2010 Laser District 11 Championships

Awesome turn out for the 2010 Laser District Championships at Corsica River with 60 Lasers in attendance. Unfortunately the wind gods did not understand the importance of this Championships and refused to provide much breeze for both days. Forecast for Saturday called for north easterly breezes peeking at about 7 knots at 9 a.m. and decreasing to nothing for most of the rest of the day, it did not look good for racing, especially with a significant current running out the river, in the south west direction, giving light winds with the current, really didn't look good for any races. After a short postponement on shore we sailed slowly out of the creek, aided by the current, we got to the race area with about 4 knots of breeze from the north easy with 20 degree oscillating shifts. Boat was favored in our sequence, and with the current pushing the fleet away from the line, I had no trouble getting a front row start 2nd from the boat, and with speed. Nice, step 1 done, now work to the right side and try to get some current relief, bur remember, don't approach on starboard layline because the current will prevent you from getting to the mark, no matter how much you seem to over stand. I tacked right immediately, good roll tack, speed to the right, first shift, and tack back, another roll tack done well. Great going well. Now work the shifts up the right side, and nail every roll tack, no gifts. The right side paid off big, and the few boats that hit the right corner did well, I rounded in top 20, good place to be, then start downwind with the current. Wind dropping, and I used two roll jibes to pass a boat, then hit the right gate, and start to go upwind. The Race Committee seeing the wind dropping, changed the next mark to a shorter distance upwind against the current, and shortened the course to that mark. Wind kept dropping, and the first few boats finished, I worked the right side again, passed several boats, and was able to get within about 2 boat lengths of the finish line when the wind died completely. Now up to the finish against the current with almost no wind, 8 roll tacks later, all done well, I was able to cross the line in 14th, passing Bob Tan in the last 2 lengths to the finish. Wow, not sure how legal that was, but the only way we could finish, only 4 more boats were able to finish within the time limit and the wind died to nothing and I tied up to a powerboat and enjoyed some great conversation and beers with the southern bay folks, hats out to the Swenson's super nice family and Kyle just getting better and better on the Laser, very hard to beat now. Tow back to the club for some more beer, and then I had to head home to take care of Samson. Would have been nice to camp there, it is a beautiful location, with very nice facilities, rustic, and awesome camping. There were 18 sailors from SSA, largest contingent, and we had our own "base camp" and "yacht" (thanks Leo Wilson). I heard the dinner was awesome, and the party on the "yacht" even better.

Sunday forecast looked very much like Saturday, except now from the southeast. Wind dropping all day. OK, now we have wind against current, and a nice boost upwind. Quinn Tobin went left for 3 minutes and I went right before the start, and I crossed about 10 lengths ahead, even though I was in a hole most of the time, OK, good current right side, start on the boat and kick out that way. Got a great start, but no, now that we have current pushing us over the line, general recall. One more general recall later, I had a poor start, first time of all the general recalls, and it is a clean start, figures. Well, get right when I can, but for the first third of the leg, I am pinged around just hunting for lanes. Still have to nail every roll tack. But wait, left side is paying off, huh??? Doesn't make sense, right side is the channel and faster running water theoretically. Well very deep when I get to the weather mark, back of the fleet, well long downwinds against the current to make this up. Excellent downwind speed and working left course side to the left gate, I passed several boats and rounded the gate cleanly and went out left this time, good idea, as I pick off several more boats, good, this is how it should work, keep nailing roll tacks, and shifts. Hit the next weather mark in about 30th place and worked to the left course side again, at the approach to the gate, I roll jibed to pass a boat to my left, went to a boat to my right on starboard, roll jibed back to starboard to pass him and set myself up inside a third boat that was ahead of me. Nice work, passing 3 boats on one mark rounding set up. Head back to the left side upwind and work the shifts, staying out of the holes and let the current carry me up to the finish to somehow work myself back to 16th. Wow, nice come back, but really got to keep myself from getting deep like that. OK, another race, not going to make the right side mistake again. Go for the pin and win the pin end at the start, only to be called back for another general recall. Ah well, back on the good starts. Next start, back to the pin end, and start cleanly on the right side with two boats to leeward, and a gap to windward where I was not pinned. Nice, work out left, a couple of small shifts, roll tacks nailed, great, then wind starts to shut off, and sure enough, it shuts off from the left, giving all those on the right a little breeze to help them to the mark. I rounded with only about 4 boats behind me, yikes, not good especially with no wind downwind against the current. Start working hard now, roll jibing to every zephyr, roll jibing to keep the boat moving, and somehow picking off boats, then just a hint of a breeze to get us into the shortened finish after two legs. Yikes, that sucked, but did some good things downwind to finish in 28th.

This left me at 14th for the regatta and third master behind Hiramitsu Yamamoto in 8th and Bob Tan in 13th. Very respectable considering the conditions and quite happy that I was able to climb out of some deep holes. That is so important to doing well at any regatta, sometimes things conspire to go wrong, but the best sailors somehow manage to fight their way back to respectable finishes nonetheless.

This is it before Laser Masters Worlds. TESOD on Tuesday looks like no wind again, and the Melges 24 class is not looking good for Annapolis Race Week, so I may get the Labor Day weekend to practice anyway. Then off to England September 9. Getting close now, and I feel my boat handling skills and kinetics are streets better this year than last. I guess those days on the beach laser doing 50 roll tacks and 50 roll jibes really helped. Fitness level was good too, and I was happy to do 8 roll tacks right at the finish of the first race, when others were reluctant to do so.

Preparations for Masters Worlds

Well, I think I am finally, ready for the trip to England for the Laser Worlds, well mostly ready. After much searching and talking to Laser Performance Dealers around the country, I was finally able to get a folded North sail for the Worlds. The problem is that the airline won't let me take anything longer than 80 inches on the plane, and the rolled sails are 108 inches. Well I finally have the sail with numbers and national letters, thanks to West Coast Sailing. I built a container for the tiller and tiller extensions I need to take with me, and did my twice annual replacement of my traveler line. Now just waiting for my jumbo sized duffel bag to arrive, hopefully this week. I have to take all lines and my tiller and extension with me, as well as the sail since those are not provided with the boats for the Worlds.

My flight leaves on September 9 and I arrive in England on the 10th. I will head straight to Hayling Island from the airport and hopefully get my boat for the regatta and get it measured in. Then off to the hotel in Portsmouth to check in. I am looking forward to spending some time in Portsmouth, I have heard there is a lot to see. The first race is scheduled for Monday (9/13) with 2 races a day with a lay day on Thursday. Since this is a Masters regatta, all us old guys really appreciate that day break in the middle of the regatta.

Preparation on the Chesapeake has not been very good this year, with light winds for all Laser events so far. I have been getting out on the beach Laser by my house (on the South River) on a fairly regular basis which has been helpful. Lots of opportunity to drill roll tacks and roll jibes. The practice has been evident with my roll jibes, using them often in both Tuesday evening races and weekend races to get past a competitor when needed. I was able to stay with a much lighter competitor on a Tuesday by roll jibing downwind effectively.

Not many more opportunities to sail before the Worlds now. This weekend is the District Championships at Corsica River Yacht Club. Unfortunately the forecast looks like we will once again have very light air for this event. The following weekend is Annapolis Race Week, but I do not think I will be sailing which will give me some practice time (hopefully). Then off to the worlds. Keep checking in and I will try to keep you all updated as things progress.