The first upwind beat, I went to the unstable wind and caught a couple of gusts. I rounded the windward mark in first place, in front of Ken Eaves who had gone to the left from the start line. I managed to hold my position around the gybe mark and back to the start line for the final beat.
Now I had a decision: do I go to the right again into the gusty stuff, and try to extend my lead? Or do I go left where the wind was constant and try to defend my position from there?
I went right, and got caught in a lull. By the time the fast air hit me again, I was well behind. I rounded the mark third, and finished fourth.
Lessons learned: don't take unnecessary risks
Ken had gone left at the start of the race -- this should have been a tip off that he would (likely) go left again on the second beat. I should have gone left and kept in front of him. I could have kept an eye on him as he rounded the downwind mark, and (just in case he changed tactics and went right) I could always tack and move towards the gusty stuff to ensure he didn't pass.Doug at Improper Course wrote a post about a similar tactical decision (http://www.impropercourse.com/2015/04/when-to-slow-down.html) where he opined:
Sailing more conservatively is much better than hoping that things would somehow work out. I got greedy, which rarely works with mark roundings, and it cost me the event.He knows what he's talking about.
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