2011 the diary of an average Laser sailor

[Paul 164965]

After not racing for nearly a month due to frozen lakes, I attended my first open of the year today and ended up getting every decision I could wrong, it went like this. On arriving at Crosby marine lake with a collection of Lasers, Solos and Phantoms the conditions were, temperature bloody freezing, wind about 2 to 4 mph. Option 1 forget it go and do something else. Option 2 commit to going out and try and enjoy it. Option 3 set the boat up then decide wether to go out. I took option 3. After setting the boat up i had another 3 options, 1 and 2 as above or option 3. Sit in the warm, watch the first race and then decide wether to do the 2nd and 3rd. Yep I took option 3. After the first race I faced a by now familiar question with yep three options. Option1 go and get changed ready for race 2. Option 2 cut my losses pack up and go home or option 3 bum around for another hour watching the water go from mildy rippled to glass smooth and back again, then finally pack up and go home having wasted most of the day and you just know which one I chose

. Lesson learned, roll on the next event it can only get better

Happy new year everyone

 

[martyn]

After not racing for nearly a month due to frozen lakes, I attended my first open of the year today and ended up getting every decision I could wrong, it went like this. On arriving at Crosby marine lake with a collection of Lasers, Solos and Phantoms the conditions were, temperature bloody freezing, wind about 2 to 4 mph. Option 1 forget it go and do something else. Option 2 commit to going out and try and enjoy it. Option 3 set the boat up then decide wether to go out. I took option 3. After setting the boat up i had another 3 options, 1 and 2 as above or option 3. Sit in the warm, watch the first race and then decide wether to do the 2nd and 3rd. Yep I took option 3. After the first race I faced a by now familiar question with yep three options. Option1 go and get changed ready for race 2. Option 2 cut my losses pack up and go home or option 3 bum around for another hour watching the water go from mildy rippled to glass smooth and back again, then finally pack up and go home having wasted most of the day and you just know which one I chose

. Lesson learned, roll on the next event it can only get better

Happy new year everyone

I was in a similar predicament on boxing day. -5'C, 5mph wind(ish)

I went for option 2 "commit to going out and try and enjoy it"

And I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The lack of much wind kept the wind chill down so it didn't feel too cold (Every cloud has a silver lining if you look hard enough)

the floating ice at one of the marks just added an extra tactical decision to be made. Do you go tight to the mark and lose whatever speed you had by pushing ice, or go wide (5 - 6 metres) and maintain boat speed.