Practice Race down, now on to the real deal

Luckily we had about 5 practice starts yesterday, and a very long practice race. Just getting used to the launching program was good. Basically, there is a ten minute launch window, you aren't allowed to go out early. The start today is at 4:00pm, so basically we want to be rigged and dressed by 3:00pm, with the boat on it's side. At 3:15 they ring a bell and we are allowed to go upright. At 3:30, they ring another bell, and that means we can start launching. Lumix is the "Rabbit" boat, and they have to launch last, but ideally they are on the water by 3:45. The race committee waits for them to sail upwind and down, and then they start the race. One of the most important things we learned yesterday about racing in Sydney Harbor is that the wind is never steady. The lulls are huge, and staying in good pressure is difficult. Anticipating pressure changes is important, as is avoiding the hilly shorelines where the breeze gets weird.

Yesterday our starts got better each time, but we have tons to work on to get up to speed. Here's our list of things to do better today:

• Know the courses.
• Get accurate time from the race committee (this is hard to stay close and not miss a gun, since keeping the boat under control is a full time job.
• Set up early and far back to allow for an easy approach.
• Wail on the Cunningham and Vang as hard as I can.
• Communicate well about mainsheet trim, pressure changes, and body movement.
• Adjust Jib trim more to match the main.
• Faster hoists.
• More perfect Spinnaker sail trim - ease more without collapsing the chute!
• Douse faster, and pick timing better.

Plus we have a work-list for the boat for this morning. Good thing we have some time, the late afternoon starts are necessary to get everything done.

Here's the Program for the week:

Sailing in Sydney Harbour

After 25 hours of traveling from Miami to Sydney, I walked from the train station down to Double Bay, and found Katie and CC rigging our 18! Although it was midnight in Miami, we had a beautiful afternoon sail. We learned that traffic on the bay is a major concern. Fisherman, Ferries, Cruise Ships, and Sailboats. Sydney Harbour is not that big compared to San Francisco Bay, you can run out of water quickly in an 18.  Today we will get out early to be on the water in time for some good warm-up before the Practice Race which starts at 4pm.

On my way to Australia

In the airport in Miami heading down under to sail 18 footers! Will try to update regularly and post some pics. More info on the JJ's at www.18footers.com.au/.

TV footage at www.18footerstv.com.

49er on its way

Spent  yesterday packing the 49er for its container ride to Europe. Hope everything makes it there safely!

Lauderdale

Finished Lauderdale OCR with Assn epic day of big waves. Much to learn, its not every day that you get to sail in those  conditions. Boy was it fun though!

Last Day - Miami World Cup

After my poor day on thursday, and with the reset of the scores, I was almost out of an opportunity to make it in to the top ten. So on friday I was going for broke. I was 15 points behind the tenth place girl, which meant that I could get into the top ten if I won two races and she had a couple 8ths or something similar. It was our windiest day!

My first race started out well, and I rounded the windward mark in the top 5 I think, but the best sailors are relentless, and they slowly picked away at me to finish 10th.

The second race I had an amazing start - too good actually since I was OCS. I sailed the race as best I could knowing it might not even count, but I was loving it - rounded the windward mark in 1st right outside Annalise Murphy (who won 4 races in a row in breeze at the Olympics - she is the fastest when it is windy) and led a screaming reach and most of the downwind. Unfortunately lost some upwind on the first shift, but in the end it would have been my best finish - 7th.

Overall, I am happy that I have come closer to achieving my potential, and I am putting together most of what makes a good regatta. Now I need to become more perfectionist, and really grind away at my weaknesses and refine the things that make me lose a boatlength here and there.

The things I improved on this regatta since the NA's, Worlds, and Miami OCR last year are primarily my starts. Except for the OCS's I was generally off the line in a decent lane. My disaster management has gotten better, and I have fewer major race ruining mistakes. I am becoming a more solid sailor and seeing more things that I didn't used to anticipate.

Here is my work list of things I need to improve:

• Downwind speed -

More time in the boat - focusing on always being by the lee or reaching with flow over the sail, and doing a power press the right direction to accelerate down waves.  I think I need to get stronger squat muscles so that I can press harder.

• Holding my spot on the line - 

Need to work on stopping, not going sideways, and backing up when needed, as well as recognizing a bad situation and getting out asap!

Also - I am getting my spot and getting bow out, but I rely too much on my line sight, and I get a little too close to the line. Need to work on refining where I line up so that I am bow even with the windward boat and can pull the trigger earlier. That way I will be full speed at the gun, and not OCS.

• Roll tacks and Gybes -

Learned a ton from Mike Kalin about body positioning and mainsheet trim for both of these and can't wait to work on them. - Roll gybes are all about fast hands on the mainsheet.

• Light air technique upwind -

I have improved this a lot in the last year, but I need to be more perfectionist about sail trim and boat angle of heel. I think going fast in light air is about constantly making adjustsments with body weight, and sail controls to always be set up perfectly.

• Get a compass - 

Learn how to use it to track shifts. I think this might have helped me on thursday and friday with slow oscillations in the breeze.


Hope you have enjoyed this blog, next regatta is the Lauderdale OCR which starts Friday!
-Christine

A short update on the last two days - Miami WC

From my phone, so this will be short. I had a great start to yesterday, rounding the windward mark in third after leading for a while. I was going fast downwind in a great grove when I capsized. needless to say I lost a bunch of boats. Second race was the other way around, I rounded behind a huge pack of boats, but played a shifty second upwind well, and finished 8th.

Weeds have been a major player in these races, I have been working on my wed clearing technique.
If you check the results, you will see that the regatta format is new. Today we started a second series, and only carried our place in the first series over as if it was one race.

Slightly poorer starts today, with only decent speed upwind, led me to tack out of bad air when I should have hung in with a shift. I finally put it together in the third race today, but was ocs trying to have a better start.

Now in 16th. Only two races tomorrow, forecast for 14 to 17. I expect the scores to mix up some more. I plan to go out and sail as best I can, keeping in mind all I have learned in the last week of racing.
heading to bed now, ready for another great day of racing, loving laser sailing right now!