Duck Island Yacht Club Hosts ECSA Race by Mark and Claudia Kondrakcy
		With last weeks Pierce Invite abandoned due to lack of wind the stage was set for the first ECSA race hosted by Duck Island. The race committee set classes two and three up to beat to Kelsey point, run to Crane Reef, back to the start and then another beat to Kelsey Point and back to the start.  Class 1 had a shorter course, windward / leeward. So they could get two races in. The forecast predicted southeasterly with a change of rain. The tide was ebbing until 3:47. Most boats played the eastern corners of the course electing to stay out of the currents and the wind seemed strong there too.  People were keenly aware of the rock and we're happy to report, no one hit it. Once you got out beyond the protection of Kelsey Point the currents swept you away from this mark. Boats made this the first time around but the second time the wind was weaker and the current stronger. We had a nice run from Kelsey Point to Crane's Reef. The faster boats were jockeying for positions with each other. After rounding Crane's Reef the boats headed back to the start. We were noticing the air getting a bit lighter. We rounded the start pin as the bigger boats were finishing they first race. We were still playing the Eastern corner but not as closely as before. Everyone's head was out of the boat looking for more pressure. When the boats rounded Kelsey Point the breeze lighted still. Too bad the current didn't. It look a lot of boats a long time to just get up to the mark, even more time to round it. If you were a fast boat, lucky you, you got around and could fly the chute home. Without a long waterline, the smaller boats are effected by the current even more. Here are the happenings: Encore and Hornet are still dueling it out. They were part of the two boat championship last year. Slainte won but will she race enough to qualfy? Meltemi finished 6th in both races. We saw her first start and she was shut out and had to restart. Last year En Charette won her class, this race she was edged out by Nunnehi. Class 1: two races Slainte         2     1 Snowbird     1     3 XLR8           3    2 Wolverine     5    4 Scorpion       4    5 Meltemi        6    6 Class 2 Nunnehi         1 En Charente    2 Synergy         3 Arabesque      4 Banshee         5 Scots             6 Mentor           7 Class 3 Encore               1 Hornet               2 Cloud Dancer     3 Free Spirit          4 Prism                5 Ginger Snap       6 Sail Around Sue  7