No chute in first race, 25 gusting to 30. Big Kahuna had us at the first cross. Considering both Fall+Season series were at stake we were content with a safe second. Really it was our old pal Sea Biscuit (now a Mumm 30) who convinced us it might not be a good idea. We were almost to the top mark on the first beat close to the port layline. Biscuit rounds in the class ahead of us and sets a masthead (!) kite. I say to brother-in-law Mike, "We might have to tack". He: "Aren't we on the layline?" Me: "Yeah, but they're starboard!" Biscuit goes into full on knockdown broach, keel out of the water, bow aimed straight at us. We stuck it up just high enough to pass astern as they popped up and took off again. BTW one of their crew said they saw the whites of my eyes, which I am pretty sure were big and round.
Second race we tacked under BK at the start and held them off in some very close racing. We were prepared to set if they did. BK waited until the final downwind leg, still 24 knots according to Thomas Point (we have only hand held wind instruments) but not quite as gusty. We gybed soon after the mark to save one later and waited to see how BK did—and they were coming fast. We gybed back, set and finished about a boat length ahead, aided by one broach if I recall correctly when BK gybed. Double digit speeds the whole way.
