Silver Fleet Day Two

Continuing the story of my use of virtual coaching resources at CORK in 2001...

Monday: Silver Fleet Day 2. Winds are moderate from SW with some lighter patches. Before the races I experiment with different fore-aft trim on reaches looking at the wake. There’s definitely a critical point where the wake smoothes out if I get far enough forward.

In the races I’m working the boat through small waves on the beat with tiller movement. It seems as if on some beats I’m as fast as the boats around me but on others I seem to be underpowered. On the reaches I’m much faster than yesterday. Even though the winds are stronger I sit well forward with thigh next to centerboard and see other sailors near front of fleet doing the same. I pump on every likely wave. Today only one boat passes me on a reach all day (and that is the current series leader) and I gain distance on the boats behind me. Thanks coach. Results 9, 10 and 16. Now 14th overall.

Monday Evening. I have two questions for my coaches. Why does the boat feel slow on some beats in these marginal hiking conditions? And what can I do to avoid this pattern of my results getting steadily worse during each day?