March 3, 2019-Beer Can Racing against Olas Lindas

wingssail videos-lisa diel





The start was fun but the finish was better.

The last two Wednesdays we've pretty much been racing against Olas Lindas and no one else. The other boats have either stayed away or are a lot slower so we don't see them after the start.

But racing against Linda and Patrick Sweet and Mike Danielson on Olas Lindas has been fun. Close starts, good tactics, and photo finishes.

This week we had gotten behind, as we often somehow do, and had to play catch up on the beat to the finish. There was a big wind hole ahead and Olas Lindas was in it stuck a quarter of a mile from the finish. We were another quarter of a mile behind that. Then we spotted some breeze coming off the shore. I hailed Mike on the radio, "Is this the finish? Can we cross anywhere?"

"Yes, the whole line. You still have a chance Fred." I didn't think he believed it but I was determined to try.

We tacked towards the shore in search of that wind. It was there, right on the beach. We had to go close, 15 of water. Caught the wind, great! But need to tack out NOW!

We tacked out. I looked over to where Olas was slowly ghosting towards the finish. We still had some time.

Go out just a little ways then tack back in. At fifteen feet (and about 100 feet from the shore) we caught another puff, but were forced to tack out again.

This is tense: going in looking for wind but when you find it you're almost ashore

Now the breakwater drew near. The water should be deep there but the rocks looked deadly. I decided to chance it.

"I want to go close here", I said.

"There are no rocks", said Richard, "other than the rocks of the breakwater itself."

We tacked again, and we had breeze. We were moving. Quickly. I looked over towards Olas, they were ever closer to the finish line, but at the other end of it, and moving slowly. It would be close.

In 15 feet of water we made one final tack towards the pin then I punched it up and crossed.

TIE! No onw could actually tell who won.

The previous week we caught up with Olas Lindas when they had a problem with their spinnaker. We crossed the line 10 feet ahead.

Every week it is like that.

So now we get ready for Banderas Bay Regatta. That is the last race of the year, three days, and then racing season is over.

We hope to be able to duke it out with Olas Lindas three more times and have close finishes then too.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, La Cruz Huancaxtle