Raimondland Day 2 Race 5,6,7
To sum up Day 2’s races, we were outclassed.
The winds were light for the first race, gradually picking up through the subsequent races. Despite our good starts, we were nonetheless outclassed by the sheer experience, local knowledge of our competitors. Once again, we have a no mistake race, and even improved on the timing required for certain sequences (for eg, raising the pole took no longer than 2 boat lengths). But, as experience (or rather, the lack of it) would have it, the other boats had their no-mistake races too, and coupled with their superior wind readings, the cloud readings, the current readings, the tide reading…..you get the idea.
I was invited to race on Lee Marine, a Platu owned by Kevin Scott (aka The Ferret) with some Dutch and Aussie guys. These guys sailed from young, sailed off Ocean Marina for God knows how long, and were overall 5th for Day 1’s race. They usually sail with four persons, and I asked, “I don’t understand how you can sail with just four persons, there’s just so many things to do.”
“I don’t understand how you can sail with SIX persons!” they replied.
They seemed to be expert cloud readers, always judging the direction and strength of the wind to come, based on the cloud formation. Before the Platus start, the tactician (who happened to be the mains trimmer) observed boats from the other classes that started earlier; “ok, that boat is being headed from near mid course, and judging by the clouds forming there, the winds will be bad for us. And don’t forget the current is coming in from that side, so, we better stick to this side of the race course.” Maybe that’s something we can learn from.
The amount of information flow amongst the 4 of us was non-stop. Lee Marine was a fine example of how the helmsmen job is to steer the boat. The Mains/Tactician was mostly calling the shots on the boat. “Let’s tack here, to get out of their shitty winds. Let’s head out to the right side of the course, the winds are better. Let’s not tack anymore, we have tacked too much!” Everything on the boat was democratic, yet not. A paradox, but somehow the boat drives very fast and high. There’s just something about these seasoned sailors who can read the wind shifts so well, that they always catch the gust and just sail past our SMU boats.
Perhaps we have to grow more facial and nose hair to be as sensitive to the wind changes as them.
Guys, it’s time to take a visit to Yum Nam Hair Care.
(Photos of the races will be uploaded soon)
The winds were light for the first race, gradually picking up through the subsequent races. Despite our good starts, we were nonetheless outclassed by the sheer experience, local knowledge of our competitors. Once again, we have a no mistake race, and even improved on the timing required for certain sequences (for eg, raising the pole took no longer than 2 boat lengths). But, as experience (or rather, the lack of it) would have it, the other boats had their no-mistake races too, and coupled with their superior wind readings, the cloud readings, the current readings, the tide reading…..you get the idea.
I was invited to race on Lee Marine, a Platu owned by Kevin Scott (aka The Ferret) with some Dutch and Aussie guys. These guys sailed from young, sailed off Ocean Marina for God knows how long, and were overall 5th for Day 1’s race. They usually sail with four persons, and I asked, “I don’t understand how you can sail with just four persons, there’s just so many things to do.”
“I don’t understand how you can sail with SIX persons!” they replied.
They seemed to be expert cloud readers, always judging the direction and strength of the wind to come, based on the cloud formation. Before the Platus start, the tactician (who happened to be the mains trimmer) observed boats from the other classes that started earlier; “ok, that boat is being headed from near mid course, and judging by the clouds forming there, the winds will be bad for us. And don’t forget the current is coming in from that side, so, we better stick to this side of the race course.” Maybe that’s something we can learn from.
The amount of information flow amongst the 4 of us was non-stop. Lee Marine was a fine example of how the helmsmen job is to steer the boat. The Mains/Tactician was mostly calling the shots on the boat. “Let’s tack here, to get out of their shitty winds. Let’s head out to the right side of the course, the winds are better. Let’s not tack anymore, we have tacked too much!” Everything on the boat was democratic, yet not. A paradox, but somehow the boat drives very fast and high. There’s just something about these seasoned sailors who can read the wind shifts so well, that they always catch the gust and just sail past our SMU boats.
Perhaps we have to grow more facial and nose hair to be as sensitive to the wind changes as them.
Guys, it’s time to take a visit to Yum Nam Hair Care.
(Photos of the races will be uploaded soon)
posted by exhibitj at
11:32 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home