Waiting Game

Arrive at the yacht club around 7:30 am. Weather is cold and gray with a moderate wind. Check out noticeboard for any new announcements. Rig boat. Wind increases. Swathe body in several layers of neoprene, hiking pants, spray top, hat, hiking boots, racing watch, gloves, etc. etc. Just finish dressing as RC signals postponement. Sailor who has talked to the PRO says that a gust out on the racecourse was measured at 34 knots.

De-rig boat. Take mast out of boat and lower sail. Wonder how long the postponement will be and whether it is worth removing the multiple layers of neoprene etc. etc. Listen to weather forecast on weather band radio in car. (Thanks Subaru.) Forecast is for 15-20 knots gusting to 30 all day. Decide to change back into more comfortable clothes.

Wander around the club and meet up with some sailors from my old club. Have discussion about what to wear for Laser sailing on an unseasonably cold day in June. Have fruitless discussion about what we think the weather is going to do. Wander around some more. Meet a guy I know who just won a major championship in another class. Congratulate him and listen politely as he tries to recruit me to the other class. Check out the breakfast buffet at the club and wonder if it's worth buying a second breakfast. Decide not to.

Listen to the weather forecast again. Read the newspaper. Phone my wife. Drink some water. Walk around the club again and meet up with a couple of guys I know from the masters circuit. Have fruitless discussion about what they think the weather is going to do. Wander around the club again. Drink more water. Look at the weather which hasn't changed.

Decide to go for a walk along the beach. When I'm about five minutes from the club, a gun goes off and the Come Within Hail flag is raised at the club. Return to club. RC has announced that the postponement will last until 12:45 at which time another announcement will be made. Drive into town to buy a sandwich for lunch. Return to club. Eat sandwich. Phone wife. Chat to another sailor and have fruitless discussion about what the weather is going to do.

Sun comes out. Look like the wind is dropping a little. Have fruitless discussion with another sailor about whether I am right or not. Check wind speed with nifty little device one of my sons bought me for Xmas. Coach for some team of kids comes over and does the same. We're both seeing about 15 knots with 25 knots in the gusts. Member of race committee strolls by and tells us it is still gusting 35 on the racecourse. Coach and RC member have fruitless discussion about whether the fleet is competent to sail in these conditions.

RC fires gun. RC posts notice saying that the postponement will hold until 2pm when another announcement will be made. Go for a longer walk on the beach over to the channel out to the open sea. See nice waves out there. Walk back to club. Hang out. Chat to other sailors about stuff. Phone wife. Drink some water. Watch flagpole at 2pm as RC signals that all racing is postponed until tomorrow. De-rig boat and pack it up for the night. Have fruitless discussion with fellow sailor about which of two weather forecasts for tomorrow is correct.

So that was it. No racing on the first day of the 2007 Laser North Americans.

As Peter Isler said when interviewed on Versus during one of the Louis Vuitton Cup postponements, this waiting is part of the sport and sailors are used to it, so we just have to remain patient and stay cool. Tomorrow is another day.