Here are a few of my observations from Sunday that helped me win the day. Take everything with a grain of salt as I am still learning and luck played a very big part of it in the shifty wind conditions. Also, read Nick Von Der Wense notes, the winner from from SSA. Race 1: I started by sighting down the line from the committee boat . . . the reference point ended up being the green channel marker. Using this, I tried to be sailing at full speed at the start, instead of parking on the line as I normally do. Doing this helped me get off the line in a clear lane with clean wind (always easier to win when you have a jump start and clean air). I had overheard Nabeel, before the start, say that the tide was coming in (should have known this by doing research before the race but I didn't . . . so I got lucky) so I tacked off onto port shortly after the start and headed for the right side (Virginia side) of the river which looked like it had just as much wind, less current (more shallow water), and, was becoming the more advantageous tack due to the wind shifting left. This put me first at the windward mark. Again, I cannot emphasize enough, how much easier it is if you have clean air . . . and therefore how important it is to not necessarily win the start but at least get a good start. I rounded the top mark expecting to be on a reach, however, the wind continued shifting left and I ended up sailing to windward again. Patience, which I normally lack, paid off here. As the wind was dancing unpredictably around during that leg, I stayed still in my boat, watched my wind indicator, and, did not try to force anything . . . just waited until the wind sorted itself out. After tacking back and forth to the reaching mark and rounding it, the wind continued to shift left, and I found myself once again sailing to windward for the third time in 3 legs. Rounded the leward mark and finished. Race 2 I did race committee Race 3 Any wind there was had started to die, so I parked myself near the line just in case it completely died. I have learned my lesson not to get too far away from the line in those conditions, or, when the current is ripping My start was not great but not terrible. This time I got rolled at the start by the boat to windward on the line because I was not at full speed and they were. I steered a lower than close hauled course to get some distance in between myself and the other boat so I could tack off onto port and once again head for the right side. A good start coupled with clean wind all the way around produced another 1st. Race 4 The wind had now shifted 180 degrees from the start of the day. I headed my boat into the wind before the start and notice the pin end was extremely favored. I set up so I could hit the line, at full speed, on starboard at the pin end and quickly tack onto port. I ended up getting fouled by a friend coming in hard at the pin on port tack just a few seconds earlier than he wanted to be there. That took a while to get untangled and really broke my concentration for the rest of the race (something I need to work on). Instead of dusting the incident off and sailing "my" race, I think I tried too hard to make up for it and pushed too hard . . . which made me make more mistakes during the race. Lesson learned? Shit happens, and the better sailors anticipate it, sort it out, clear their heads of it and sail on as though it didn't occur. I ended up finishing sixth which along with the good first two race gave me the win for the day. Settings As for settings going to windward, my outhaul was eased so my sail was 4-5 inches off the boom; vang was on slightly and cunningham was completely off (may have been better to have a little on to keep the draft just forward of center). On the 3rd race in light wind I had the outhaul on more to get a flatter sail to help the wind get around it and not stall. I was fully hiked anytime the wind allowed it. On reaches, I had the board 1/3 up; vang so top batten was just flicking; outhaul 6-7 inches off the boom; and, sat as close to the CB as possible using my weight to steer not the tiller. Downwind Same setting as the reach, however, I heeled much more to windward trying to get as much sail area up high as I could. I continue to learn alot by looking at pics on video or the internet . . . if you want to see how it is supposed to be done, look for pictures of Robert Scheidt sailing downwind on the web . . . there is no one better!! |
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