Who was out this weekend?.....

Well the two guys using it, normally run a 400, and now and again get it
right on the start as they did this day.

Finchy, the helm works with me, and he reckons I was catching them
offwind, but upwind they were at worse keeping pace and leaving me more
often than not.

From where I was, it looked like they pulled away the entire time, not that I
was watching them, I was more focussed on the nearest laser who had been
sailing all winter, has been known to do me by 6 secs and knew all about his
nice 1080 gift against my 1046 loss, but I got him O.K.

Well it got me again today.
Another puffy race, but flattish water this time, another cock up start, but
at least got away before they did and most everyone else.

Got absolutely mauled on a tightish fetch by a well sailed Laser, oh the
disgrace of it, but it did show up how much I've still to learn when it's
breezey upwind. I'm oversheeting and sailing too high, found that out
today, didn't get a beep so carried on round one xtra lap and tried sailing
a bit free, it seemed to work, but without anyone to pace against I'll never
know now.

Offwind I'm still faster, but upwind I need to practise, dialed a teethless
tacking method at last, putting the rope thing in the wigglestick hand as I
go about, works a treat.

All in all the best race I think I've had in the Blaze, some quite close
juxtapositioning in quite a strong breeze on flat water, a bit horrid gusty,
but for the first time I didn't stack it and I learned some new stuff sailing
at close quarter with the better guys in a breeze, excellent day.
I did beat the Bandido Vision over the water at least, so some consolation
even though I'm mullered on handicap.

Yesterday was awesome down at Netley. 8 Dart 18's out racing - not bad for
a club series - and there were quite a few regulars that were away!

Just a shame I was so rusty and unfit!

We had a very good weekend in our new 4000. Sailed three of
the fours days over Easter with a race on the last day. The
race was a bit of a struggle with it gusting 33kts at one
point but we kept the mast out of the water and finished
the race - unlike the other two 4k's in our micro fleet!

Learnt a lot. Had to completely change how we tacked in
regards to the jib. It was all too easy for the jib alone
to knock us down.

Originally posted by G.R.F. Got absolutely hammered today, I don't think I've ever felt so fatigued. Pretty gusty force 5 with gusts and violent shifts of at least 25 knots plus and bloody cold. Only the fact the sun was out kept me soldiering on. I did learn something, that damn wiggle stick thing on the end of the tiller that constantly gets ripped out of your hands during a gybe as the rear sheeting engages with it. Point it all the way forward rather than making an 'L' of it like they show pupils in how to gybe school and gybe using the tiller bit makes for a surprisingly easy super quick planing gybe, took me three spills to clock it, but a lesson hard learned at least. Other than that I was out cold all avo after todays race, got a fifth though which is the best result so far this year, not sure I'd like to have christened that RS100 today, I hate to think how many times I'd have gone over in that, and would I have had the cojones to put the kite up? Hmm probably I'm that stupid.

Interesting thing to be proud of graham, only 5 boats finished and i finished 4th in the 3000 with a complete beginner in the front and we didnt use the kite