First try at a casual JAM race

I’ve wanted to take Tradewinds out for a Friday night JAM race since we got her, but both the skipper and crew are a little green. I've done a few Ideal 18 races, but that's it. Last night, the Admiral and I met two friends at the boat for an evening sail, and I had it the back of my mind that we might just head out and join in the JAM division. At the dock, we had a light northerly breeze, puffy, between 4 and 6 knots. As we headed out the river channel to the lake, we were surprised by...