Disappointing Results

This morning I was expecting 15-17 knots wind and I would try to keep a curvier sail in order to have more speed. I think this was the problem last week. I was de-powering my rig too much in order to keep it under control and I didn’t have enough power, upwind, to move through the wind.

On the first race I had a pretty good start, but soon I fell behind. I was behind Douglas and in front of Tom. I tried to plan my gybes, so I would avoid last week’s mistakes. Generally speaking I was doing OK apart from one that the boat capsized to leeward. I managed to stay dry and bring the boat upright but not before I waited for three other boats to pass clear. So I lost loads of time there. I realised that I had no chance to catch Douglas so I sort of settled there. I finished 9th out of 10.

For the second race I tried to forget the first race’s result and focused on the new task. I had a really good start in clean air and I shot off the line I was within the top 4. Somehow I made a strategic mistake and I found myself covered, so I lost ground. I tried hard to regain but I was losing ground even downwind. I kept a relatively buggy sail for the upwind legs, but still I didn’t have enough speed. It was too shifty at times and it was too difficult to hike. I was fighting with Douglas, once again, but he had more speed than I did. Eventually I finished 8th out of 10.

Although I had a couple of good performances recently, I am back at the back of the fleet. I think I need to find a way to focus. Maybe I am trying too hard. I don’t know.