E/ENE wind 6-14 knots, courses were W4 and trapezoid. Competitive sailing today, where conditions made it very difficult to be in the top 3 in all races.
NOTES
-8 of the 10 boats had a top 3 finish today, which shows how competitive our race days are
-crew work was good, focused.
-Ryan Wahba also crewed in boat 8
-shifting gears in wind strength changes can be better; make sure to shift weight forward a little in lulls
-a few times a couple boats hit corners. In some cases it worked out, but it is a risky venture
-both sides could work, but patience and staying there was key
-a few dramatic lead changes toward the top of the cone; wind shifts and pressure was fickle, and generally some luck played a role in side choices.
– on a day when you couldn’t clearly predict a side, boat handling was the difference. The top two boats had better tacks and gybes, and wing-on/offs than the others
-most mark roundings were much improved
-foul trouble and problems getting off the line plagued some teams
-boat 7 had an unspectacular day, but was very good at staying out of big trouble and being conservative; this is why they ended up 3rd overall. Other boats had some better races, but then took unnecessary chances or got into trouble on the line or elsewhere with fouls.
-most boats sailed flatter today and were going better, especially in the bigger puffs
-we still must be willing to gybe and/or wing on/off more to get clear air. We learned some, I hope, about trapezoid sailing today. This may be a course at the Nationals. You have to be able and willing to gybe twice, quickly, at a leeward mark when necessary to keep your place or your speed. Too many times I saw boats just coasting in, and not aggressively fighting for every inch downwind.