Strong Wind, Good Result
Last Sunday with the strong wind I thought it would be my day. I thought I would do well. Unfortunately I didn’t. The shifts made my life very difficult. When I was beating, if I would get a header, the wind was so strong that the boat would come on top of me so fast, that I didn’t have time to react. On the beginning of the second race I realised that I was pointing higher than Corbin and that’s why I thought I would beat him. I started capsizing, though, so he finished ahead of me. I was thinking about that on Sunday evening, and I understood what was happening. I was pointing higher and therefore the headers would send me swimming. He bore away, though and in the headers he had to sheet-in and maybe bear away a bit more. So, this is what I should had done on Sunday.
So, today the forecast was 13-14 knots all afternoon and 10 knots for 7 o’clock in the evening (which is the time we start the race). I think the wind didn’t drop as much and it was more than 10 knots. So I had the strategy in place to bear away a bit and try to stay upright. 10 boats started and my start was quite bad. I could even say appalling. I carried on and on the downwind leg I caught up with Corbin and Rob. We were all running by the lee, but at some point they gybed out. I kept sailing by the lee and I was going much faster, so when I gybed they were surprised to see me so close. On the bottom reach I came to a boat length behind them.
I headed up without pointing very high and I managed to keep the boat going. There was a bit of a chop and the fact that I bore away helped me ride through the waves. I also moved back into the boat and I was hiking hard. I hardly used the cunningham. I was playing with the mainsheet and I had loads of kicker and plenty of outhaul on. Slowly, but steadily, I was gaining on Corbin and Rob. I also passed Chris. The last one to pass was Corbin. I think he was quite surprised to see me sailing so well. Especially after what he saw last Sunday.
I had a dry capsize but I recovered quickly and kept going. The boats behind me, one by one, started retiring. I was the last boat and I thought I was 5th or 6th. On the last downwind leg, I saw Ben and Dan fighting for first place and then I saw Joe. Then it was me! On the beat to the finish line, I capsized once more, to windward, and although I managed to recover quickly, I got really pissed off. I was so angry that I was swearing in Greek all the way to the line. I finished 4th! I know that so many people weren’t there, like Steve, Brent and Pete, but still this is a good result. I don’t know how long Corbin has been sailing for, but he is an experienced sailor, or at least more experienced than me. I managed to beat him fair and square.
I am feeling a bit tired, but I am happy with the result. Today, was one of these days that all these things you have experienced, come together bring you one step up from where you were yesterday. The forecast for next Sunday is light wind, so I expect it to be boring.