The Road to Peeps (Easter Laser Regatta)

Merrily

Administrator
Hey, I’m going to the Easter Laser Regatta at Austin, TX, and so will finally meet the Candyman, AKA Gouvernail AKA Fred Schroth. This means I’ve gotten over the fear of Texas that was instilled by the movie Thelma and Louise. I’m calling this account the Road to Peeps because chocolate makes me sneeze and with repeated consumption my Eustachian tubes block up so much that I get dizzy and feel that I’m at sea and stagger around the house. This is too bad because I love love love chocolate and it’s going to be a trial for me to be around it and not eat it. I’m hoping the old Fredster will provide some gooey holiday marshmallow substitutes, Peeps.

OK, now for the sailing. Things were a bit pathetic at MMWE, but I’m making no guarantees that this event will be better, so if you want to hear that Janet Rupert suddenly turned into superwoman, super motivated, with magically improved sailing abilities, please fast forward a few years and read that blog. OK, apologies for the hostility and hope that’s out of my system. I’m going to the Easter Laser Regatta to catch some warm weather and get in some sailing, but avoiding injury while doing so is highest on the list.

I do understand some of my mistakes. Foremost were the training choices that I made, plus just not doing enough. I had a calf injury about 10 days before the event that I didn’t mention, I think, and I had to stop everything. I’m going back to the old standbys of cycling, rowing, wall sits, hiking simulation, pilates, plus, and this is important for me, weight training to be able to get back into the boat. That was the worst mistake that I made, substituting different exercises for the tried and true. I had trouble getting back into the boat due to a bit slack upper body, and I was just worn out from the get-go and could really feel it. It didn't help that with the first capsize to windward I was flung out of the boat so far that I was under the sail, got a snoot full of water, and swam to safety wondering if this was truly going to be a deathroll. Then my boat hit me as she heaved in the waves. She never did that before. Bummer. :( Now I've a better idea what to expect and have great respect for those who regularly sail in those conditions.

Cindy Taylor sailed in the regatta and she told me that I was pinching when she saw me sail downwind. This is a good clue for why I was slow and isn’t really mysterious. This is a typical problem for flat water sailors when they first meet waves. It shouldn’t be much of an issue on Lake Travis, should it? This doesn’t explain why I was slow upwind too. I don’t think I was pinching then, as I was able to keep both windward and leeward telltales flying. Or do both of those fly in waves when you are pinching and there are other clues? Any ideas?
 
Another thing I'm going to be doing for training, since I can't get out on the water, is to review some of the Laser books and videos that I have. I just received a new Laser book as a gift, and it looks to be excellent. It is the RYA Laser handbook, by Paul Goodison. It has the best illustrations that I've ever seen in any of the books, and it's got a pretty thorough discussion of all aspects. There are even what Goodison calls Rig Settings Matrix, sail control settings for all conditions, for the Standard, Radial, and 4.7. Just glancing over the book, I'm very impressed. It's not available at Amazon yet, but should be available to Americans by e-mailing [email protected]

Yes, this is a shameless plug, and I wouldn't do it if the book wasn't a winner.
 
..... I don’t think I was pinching then, as I was able to keep both windward and leeward telltales flying. Or do both of those fly in waves when you are pinching and there are other clues? Any ideas?
Ahoy Merrily,
control, if the telltales are at the optimum place on the sail. The gouv surely does control that for you.
"Here" is a link for you with lots of nice informations about tell tales.

"Alien Lu" not found the correct translation for "pinching" at his online dictionaries for marine terms, but, I guess, you want to express that, you sail a (to) "strong upwind course, high to the wind". Not only for not experienced sailors, it is the balancing act between sailing nealy "block to block" and pointing (to) high (and have a slower effective velocity) or open the main a bit (especially if the wind is not to strong, but in lower winds: avoid the "windward side bubble" ) and sail a course that is a (very-very-)few °-degrees more leeward and give speed a chance. The telltales may look at this direction: "=" for both courses. You always sail the boat flat, except for those situations, that are described by Steve Cockerill's DVD "Boatwhisperer-Upwind". The best Laserite I have seen (on TV), that is "guru" for that balancing act, now sails Starboat: Robert Scheidt....
There is only one "big and simply truth" a proLaserite has to transfer to be the winner at our special game called Lasersailing, we all play on the water: spimply have the best boatspeed over all, related to the other competitors. ...I never learnt that really... :eek:

Merrily, you definitely learn it, I'm absolutely sure. The gouv and all the easter bunnies not let you (and John) drive back from Austin to OH until you've learnt it (if I would be him or them), no matter how much you will quarrel with your self ... ;)

Merrily, I hope not you or John "switched off" those nuclear power plants at Florida, during you started off from Florida to Austin... we did hear a lot about that missing e-power problem at our TV news this morning....

Cheers
LooserLu
 
"Alien Lu" not found the correct translation for "pinching" at his online dictionaries for marine terms,

Merrily, you definitely learn it, I'm absolutely sure. The gouv and all the easter bunnies not let you (and John) drive back from Austin to OH until you've learnt it (if I would be him or them), no matter how much you will quarrel with your self ... ;)

Merrily, I hope not you or John "switched off" those nuclear power plants at Florida, during you started off from Florida to Austin... we did hear a lot about that missing e-power problem at our TV news this morning....

Cheers
LooserLu

Hi, Lu!

You are right, pinching is sailing too high, so you cut off your speed.

Is that right, Gouv, are you not going to let me get away from Austin without improving my sailing? Works for me.

Those poor Floridians! They lost their air conditioning (cooling). :rolleyes:
 
Cindy Taylor sailed in the regatta and she told me that I was pinching when she saw me sail downwind. This is a good clue for why I was slow and isn’t really mysterious. This is a typical problem for flat water sailors when they first meet waves. It shouldn’t be much of an issue on Lake Travis, should it? This doesn’t explain why I was slow upwind too. I don’t think I was pinching then, as I was able to keep both windward and leeward telltales flying. Or do both of those fly in waves when you are pinching and there are other clues? Any ideas?[/QUOTE]


Hey Janet, I'll try to help some here, but it will be just a stab based on your comments since I was not sailing side by side with you or watching from a vantage point that I could study what you were doing.

I"m sure you know the drill, (at least on paper) for upwind in heavy stuff. You could very well see this in Austin if the great Gulf thermal turns on or if a front comes through. Anyway, for you in anything over 15 you sould never try to go block to block with upwind trim on a full rig. Get the vang on hard in chop or flat water when the breeze is on upwind and also depower with the cunningham and more outhaul. Your weather tell tale should always be stalled or lifting. Try to point to flat water, driving the waves is very important to keep moving which means constant tiller movement, and sometimes BIG/QUICK tiller movement. Remember my, "how not to stuff the bow" thread? What goes on downwind is similar to upwind/just reverse. Constant trimming of the sail, big ease when heading down to power up and big trim in when pointing back up.

You mentioned earlier that when sailing out to the course one the first AM of MMWE that I sailed away from you. Did you notice what I did? Constant vang adjustments and little body movements to steer the boat instead of moving my rudder. The conditions were puffy and shifty. We were on a tight reach out. When a puff would come in it would swing the apparent wind forward and the boat speed increased. To counter I would pull on a smidge of vang and lean my body out to drive the boat down in the puff which would power up the sail and I'd scoot away. When the puff stopped I'd lean in a tad and the boat would head up or "heat up" and I'd ease the vang and trim in the sail. "Up in the lulls and down in the puffs when off the breeze."

I did notice you were sitting very still in your boat and your vand seemed a little tight. When you turn off the breeze ease that vang, cunningham and outhaul.

At the MMWE on Friday and Saturday you may have had too much vang on when sailing upwind. Even though it was lighter conditions the work does not get much easier to keep the boat going fast, (at least not for me at 205 lbs!). Lots of sail adjustments and gear changing. Since the vang is off the sail trim is still working your arms because you're not vang sheeting, you are basically "raw trimming" the sail directly against the power of the wind. The boom is going more up and down as opposed to in and out.

There were also a LOT of wind shifts. It would go right, the left, but it always moved. For me my finishes on Friday suffered because I was not keeping up with the shifts. I had left my compass on shore. The first race of Friday I rounded the weather make in 6th on the first pass and kept that position on the first DW leg, but it was donwhill from there as I ended up in 22nd. That was because I was missing shifts!!! I corrected that on Sat/Sun with my compass and it showed in the results.

I made a comment to a guy when sailing in on Saturday. "At a Laser regatta you are always racing. Racing to be first on the water, racing to the RC for check in, racing with anyone to check speed before the start, racing the races, racing back to shore to get a good spot in the wash down line or to the beer truck."

I'ts real important to try to find a few "tune up" partners before the sailing starts. If they are faster, study their set up and technique and see if you can try to apply it. Also, ask. I think our age group is pretty free with info to help.

I apologize if any of this is redundant to you, but I though I'd take a stab at some helpful words.
 
Rob, thanks for your comments. You've given me several good clues.

Constant vang adjustments and little body movements to steer the boat instead of moving my rudder.

I beg your pardon--I haven't moved my rudder in years! ;)

The conditions were puffy and shifty. We were on a tight reach out. When a puff would come in it would swing the apparent wind forward and the boat speed increased. To counter I would pull on a smidge of vang and lean my body out to drive the boat down in the puff which would power up the sail and I'd scoot away. When the puff stopped I'd lean in a tad and the boat would head up or "heat up" and I'd ease the vang and trim in the sail. "Up in the lulls and down in the puffs when off the breeze."

This is probably it. I have a habit of using puffs to gain height. I’ll break that habit right away. Thank you, thank you.

I did notice you were sitting very still in your boat and your vand seemed a little tight. When you turn off the breeze ease that vang, cunningham and outhaul.

I do these things but of course, more practice is in order. This is where coaching would likely help, with these settings.

At the MMWE on Friday and Saturday you may have had too much vang on when sailing upwind.

Remember I weigh 45 pounds less than you and was using the standard sail. I will consider this, though.

I had left my compass on shore.

I have one of those tactical compasses and really have a hard time using it. I'm thinking a straight degree reading or a combo compass would be better. Any opinion on this?
 
I've just added Austin, TX to the cities that I check the weather for daily. It's 73 and sunny today. Gouv, can we arrive now and stay for 6 weeks? Pretty please, with a candy bar on top? It's hovering around freezing here today in good ole Columbus. At least the sun was shining.
 
I've just added Austin, TX to the cities that I check the weather for daily. It's 73 and sunny today. Gouv, can we arrive now and stay for 6 weeks? Pretty please, with a candy bar on top? It's hovering around freezing here today in good ole Columbus. At least the sun was shining.

Keep watching that weather until July/August and see what you think then.
 
Be careful Janet. Texas is an infectious place and you may not want to leave! I lived in Dallas for about 6 years and traveled the state w/my job and racing J 22's. Austin is an awsome place.

It's like the Lyle Lovitt song, "That's right you're not from Texas, but Texas want's you anyway."
 
I've been weightlifting and have nearly recovered my upper body strength. But with some serious snow shoveling after a record snowfall, over 20 inches in one storm, I've got a very sore right bicep. Today's a weights day, but I'm postponing it until tomorrow. I don't want to make it worse. I'll cycle instead.
 
We have a Plan B. My husband's Sierra truck, which we need to trailer the Starwind, is in the shop until Wednesday night. :eek: Four out of the eight injectors are bad and something about glow plugs too. The good news there is that GM is extending the warranty and picking up the $3000 tab. A diesel truck is supposed to last longer than 115,000 miles. I was so looking forward to sleeping on the Starwind and sailing her a bit that I thought, just for a moment, about canceling the trip. Then my husband remembered that we have a pop up camper with a rack for the Laser on top. Brilliant! Camping at yacht clubs is always fine and dandy, so Austin here we come! BTW, my Jeep Liberty is a diesel which is rated for 5000 lbs, so it should be able to tow the Starwind. We don't want a 1300 mile trip (one way, fuel likely to put us in the poor house) to be the test of that though, plus with a new trailer, we don't know how much the rig weighs anyway. Gouvernail says that if we get more than halfway and break down, he'll come and get us. He's always good for a laugh. :D

I took an extra extra day off with my sore muscle. Thanks, moose. It's good again, and with the weightlifting and lots of cycling, I'm feeling much fitter than before MMWE. I have hopes I'll be able to sail the whole regatta.
 
I think it's freaky too and rather tragic...so why am I laughing so loudly? :eek:

Mary:)

It did have an air of tragedy, especially the first one. You can do a lot with music and lighting. My reaction was more of a smiling grimace/groaning. Since I can't eat chocolate, maybe I should be :D.
 
Except for an air transfer through Dallas, I haven't been to Texas since 1974. We are on the road today and expect to arrive tomorrow. It is 1300 miles to Austin from Columbus, OH.
 
We are overnighting in Hope, Arkansas, about 30 miles from the Texas border. We heard a lot of spring pippits on the way and there are bugs on the front of the car. In other words, it is warm!

Last time we fueled up, my husband came out of the station with a white paper bag. A normal man would have a donut. "What's in the bag dear?" Cat fish filets dusted with spicy cornmeal and deep fried. Yum! I guess I like Arkansas.

We look like hillbilly yachties, with Laser, bikes, and rocket box on the car and pop-up camper.
 
I’m one of the luckier people on the planet right now. We drove through Texas this morning and part of the afternoon, arriving at Austin YC around 3 p.m. central time. We had lines of storms on the way with just buckets of water. The trees were beginning to sprout green but with endless ramshackle houses on flat lands along the way. As soon as we reached the Austin area things prettied up and it got hilly. There are dark green cedars or maybe they are junipers on the hills, and the glimpses into the Lake Travis valley was an almost stunning surprise.

We are going to be comfortable in our camper, with a bit of a view to the east through some trees to the water. We’re close to the clubhouse, where there are bathrooms with showers. With the remnants of the storm, the wind is whistling and chiming through the rigging of the sailboats and birds are singing. The trees next to us have Spanish moss hanging in them.

I’ve learned that tomorrow evening there are Laser and Sunfish races in the evening, so I hope to get in on that for some practice. I’ll definitely go sailing tomorrow and I’ll probably use my dry suit. The water is 58 degrees. Better than home.
 
OK, I just met Fred. I'll have to re-assess my luck. Ha! Fooled you. Just kidding. He told me he thought I'd be taller with big shoulders and sandy hair. :confused: I'm 5'6" with dark brown hair.
 
your a good writer.Sounds fun but I think the dry suit is to much.

Thanks. Maybe the dry suit will be too hot, maybe not. I'll stick my hand in tomorrow and also see what the air temp is. The dry suit isn't any hotter than hiking pants, fleece and spray top. It's goretex and it breathes. (You should hear it. It's a bit unnerving. OK, so I'm a little slap happy.)
 
Have fun there, Merrily! I did that regatta back in 2005 and had a lot of fun. Renee and Fred rock as hosts.
 
I will drive down leaving Friday at 3pm. Takes me about 3 hours. I would go earlier but my fiance gets off work at 8am and she wants to sleep before we leave and she cant sleep in the car. I will sail in fort worth Friday during the day to get some more boat time. See you soon...
 
Looking forward to meeting you James. The sailing just didn't happen for me. By the time we got situated with food and shopping it was noon. One sailor showed up for some high wind practice--it was gusting to 30 knots. It was going to take me an hour to get ready, and by that time he was back in. The wind kept at it all afternoon, while we changed locations for our camper for some privacy. There's a Rhode Island college group here doing some practice. They sailed this morning and were waiting for it to die down, but finally gave up and packed up. No one showed up this afternoon to go out with, so I had an ale and now the wind is a nice manageable 12 gusting to 20 and I am too tipsy. Tomorrow!
 
We went to look for Merrilllleeee to take her and the hubby to dinner and nobody was around....PHooey

good news>>>
And Fishingmickey is bringing these again>>>


pies.h8.jpg
 
Man, that merangue is making my mouth water.

Phooey is right. We are around. We moved the camper to the lower parking lot by the water. Turns out that we were in an RV space. We've ended up in a much nicer spot, closer to the water, closer to the big boats, closer to the showers.

Look us up tomorrow. I brought a little something to give you and I also have something from LooserLu for you.

We went to look for Merrilllleeee to take her and the hubby to dinner and nobody was around....PHooey

good news>>>
And Fishingmickey is bringing these again>>>


pies.h8.jpg
 
The only things I hear are cars on the surrounding hills and some birds singing. Mist is rising on the water. In other words, there is not a breath of wind.

Well, there is no use beating myself up for not seizing the wind yesterday.

I'll prep everything and go out if it picks up a bit, which it may do. It's a pretty day in Texas with orange sun, blue sky and water, a bit chilly, I'm wearing a fleece jacket and hat over my jammies in the camper. We brought our bicycles, so we'll do a little touring if I don't sail.
 
Janet girl! Get that boat ready to splash in like 10 minutes if any breeze comes up!
There is no substitute for on the water practice. Evey 30 minutes of roll tack and mark rounding practice you can get is crucial before you end up in a fleet of 40 boats!!!!

Go for your bike ride, but before you do make sure your boat is ready to sail just in case a breeze comes up!
 
Janet girl! Get that boat ready to splash in like 10 minutes if any breeze comes up!
There is no substitute for on the water practice. Evey 30 minutes of roll tack and mark rounding practice you can get is crucial before you end up in a fleet of 40 boats!!!!

Go for your bike ride, but before you do make sure your boat is ready to sail just in case a breeze comes up!

Relax, Rob. We're going to get the bike tires pumped up and be back in an hour. Then I'm going sailing. It's supposed to pick up a bit this afternoon. And I've heard to expect 50 to 60 boats.
 
The only things I hear are cars on the surrounding hills and some birds singing. Mist is rising on the water. In other words, there is not a breath of wind.
...
It's a pretty day in Texas with orange sun, blue sky and water, a bit chilly, I'm wearing a fleece jacket and hat over my jammies in the camper.
...

So, now, Merrily, you move a bit in the footprints of LooserLu. I enjoy my sailings at the big dutch lakes in the same way. Only difference: I use a tent, in reason the operating costs at GER for a camping van are really expensive here.
From one of your photos, I am able to imagine a bit your camper :)
Biking is a very good preparation for your body for the upcomming sailing.

Day by day, your sensibilty for the nature grows, during you do that camping. It sharpens your sense for breezes, that flow through the trees and for the whole nature around of you. Aft some time, you already feel breeze that not reached you - but suddenly, a moment later, exact that breeze comes up, curious, but true.

BTW: I heard, pro Laserites on toplevel are able "to feel" exact, if the apportionment of pressure of a breeze in the sail is optimal or not. This sense they need to get the best tuning for a fast Laser.

Enjoy the cloudless nights and not forget to look for the milkstreet. At GER I can't see it, there to much citylight, but at the Lake Sneek I see that stars, although Lake Sneek is more to the nothern direction than my home.

I have seen your photos of today. It seems to be the right place to have some good Easter days with much fun. The club seems to be right, it seems they keep order a lot for their area. I'd be afraid to ask how many hours of work the boss of the harbor had to work for that. Chapeau. I bet, there is not one single old filter of cigaret to find on the pavement.


Ciao
LooserLu
 
Lu, I'm not in the mood to answer your post, as much as I'd like. I'm sitting here with an ice pack on my head. Too slow with the tacking and I got a tremendous smack on the back of my head. It hurts like hell an hour later. I've been reading about concussions and the jury is still out. I need sympathy.
 

Back
Top