Tanzer 16 -- There's always one more thing -- you have to lower the centerboard

Tanzer 16  --  There's always one more thing  --  you have to lower the centerboard -- A couple of weeks ago I wrote that we needed to find 43 seconds if we wanted to be in contention.  I am happy to report that we found about 30 of those seconds.  That means we finished 4th out of five boats* during a three-race evening.  But it was a tight 4th--except for one race, and it wasn't our kind of weather.  With just three knots of breeze (often less)  The Coronado 15 and the Lazers had it all their way.  We did pretty well--except in race two--We just couldn't seem to get up to the line.  Finally one of the committee guys yelled at us, "Hey do you guys have your centerboard down"--OOH REDFACE.  That boat just sails so darn much better when you remember to drop the board.

Yes, that is us on the left.  A rare moment.  First across the line, and we are
on starboard tack.  Knowing that it takes about 30 seconds to tack has really
helped our starts.

*At the beginning of the season we routinely had 15- 20 boats out to race. I suspect that turn-out is so low because it is pretty well settled who will be winning the whole summer series and so most of the other sailors are staying home or going on vacation. We are left racing against some pretty good sailors.