BURNSCO SUMMER SERIES Race 7 Wed 11th March

A bit late with this one properly because our race wasn't great?
A bad start, "again" last out the entrance "again"? To make matters worse the 8 knot breeze was out of the west so cracked sheets up to Boulder middle, meant no passing lanes,
Wild Thing and Smak both loving the conditions out front, with Future Feedback, in 3rd, Blackout 4th with us to leeward of them, Redline further out to weather and behind.
Blackout managed a wee burst near the top mark rounding in 3rd, we were sitll back in 5th with only Redline close by on our stern,
Once around it was very tight for a kite, too tight we decided, the boats ahead had gone for gennaka's, but struggling,  Future Feedback setting up a kite, while we decided to 2 sail reach to the Lighthouse shoal then may Pop one as we freed up a little?
We were doing ok, all 4 ahead struggling, we were making ground up slowly, but they all made it outside the shoal as we were hoisting our kite and the slight gain had gone again, we weren't looking flash, the possible, no probable 5th on line and last on handicap wasn't something we were happy with.
But as they say "It's not over till the fat lady sings" and she hadn't.
As we came through the entrance, all 4 ahead were trying to carry gennaka's / kites to the line, Wild Thing up front was rounding up and laying on their side, Blackout, was powered up dropping down the line, Smak and Future Feedback both over the club end of the line in little or no wind?
We decided to drop the kite before the gust that had hit Wild Thing and Blackout hit us, a messy drop but we eventually retrieved it (out of the water) hardened up hugging the pile line to the finish,
Wild Thing and Blackout had finished, but Smak and Future Feedback were still soft over by the Club end, both now dropping kite & gennaka, we managed to sneak in for 3rd, only by 10 seconds, from Future Feedback who finished only 10 ahead of Smak.

A good come back but 5th on handicap, we lost overall points to both Future Feedback and Blackout, so now only 5 ahead of future feedback, Blackout only 1 point behind FF now.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday had me back on the water as I had volunteered C V as Start/Committee boat for the Optimist Nationals being hosted by Nelson Yacht Club.
These kids throw their little boats around and don't mind a bit of barging on the line as the odd scar on the topsides of C V  show, but I enjoyed being involved, and some cutting and polishing will have her looking sharp again