Hello Friends, That sure was an interesting race. It seemed to span all the potential weather conditions on the James. We went from flat zero wind conditions blowing from the ENE to 14 knots blowing from the SE in less than two hours, and of course we had a marvelous water spout near Ft. Eustis to entertain us. Aboard the Anam Cara, we hosed up the spinnaker launch and douse, even though we had more talent and experience on that boat then any race prior. In fact, our crew problem was that we had too much talent without really defining crew positions. When we had a problem or a deck operation, three crewmen would pile up on it, and other things that needed to be attended were left cleated in place. Luckily this problem is easy to solve for the remainder of the series races. But despite the fuzzy Anam Cara crew work, and a string of sail set hose-ups, Mike Maculley sailed an excellent race. Our start was fantastic. It was the first start of my life where the final seconds of the countdown required us to sail against the tide trying to sweep us through the marks. We effectively started sailing backwards. Then the wind died. Thank God the tidal current was still sweeping out. Hats off to John Edwards and the Recovery team! He also nailed the start and drifted out into the James right behind us. I was amazed how well that boat has improved in light wind conditions. It was well after all the starts when the wind filled in from the SE. Somehow John and Mike were able to make some ground from the drift upstream, so both of us were first to the new SE wind line. It was a fetch to the G1 mark. The Anam Cara made it to the mark about a boat length ahead of the Recovery. Behind us the rest of the fleet was closing fast, especially John's team (all two of them) on his Rebecca J. The down hill leg to G5 was truly a dead-run. The current had finally shifted, so it was with us, if it was not slack. We launched our spinnaker and hosed the launch all up. But within a few minutes we had cleared the tangles (Like a spinnaker guy through the bow pulpit) and we were making good time. The wind continued to build toward 10 knots, and it looked as if we were going to put some series distance between us and the Recovery. But John Edwards pulled another big genoa up his split track forestay which gave him the sail power needed to hold his position relative to us. I think that trick only works for a dead run, and it sure looked gorgeous. The Rebecca J rounded the mark in third place and popped her little white spinnaker. Then she took off like a rocket. Both of us were on a Stb tack. We tried to shake her shadow by heading high, toward the NN side of the course, as the Recover ran the line. We gibed over about 200 yards from G5 and heated up to the G5 mark on a port tack. Luckily were still holding our lead on the Recovery, who was sailing hard and true on her original starboard tack. We rounded G5 still in first, but we fouled the spinnaker douse and head sail transition. The Rebecca J rounded the mark and sailed right by us. The wind was now approaching 14 knots or so, and even with five crewmen on the rail, we were overpowered with the big genoa. Mike and I regretted not making a sailchange to the number 3 at the mark. John Edwards rounded well, and his boat seemed to like the big wind and wave action coming out of the Pagan. He was above us so Mike called for a tack to cover the Recovery. It was clear we were racing for second, as the Rebecca J was walking away from us. We caught the Recovery on starboard and forced her to fall off our stern. But when we tacked back over to cover her, she was gone. Clearly that Hunter 30 was in her element, and there was no catching her either. I looked behind us. The Alexis was closing in on us fast, but she clearly was not going to get to us before the finish. Behind her Steve Butkus on the Win drush was rounding the G5 mark. I enjoyed watching her race down the backstretch with that pretty spinnaker! The Oddessy and Southern Yankee were sailing tight with the Windrush in the chase. Well, this is the race report as I saw it from the deck of the Anam Cara. I look forward to next weekend! Sincerely, George Tatum