After yesterday, I know what ventilation is really all about.. For anyone that hasn’t experienced it, it’s a case of bearing off and going full speed (over 20 knots) and then the tiller rips out of your hands and suddenly you are swimming back to your boat..
The cold water temps are causing a few issues for quite a few sailors at this venue. I am sporting my best bruises yet from getting thrown off!
It’s weird how you think you are pushing it until you really push it and this stuff happens. Excellent learning curve and great to know where you are going wrong.
Yesterday started horribly with the boat totally misbehaving with several crashes just heading down to the startline. I managed to just about get round the course for the first race in the crazy winds (again over 20 knots) having started really late after the crashes. Upwind I am happy as I am totally in control and have now pulled off 4 fully foiling tacks. the rest have been what I call “speed tacks” where you foil through but then touch down and are able to take off again fairly quickly.
Downwind was a total disaster until I figured out what the problem was…. the rudder was too tucked under the boat which meant that it was “wandering” and thus causing the capsizes. Then the other fundamental thing was that in a blow, you absolutely have to ease the kicker to kill some of the power (especially with the North V8) otherwise there is just too much for the foils to handle and eventually they overload resulting in a capsize (in cold water temps).
By the second race things had calmed down a lot and I was able to really get round fairly comfortably and regain a bit of confidence. Unfortunately so had the rest of the fleet and it seems that 55 is my magic number.
I was however pleased that by race three, I didn’t get lapped and got through the finish gate in time.
We had a new experience yesterday with a helicopter taking shots of the racing which was interesting.
Once again, Ninjario brought me home without drama and hopefully will look after me for the rest of the regatta!