LaserLand in Miami

It's been a while, but its time for some updates! I am back in the Laser, doing my best to get a years worth of practice in in a week.

I have been in Miami for 6 days sailing with the other US women in the Radial. I think there are 10 of us! Tomorrow starts the Miami World Cup Regatta. We start at 1:30pm for the first 3 days (qualifying round). 2 races per day. The forecast for tomorrow is light, and today was good light air practice.

I have not been sailing Lasers for a year now, so my boat handling is rusty, and my awareness level is not honed. Despite that, I feel better sailing downwind than I have before.

My goal for this regatta is to sail shrewdly, be consistent, and check in with my self often to identify decision making moments, and justify what I am doing. (Note, "Christine, why are you sailing off to the right, do you really want to be going left instead?" "Oh, yeah, I did want to go left, and I only started going this way because I was forced to tack away, do I still want to go left? Yes, I think so." Tack back.) If I get back in the fleet, I want to do my best to claw back and salvage what I can. - The points you gain from 30th to 25th count the same as from 10th to 5th.

A few things I have learned and re-learned recently:
Only sail as far by the lee as you need to get flow over the sail, and feel pressure build.
Sail flat in light air.
In heavy air tacks, ease the main sheet  more on the exit, and hike harder into the tack.
In heavy air downwind, pull the vang just until the boat gets stable and stops wanting to come over on top of you (by the lee).
Don't over flatten the outhaul upwind in heavy air, you still need the power.
For good sail shape, you want all battens parallel to the centerline of the boat.
Boom should only go to 90 downwind - the 90 mark on the mainsheet helps to keep you from sailing too far by the lee.
Know your time and distance to the line so you can pull the trigger at the right time.
Tight hiking strap style is good for chop. Loose hiking strap style is good for flat water. - Remember to try the loose style sometime to get farther out.
Upwind, get weight forward to point, and get weight aft to go fast and low.
Always try to finish 7th - or something like that.

Enough for now. More updates after racing. You can find results at: http://mocr.ussailing.org/index.php/event-history/results/