Spring Series Race 3

Ten boats took to Lake Wylie today for a beautiful afternoon of Spring racing.  Mother nature dialed up a Lake Wylie conundrum. The breeze was everywhere from 0 to 7 mph with lots of holes and WILD shifts. It was enough to drive a sane skipper insane. To the action.

In the first race, Ron won the start and the windward mark. He fought second place Jim Higgins all the way to the leeward mark. He did not see Bill go down the South Carolina shoreline and go from third to first at the lee mark. The trio raced home for a Bill-Ron-Jim finish. 

Ron and Jim again led the way in race two with Bill close behind. Ron made a huge mistake in tacking too soon for the mark. By the time he tacked back, Jim and Bill had scorched him at the mark. The three stayed that way to the finish. [Jim-Bill-Ron] 

Ron again led the way in a a short race three. Bill tacked right for the middle of the course. Ron and Jim hit a nice burst of wind and rode it out too the left. Then came a ridiculous shift and as they tacked for the mark, Ron and Jim found themselves with sails wide out on a run to the mark. Jim was on SB at the same time Ron was on Port and that caused Ron to foul approaching the mark. The trio rounded together, with Ron and Jim going right in a nice hiking shift/burst that had turned the leeward run home into a beat! Bill, split off and went left. Well, guess what, Bill caught a lane that took him straight for the finish line.  Ron fell out to take penalty turns. Bill crossed in first. Jim came in second. The wind dropped to nothing and Ron crossed ten minutes later. 

What a day it was.  Bill Schiffli made all the right calls to win the day and take over first in the series. He is followed by Tom Martin and Jim Higgins at 2-3.