A'yuh, those dern'd lobster pots... we both had too many of those, didn't we?! But we always turned and waited for each other to get free.
Now, on the subject of passing, did someone say pass the gingko biloba? Do you not recall the Casco Bay run to Little Snow Isl? Somewhere off of Bailey Isl., this X started moving up the line to take point and by the time the next boat (M) reached the Ragged Isl. waypoint, I was 20 - 25 minutes into my next tack!
Perhaps pass isn't the correct term on the day sailing to Swans Island. "Accelerating away from" more appropriately describes the crossing of Jericho Bay. And the earned lead allowed Over Easy some extra back & forth sailing time in Toothacher Bay while waiting for Spice to catch up!
Now, here's the best part of that day, a real Kodak moment...we're on Toothacher Bay enroute to Burnt Coat Harbor, the final run towards Hockamock Head Light. Spice and Over Easy are staggered parallel, 1 or 2 boat lengths apart - wind about 10 - 15+ mph. Both boats are heeled probably 25*+ and we are screeeeaaming along, holding equal for a couple of minutes, til, if we continued, we'd have driven ourselves up on the rocky shores of Harbor Island. That moment would have looked good on film, two sailboats in formation, taking the wind for all it was worth!! (Whew, I think I need a cigarette!)
X v. M? White v. blue? What's it matter really? In my experiences, of the few times I've had the pleasure of sailing with X & M's in group - I've had a few impressive / lucky runs. Perhaps due in part to the fact that my boat is lightly provisioned & still relatively stock, i.e., not a lot of, if any, weight-adding mods. By comparison, as I've said before, Dan & Linda do very well in provisioning meals for a cruise. I am constantly wowwed by the menu when invited aboard Spice for meals. I once offered to take on a cooler of beer & homemade cookies to relieve them of wieght and they were just going to send over the empties!
Sail hard, sail fast...and relive it at anchor over a bottle!