Anyhow, today is the day, where we find out, how the kids fare against the rest after a one and a half week of training. To see how much they have absorbed, and able to apply it and put it to the real test. Winning your peers, isn't exactly winning. We are a team, and what I would consider winning, is to sweep the regatta, by having all of our boats, right at the top leading the rest of the fleet. Now that's what I'ld call winning. But having sailed only for one week or so seriously, it would have been a miracle. These guys need to get out on the water more often than 8 weeks long if they seriously want to do well.
NE was where the wind was blowing, it slowly clocked to the right as the storm develops from the south. Needless to say, cloudy, hot and humid ruled the entire day. There was three starts, 420-Laser-Laser Radial with a rolling 5 min start sequence. Since there was only 1 Laser, they decided to merge both together in the 2nd race.
After getting the guys together, a few warm up tacks was all the time we had before they race community started the sequence for a start. It is seriously horrible. The kids have no time to check out the course at all. I really think that they should do away with the skipper's briefing, either that, or do it earlier so that the serious sailors may have a chance to go out, and look at what the wind is doing, do their warm ups and check out the course. I never had a skipper's briefing back home, unless it is a big yachting race. and it'll only be for the 1st day! Get a good set of sailing instructions and kids should learn how to read them properly! But then again, it is the juniors so maybe I shouldn't be so harsh on the system.
The most interesting start was the Laser Radials. Other than the previous Laser start, which was quite hilarious to watch, as it was only 1 boat and he performed a dip start - like WHY? Why would anybody want to do a dip? Maybe he never had a chance to... and what other better time when there's nobody else on the starting line than him?! Things people do for cheap thrills...
Back to the Laser Radials, I have Jeff without a watch. So he doesn't know how much time is left to start, and for some reason, he was telling me that he wants to finish top 5. I'm like, Jeff, how are you going to finish top 5, when you don't even know exactly when the gun is going to go off? That aside, it is good to set goals and targets, but do yourself a favour, get a watch and use it. I have kids wearing nice watches, but never using them. Don't ask me why.
Specific instructions was given, for them to check the transit line, to check the course biasness, to check for time to sail from one end to the other, to check the starting line biasness. Minutes before the start, and what do I see? The entire team, sitting at least 10 boat lengths before the start, chatting. I said a silent prayer and prayed that they might be discussing tactics and bless their souls best of luck for the race. ya right! I was livid! All the time spent practicing the starts, all the time spent talking abt pre-start maneuvers, just for them to luff their boat on the water - chatting????
The saying - save the best for last, is true. Before I go into the story, a lil explaination for those who do not know about racing. A start, is usually a 5 minute sequence. A total of 4 sound signals will be given. 1st warning signal @ 5 mins, the class flag goes up. 2nd signal @ 4mins is the preparatory flag. (There's various kind of preparatory flag designating different rules. 3rd signal @ 1min, the preparatory flag goes down. 4th signal @ 0mins, the class flags goes down, and the race starts.
Now get this, at 1 minute to start. 90% of the entire Laser Radial fleet started racing off the line! Man, I always knew these kids love racing and has something in them, but I never knew that they were that eager. Needless to say, I saw a few familiar sail numbers amongst the starting group. Oh well.... back to the drawing blocks..
On the bright side, I saw William beating Matthew to the windward mark! Well, kudos to Matt, he caught right up and over took William on the reach. Jeff had a pretty good start the 2nd race. William improved on his standings. A few capsize happened during the race but that was because they were trying to roll tack the boat. Willingness to try out new things is always good. Josh on the green fleet course did pretty well to come in 5th. He read the course rightly and was protecting the right handside of the starting line. But he did not avoid the mess at the windward mark when one of the boat got caught on the buoy for the last race, if not he should have a slightly better standing.
Final Results:
Laser Radial -
Michael - 8th
Matthew - 16th
Jeff - 17th
Chris - 18th
Wiliam - 19th
Opti Green Fleet:
Josh - 5th
Michael - 8th
Matthew - 16th
Jeff - 17th
Chris - 18th
Wiliam - 19th
Opti Green Fleet:
Josh - 5th
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