Racing summary
9 demotions and 9 promotions
31 heats sailed in all (out of 20 races)
5 last places. 3 of those in race 2, 3, and 4
2 broken shrouds
1 called over at the start
1 wrong umpire call
Having qualified for the A heat (finishing second in the seeding race) I finished last in the next 3 races and had 2 more last places and then broke 2 shrouds later in the competition, both on the way out to the start line Several times I finished 7th to tenth in races just missing promotion. The upside of doing badly is you have so many take aways. So first the brief facts from each race (taken from the video) and then the lessons learned.
Seeding race 1
I was forth up in the seeding race with Ian Vickers. Started well getting the early shifts and in the flat water had good speed. Finished second to Ian so all going to plan. Little did I know.
2A Heat
It is amazing how quickly things can unravel. The start line had some port bias in it and I elected to be the port end boat. What I did not account for was a 30 degree shift before the start so we could not lay the mark. I hit it and had to do a turn. At the windward mark I was doing OK but did not see Zvonko to leeward. We collided and I had to do a turn. I ended up last after the turn and could not recover so demoted to B heat.
3B heat
Lining up for the start, I was too close to the line and a boat came into leeward of me and touched I had to do a penalty turn which would have been OK had I not later understood the windward mark had to bail out and ended up rounding last after going behind a queue of starboard trackers and that’s where I finished.
4C
Lining up for the start, I was building a gap to leeward when a boat sailed into the back of me. I called protest and I think the umpires thought I had hit the boat to leeward. I had the best start but the judge blew the whistle on me and I had to complete two turns. That put me well in last place and there I stayed. When I quizzed the judges after they admitted it was a wrong call and complained they did not always have a clear view of the situation.
By this time I was wondering what I had to do to not finish last.
5D
Great start at right end of the line rounding second at top mark which I held until the finish.
5C
Another good start but could not hold onto the leaders. Badly positioned myself at the windward mark and lost several positions but kept in the heat.
6 C
This was held as the breeze faded a bit. Great start, took first two shifts correctly and extended from there until the end. Super way to finish the day.
6B
Reasonable start but got tangled at the windward mark in a group of boats and stalled. I thought I was clear to windward of them. It turned out I wasn’t. Pushed head to wind and stalled so ended last around the mark and there I stayed.
7C.
Started at the wrong end of the line but sailed OK round the course with good mark roundings. Stayed in the heat.
8 C
Good start and 1st beat. 3rd round windward mark. Lost distance at spreader as rounded too wide.
5th around last windward mark but lost boats downwind and finished 7th.
9C
Third around the top mark but dropped to 6th second time round however held onto the place for promotion.
9B
2nd rank on the start line and I was in the race for the last 6. Approaching the leeward gate the first time around I stupidly positioned myself between the marks and boats had mark room each side. However I had an excellent second beat and finished 8th
10B
Great start. Rounded weather mark in roughly 10th position and just missed promotion to A.
11B
I was one of the few with an A rig and struggled. 7th around leeward mark but somehow lost it on second beat. I assume I had hit someone and had a bad 360.
12 B
I had a good start, but tacked too early for the weather mark and lost loads trying to get round a queue of starboard tack boats and was demoted.
13C
I had a good start and was six at Windward Mark, but by the second time I was one from the back and demoted.
14D
Broke my shroud on the way out to the start and was not given any time to fix it.
15E
Made a good start and rounded the first gate in fifth position and just made promotion from there.
15D
Second rank on the start line But managed to find a good lane and was fourth around the windward Mark and finished fourth so promoted to C
15C
Just a tiny bit late pulling the trigger at the start so it was back in the pack on the first beat. I had a good second beat and pulled up to 8th or ninth position but lost out on the run and finish ninth or 10th.
16C
I broke the replaced shroud on the way out to the start line. I have not had a broken shroud since the Europeans last year but obviously I need to use a heavier duty shroud wire so will go up to 120 lb breaking strain instead of 80lb. The man in the Fishing shop also said that the wire overtime starts to pitted and therefore creates points of weakness so it may be worth replacing on a regular basis, say every six months if you sail on salt water
17D
I had a good start on first beat but approaching the left-hand mark at the Windward gate at speed, a port tack boat rounded the mark, bore away and sailed straight into me sending me backwards and leaving me head to wind. Despite the setback, I managed to avoid relegation.
18 D
I had a great start and was second at the windward mark with Robert Wilson. However, I elected to take the left-hand gate and as we went up the beat there was a significant left-hand shift for the boats to windward. I was left hung out to dry as I never saw any of the lift. Robert stayed in first place and I dropped back to 10th and eventually finished in eighth. What a missed opportunity.
19D
Sailed well enough to finish in the middle of the fleet
20D
Started well sailed well and was promoted
20C
Started well sailed well and was promoted again
20B
I had a good race, but unfortunately finished just short of promotion to A. A positive way to finish.
To sum up, 5 last places from my own stupidity, 2 broken shrouds, 1 A heat, 11 B, 11 C, 8 D, 1 E caused when I broke shroud on way to D heat start. Not an inspirational story by a long way but a ton of learning.
What do I need to work on
Aside from better position on start line and put a loose cover on the fleet I need to focus on:
Accidental collissions 2. Passing behind Starboard boats
Poor mark rounding 6. This is where I need to focus as getting the windward mark rounding wrong can send you from a good position to the back of the fleet.
Broken shroud. Now using stronger wire.
Use of lightweight jib in top end A rig conditions. Needed 50 micron jib.
Its funny when I look at the above, it makes me realise the margins between a good regatta and an average one are so small.
Photo by Jennifer Golison
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