|
Sat-Day
1 Elvestrom regatta
3 races, wind increasing from 10-12k to 16-18 by last race, Lots of
congestion around marks as we sailed thru laser fleet. 5 formula boards
on line for start.
Race 1: good start on starboard just
to windward of Al. Sailed to near shore where I tacked just before
him thereby getting leeward advantage going up next tack, Things got
a little light and 11.7 went through the lulls better than him on
11.0 and I was able to climb from underneath him to ahead and he ducked
below me. From there it was just going around the course and not making
any mistakes.
Knowing where the next mark is all the time is very important. I was
able to call laylines much more accurately, esp. downwind.
Race 2: I didn't pull the trigger soon
enough and started just to leeward of Al who got out in front of me,
From there he was able to stay in front of me around the next windward-leeward
3 lap course. At leeward mark I tried splitting tacks and went to
the outside but I actually ended up loosing more ground as the flood
was stronger outside.
Race 3: started on port with Al above
me and Soheil below me. Al was able to climb out and get an early
lead but once we rounded the top mark with him just in front of me
to the reach leg, I was able to motor over him and the race was over
from there. Since I was on 11.0 and he was on 10.0 I felt I had more
HP.
Some interesting things Cayard said at the breakfast this morning-
let other people make their mistakes. Sail conservatively the first
half of the regatta and then later make your move- the same applies
for each race- don't take your self out early in the race by doing
something very risky.
Rig settings: 11.7 on Seth's 550 with base at 40 and long booms
11.0 on my 550 with base at 27 and short booms
rigged both to mod mark
Sunday
day 2 Elvestrom-Zellerbach regatta:
Waited on shore till 1:30, wind filled in as other classes started
and got 2 races in. Finally it filled in to 10-24 but still with lots
of holes. 11.7 was the call again with c3 f and mast base at +2. My
main competitor, Al was on 11.5 nitro4 and ml 101.
Race 4: I got off the line slow, stuck
in the chop and bad air…just didn't get off the line soon enough and
Al and the rest of the fleet took off. I was able to catch up some
upwind but the real gain came downwind and I split tacks with Al at
the next leeward mark and headed to the right side. This worked, as
there was a stronger breeze outside. We rounded the top mark with
in a few board lengths but Al split gybed away and headed back to
the inside in the opposing current. I thought it would be better to
get out of the ebb tide and towards the middle of the bay but at the
leeward mark he was defiantly ahead. Not the tactical move by me…when
you are ahead-cover!
Back upwind we both kept our positions to the windward mark and I
thought I would catch him downwind as I was gaining but he kept his
speed to the finish and I came in 2nd. At the point we were tied for
points and the winner of the next race would win the regatta.
Race 5: Off the line much better on this
start as both Al and I were racing down the line on port trying to
stay beneath the line as the current pushed us upwind. It was really
close as I headed up at the last second and avoided hitting the RC
boat by feet. That's what it takes but sometime I wish I had a little
more room to spare. I got out in front to begin with but this race
Al and I would switch places in almost every leg. With 3 windward
and leeward legs it really made things interesting and kept me in
the hunt the whole time. One thing that is for sure in racing- never
give up!
The first downwind, Al went inside again and I went outside and we
came together a the leeward mark but I had much more speed coming
in on starboard and rounded in front of him. The next upwind I tried
to keep my cover but he seemed to have a little better angle than
me. The second downwind I was leading but had to really go deep to
make the mark and I began to pump, but once I realized I couldn't
make it, I gybed and lost control of the rig and dropped the sail,
letting Al slip into the lead. The next upwind, the breeze was really
starting to dye and go left but there wasn't much room to go left
on the course, as the shore was the limit. Al went further right than
me and came back and I tacked j10 board lengths in front of him but
we were really getting headed going back to the left side. I tacked
back but ran into a big hole. Al was able to get around the mark in
a nice puff and at that point with just the downwind leg left, I thought
the race was over. Needless to say, I kept going and headed to the
way outside to get the breeze, as Al wasn't planning on the inside.
We came together again just 50 feet from the finish and we needed
to gybe one more time to make the finish mark but as we did we both
fell off a plane and it didn't look good. Just feet away from the
finish line and the current pushing us away, I headed up to search
for breeze, found some, gybe back and crossed the finish line in front
of Al and securing 1st place in the race and the regatta.
|
