We were coming to the last leeward mark on starboard. The second place boat in front of us was coming in on port. We were gaining slowly and had an inside overlap at the mark. I hollered “Room at the mark,” just to make sure they knew we were coming and would give us room to gybe. We needed a near perfect gybe in this 15 knot wind. One mistake and the huge main would spin us out of control, perhaps into the immovable leeward mark.
“Ready to gybe” I told Rod. He preset the jib sheet. Then he turned around to bring in the 20 feet or so of mainsheet, hand over hand, bringing the boom to centerline. Meanwhile I pulled on the jib downhaul, main cunningham, and the leeward, soon to be windward, running backstays while steering a nice semi-controlled arc. I released the newly leeward running backstays as the mainsail gibed over center. Rod released the mainsheet under control to keep the boom from slamming across and breaking something. I had to force the tiller a little to keep the boat from rounding up into the mark. Ah! We were under control, coming around the mark.
The other boat was tight to leeward but, since we were on the inside of the arc, we were rapidly over taking them. Rod was pulling in the mainsheet hand over hand again while I tried to steer the best course I could. We had to get hard on the wind and gas the competition with our bad air. As the wind came forward, the boat heeled hard over. We hiked out as far as strength and age would let us. With luck and some good judgment we should be able to hold on to second place.
WOW! And that was just one mark rounding out of hundreds we made this summer in the Star.
My Star is the second oldest in the fleet and is made of wood, known as a “woody”. I am, I think, the oldest body in the fleet sailing this summer. I really enjoy occasionally beating the newer boats. I think we proved that you do not have to have the very newest to be competitive. Of course I might have done better in one of the newer fiberglass boats, but then I might do better when I get a new set of sails. Or maybe if I just rake the mast a little more, then maybe put a little more bend in it, maybe bring the jib down onto the deck like Steve’s, and do a better job fairing the bottom this winter ... Look out guys, that boat is going to be faster than ever by next spring. I can hardly wait!!!
Jim Findley, Skaga