sailing a great weather beat, just above Adam and ahead of Chip, but once again we just couldn’t find the weather mark. Eventually Damo and I just started throwing our hands up and tacking randomly looking, then he found it and we were all reaching downwind to the right side of the course where the guys on the unfavored side way below us were rounding…crap.
At the weather mark I was in 5th or so. Good thing the course was long enough, as I was able to pass everyone on the next lap for another bullet. We really need to figure out this weather mark situation…a popular topic for the skippers meeting today!