Mark Watson and the crew of Tiburon slipped to seventh overall after a day of mixed fortunes on Narragansett Bay at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.

The Bermuda boat posted finishes of fifth, sixth, 17th and eighth, yesterday to finish the second day of competition on 41 points, level with Finish skipper Leonardo Ferragamo and his crew.

It might have been all so different for Watson, but spinnaker problems robbed them of a top-three finish in the second of yesterday's four races, and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club entry never really recovered.

Having finished fifth in Wednesday's only race, Watson and crew matched that feat again in the first race, coming from 14th place at the first windward mark to chase down the fleet and post a strong finish.

The third race looked like being even better. Fifth at the first windward mark, Bermuda chased down the boats from New York Yacht Club, and Japan Sailing Federation, to be in second, just behind Royal Cork through the Leeward gate. However, spinnaker problems stopped them in their tracks and they dropped back down the fleet, eventually finishing sixth.

While Bermuda struggled, Royal Cork and skipper Anthony O'Leary won the first two races of the day, but it was the New York Yacht Club's team led by skipper Phil Lotz that made the move to the top of the scoreboard when he played the averages for a scoreline that never left the single digits.

Lotz gave credit to his team and tactician Ken Read, known as one of the best sailors in the world, for a remarkable comeback in the second race that took them from sorry-at the-start to phenomenal-at-the-finish.

Having jumped the start gun with three others, the team were called back to clear itself and begin again. "We had a clean lane at least," said Lotz, "and were able to work a number of shifts to finish second."

In the last race of the day, when the wind had begged off slightly from its highs of 18-20 knots, Lotz was caught, along with the Canadian team, at the pin end of the start line when the wind went right.

"A good jibe-set gained us some boats, and on the last beat we were able to gain some more," said Lotz.