Santana 20 nationals

[bws...@cox.net]

Well by now you know the score and have seen the results from the S20.com site. We finished 10th with a best of a 2nd and 4th. But the terrible truth is that the second and third races on day two. We a mess because I crossed the halyards when rigging the Genoa. After careful analysis of what had kept our spinnaker from coming down on three different takedowns it boiled down to crossed halyards. What a simple elementary mistake. But my guys sailed better than we ever have, and did a heroic job saving a 23 and 24 finish with the most god awful cluster you can imagine.
Yes we put up the spinier on the way out to the race course and jibed and did our take down no problem. Yes, we put up the Genoa and tacked both ways then took it down. But because we were trying to save the new Genoa we did not go through the whole sequence of Genoa up tack, pole up spinnaker up, Genoa down, backstay out jibe, Genoa up, pole down, then takedown. So we were completely fooled by the pre race practice. It was when the Genoa went up that it trapped the spin halyard and would not let it release. Mitch could not see what the problem was. But we figured it out after the disaster was complete. But a top ten in that fleet is still OK. Oh and most important we beat IV who finished 12th.
It was a fantastic venue, fantastic race management, fantastic weather, 75 during the day and 52 at night. People were so friendly I thought I was back home.
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Britt Williams
Sailing Fayest