Another Not-DFL!

Some "racing teams" define success as finishing a race (Polka Dot Racing 1.0), some expect to win (a lot of other teams), and some wish to keep out of DFL (Polka Dot Racing 2.0). And, on that note, we're succeeding, pulling out a 10th out of 12 in today's chowder race.

Wind was close to Summer Levels, with sustained winds 15-19, and gusts to 22 knots. Having my 6 year old and mother-in-law on board, we went with a reefed main for the uphill slog. Shook it out immediately after the first mark and enjoyed the downwind and reaching legs on the way home.

I don't want to get all emotional here, but as a team we're getting better. Maybe not faster but we're not having those abysmal moves that went on last year. Who can forget the race when I had to keep heading into the wind to allow the jib trimmer to fix his over-rides. Not me. But I'm not, like, holding grudges or anything. I let that go a long time ago.

This crew (pause for a picture):

this crew is efficient. We're all learning our roles...best part: Kathy yelling out "watch your course" as I started fiddling with my watch. I really thought that 100 yards before the breakwater was a good time to adjust for daylight savings time, my crew slapped some sense into me. But, seriously, not one time did we bump into each other during a tack, we only had one line get caught up and that wasn't from anyone stepping on or sitting on it. From an aerial view, it might have looked like pure chaos, but from sea-level it was like a ballet...a rolling bouncing crashing through waves ballet.

About halfway up the weather leg, Bob started asking how much self-tailing winches are. I think we're all dreading that day when we rotate positions and have to take up jib trim. Of course by then, Kathy will be able to lift any of us over her head she'll be so strong.

OK, I'll end this post with some self-improvements.

Bring the freaking foul weather gear if you're going to ask somebody to sit on the rail in 15-25 knot winds. Luckily, Suzanne had some water proof pants, but probably could have used the full gear (great line after getting a particularly nasty wave, "I hope it's safe to drink").

Have a better plan on where to put my mother in law during the race so she doesn't get tossed around (no jokes from you people who don't like your inlaws please, they read this).

Work on a better variety of sandwiches for the crew (not everyone likes ham and swiss on wheat with just mustard).

We're probably not going to race again for about a month so this space will be filled with its usual drivel of "I can't believe how much {fill in the blank} part costs" or "damned seagulls are targetting my boat" or "remember that time when I was crossing the Atlantic". But, luckily, until then we have one more Not-DFL to hang our hat on.