A small but competitive group of Windmills raced at the Bay Shore Yacht Club on the Great South Bay of Long Island under what could only be classified as challenging conditions. On Saturday there was a late start with the wind out of the north with flat water and a bit of chop. The shifting conditions made it challenging for the race committee to get off the first race and as the gun went off a 40 degree shift made it a fetch to the first mark. This should have made the race a uneventful “follow the leader” but it turned out not to be the case with the lead changing hands several times due to shifting puffs and differences in boat handling, resulting in a close race all the way to the end. After a short wait for the course to be reset, the following two races were again marked with many changes in the lead as the two lead boats duked it out, using other boats on the course as blockers. In the second race, a good choice by Matt to go up the right side gave him and his father Ralph as crew a sizable lead but with Roy’s crew Leigh calling shifts, Roy was able to battle back close to them. Just as Matt was about to finish in first Roy picked up a slightly stronger breeze, and with Matt’s path to the finish blocked by other boats, Nome was able to cross just ahead at the pin end of the line. With a fantastic port tack start at the pin end of the line, Go Blue won the 3nd, and final, race of the day. Eric and his daughter Emily were also in the mix several times. After the racing, Dark and Stormy time at Eric’s house was enjoyed by all the competitors, as well as a feast from the BBQ.
Sunday, with the front completely gone, there was only a breath of air, reminiscent of the Long Island Sound, rather than the usually windy Great South Bay. Battle royal proceeded in which all the Windmills had the lead at different times. At one point two boats were both in 6 knots of wind, going the same direction, but on different tacks just 8 boat lengths apart. Kind of looked like a certain lake in New Hampshire. As the breeze died for the last time the committee smartly shortened the course. As the boats were packed to get the Sponar’s on their way home, the southerly finally kicked in around 2 p.m. As the awards were taking place it was noted that white caps where just forming on the water, back to the norm for the Great South Bay wind.
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