Following the tradition set by Lars last week, as the 2nd place finisher for the day, I was asked to do the winner's write up. First, I would like to thank Frank Gallagher and the Georgetown sailing program for setting me up with a boat to use. Although I cannot speak much about overall consistency, can comment on some of the things that worked as well as some of the things that did not. BOAT SETTINGS I set my outhaul with about 1 hand length between the boom and the deepest part of the draft and kept it there all afternoon. I didn't mess with this setting primarily because it is a tried and true all purpose setting and because it is difficult to adjust on my boat. The first race my outhaul was way too loose and this was very slow. Going upwind I set my vang by two blocking the mainsheet and taking out the slack in the vang. I released this about 3/4 going downwind. Upwind, I used just enough cunningham to stretch the sail over the joint between mast sections and released it fully downwind. STARTS My starts were not stellar. I had the most success starting near the committee boat with a bit of speed on at the gun. This was especially important in the latter races when the wind died and one could gain more by keeping the boat moving than by have a great position on the line with no speed and surrounded by a bunch of wind blocking boats. A few things I learned (or relearned) about starting. Lesson #1: Be on time and prepared. Although mine was one of the first boats in the water, I spent so much time putting on my gear and generally farting around that I was late to the starting course. Arriving to the line just 45 seconds before the start, I had no time to properly prepare myself. I started in the second row with no speed and half way up the first beat realized I had installed my tiller over the traveler (in my haste to get out to the race course). I need not explain how fighting dirty air and reinstalling a tiller during the race are not fast. Lesson #2: Don't change something that's working well. In my second bad race, I decided that because the wind shifted to the left, I was going to abandon the committee boat side of the start line (where I started the two races that I won) in favor of the pin end. I was blanket by boats, had no speed, and did not finish well. Learning my lesson, I started the next race closer to the committee boat. STRATEGY Despite being late to the course I tried to spend some time figuring out the conditions. I noticed the cove was full of water and there might be more current on the left side where the creek drains. I also knew the easterly wind would be affected by the land mass at the marina on the right side of the course, though I wasn't quite sure how. It was clear there was a wind shadow the closer one sailed to the right but it took awhile to realize that it would produce a lift on port tack as one approached the weather mark. Finally, I noticed that the top part of the course was a bit breezier than the bottom and the wind was a bit shifty. With a fairly square line in the early races, I planned to go left to take advantage of any current from the creek and stay away from the wind shadow on the right. After a few races I realized, the fastest way to the mark was to stay in the middle, tack on the shifts and try to set up with a weather mark approach on leeward to take advantage of the lift that could "dial" you right up into the mark. The importance of this dialing effect was underscored in the last race, when I gave up a commanding position near the 2nd weather mark by getting caught up in the leeward lift well before the layline, went a little to far to the right side and and approached the mark on the headed starboard tack. In doing so, I let Erich slip by, and he won the race. My gut feeling was to tack and cover Erich but I was feeling such euphoria on the lifted leeward tack that I stayed. Lesson: just like multiple choice tests, sometimes the best answer is to trust your instincts and not change your answer. Downwind, my approach was to go a little left for an inside advantage, head straight for the mark and make the most of the fact that I am only 140 lbs. and should theoretically go a little faster downwind. This approach worked all day. And for anyone who might be jeolous of my light weight on light air downwind runs, don't fret. My weight is more of a disadvantage for me going upwind in a blow! So there you have, my secrets to success. |
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