By Airwaves Writer Tyler Colvin. Any chance I get to escape the weather in New England I typically take, so when I got the call to crew on a boat for the Long Beach Yacht Club’s Butler Cup (Grade 3) I didn’t hesitate. The event, running November 15-16 out of Long Beach Yacht Club, is named in honor of Frank Butler, designer of the Catalina 37 and president of Catalina Yachts. Frank donated a fleet of 11 boats to the Long Beach Sailing Foundation who continues to maintain and repair these boats two decades later. Also used for the Congressional Cup, the longest running match race in North America, the Catalina 37s have been sailed by world-class sailors since their inception.
Final Results here
My first time sailing the boat would also be with a crew I largely had never met. Skipper Shane Young, Long Beach Match Race Team member and former Cal State Long Beach Sailing Team standout had the helm with the assist from tactician Steve Flam. Main trim was another LBMR Team member Max Moosmann, with John Hill (former CSULB Sailing Team skipper) at primary trim and myself at offside trim. In the pit was Chase Young (brother of Shane) and on the bow was LBMR Team member Ben Wheatley.
Saturday morning dawned with a mild 4-6 knot southerly that built slowly throughout the day. We motored out of the harbor and towards the Long Beach Pier (same venue as Congressional Cup) to get some practice in before our first match. Format was a double round robin, meaning 58 races in two days, which, in the current wind conditions, was a formidable task for the race committee.
After a first race mishap in the pre-start against Justin Law (2014 Hinman Trophy winner), it was apparent we were out of sync. A late entry to the box and sloppy boat handling handed Law leverage that they maintained for the rest of the race. As the breeze built and our communication increased, so did our pre-start maneuvers, speed and decision making. Our first loss would also prove to be our last as we finished up the day at 6-1 with key wins over Bill Durant and Dave Hood.
Day 2 brought screaming Santa Ana winds that blew all hopes of an early start out the window with gusts upwards of 25 knots (above the Catalina 37 wind range, as specified by the Long Beach Sailing Foundation). After a brief meeting we sat on land until noon, hoping that by then the land breeze would have switched to a sea breeze with more manageable wind speeds. Due to the loss of time on the course, the race committee amended the sailing instructions to reflect a Day 2 format of semis and finals for the top four teams (first to 2 points) and a single round robin for the bottom four teams.
Out in the harbor the course was set further out than Saturday to take advantage of as much breeze as could possibly fill. As luck would have it, our semi-final match up was with Law, a revenge match of our only loss of the weekend. Taking advantage of our starboard entry, we forced an early penalty and started clear ahead, leading by several boat lengths at the first mark. A spinnaker mishap and some ill-timed jibes saw that lead squandered and by the final run Law had a good-sized lead. Luckily for us a combination of a poorly timed penalty turn and failing to completely exonerate gave us a late victory in match one.
Match two was light and shifty with Law yet again winning the start. We stayed close and made our move on the last run pulling off a clean hoist and jibe to new breeze. Letting us split to course left, Law and company parked themselves in a massive hole on the (course) right while we marched on into the finish. Just like that we were on to the finals. “No worse than second overall!” joked Ben.
Unfortunately, this was about the time that the wind decided it had had enough and quit entirely for the day; nothing but random puffs scattered across an otherwise glassy bay. Without a full set for the top four boats, the medal rankings came down to the previous day scores. Both our boat (Young) and Durant had 6 points, but with the tiebreaker we scored first overall and winners of the 2014 Butler Cup.
The Butler Cup Race Committee deserves ample recognition for the job they did pulling off the first round robin on Saturday in less than ideal conditions. They were quick to adapt to the situation and their quick thinking allowed all 28 of the first days races to be completed. Additionally a thank you to the other skippers and their respective crews, Bill Durant, Dave Hood, Justin Law, Wendy Corzine, Sandy Hayes, Lisa Meier and Stephen Ashley, for making the event competitive and fun.
Full results can be seen here or on the Long Beach Yacht Club website. Thanks to the LBYC for facilitating this event and the Long Beach Sailing Foundation for providing the boats.
Team Training Practice Sessions: Making the Most of Your Time!
By Andrew Kerr
As we know, practice is a critical element in any sport and yet time is seemingly becoming more and more limited as people juggle with the demands of modern life!
Here are some ideas on practice elements & content that can make the most of this limited time. In this article we look at practice sessions both fully crewed, short handed and how evening/ beer can races can be utilized for training as well. For the vast majority of teams there is the need to incorporate a new crew member as very few of us are lucky to have the same team at every event. These practice sessions can help integrate that new crew member into the teams system and subsequently help get the team up to speed in a shorter period of time.
A big thing to key in on is practicing a lot of time and distance work; pick a marker and see how long it takes to accelerate to get there and do this over and over again. This will really help with consistency on the starting line and help avoid the issues of being very early to the line being forced to either run the line, luff, or late and in bad air. The great thing about this acceleration practice is you can do it shorthanded. Even if your team can only practice a couple of these drills or has time to incorporate one element ( a beer can race as a practice for instance) you will see the value both in more consistent sailing and general team comfort level with boat handling. The following are thoughts that might help you maximize your time and effort:
- Practice weekends & after work/ evening sessions (with daylight savings time), or well before the race starts – fully crewed.
- Either set a starting line or find two marks and line them up with an available upwind mark that is less than a quarter mile away.
- Do a 10 minute rolling clock with a practice start at 5 minutes and then a race at zero – race up to the windward mark and then finish downwind by rounding either the RC end to port or the pin end to starboard with a spinnaker take-down and a tactical rounding up to close-hauled.
- Try all sorts of starting approaches increasing your repertoire: port tack approach, starboard tack approach, full speed approach, hang back approach etc. And really work on time and distance and acceleration and holding position.
- Constantly evaluate lay lines to the starting line and to your upwind and downwind mark so that you start to internalize the angles in different conditions.
The more approaches you develop the less predictable you are to your competitors. If another team would like to come out and join in, it would be very beneficial for boat to boat tactics and mark rounding’s and advantageous to both teams. It is more fun too!!
This system gets two starts in a race and also simulated practice with gate marks and leeward mark rounding’s. Some additional team skills to build on are:
- Roll tacking and roll jibing – particularly before the start in light air for max power & speed. Lots of tacks in general, with critique of speed loss & speed build after each one. Take time to really work on the perfect time to release the Jib sheet and steering smoothly through out the turn.
- Simulated late (opportunistic) gate mark selection with the pole down & stored and the chute free flying with the jib up.
- Coming in to the leeward mark on starboard tack and executing a pole down, jibe, chute down and tactical rounding. All types of takedowns and roundings.
- “Thin Building” on the starting line – i.e.: holding position about three lengths off the line, maintaining a good gap to leeward and then accelerating accordingly to top speed.
- If you need to slow down and hold position – try easing the vang to dump the wind off the leech and then re trimming it as the boat gets going. This is particularly effective when it is windy as there is a lot of vang on and even with the mainsail eased out the tight vang will drive the boat side way’s and forward.
- Practice weather mark roundings so that in a breeze you dive down hard and pin out competitors ahead from jibing and in light air you assume the correct angle immediately with the spin trimmer talking pressure on the sheet immediately. Conversely, in light air that you round and stay high enough to maintain pressure on the spinnaker sheet and keep the boat going fast exiting the mark. A good trick is to have the mast person ease the vang an inch or two before the weather mark – this will help the boat bear off more easily and also help the mainsail leech assume the correct shape (top baton parallel to the boom) immediately.
- Practice staying within the lay lines to the starting line and building a team awareness of where the safe starboard tack lay line to the RC and Pin end is.
- A rudderless drill with the team – hold the tiller in the center or tie off and have the team sail the boat with sail trim and weight placement. Try doing a rudderless downwind leg – either hold the tiller in the center or tie it off and do a series of jibes with the spinnaker up. Typically after this drill the skipper will use less rudder on the jibes and the crew will be more in tune with steering the boat with there weight. A great challenge for the team is to see if you can do a start without using the rudder! This exercise is great for team understanding of roll tacking and jibing and helps the trimmers a lot with understanding the dynamics of starts and leeward and windward mark roundings as well as overall boat balance.
- In light to medium air – with a symmetric spinnaker – jibing without the pole numerous times to get the spinnaker rotation perfected, with an A sail – jibing the mainsail before the A sail to keep the spinnaker filled longer.
- On the light air sessions a good one to really go at is reach to reach jibe practice – making sure there is sufficient pressure on the spinnaker to be able to get the spinnaker around the head stay for an A sail – with the crew rolling the boat – or properly rotated on a symmetric sail. A team can never get too good at this! It’s a challenge to keep the spinnaker flying on a light air reach to reach jibe so lots of practice needed. If not enough pressure on the spinnaker – head up and get the pressure before jibing. This is really important, if the team tries to jibe the spinnaker in light air with insufficient pressure on the sheet then it is sure to collapse. A good thing to practice is the dialogue before the jibe – the skipper asking the trimmer how the pressure is and getting a confirmation back on if it is sufficient or not.
- Heeling to weather downwind to rock the shoulder of the spinnaker away from the mainsail and to induce a little lee helm to encourage the boat to bear away in the puffs. Try moving crew members from side to side to balance the helm perfectly and try to encourage the crew to sit as low as possible and to the sides of the boat to dampen the rolling of the boat and to maximize the helms visibility.
- Man over board drill both going upwind and also down wind with the spinnaker up – excellent for seamanship, team awareness and practicing maneuvers.
- A great one to try later on in lighter air is a silent practice – a start, upwind & downwind leg and a leeward mark rounding – this is great for team anticipation skills. The only communication allowed is for safety related reasons. My wife Stephanie tells me this silent practice was an instrumental element of their team (America 3) training for the 1995 America’s Cup.
- Continue the starts and races until the team is tiring out and then head in and debrief by having each team member talk about their position and what they need to improve on for next time. While this debrief session is going on it is good to have a person jotting down notes on a Wet Notes book for future reference.
Ideas for after work during evening session with a skeleton crew (shorthanded):
For this session it’s good to focus on starts, & windward & leeward mark rounding’s with no spinnaker. You could have a shorthanded crew (bare minimum) and this proves to be a great opportunity to do numerous starts with a rolling clock and focusing on time and distance, acceleration speed building and slowing down and holding position. Get in as many in as you can.
For Leeward Mark Roundings:
Try to do as many leeward mark roundings as possible and critique each one practicing all approaches; on port, on starboard, having to jibe & round simultaneously and starboard approach with a jibe drop (Jib up, pole down, jibe, chute down), then the tactical mark rounding. Really work on the jib being perfectly trimmed to every point of sail and the crew moving to leeward in light air and pressing on the leeward rail to help the rounding. On the jibe rounding the tricky element is to perfectly trim the mainsail in a jibe and do a great rounding. Do this repeatedly with no spinnaker. There are big gains to be made by executing this well. This is also a really good opportunity to practice pinching up (or “check luffing”) to use the VMG gained by the leeward mark rounding to translate in to pointing and a resultant clearer lane from the boat who just rounded ahead. Any helm will tell you that it is critical to have everyone hiking super hard out of the rounding so that the team can maintain a high, clear air lane out of the mark. Really work on this and the orchestration of the timing of the spinnaker take down.
Time & Distance:
Now lets try some time & distance work; find a marker and see how long it takes from a slow position to sheet in, accelerate, and reach the marker. Try this over and over again and it will help a lot with time and distance. In my experience coaching, this proves to be invaluable to nailing their starts, particularly early in the season.
Spare weekends (if any!): find a tuning partner for races & regatta’s
Any combo of the above would be valuable practice (sequenced from prior practices) on non race days. For regattas it is very beneficial to get another team ( if available) to be a tuning partner. Go upwind with them for 5 to 10 minutes before the start and fine tune the set up.
If the other team is faster ask yourself why? Check the critical settings: Jib halyard tension, forestay sag, mainsheet tension, jib lead position, jib sheet tension and what “mode” of sailing they are in? (“Point mode”, ‘Fast forward mode”). Once you have made your adjustments go upwind with them again and see how you go with them with the new settings. Now how are you doing?
A great part of practice with your tuning partner will be going upwind on opposite tacks before the start (or in practice) for 5 minutes or more, then tack back and converge to see who crosses first. This will give you an idea of the initial shift and the initial favored side of the course. I have found the above very helpful when traveling to new venues and attempting to counter the advantage of local knowledge going into the event.
Make sure to write it all down and to review and share any onboard camera footage as well as pictures taken of the team sailing.
After each regatta, and race and practice session, record in your Wet Notes book what went well and what needs to be practiced for the next team session. These notes are best recorded right away when everything is fresh during the sail in, at the dock, or at the yacht club after the race. It is quite revealing to review these notes particularly; wind patterns, geographic effects, and the effect a frontal system may have had on the course. This also highlights intuitive tactical moves that worked at the venue!
The tactical mind and the chess game:
On the drive to the event I have found it really good to review these notes and also go over hypothetical tactical and strategic situations with other team members. An example of this would be: “Ok, starboard end of the line is favored by 7 degrees on a long starting line with 50 plus boats. The I flag is in effect and the race course looks even velocity wise. What do you think we should do?” This gets the discussion going, gets people visualizing situations, and gets the team together on almost “scripting” the plays.
Beer can race and have fun!
This is a great opportunity to try some things; starting approaches, jibe drops, etc., that you may employ in the regatta format or for bigger events on your schedule. This is also an excellent time to train a new crew member and integrate them in to your team’s system as well as introduce them to the local fleet. Take the time to teach and coach, and make it fun. Very often new crew members are also potential new owners and fleet members. Over the years I have seen teams take on a new person who really enjoys sailing in the class and then later proceed to buy a boat and participate in the fleet.
A big thing to be aware of is the tendency to want to practice moves the team has already mastered. I have experienced this in the past and it doesn’t help the team grow their skill. To counter this trap, make a note of weaknesses at a prior event, and put them front and center in the session. Focus on the “chinks”, for example: If there is a tendency to get up to the line early and be slow at the start, focus on time and distance and acceleration.
A nice aspect of a post practice session debrief is to have a nice social time as a crew. This makes the whole event more enjoyable for everyone. Making it fun keeps people coming back for more. A good sense of humor keeps it light and everyone looking forward to more sailing! Being part of a team that practices, tunes, and is consistently improving, whether at the local, regional, or national level, is a really enjoyable experience for all involved.
Best of luck in your next regatta!
Whitecap Composites: New Kids on the Block
Sail1Design would like to welcome our newest team member and sponsor, Whitecap Composites!
By Airwaves Writer Tyler Colvin
On a grey New England day I pulled around the corner of yet another non-descript warehouse building to discover a rack of hulls and plugs and an assortment of familiar bumper stickers. I had arrived at Whitecap Composites, in Peabody, Massachusetts, for a tour and to see what these guys were all about. Partners Ben Parker and Paul Zimmerman have created buzz about their little shop in recent years with their ability to turn out extremely high quality, durable boats for organizations and individuals.
Stepping through the door I was greeted by the familiar fiberglass and resin smell of a boat shop, reggaeton cutting through the hum of a pump and buzz of grinders. Ben came out to meet me with a smile and a handshake, very excited to show someone their operation. We walked through the assembly area, which consisted of boats in several stages of completion, and he explained the process that makes them unique from the slew of dinghy shops in the Northeast. “We take large boat construction and apply it to the dinghy. These are built like a real boat,” explained Ben, “everything about the construction process is repeatable and consistent.”
What Ben was referring to is the construction process they have been using since their shop opened back in 2011. In dinghy construction, there is usually a trade off between weight and durability. Fiberglass is laid up with resin by hand, cured, popped from the mold and put together. Not at Whitecap. Using structural fiberglass around a thin foam core combined with a vacuum bag infusion of resin, they are able to balance weight and stiffness, and are ensured a consistent product and create a bulletproof hull.
“Would you ever take a sledgehammer to one of your boats?” asked Ben, “well you can take one to ours.” He proceeded to tell me a recent story of some Kings Point guys who came up to see the shop and process, were asked the same question and then given a sledgehammer to test it out. Long story short, the sledgehammer lost.
The amount of pride that Ben and Paul put in their work is very apparent from their enthusiasm about the fleets they are building, new projects coming in to them and the thought of expanding. “We are unique in that we are responsive. We are available to our customers,” said Paul. “You see him and I? He is production, I am sales. If someone needs to ask a question on the phone, I cover the mouthpiece and ask him. Eliminates the need to go from department to department.”
Whitecap Composites has worked in conjunction with several college teams, one-design classes and individuals in the past four years. They have built 75 boats that are sitting on MIT’s docks, including the new Turbo FJ, which were purchased by both MIT and Northeastern University. Other schools are ordering from Whitecap as well, recently Christopher Newport University took delivery of 18 Turbo 420s. Eckerd is awaiting a shipment of FJs and 420s from Whitecap and Tufts has a new fleet of Larks in the works as well. Outside the college world they have also produced several other boats on a sub-contract basis, including the custom wakeless coach boats for Community Rowing in Boston and are working with the Comet class to revitalize.
Ben and Paul pride themselves on quality and the ability to accommodate their clients. “Our boats don’t come off the water during your season,” Ben commented, “we value quality over quantity.” Whether it is for a collegiate fleet or a custom build, they want you to feel involved in the process and help you get exactly what you want.
We would like again to give Whitecap Composites a warm welcome to the Sail1Design family as our newest team member. Feel free to stop over to their shop in Peabody to check them out, or just call Ben or Paul, they are sitting ten feet from each other, so if one doesn’t know the answer to your question, chances are the other does.
Meet the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider – Caleb Paine
By Airwaves writer Martha Pitt
Approaching his 24th birthday this week, Caleb Paine is one of the bright young members of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider on the hunt to win a medal for the US Team at the Rio Games in 2016. Since 2010, he has been sailing the Finn in the ISAF Sailing World Cup circuit full time working towards his goal, and he has certainly been making strides towards that goal! Currently ranked 1st in the country and 5th in the world, Caleb’s notable finishes this year include 1st at Finn North Americans, 5th at Sailing World Cup Hyeres, and an impressive 7th place finish at the ISAF Sailing World Championship in Santander.
Caleb has been sailing his entire life, and starting racing in the Sabot at age 7 in San Diego. By the time he was 12 years old, he was 6 feet tall and weighed 145lbs – a bit too large for the Sabot! He then transitioned to the Laser Radial and later to the Laser Full Rig at 15, quickly becoming one of the top junior Laser sailors in the country. He also sailed on his high school team at Point Loma High School, and became captain his senior year. Around this same time, Caleb started sailing the Finn. After graduating high school with a dream of winning an Olympic gold medal, Caleb decided to put school on hold and pursue his goal. In the spring of 2009, he bought himself a Finn and began training and competing full time. He joined the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider in 2011 and has since been climbing the World rankings in preparation toward his Olympic goal.
Read some more about Caleb, his campaign, and his journey below, and be sure to follow him at http://www.medalinrio.com/, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/medalinrio.
And be sure to follow the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider at http://ussailingteam.uberflip.com/h/!
S1D: When did you start sailing, and what kind of boats did you learn on?
CP: Sailing has always been a part of my life. My parents have pictures of me at 2 weeks old falling asleep in the gangway on my dad’s boat. He would suspend me in the backpack and it would swing around with the sea until I fell asleep. The first time I ever sailed on my own was in a Sabot at Mission Bay Yacht Club.
S1D: What got you into sailboat racing?
CP: I have always been competitive and once I realized I could combine that with sailing I started to race.
S1D: How long have you been sailing the Finn?
CP: I have been Finn sailing for 5 years now. I started in 2009 with my first event and first time traveling overseas being Kiel, followed by the world championships shortly after, I placed 56th.
S1D: Who are your favorite teams to sailing against?
CP: The British.
S1D: What is your game plan for the next 2 years leading up to Rio?
CP: To really refine my equipment and spend time sailing down in Rio. The conditions vary greatly from sailing in the bay to the conditions in the ocean. The Finns will be sailing in both so I’ll need lots of training time in each.
S1D: Which events are you most looking forward to in the next year?
CP: The Rio Test event in August and the Finn Gold Cup in New Zealand.
S1D: What advice would you give other sailors who are interested in Olympic sailing?
CP: It is an amazing journey where you meet great people and make lifelong friends. In terms of competition you couldn’t ask for anything more difficult, which I love!
S1D: What does it mean to you to be on the US Sailing Team?
CP: Being on the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider means you are the best US sailor in your class. Being the best person at something amongst 319 million people is pretty sweet.
S1D: What are some of your favorite things about being on the team?
CP: Being a part of a team that succeeds together is a great feeling.
S1D: What has been the most challenging aspect about campaigning and/or your campaign?
CP: Money has always been an issue for me. It took me 5 years for me to get a new mast and boat made to my specifications.
S1D: How would you describe your relationship with other athletes on the team?
CP: I have known most of the athletes on the team for a while now and I would consider them all to be great sailors as well as people. I have a lot to learn from my fellow team members and look forward to working more with them the closer we get to Rio.
S1D: Who have been the most influential people in your sailing career?
CP: I would have to say my dad Doug Paine, who sailed singlehanded to Hawaii on a 25 foot boat.
S1D: What has been your favorite place to sail in international competition? Least favorite?
CP: San Francisco will always be my favorite, but a close second would be Santander where the past ISAF Worlds were held. Don’t have a least favorite, just a place I haven’t fully figured out.
S1D: Similarly, what has been your favorite place to travel to or visit?
CP: Tallinn, Estonia one must go to understand the beauty and culture of such a cool little place tucked away in the Northeast corner of Europe.
S1D: Do you have any rituals or superstitions relating to your sailing?
CP: Nope my fate is in my own hands.
S1D: Does your boat have a name?
CP: Yep, it’s a secret.
S1D: What do you like to do when you aren’t sailing the Finn, like for fun or to cross-train?
CP: I don’t know if you can consider it cross training but skeet and trap shooting.
S1D: If there was one thing that you would like the readers of this article to know about you, what would it be?
CP: I have always had the dream to sail in the Volvo Ocean Race.
S1D: If you were to reincarnate as an animal, what do you think it would be and why?
CP: An otter, they love the water, eat and play all day.
2015 Team Race Midwinters Preview
By Airwaves Writer Clinton Hayes
For almost 2 decades team racing enthusiasts made the annual pilgrimage to Florida over New Years for Vanguard 15 Midwinters. That event and its host, usually Jensen Beach, were special in so many ways, but for better or for worse, it is no more. The current climate of team racing seems to demand provided boat events, (see recent our article on Provided Boats) so in steps Eckerd College. Eckerd now has the 2nd event on the growing dinghy team racing circuit, the other being the Free State Team Race in Annapolis, MD.
If you were lucky enough to attend a V15 midwinters you undoubtedly had a great time. Tight competitive racing during the day gives way to often rowdy, nighttime fun. Whatever your expectations are for this event, Eckerd has you covered. As a Nationally ranked college team, their boats and venue are top notch. Sailing takes place just off Eckerd’s campus beach were you’ll sit between races. Being in a protected bay, the water is generally flat with a little chop if the wind picks up. Manatee sightings are common near the mangroves that surround parts of the bay and line the narrow waterway you sail out of between the boathouse and the racing area. Racing will be in Eckerd’s fleet of FJs as well as Zim 15s, the boat currently sailed at the US Team Racing Championships. Expect coaches Kevin and Zack to have everything in order for a nice efficient event. As long as the wind cooperates, which it usually does during the winter in Florida, there will be plenty of racing.
For Competitors missing the Four Fish Inn in Jensen Beach(does that bring back some memories!) the regatta hotel for this event, Postcard Inn, seems like a worthy substitute. Its location right on the Gulf of Mexico on St.Pete Beach will provide no shortage of fun. They are hosting a full New Year’s Eve party with a live band and bon fire on the beach. How else would you want to ring in the New Year with all your best sailing friends? The next night they are hosting a dinner for all regatta competitors. I’m told if enough people register and stay at the hotel they are going to do a pig roast on the beach!
There are a number of teams already registered. A couple of college teams looking to get a jump-start on the team racing season and some veterans coming back for more. This 1st annual event is not to be missed. Make your plans now to drive or fly into the Tampa area. If you need help finding a team or are looking for someone to fill out a team post on the Facebook event page, 2015 Midwinter Team Race
https://www.facebook.com/events/1557696367794320/?ref=br_tf . I guarantee you’ll make many new friends and great memories, just as it’s always been.
Rounding the Windward and Offset Mark with a Symmetrical Spinnaker
By Andrew Kerr
This article takes a look at the important elements of rounding the windward mark and offset mark with some key elements in mind for teams using a symmetrical spinnakers, with a few exceptions the vast majority of the elements that we explore apply to Asymmetric boats well. In this article we will look at the boat handling skills a team needs to practice & develop, in a future article we will look at tactics we can use at these marks. Even if your team does not anticipate sailing with an offset mark a great deal, the vast majority of the information below will help your team be smoother at the windward mark rounding.
Approaching the windward mark
- Hike hard coming in to the mark so the boat is flat and fast!
- When the bow person sets the pole, hike especially hard and if possible pull the pole topping lift up from the hiking position
- If it is a long sail to the offset mark then delay setting the pole until you have rounded the windward mark to minimize disruption – particularly in heavy or very light conditions – the caveat to this is if you can set the spinnaker between the marks.
- Ease the vang a couple of inches (be sure to re-cleat it!) to the preset downwind mark to help preset the mainsail leech tension for downwind sailing and also to help the boat bear away by opening the mainsail leech.
- The headsail trimmer really wants to focus on perfect trim of the sail and not be distracted – particularly important if sailing in dirty air from another boat or getting lifted into the mark requiring the Jib to be eased for max speed.
- Top skippers keep the boat going fast at all times – keep the boat rolling and be sure not to pinch too much , have the crew keep calling out waves and puffs all the way into the mark so you can be anticipating the elements. This is a chance to extend on boats behind you and catch boats ahead, boat length by boat length.
- Don’t pinch – if on a tight lay line to the mark – take the mark out of the picture and go fast, the lift off the foils will very often give the team the added pointing it needs. It’s all too common for a team to pinch too much initially and not make the mark anyway.
Between the windward mark and the offset mark – sail fast!!
As a coach I observe and video tape a lot of races and one of the common threads is the gains and losses for teams when sailing between the marks – particularly in the extremes of conditions – very light or heavy air.
Key elements for sailing fast between the marks:
- Trimming the sails well – keep the headsail tell tales flowing – this does mean easing it and when it is time to set on smaller boats the trimmer can grab the clew of the sail and pull it inboard to facilitate the spinnaker going up smoothly and not getting trapped between the leech of the Genoa and the boom and helps the foot of the sail pre feed easier.
- On boats with skirt lines attached to the foot of the genoa (like a J24) the bow person skirts the foot of the sail inboard of the lifelines to help with the pre feed of the spinnaker foot.
- Particularly when it is breezy – sail the boat flat and not allowing excessive heel.
- When it is light – minimizing movement and being smooth will maintain momentum and speed.
- Determine how much pre feed on the spinnaker foot you want – if it is light then gently feed the foot out so that it doesn’t disrupt the headsail, if it is breezy then you may want to delay until the boat is around the offset mark and flat and pointed downwind so that the foot of the sail does not get out of control. In medium conditions you likely will be able to pre feed most of the way but be careful of the sail touching the offset mark or a leeward boat.
- Take an opportunity in light/ moderate conditions to ease the Cunningham (if on at all) all the way off and the outhaul to the eased setting for downwind sailing.
- The bow person can point to the offset mark to help the skipper gauge where it is as well as the middle looking to leeward helping keep track of it.
Setting the spinnaker between the marks
With the wind veering to the right and your team getting lifted on starboard tack going into the mark there may be an opportunity to set between the marks, here is a check list for this:
- Make sure you get a good visual on where the offset mark is – it is easy to lose sight of it when pre feeding the spinnaker, the bow person ( as mentioned earlier) or trimmer or tactician can help point out where it is and if possible the skipper needs to get themselves in a good place for them to see it. One helpful trick is if you are approaching the windward mark on port tack is to have the skipper take a quick glance at the angle and distance of the offset mark in relationship to the windward mark so that if they have to tack at the windward mark they have a good idea where the heading of the bow has to go immediately once the tack is completed.
- If there is a boat to leeward of you and slightly ahead of you (preventing you from bearing away)- head high and then bear away and go behind them – this will give you the ability to set and get inside and be able to jibe at the offset – you don’t want to be pinned outside them. In this situation the likelihood is that the team will need to jibe to port quickly with a right shift to get in phase with the wind – current and wind shadows and other strategic needs notwithstanding.
- Be sure that the leeward twing is all the way off and the windward twing all the way on.
- Caution – if the twing line is too long it can scoop the offset mark – has them long enough but not too long!
- Pull the guy back so that the pole is at least 9 inches to almost a foot off the forestay – the guy will stretch this much at least on a reach when the spinnaker fills.
- Luff the spinnaker if necessary to get the spinnaker halyard all the way to the top and then sheet in.
- If breezy – delay pulling the Jib down to keep the weight on the high side until the boat has flattened out. In this instance if you have the spinnaker and Genoa up at the same time be sure to keep the Jib sheet well eased to allow the spinnaker to fly – if it is slightly over trimmed the sails forms a vacuum of stall and collapses the spinnaker.
- When bearing off at the offset mark ease the spinnaker sheet first and that will make squaring the pole much faster and easier, sounds simple but a lot of teams have difficulty squaring the boat back smoothly – particularly on bigger boats or when it is windier.
Rounding the offset Mark
Look to round the mark tactically if at all possible – aim half to three quarters of a length to windward of the mark and then smoothly turn down while giving the main a good and fluid ease, the goal is to minimize the loss of the turn, very often teams button hook turn around the mark and end up losing a lot of speed and also end up way wide with other teams getting inside them.
- Backstay off as soon as you can and when possible organize the Main traveler so it is centered, assuming the mainsheet is long enough.
- As soon as you possibly can make sure you have a crew member looking back for velocity and the angles of other boats – gets this dialogue going as fast as possible – this is critical.
Hoisting the spinnaker in light air at the offset mark
Be sure to keep the pole forward as the apparent wind is well forward – slightly over trim the spinnaker sheet and when the boat speed and apparent wind angles start to get closer together then slowly start to bring the pole aft. Pulling the pole aft prematurely in light air is a common mistake and will collapse the spinnaker every time, watch for this, particularly with a new trimmer or fill in crew member.
It’s all in the details
- Put a series of marks ( or with tape on the solid part if you have a solid vang) on the vang so you know how much to ease it to set the mainsail
- Leech tension with the top baton parallel, or more open if in planning mode to the boom once you are downwind
- Mark the topping lift so that the pole is set to the correct height
- Mark the spinnaker halyard so you know when it is fully hoisted
- Do a practice bear away set and mark the spinnaker sheet & cleat it when the pole is squared and the sail full. This pre set mark will allow you to focus on pulling back the guy on the set and free a hand up with the spinnaker filling nicely.
Conclusion
All the above is well worth practicing – there are good gains to be had here for your team and over the course of a series the points gained will add up.
In a future article we will examine some tactics your team can use at the windward and offset mark.
Good sailing!
Are Provided Boats Really The Answer?
By Airwaves writer John Storck
In the ongoing debate of how to improve the state of our beloved sport, there is one argument that keeps coming up- provided boats. The argument typically comes from someone who is heavily involved with the keelboat team racing circuit, which is sailed at high-end yacht clubs throughout the country and abroad in provided boats. The argument is that we need more provided boats since people obviously aren’t getting in line to buy boats these days.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love the keelboat team racing scene, and it would not exist without provided boats. Match Racing is another aspect of our sport which needs provided boats to be successful. But I think we have to be careful in looking at the concept of provided-boats as a solution.
For starters, provided-boat regattas are exclusive by their very nature. There are a limited number of seats. If there is a 12 team cap on registration, and a 13th team wants to come, that’s a whole group of sailors that will be sitting on their couch instead. This doesn’t help the growth of our sport.
Secondly, the provided boat concept does not promote boat ownership. If there are more and more provided-boat events, there are just more sailors convinced they never have to own a boat. However, due to the limited seats, that same sailor is likely to only be sailing half the regattas that they would in a boat-ownership situation. Boat ownership is good for more than just the owner as well. With no registration limits, there are far more seats to fill with crew as well. And lastly, the provided-boats concept is really tough on the boat-building industry, which we all should want to be thriving if we love sailing.
Finally, there is the problem of who can actually afford these fleets of provided boats. In reality, there are only a few high-end yacht clubs around the country that can do so. And if you want to regularly compete in these events (and have your regatta fees at least partially covered), then you better become a member at one of those clubs. Once you do so, get in line, because there are a few long email lists that will show you how many of your fellow members want to go to the same events. At the same time, you are probably going to pass on becoming a member at your local club to save money, making it less likely for that small local club to be able to support this new world of provided-boat sailing.
I recently heard an idea out of a small club that might be a better solution. There is one active active one-design fleet in their area. The board at this club is trying to get the money together to buy one boat of that type. They would then allow for new members to pay a low annual fee to be able to use that boat. The catch being that a member could only be in that program for a season or two. Not every member is going to go out and buy a boat after that experience, but chances are good that a few might. And if that happens, then they have successfully grown their local fleet. This is just one example, and I am sure there are more ways to help our sport grow.
Again, I really want to stress that I love keelboat team racing, and there is no way that aspect of our sport thrives without provided boats. However, asking for more and more of it won’t help sailing grow due to it’s exclusive nature.
Team Race Midwinters 2015 Notice of Race!
If you are bummed that the V-15 midwinters are dead, or if you never sailed the V-15 midwinters because you don’t have a boat, then come sail the first ever open Team Race hosted by Eckerd College. We are hosting in the hopes of filling in the gap the V-15 Midwinters will leave in its absence. Boats are provided, the dates have been setup not to conflict with Orange Bowl and entry is cheap. Flying to Tampa or Sarasota is a piece of cake and we have partnered with the Post Card Inn. They have a hotel right on the beach and are excited to have us join in on their New Year’s Eve festivities. We will have an included regatta dinner at the Post Card Inn and they are giving a special regatta rate so you can safely stay right where the off water fun is happening. Lastly, the event will include 6 Zim 15s. This will allow us to take more entries and allow competitors to sail the boat used at the Hinman TR.
Here is the link to the event: http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/9268#_home
and FB page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1557696367794320/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
One-Design Class Profile: Etchells
By Airwaves writer Tyler Colvin
If any one-design class has a cult following, it would be the Etchells. The boat was designed in the mid 1960s by Skip Etchells as a candidate to be the three-man Olympic keelboat. Despite dominance in the trials, the Etchells lost out to the Soling, but gained a dedicated group of sailors. Since then, over 1200 hulls have been launched and sailed by individuals such as Dennis Conner who used the boat in training for his America’s Cup campaigns, Gary Jobson, Russell Coutts and Jud Smith.
The Boat: Heavenly
Long and slender, the Etchells is one of the larger 3-4 man keelboats in recent history. A narrow waist at 6’11” and a 22’ waterline belies an overall length of 30’6”. The boat displaces 3,700lbs all up and draws 4’6”. Described as “the boat they sail in heaven,” the Etchells is very tunable and responds to the smallest adjustments.
Commonly dry sailed, the Etchells is easily trailered despite her length. Construction is fiberglass with an aluminum rig. The class association monitors the class carefully to ensure parity across the fleet from new hulls to old. This allows the boat to retain value better than most other classes.
Sail plan involves a main, jib and spinnaker (188 square feet, 103 square feet, 400 square feet respectively). A large main sail and relatively small jib create extremely tight tacking angles (around 70 degrees) for the boat. The short waterline length reduces wetted surface and allows for very quick light-wind sailing. In heavier air the Etchells goes upwind “like a freight train” (Tim Etchells, Sailing World May 2000).
Set Up and Sailing: Upwind Machine
Set up is as simple as snapping jib hanks on, feeding main sail bolt rope into the track and casting off the lines. Of course, dry sailed boats may require a couple more steps before setting sail. A very good tuning guide can be found via Doyle Sails here (http://www.doylesails.com/onedesign/etchells/tuning.html).
Stay tension and position is used to control the mast bend and rake. Once adjusted, headstay, lower and upper shrouds should be tied off or locked to ensure they do not loosen while sailing. Backstay is the only stay tension adjusted on the water, using it to control the shape of the main to depower as necessary.
Similarly to the Lightning, mast chocks are used to further adjust rig shape while on the water. Mast chocks control mast pre-bend. Chocking behind the mast creates more pre-bend and vice versa. It is important to be checking headstay sag and jib shape while adjusting the chocks, as these settings are affected by mast bend.
In the Etchells, the jib drives the boat and encourages it to point unlike almost any other boat its size. In light winds, headstay sag should be adjusted by slacking the backstay and jib Cunningham to promote deeper draft and fuller sail shape. Higher wind conditions require more headstay tension (less sag) and jib Cunningham to draw the draft forward and flatten the sail. Jib sheets are trimmed through adjustable leads on cars; leads should be adjusted so that the telltales break evenly. Moving the car forward or back changes the sheeting angle and therefore the leach profile.
Main trim is a dynamic activity going upwind in an Etchells. The sail can be adjusted by a combination of the sheet and traveler. Just like on most boats with a mainsheet on a traveler, the sheet controls leach tension while traveler controls sheeting angle, not dissimilar to jib car position. In light air the traveler should be well up above centerline to allow the boom to be trimmed to centerline (or slightly above) while maintaining an open leach and flow. Ideally the top batten is parallel with the boom or slightly open. In heavier air the traveler car gets closer and closer to centerline with sheet tension increasing to increase leach tension. The backstay is trimmed in concert with the sheet/traveler as wind increases to flatten the sail.
Class Association: It’s the Boat, It’s the Fleet
After 48 years of existence, the Etchells class still draws a crowd. The 2014 Etchells World Championships in Newport, RI saw nearly 100 boats from around the world gather for some extremely competitive racing. Sailors such as current World Match Racing Circuit all star and former Boston College standout Taylor Canfield (USA 979, 2014 World Champions, Hardesty/Canfield/Roble/Eagan) went toe to toe with club sailors and weekend warriors through nine races over five days of racing out of the prestigious New York Yacht Club in conjunction with Sail Newport.
The North American Etchells Class website is very well organized, easy to follow and provides a plethora of resources for the emerging Etchells sailor (www.etchellsna.org). Class rules, schedules for North American and International competition, tips and tricks, contact information for all the class officers and boat/crew classifieds are available on the site.
Why Sail?
A pedigree of racing excellence, ease of set up, low cost of ownership and the support of an international class association. Is that enough reason? Beyond the racecourse, the Etchells is a joy to sail for all ages and abilities. A large cockpit, smooth responsive handling and a wide wind range combine for a pure sailing experience.
Club Profile: San Diego Yacht Club
By Katelyn Montero
If there was ever any doubt about San Diego’s ability to produce world-class sailors, skeptics should look no further than the San Diego Yacht Club. Founded in 1886, SDYC sailors are able to continually refine their skills on the water with the year-round sailing conditions found in America’s Finest City.
SDYC came from very humble beginnings, with a small group of dedicated sailors operating out of an old ferryboat. As they gained members, the young club moved around many locations in San Diego until finally setting at its present location in Point Loma in 1924. Since then, the facilities have grown immensely to accommodate a growing number of members, a world-class junior program and a large number of annual regattas. This year, the San Diego Yacht Club will host almost 50 regattas, ranging from member-only races to National and International competitions. The club is conveniently situated in Point Loma, giving racers access to both the open-water ocean racing of the Pacific and the calmer waters found inside the shelter of San Diego Bay.
In 2014, SDYC is now known across the world as the home to some of the world’s most accomplished sailors. Four-time America’s Cup winner Dennis Conner and J.J. Isler, the first woman ever to be inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame, are just two of the esteemed sailors who sail out of SDYC.
The club is also a founding member of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. They are often named as a Platinum Club, a special title reserved for the top 5 private yacht clubs in the United States. In 2014, SDYC was ranked as the No. 2 yacht club in the United States. With their club motto “to encourage and foster interest in all aspects of yachting,” the San Diego Yacht Club has established a long history of involvement with racing and junior sailing.
The club is also ranked second in the best all-time final record for clubs who have won the America’s Cup, falling behind only the New York Yacht Club. SDYC is also the original home of the Lipton Cup, which will celebrate it’s centennial race this year from October 31to November 2, where the club will defend its current title as champions.
The Junior Sailing Program is one of the largest in the nation, and often produces competitive college sailors, world champions and Olympic hopefuls. During the summer of 2014, the junior program was home to 308 young sailors, many of whom continued on to participate in the year-round after school sailing program. Nearly exclusive to California sailing is the Sabot, a favorite for the SDYC junior program because beginners and adults can use the dinghy with its small, but accommodating size. Juniors at SDYC also sail 420s, CFJs and Lasers.
With many junior sailors training to compete at the high school level, it’s no surprise that SDYC also hosts practices for four of the local teams. The teams from Francis Parker, Bishop’s, Cathedral Catholic and Point Loma all sail out of SDYC. Many years, these teams go on to compete at a national level. The Point Loma High School Sailing Team recently won the Baker Trophy, making them ISA’s national team-racing champions.
The top-notch amenities and well-established reputation as a hub for world-class sailing is the reason why many members from the area have found their home at the San Diego Yacht Club. Over 2,000 members call SDYC home and enjoy the club’s expansive amenities. The facilities currently boast 578 boat slips, 161 dry storage slips for boats, tennis courts and a swimming pool. There are a total of 150 employees who work around the year to provide top amenities to members and guests.
http://www.sdyc.org/
One Design Class Profile: 29er
Youth sailing traditionally has been in dinghies designed 60 years ago with very few updates or improvements. The 29er changed all that when it was introduced in 1998 by acclaimed naval architect Julian Bethwaite. A high performance skiff aimed at young sailors, the 29er represents the future of the sport.
The Boat: The Next Big Thing
Skiff sailing has been popular down under in Australia and New Zealand for years in boats such as the International 14, Cherub Skuff and Aussie 18. These boats differ from the traditional dinghy hull design (such as 470, 5o5, etc.) having a very narrow bow entry, narrow hull with a flat exit and often-large wings that extend off the main hull. Skiffs have a large sail area for the size of the hull and rely on crew placement on a trapeze (sometimes skipper as well) to keep the boat flat. They will plane very quickly and can reach high speeds.
The 29er was developed from the 49er class as a youth trainer. It replaced the Laser 2 at ISAF Youth Worlds when it was introduced. Hull weight is a measly 150lbs, absolutely nothing for a 14’ boat. It gets its 5’7” width from the wings off the center hull. Sail area is 142 square feet for main and jib with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker adding another 181 square feet of sail. The jib is self tacking, leaving the crew to manage main trim upwind.
Minimal hull weight is achieved by a fiberglass-reinforced polyester (GRP) and closed cell foam sandwich. The mast is constructed in three parts; aluminum mid and bottom sections and a lightweight fiberglass tip to reduce weight and increase mast flexion at the tip. Sails are made from Mylar and spinnaker from Nylon.
Former college sailor and current 29er sailor Dan Goldman loves the competition and speed of the 29er, “The boat is fun to sail because it is fast and challenging. The most challenging part [of 29er sailing] is keeping the boat upright in 20+ knots [of wind].”
Set Up and Sailing: Fast and Wet
The 29er is easily set up by two people and can go from the trailer to the water in a matter of minutes. The rig is light and tall; to step it the shroud adjusters are pinned to the chain plates, the mast butt is inserted into the mast step, and the mast is pulled forward and upright using the trapeze wires. From here, the boom, vang and control lines are connected and run through the appropriate blocks. A reliable set up guide can be found here (http://www.29er.org/images/stories/pdf/29er%20rigging_manual.pdf).
Weight position in the boat is important in all wind conditions. In light air, weight forward will reduce the amount of drag in the stern and cavitation off the back of the boat. As wind speed increases, moving weight back gets the bow out of waves and encourages the boat to plane. The 29er is a true skiff and likes to go fast; thusly it should be sailed fast. Upwind, stalling the boat by luffing in puffs or pinching will stop the boat quickly and should be avoided.
Because of the self-tacking jib, skipper/crew responsibilities are slightly different from a traditional double-handed boat. Sailing upwind the 29er skipper drives the boat and adjusts jib as needed and the crew trims main. Off the breeze the crew trims the gennaker and the skipper trims the main and drives. When sailing off the breeze the main should be kept trimmed to the back corner of the wing. This supports the mast and allows the boat to power up as apparent wind moves forward.
Class Association: International Acclaim
As an international class, the 29er benefits from support of organizing bodies around the world. The 2014 World Championships at CORK in Kingston, Ontario this year saw over 100 boats in three fleets from yacht clubs around the world. Class support for this boat has been huge; as the trainer for the Olympic 49er class, athlete development directly affects national team programs.
Why Sail?
The 29er brings to the table something few other, if any, classes that offer youth sailors competitive international events, fast technical sailing, and support from a large organizing body. “Fast is fun, and competing against the best in the world (C420 is NA only) is even more fun,” said Goldman. It is true, fast is fun and so is international competition. If the C420 circuit is getting a little stale, or you simply want to take a spin on a higher performance boat, the 29er is tomorrow’s youth trainer, today.
Balancing College with College Sailing
By Airwaves Writer Lydia Whiteford. We’ve all heard the classic college tagline, “between sleep, studying, and having fun, you can only pick two.” When you are also a college athlete, dedication to your sport is another variable that gets thrown into this mix. However, as I enter my final year of college, I find myself thinking that this stereotype may not be as true as people think. I believe that you can make the most out of your college experience in all aspects, even if there’s a lot on your plate. College sailors often have 30, and sometimes more, hours a week etched out of their schedules to dedicate to being on the water. So, as an experienced member of the college sailing world, I’ve compiled a “to do” list for those who are new to the game. Sooner than you think, you can find a way to juggle sailing, studies, and living your college life to the fullest.
1: Be Honest: This tip is threefold. The first person you need to be honest with is yourself. For example, if you have practice 4 days a week and regattas on weekends, are you really going to have time to take organic chemistry, head up your team’s social affairs, and sail full time on a varsity level? If you are, props to you because you might be superman. But if you don’t, that’s okay! Most people are, pun intended, in the same boat. What that means is that it is time to have a frank discussion with yourself on where you might have to allocate your time in order to be the most successful.
This brings me to my next point, which is to be honest with your coaches and professors. Make sure you keep an open dialogue with your coaches about how your classes are going; most of them uphold the popular motto that “school comes before everything.” If midterms are fast approaching and you are drowning in work, it is okay to miss a day or two of practice. It can sometimes feel like you are letting a coach or your teammates down by doing this, but that feeling can be avoided by telling your coach in advance how you are doing. A conversation on Monday that starts with, “hey coach, I have 2 papers and a test next week so I might have to miss Wednesday to go to office hours” will have a much better end result than a panicked email saying, “sorry no practice today way too much work” at the last minute. Along the same lines, it is equally important to be honest with your professors if something pops up in your athletic life that may affect your workload. I’ve found that it is valuable to discuss your extracurricular activities with your professors early, so that when the time of the season comes to head to Navy two weekends in a row, you can politely ask to be excused from a Friday class for traveling purposes without it being a surprise or sounding like an excuse. Many professors are very accommodating of college athletes, and as long as missing class does not become a habit, they are more than willing to grant you an absence if you need one.
The last group to be continually honest with are your friends. College sailors are on a different schedule than most other college athletes, and instead of having 2 halves that last 20-40 minutes each our “games” span 2 days, often for at least 6 hours a day, and most of the time they will be off campus. While this does allow for some intensely close bonding within the team, it can often leave non-sailor friends by the wayside. The best way to manage relationships with these friends when you can’t go out on the weekends is to work hard to plan other meeting times. Lunch together in the cafeteria or study sessions in the library together are great places to start until you know each other’s schedules, and then things will fall into place more easily as long as both parties understand the limits of availability.
2: Use Your Free Time Wisely: The first thing that most new college sailors will learn is that sailing takes up a lot of time. After practice, regattas, meetings, and “team bonding” every week it can soon feel like everything you do revolves around college sailing. The most important thing to remember in these times is that the more you plan ahead, the fewer nights you will spend staying up until 4 am frantically scrambling to do neglected work. Take advantage of the time you have during the day; an hour or two between class is perfect for getting some reading or studying done. Allocate days of the week so that some are for work and some are for socializing – days off of practice are usually good working days, as they are usually earlier in the week. Also, if there is a particular social event you know you won’t want to miss, know that you may have to sacrifice more of your after practice hours to studying in order to free time up. Get to know your classes to prioritize work (learn the critical art of skimming!) This will help with knowing what work will be imperative to keep up with and what can be moved around on your list.
The off-season is a critical time to keep up with good work habits, because you lose the structure of practice and regattas to keep everything moving forward. It is easy come December to think “Oh boy! No more practice for 3 hours a day! Free weekends! I will finally have time to do all the work I need to!” but often, what this quickly turns into is “Oh boy! 3 extra hours to watch Netflix! I’d usually be at practice now and it’s cold outside so just one more episode of House of Cards couldn’t hurt.” Don’t fall into this trap! Work with the free time if you have it, and before you know it, you may even be ahead on work come March when the season starts again.
Most importantly, if you start to feel overwhelmed and run-down, take a break. If you need to sleep, make sure you do! Your teammates will forgive you if you decide to stay in for a night to catch up on some rest. Coaches and professors don’t get disappointed in people who simply have too much on their plates, they only get disappointed in people who slip in performance because they clearly weren’t taking care of themselves.
3: When in Doubt, Lean on your Teammates: Sometimes the unavoidable happens, and the hectic tornado of stuff that college kids have to worry about swallows us all up. If this happens to you, don’t panic, and take some deep breaths because I have some good news for you. You have teammates, several of which are in your class and are probably going through the exact same things as you. Or, even better, you have upperclassman teammates and alumni that went through it all already and lived to tell the tale. Use these people to your advantage, and be there when they need you to be. Ask for advice when you need it, vent when you have to, and bind together to try and get over hurdles like extra hard classes or tough regatta weekends. Because, in the end, nobody knows the ups and downs of college sailing quite as well as other college sailors. Your teammates will quickly turn into family as you all try to navigate sailing, school, and social life to come out on the other end unscathed.
