There was no rest for the weary on Monday. 20 knot winds and rough conditions continued to make for difficult sailing. Although we managed to keep our boats upright, our finishes were far from front. Yesterday, with lighter winds,Mark and Erik were able to end the regatta on a more positive note, getting a 5th. Beth and I managed a hard fought 29th, which was O.K. given the condition of the sails, my lack of experience as a helmsman, and my somewhat tentative 58 year old crew/boat owner.
Despite our poor performance, we enjoyed sailing on the bay, formed closer friendships, and achieved our goal of getting Erik hooked on sailing. He is looking forward our "next boat" when we move home and is keen to get an Opti as well. For me, it was a positive learning experience (I can really sympathize with the challenges of driving at a crowded start now) and unexpected opportunity.
On a final note, our friend, John Nobs, who visited Seattle in August and went out sailing with some of you, raced a great regatta and ended up winning. Although it sounds cliche, it couldn't have gone to a more deserving sailor. It was his 20th (?) nationals and first ever victory.
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