I have a little story of my own. During Saturday's racing I noticed a couple small areas on the main sheet that were beginning to fray. Not thinking too much about it but I did make a mental note to replace it some time in the future. Since we needed only one more race on Sunday to get the five races scheduled it would be no big deal. Or not...
Here is a look at the sheet after the one race on Sunday
Here is another with the damaged area laid out on the aft deck
During the first beat on Sunday, I noticed the sheet was deteriating at an alarming rate. By the beginning of the second beat I was afraid it would not make it to the top mark. The damaged area is where the sheet is gripped by the cam cleat and ratchet block. Another hazard was easing the sheet may or may not work because the broken cover would sometimes jam in the cleat or ratchet. We could see that a couple of the core strands were also breaking, the breeze was about 14 so we vanged more to try to reduce the sheet load.
As the race is unfolding Jim Egan and I are in the hunt to win the regatta, we had started the day tied. Marshall had been ahead but we now have boats between us so the door is open. Jim and I are working the right side and we are close. Kim and I are watching the sheet and chanting/praying; "please make it to the mark" I have given up playing the sheet and just cleat it except for tacking when I tried to absorb the "pop" of the main filling on the new tack. When puffs hit we just feathered up and did or best to keep the heel reasonable and boat driving.
We are three quarters up the beat when Jim tacks to starboard with us on port and not able to cross. Afraid the sheet would jam I do a big early duck and we pass his stearn safely. We tack and we are both on starboard (Jim is ahead but slightly to leeward)trying to fetch the mark and banging into some big waves, I think I hear a strand pop, then some more; "please make it to the mark" chants. Jim looks like he is going to try to shoot the mark but goes into a tack instead, we take his stearn again and shoot the mark and barely make it. Now were ahead but since we were hiking and pinching the pole is not set up. We launch anyway and get an hourglass that take about 15 or 20 seconds to clear, that's all it took for Jim to pull even. Drag race to the finish.
Jim pulled ahead in the last 100 yars or so and took the race and the regatta. Awesome job by him and his crew Richard, not to mention Jeff Penfield who battled his way into an overlap with Jim at the finish line.
Results and Season standings have been posted on the District website.
