NA's Update Day 3

I improved my boatspeed today, but failed in some other departments. In summary, it was a poor showing on my part and the results show it. I hit the weather mark in races 1 and 3, and had a late start in race 2 that I compounded into a back of the fleet finish. I think I have learned a few things though, so here they are:

• No wishful thinking when you are approaching the weather mark!
• When approaching the stbd layline on port, ask myself 1 tack or 3? Check out who is ahead of me on the left and the right.
• Avoid the bad air at the weather mark - I know this is obvious, but I spent some damaging time in bad air today thinking that I was on the layline when I wasn't. Being conservative doesn't mean avoid the layline forever. It might be more conservative to accept your position in the race, and get out to clear air on the layline.
• When you do go to the (upwind, stbd) layline, overstand by about the number of boatlengths equal to the number of boats ahead of you on your left, as they will each overstand about a boatlength more than the last.
• If you lee-bow a boat on the stbd layline and they hang there, don't get pinned if you can't make the mark. If you think you might not make it, foot for speed and separation so you can tack and duck at full speed. If you weren't sure if he was making it in the first place, then you should have ducked in the first place!
• Don't forget about the port tack lift behind the fleet off the start line - if you have to bail out.
• If you are going to cross a pack of boats upwind, go at least 5 boatlengths before tacking to weather of them. Give yourself the freedom to sail your best vmg without putting pressure on yourself to stay above a pack that could be pinching. This is especially important in light air, heavy air, and waves.
• In waves, do not depower too much! Keep some fullness in the outhaul and cunningham, when the pressure builds, use more vang to allow you to play the main. Push against the blades and try to climb with constant pressure. It does not feel loose and fast - it feels loaded. Push as much weight as you can. Also pay attention to angle to the breeze, it can need to change a lot. Sometimes you can coast right up to windward, but sometimes you have to really turn down to get the pressure on the sail and blades to build back up.

I am not meeting my expectations for this event, but the primary goal is to learn. Tomorrow, the focus is to put together what I know and have learned today. Goals are: stellar starts, clear lanes, stay tuned in to speed, conservative mark roundings.