Two-hour postponements were called on all courses; racing started in 7-10 knots on the outer harbor course and built steadily throughout the afternoon finishing in 12-14 knots. "It turned out to be a very good day in the end and I think most people were pleased," Bruce Bingham, principal race officer for the offshore courses, commented. "There were lots of smiles as boats crossed the finish lines."
The 29-strong VX:One fleet are having a blast according to Stanley Hassinger (Chapin, SC) skipper on Little Miss Magic and currently second in class behind John Porter on Farside. "It was a really tough day, the wind was very shifty and unpredictable around the course," Hassinger said. "We tried to stay as consistent as possible and make gains when we could. The competition is fantastic, the VX fleet is second to none in my book and there are a lot of great sailors here this week so it's been really fun. Farside has been really consistent. Even when you get down to just trying to limit your losses and stay consistent, John Porter is always consistent so it's a matter of trying to take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves and mitigate the damage and not make mistakes.
John Shockey (Vermilion, OH) sailing on the Melges 24 Corinthian class on Wombmates Racing, is just one point behind Surprise in close class racing. "Dan on Surprise are always a formidable Corinthian competitor out there – today there were really tricky conditions in the first race and we got hooked on the top mark, there was so much current that we snagged it with our rudder which set us back," Shockey said. "We followed it up with a second in race two which was an exciting windy race where we were all blast-reaching and planing downwind – a lot of fun. I've raced here before but it was the first time the two rivers were different currents in a fifty-to-hundred-yard stretch. The Ashley was pushing us east and the Cooper was pushing us south, that was very confusing at the top mark," he laughed.
Sailing for Clemson University with crew Mason Baird and Sam Heighway, skipper Nilah Miller has helmed her team to a first-position tie with Douglas McKeige on Boat in the RS21 fleet. The two teams have a solid ten-point lead over the rest of the fleet. For all three Clemson sailors it is the first time that they have sailed a RS21. At Charleston Race Week, the RS21 fleet is testing the Vakaros 2 Race Sense software.
Weather guru Shea Gibson noted, "On Sunday we hope to keep a modest N/NNE flow going in the 7-11 kts ranges as long as possible for the last day of racing at Charleston Race Week 2023. Tune in at 8am on Sunday to join Scott Nixon / Quantum Sails and Shea Gibson / Sailflow Weather online for interactive forecasts, local knowledge, and expert tips.