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We sailed in a 12 to 17 knot southerly breeze. Temperatures were in the low 80’s with small chop and flat water. Our hopes were to sail three good races and possibly have a chance at coming home with the gold medal.
Race 10: We started on the upper third of the line and headed left. With good speed and pointing capabilities, we waited for the left shift and tacked to port. As we completed our tack the outhaul broke. My first thought was …What now? My next thought was… There goes the gold medal. We attempted to tie a line to the clue of the main sail and back to the outhaul line. Due to my inability to use my hands well, this made for a long and tedious process. By the time we were able to tie a makeshift outhaul, we were so far behind, and I contemplated dropping out of the race. Once somewhat fixed we continued towards the first mark. By the time we rounded the weather mark, all boats were rounding the leeward mark. Leaving us at least a leg behind. We did our best to try and catch up but we were only able to salvage 10th. In between races, Mike fixed the outhaul as we prepared for race 11. I have never had so many breakdowns in one regatta. It was so frustrating.
Race 11: Maureen and I said to each other, let’s just try and win the last two races and see what happens. After another good start, we led from the first tack all the way around the course. We extended on almost every leg finishing first. A feeling of redemption came over us. Now with one race to go, the regatta winner was already determined. We added up the points and realized that we were now in 4th. One point behind 3rd and three points behind 2nd.
Race 12: Knowing we had to put points not only on one boat but two boats would make for an interesting race. As the gun went off, I knew it would be difficult to not only beat the U.S. boat but to put 3 points on the Swedish boat at the same time. We started to weather of the Swedish boat (3 boats ahead) and to leeward of the other
Three races were held today in 8 to 12 knot NE breeze. Temperatures where in the low 70’s with 2 foot chop.
Race 7: We attempted to start at the weather end right at the race committee boat. Just before the start a GBR (British) boat attempted to squeeze in between us and the race committee boat. We had contact and it caused us both to be over the line. Fortunately, we had the right away, but we still had to return to the starting line and restart. This put us behind early as we tacked to go to the right side of the course. We tacked on the first shift and crossed over to the left side of the course. Hit the next shift, and caught up big time. This put us in fifth around the weather mark, not far behind the leaders. After a good downwind we rounded the leeward mark in second. Stuck with the race leader on the right side, as we both extended from the fleet. Next weather mark we rounded closely behind. Stayed on the leader’s tail downwind and rounded right on her stern at the last leeward mark. Played the left side of the next beat as the leader went right. With good speed and a small left wind shift we took a commanding lead as we crossed back towards the right side. We finished first by 20 boat lengths or so.
Race 8: We took the leeward end at the start, went for a short distance, tacked and crossed the fleet. We extended on every leg and won by minute and a half.
Race 9: We started at the leeward end again. Headed left and tacked on the first shift. We crossed all but one boat as we led towards the right side. Tacked back to the left and crossed the one remaining boat. Held on or extended on the next four legs and finished well ahead for another first.
This gave us a 1, 1, 1 for the day, much needed. We have moved into 3rd place. Hopefully, if we can get in 2 or 3 final races tomorrow, we have a shot at winning. Send winning thoughts. Thanks everyone for your support. You are with us in every race.
Day 3 of the World Championships went better. Winds were 8-12 knots with plenty of chop. Race 4 went well. We took the leeward end and played the left. Rounded 1st at weather mark and extended all race. After five legs we finished with a four minute lead. We were happy with our speed and the played the shifts well.
Race 5 we started a little late and played middle left. After a poor start we rounded 5th at the weather mark. We jibed on the shifts down wind and took over first. At the leeward mark, we shrimped a kite. Once we got the spinnaker on board we were now in 5th or 6th. Played the next beat well, and rounded 3rd. The race committee decided to shorten the course at the leeward mark. With good downwind speed we squeaked 2nd.
Race 6, we started one boat up from the leeward end. There was a right hand shift, but we played the left well and rounded 4th. On the next beat we moved up to 2nd. After a so, so, downwind run we rounded in 3rd. We moved into 2nd halfway up the last beat but failed to see the left shift coming and ended up in 4th.
Overall a good day with a 1, 2, 4. We moved into 5th overall. I was frustrated with my lack of vision to see the left hand shift as the left seem to pay most of the day.
Winds are predicted to be light on Thursday. Friday winds are expected in the mid teens. With another good day or two we have the opportunity to reach the podium. Thanks to Maureen, Mike, Dan, Mary Kate our hosts the Ingrams, Mike, Delia, Lizzy and Roy. We look forward to getting 6 more races in. Our speed seems great. I just need to make some of the right calls. After tomorrow, we will have a better idea where we stand.
Thanks to all my supporters and we will be back in
First of all, I want to honor those who lost their lives six years ago. Sometimes in life senseless things happen.
We achieved our first three races today with some good things happen, and quite a few bad things happen. Winds were 5 to 10 knots from the WNW, air temperature around 70 degrees with periods of rain showers. Race 1 started in the best breeze of the day around 10 knots; we took the leeward pin and headed left. Waited for the first puff, tacked and had a great view of everyone to leeward of us. Had 5 boat length lead at the weather mark only to increase this lead to 10 boatlengths at the leeward mark. Extended to probably 30 to 40 boatlengths on the next weather leg. On our last tack to the weather mark, the day seems to take a turn for the worst. Our main halyard broke as the main started to fall down. We rounded and hoisted the kite, sailed to the leeward mark losing half our lead. As we rounded the leeward mark we knew it was going to be a battle just to finish the race. Amazingly we held on to our lead for half the weather beat as the fleet closed in. Unfortunately, the main just kept falling down. However, we were able to hold on to 6th place. Quite a disappointment after having such a huge lead.
In between races, Mike Pinckney and Dan Tucker took Maureen and I out of the boat after hailing for help on the radio, the Coastguard came and helped Mike and Dan flip the boat so they could tie the halyard to the top of the mast. Meanwhile one SKUD who was way behind was told by the race committee that they were deemed last place and to return to the starting area. This left us with minimal time to make the mainsail repair. Due to this I have applied for redress, because by the time we finished the repair and made to the starting line the next race had already started. If the would have waited for the last place boat to finish the race we would have made it in time, and that is the reason for the redress protest. Even though we started late, and most boats went left, we still ended up 11th. To compound the problem with the late start our spinnaker sheets ended up crossed during the main halyard repair and we could not hoist our spinnaker in race two. I felt like I was having a nightmare. Now race three we figured we would forget about the first two and have a great third race. Staring towards the leeward end of the line a British boat would not head up from out leeward boat hail. This caused us to be forced down the line slightly. Once the gun went off, we headed up only to catch our keel on the scope of the leeward end of the Race starting boat. This caused us to slide into and get hooked on the leeward race committee boat. It took us nearly a minute to untangle us, and then we had to do a 360. By this time we were in deep in last place. We caught a couple of boats by the first mark and the wind shifted 40 degrees left. The next two legs became a “follow the leader” race because the race committee did not change the course. We sit in 10th place pending the redress hearing. Tomorrow prediction is for heavy winds. Rumor has it if it is 20 knots or more they won’t sail us. Due to our poor finishes on day two we need the races so we can get throwouts. I look forward to racing the rest of the week because I feel we should be winning. Hopefully we will race tomorrow and things will work out better. Send good thoughts. Mary Kate says we should maybe for tomorrow rename the website alovefor4BETTERsailing.com.
After five good days of practice we were to get started today in the Disabled World Championships. The Skud class was to start at 1pm. Due to wind speeds of 0 - 4 knots and left over chop from the stormy day before the Race Committee cancelled the day after 3 hours of bobbing around. The 2.4’s and the Sonars each had 1 race. A grreat way to follow the regatta is www.t2p.tv . Register and the click on the Disabled Worlds. More to come tomorrow.
Brochure (pdf)