2008 Doc Gilbert Memorial Potomac Cup Regatta
Leesylvania VA
May 3 - 4

Series Summary Final

 FLASH! a few 2008 Doc Gilbert Memorial T-shirts are still available for purchase -- they will become collectors items soon!   Write to the Fleet Captain for details.

Here are photos.

Bruce Bingman, PRO
Race Committee members:
     Steve Kistler
     Bill Carnell
     Latane Montague
     Jackson Montague
     Ian Twinn
     Ed Cassidy
     Mike Heinsdorf
     Bucky Buchanan
     Kathy De Angelo
     Sean Reilly
   Jay Magill
     Dan Trammill
    
See who was on the Regatta Organizing Committee

The 2008 Doc Gilbert Memorial Potomac Cup Regatta saw two of the nicest back-to-back sailing days  in recent memory, weather-wise, with sunny skies, temperatures in the 70s, and good brisk winds.  We couldn't ask for better conditions!  Allan Terhune, sailing with spouse Katie and SSA skipper Todd Johnson, scored an unprecedented 5 bullets to take first place (see story below).  Jon Guth and Dick Hallagan tied for second; Steve Constants 4th, and Jason Werner 5th.

Wind Readings at Quantico Station:
    Saturday
11 AM      S  10
Noon        S    12
1 PM        S   12
2 PM        S   20
3 PM        S   16
4 PM        S    17
5 PM        S    12

Sunday
10 AM      N      14
11 AM      N      12
Noon        N      10
1 PM        NW   10
2 PM        N      12
3 PM        N      10

Winner's Perspective
By Allan Terhune

Reflections on the 2008 Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup

I have now had time to reflect on the Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup regatta.  I guess everyone is entitled at some point to a perfect series, but the result is still a little mind boggling for me.  For our team it was the “perfect storm.”  Seemingly, everything we did turned out to be right.  Even when we thought we had made a mistake, somehow luck was with us.  Katie, Todd and I had a great time.  Obviously the result was gratifying.  It was also one of the nicest sailing weekends I can remember, with outstanding weather and general sailing conditions, solid race management, and the good time spent with our many friends from Fleet 50 and elsewhere. 

The regatta was really a tale of two very different sailing days.  I have tried to think through the elements of strategy, tactics, boat speed, and luck as they applied to our success.  Here are a few thoughts that I hope might be helpful to others as they think back on the series: 

On Saturday there was a relatively steady southerly sea breeze.  It was not terribly shifty, nor terribly puffy, but there were important factors playing into the race course that needed to be recognized in order to be successful.  As the day progressed, the flood current increased in velocity.  Boats working to the right side of the course on the upwind legs were thus in less adverse current.  This was particularly evident in the 3rd race.  With more adverse current in the middle of the river, we generally worked to the right on an increasingly deeper basis on each successive upwind leg.  Boats playing the middle were never successful on the upwind legs, despite temporary advantages provided by localized favorable shifts.  Sailing upwind on each beat, as the day progressed, particularly approaching Cockpit Point to the south of the starting line (in the upper right corner of each upwind leg), there was always additional breeze and usually a significant right shift, making it important to get to that side of the course as quickly as possible.  The basics became more and more evident as the day wore on:  Gains were to be made by going right and benefiting from the combination increased pressure, a right hand wind shift of as much as 10 degrees (a shift largely geographic in nature due to the shoreline effect), and the lack of adverse current.  Our strategy was to always work to the right of the fleet excepting when tactical conservatism necessitated a loose cover on trailing boats as we approached the weather mark or the finish.  And, by the way, on each upwind leg there were several good sailors immediately behind who knew that by splitting tacks they could force us to play more conservatively.  This was particularly the case when there was more than one boat in close pursuit, as happened on several occasions.  We managed to eke out a win each time, but in at least two of the races we were nervous sailing up the last beat. 

Sunday was a completely different day, with puffy, shifty winds, the result of the passing frontal system and the vertically unstable air inherent in a Northwesterly flow.  Staying out of the ebb current was seemingly important, favoring boats that stayed inshore and on the left side of the beats looking upwind, however, wind considerations made it pay to be in the middle of the river bucking the adverse current.  We chose to stay to the right, in the middle of the river, and in the early stages of each weather leg this looked to be a wrong decision due to a significant port tack lift (again, shoreline induced) that, coupled with less adverse current, made the boats on the left seem very advantaged by about half way up each beat.  We learned to be patient and, eventually, as we sailed on port tack into the open water beyond Freestone Point at the Northern end of Leesylvania State Park, there was a significant right shift, allowing for a tack to starboard into a persistent starboard lift.  Each time, threatening boats to the left seemed to fade away as we sailed deeper into the lift on starboard tack and also into less current.  Having in several cases made the decision to go nearly to the starboard layline, it was a challenge not to overstand or understand the weather mark from a considerable distance away.  Conversely, heading downwind on each of the legs, and due to wind direction considerations, it paid to initially be on starboard tack, and then to gybe to port about 1/3 of the way down each leg. 

Beyond thinking about the current, we approached the races on Sunday with two things in mind.  First, knowing there would be big shifts and puffs, we constantly searched for the greatest pressure on the course and tried to stay in it as long as possible, while at the same time attempting to stay on the lifted tack.  This was not so easy and, given the dramatic lulls it was more important to stay in the breeze if we were confronted with a choice.  Next, we worked on changing gears as the wind strength increased and decreased.  When the wind was up we de-powered slightly, hiked hard to be sure we kept the boat on its feet and moving, and when a lull returned, we worked to quickly re-power the boat and foot to the next puff.  In general, incidentally, the rig was tuned and set up for the lulls, and not the higher wind strength puffs.  The techniques for doing this are explained in the tuning guides.  We worked hard on communicating about pressure, and talking through all the changes needed to make the boat go fast.  We constantly adjusted the backstay, main and jib sheets, jib cloth tension, and Cunningham.  In the really strong puffs we would ease the traveler a few inches. 

Downwind on both days, beyond the considerations of current and wind, we worked to maintain clear air, rolled the boat to weather when possible in order to separate the sail plan and increase projected sail area, to neutralize weather helm and to reduce the drag of the leeward chine by getting it out of the water.  We seemed to have excellent speed throughout the series downwind, but that is always the perception when you are near the front of the pack and can maintain the freedom to maneuver.  Actually, and in the interest of full disclosure, Todd and I each managed to arrange for the other to get one good smack in the head with the boom during a gybe.  This certainly cleared each of our heads in turn! 

Thank you again to all who made the regatta a terrific and fun event.  The Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup is one of the best events we sail all year, and the conditions provide a particularly fascinating strategic challenge.  Hopefully the participation will only increase in future years!