Here is a very quick report on my weekend:
Saturday was great but on Sunday there was no wind, which since I was so knakered from the day before I was not too disappointed about. On Saturday we were foiling in the gusts but mainly low ridding. My boat went great but I broke the prodder on 3rd lap of the first race. Then spent 2 races trying to find car keys to get the old prodder out my car but could not find them dispite sailing out to ask Niki where he hid them.
I sailed the 4th race with no prodder and no rig tension, kicker or cunningham so he mast would survive and I would get some more flying time. I was very slow upwind, then I sailed the wrong course and got DSQ. So I came last overall in the four race series with a RTD, DNS, DNS DSQ.
On the negative:
I had no watch for the start. I sailed every shift in the wrong direction. I got the course wrong. My wand jammed up just when I had the chance to take the lead at the leeward mark resulting in 2 crashes and a capsize at critical moment. Broken prodder, and tramp lashing rod. Cramps in the arms and sore everything. Chasing around trying to find car key for half the races. The wind was horrible. All in all I have a few things to improve on.
On the positive:
It was great to meet some "local" moth sailors. It was great to see some old familiar boats again. I learned lots and lots and lots and lots. My boat is fast, and flys well. The German fleet were great and we had a really nice atmosphere. Michi's holiday house was a amazing setting for a barbecue, breakfast and beers. The other skiffs (int 14, 49er and 18ft skiffs) were cool boats to be out sailing with. The sailing club was great. I now have 4 times as much flying time in the new boat.
The Flashheart is an awesome shape. I was taking off as early as or earlier than
Bladeriders with the same weight helms. The transition from lowriding to
flying is not noticeable. I have yet to crash in strong winds but the fine
bow and bouncy aft really works well in flat water. The V forward sheds
water like we wanted. Adam May did a great job on this hull design.
Felix and I met and exchanged boat building tips. He broke a push rod before the start of the first race so we could not get a picture of us both foiling. So here is my 2nd place in the build race pic.
Harald won low-riding Si Payne old Skippy. I will post the results up later.
4 comments:
Doug,thanks for writing up the report.
Yeah,alphabets on the result sheets are never good scores. The carkey should always be on the ......mmh ...mmmh..... especially when you are using the car not alone. I never ever let my girlfriend move away from the car during my time out on the water without putting the key into that special place. Never.
Your story is a true example and I can only feel with you. Sweating in your neopren and searching for the key. Hearing the next signals out on the lake...
Thanks for the comment Fred. The car key thing is just one more thing to get right. Niki came in got the key from the special place and did a record re-thread and reassemble of his foil linkages. He did well to get back out on time for the 2nd race but in his haste did not remember to return the key.
I still have my head in the boat and do not really have a routine for getting rigged etc... so everything is harder, and mistakes happen. I just need to go sailing more often to get back in the routine.
Happy Bithday to you - happy birthday to you - happy birthday dear Doug - happy birthday to you.
After I have seen Lord Flashheart I have to say you probably got the best gift from yourself. May it be a good year for you and her.
Take care
Felix
Results are here:
http://www.moth-sailing.org/results/2008_ammersee.xml
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