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2nd at Knickerbocker Cup

August 31st, 2009 in Regattas, Monday Morning Tactician.

photo courtesy of Paula Davis 

Sailing with Dave Perry at the helm, Doug Clark trimming and Susan Daly on the bow, we had a great four days of racing in front of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club for the 2009 Knickerbocker Cup Grade 2 Match Race. Very light and tricky conditions were the theme of the weekend. Sailing  the underpowered Colgate 26s well turned out to be the most important task for all twelve teams involved. In a strong field, similar to Chicago’s fleet last week during the first of three US Match Race Tour events, we were able to take a 9-2 record through the initial round-robin. We were 3-2 in the quarterfinal round robin of the top 6 teams, and then won our semi-final against kiwi Phil Robertson and his team in two races. In an extremely shifty westerly we took another kiwi team Rueben Corbett to the maximum five races in the finals. We controlled the right side of the start off the last race, and both boats were auto-tacked in a sheering lefty that allowed Corbett’s team to lift and roll over our position in slightly lighter air only a few boatlengths to leeward. The chase was made difficult by the length of the course, but we couldn’t take back what we had lost on the first beat and were second in the event.

Knickerbocker Cup Results & Press

Here’s a race we had against Phil Robertson in the Semi-finals with multiple lead changes, some off-the-cuff upwind tactics and a few green-flag protests. You make the call… was the leeward boat above her proper course on the first run (about 6 minutes into the video)? Thanks to Doug Shannon for all the video. We’re “yellow” from the boat end of the starting approach.

For Dave and Doug who had raced in Chicago and been knocked out before the semi-final round, this regatta was a step in the right direction as they look ahead for their final event in the mini-tour at the Detroit Cup next week. Susan and I stepped in for this event and certainly should not complain about the result. I’m a bit disappointed by a few missed opportunities off the starting line in the races we lost in the finals, but otherwise, this event has been the high point in the three events I’ve raced with Dave this season. We raced, the Butler Cup in May in California, a Swedish Match Invitational at Oak Cliff Yacht Club in Oyster Bay and now the Knickerbocker Cup and this past weekend was by far the best sailed of our events so far. We received our first penalty against us in the final series, after nearly 20 races in the clear. We sailed the boat better and smoother than even at the beginning of the event and the communication has started to solidify in a way that has led to effective decision-making and good all-around sailing.

I’m looking forward to getting involved more heavily in this end of the sailing game. If only I can fit it in around this new Starboat calendar I’ve got! Next up, Brad Nichol and I will get back on board Star 8241 for Weymouth’s Sail for Gold Event and the final event of the 2009 World Cup Circuit. Stay Tuned.

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