Who was out this weekend?.....

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.

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!

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.

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.

Originally posted by hollandsd Originally posted by G.R.F. Finally got on the water for the first time this year. A bit grim and dim early but a freshening breeze blew some of the clouds away and we ended up having probably the longest race I've ever done at Hythe. Pain in the neck first time out, I felt like death, I'd had to pick my daughter up from school at 3.30 in the morning, late arrival back from a ski trip. Glad I went though, proper blew the cobwebs away, had quite a tight top reach that the Blaze really loves, I still don't feel I'm doing it right up wind and I stacked it in a tack ffs, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">and I got taken apart by a Vision, what's that </span><br style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text- decoration: underline;">all about, it's a tub, says 1079 on the lid I should be marching past it. </span> Anyway it's all to do again, more practise necessary, I'm doing better offwind in a breeze only stacked it the once on a gybe and I did something stupid. It was blowing a five and the waves were building a bit by the end so all in all I'm glad to be back out there, but totally knackered. What he doesent tell you is that the vision that took him apart was being sailed without a kite being rigged

I wish they had rigged a kite, at least they'd have stacked it like they
normally do and I wouldn't have the embarrassment of them telling me
"actually the Vision is 1083" so, that's a three sail boat slower than a
laser?

Puuurrrrllleeaaasse. They'll be upping the rental cost of that bandit every
time it's windy.