Verve Cup Day 2 Report

Race Report: Day 2

Today on the water the changing winds, rain and thunderstorms led to a significant postponement, with two circles completing one race each and Circle C completing no races.

PRO reports:

Circle A: Day 2 started with the intention to begin the long distance race on time, but concerns about rapidly deteriorating conditions caused the RC to postpone the race and send boats to harbor. The postponement was lowered at 1200 and a warning for the first distance sections was flown at 1325 with a very light to building SE breeze. That SE breeze continued to build despite expectations of a northerly wind accompany the pass of a cold front. Race 3 finally started around 1415 in the five to seven knot SE breeze. As the race progressed, the wind veered to the south and lightened up, causing the RC to shorten leg 3 and set new marks to square the course. The wind, however, did not stop veering or lightening up and by leg 4 the wind had finally gone to the predicted NE quadrant and increased in pressure to allow all boats to finish within their time limits.

Circle B: With Day 2’s shifty breezes, every leg of the course was changed on Circle B. One race was completed with three legs on a shortened course, which finished at windward mark. All boats were under spinnaker at that point. We are hoping to get in a couple of good races tomorrow with sunny skies and breezier conditions expected.

Circle C: No races were completed in Circle C today. Sailing in Chicago’s front yard – Lake Michigan – it was a typical day of dealing with the wind, which couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. Circle C had a perfect start for the 1^st race at 10 am, until the sky grew ominously black from the NW. All racing was abandoned as we made a hasty retreat to shore. Our fun afternoon consisted of sitting on the course in the rain; followed by wind that moved each time we attempted three more starts, all of which had to be abandoned due to such drastic wind shifts. The “weather guru” Chris Bedford of Sailing Weather Services told us in the morning that weather would be perfect for racing and enjoying the Air & Water Show, and he was correct.  

The current standings and results are available online at http://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=495.  

Bedford told racers that weather conditions expected for tomorrow include sunny skies and better wind conditions.