Two weeks of studying rule 18 and I had a leeward mark strategy (OK more an understanding of what I wanted to do). Down wind start again and wanted to be in a position for an inside overlap even if a tad late starting. Worked as a plan but a big lull after the start followed by a massive shift complicated things but inside at the first mark.

Up the first beat the lifts kept pushing me onto starboard. So I ended on port tangled up with other boats approaching the mark; the wind was misbehaving and thought I didn’t loose many places fleet split expanded. Rest of the race was OK pulled ahead of the guys I’m usually with and caught up with ones I don’t normally see.

One mistake was expensive but as usual when not in traffic I did OK.