It Pays to Have a Line Sight:
Fall Race 5
September 24th, 2025
Race Report – 181 Helen
It Pays to Have a Line Sight:
What started off as a gray and rainy day in Newport had me feeling like an indoor activity at about the time I needed to head downtown. But I dragged my feet out the door and after a few school buses, a 20 mph school zone, a new stop sign, road work on Thames, and of course the ever present drivers who drive 25 in a 25. I was running later than I planned… But a few moments later, I got out of my car and I walked through the portal and down the dock at Ida Lewis where I was reminded of the magic that is Newport Harbor. The rain had cleared, the breeze was excellent, the water flat, and the family was waiting for me by the launch. So we set off toward Jamestown in the moderate easterly and incoming tide. We chatted about strategy and current which basically amounted to… stay in the pressure upwind, and be ready for a “gybe set” at the top with the incoming tide (Ha. HaHa. that didn’t end up happening at all). But at least we practiced some boat handling that had been eluding us lately.
As the line got squared we started our prestart ritual which always includes getting a line-sight. This in turn, includes an inspection of the anchor line. A loose anchor line means you probably can’t rely on your line-sight to be accurate at “Go!” And though I had some reservations with the swirling tide near the Dumplings, the anchor line looked reasonably taught. So I was maybe 90% confident in the sight. It paid off.
We enjoyed a punched start in the middle of the line and then I didn’t see much more than the telltales and a few boats in my peripheral vision. Big thanks to #33 for waiving us across at one stage on the first upwind. The game plan was executed on the first upwind as we sailed the long port, mostly waiting to pick our moment to get back on starboard in the pressure. I was later told the pressure greatly favored the left for the first ¾ of the beat. (The team didn’t tell me this however and saved me the heartache). As we got closer to the harbor, the righty we had been waiting for positioned us for a top 5 rounding.
The downwind was all about pressure and staying on the long starboard gybe (Sorry Eric, no gybe set this time). On the mostly uneventful downwind leg, we defended our air from the nagging in-laws on Apollo (11) who were hot on our tail. With some last minute pressure in the corner we were able to pass the boats who gybed earlier in the run. From there it was a hairpin turn to follow 109 around the course's left gate. As carnage ensued behind us I had to let old Uncle Geordo off the hook by overturning past close hauled around the gate to avoid a collision. Or he surely would have been on our stern. (I haven’t seen a near miss that close in a while!)
All is well that ends well though. We sailed the last upwind much like the first and finished 3rd
behind #254 by a very slim margin. Congratulations to 109 on the win.
Newport, you did it again!
Dirk Johnson
Team 181
