I am a bit discouraged today. It is what they call Murphy's Law. This was a humdinger of a morning. When the boat is rigged, there are three lines that run down from the top of the mast, inside the mast, through the base and into the boat. Ever thread a pull string that has come out of your sweatpants? You get the idea. In our case, one of the lines did not have knots at the end of it so it slipped up into the mast. With our boats, we literally have to take the mast down and use what is called "wire tape." We run that from the top of the mast to the bottom and make sure that it doesn't get caught or twisted with the other two lines in the mast. Then we thread it back up with another thin line attached to it. When it comes out the top, we then attach the line we really need to thread, which then gets pulled back down the mast and out the base. Sound complicated. It is. An early morning start of 10:30 turned into 1:00 departure from the dock.
As we made way to the practice area we came across another snafu. Our spinnaker lines were crossed which took a couple of adjustments out on the water. Needless to say, I was very discouraged. The good lesson learned is that I can be grateful it happened now and not during the trials.
Overall, it felt like an off day--our starts stunk and sail management was okay. Tomorrow we are all taking the day off. We need to get a sail fixed and there are various tasks to be done. A day off is definitely needed. I'll write again Tuesday night.
Amy
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Practice, Practice, Practice
We had a later start and spent a solid 2 hours on technique--obviously my sail management technique. All the practice was on spinnaker management. Deploying the spinnaker, jiving and spinnaker management, take down of the spinnaker. All these techniques are used at all races. In races, they have you do a windward leg and a downwind leg. Each entail different sail trimming and for the downward leg, the spinnaker. The management of the spinnaker is crucial to these boats because it is hallmark of these boats to sail well and fast downwind. Thus the practice.
To haul the spinnaker in and out, say about 20+ times in a short period is rather tiring and takes a lot of arm strength and speed. There are also many steps. Say we are rounding the windward mark--before we round I need release the spinnaker sheets, unclamp the spinnaker halyard, release the main and then pull like crazy to hoist the spinnaker, sheet it off, release the jib and adjust the main sail. Getting the timing for all this is essential. Take a look at our boat at the last regatta (in Rochester) this is what happens when you deploy the spinnaker too soon. Not pretty. http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/0928/
Needless to say, we practice and developed our lingo. The skipper and his crew have to communicate or you might as well not go sailing together. Mark and I have come up with one word commands that signal me to do particular steps in sail management. It takes time and practice to get the techniques down, but when you do it well, it feels wonderful.
Tomorrow is another great day (weather wise) for sailing and all 5 skud teams are to be there to practice. An opportunity to put the techniques into practice.
Amy
To haul the spinnaker in and out, say about 20+ times in a short period is rather tiring and takes a lot of arm strength and speed. There are also many steps. Say we are rounding the windward mark--before we round I need release the spinnaker sheets, unclamp the spinnaker halyard, release the main and then pull like crazy to hoist the spinnaker, sheet it off, release the jib and adjust the main sail. Getting the timing for all this is essential. Take a look at our boat at the last regatta (in Rochester) this is what happens when you deploy the spinnaker too soon. Not pretty. http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/0928/
Needless to say, we practice and developed our lingo. The skipper and his crew have to communicate or you might as well not go sailing together. Mark and I have come up with one word commands that signal me to do particular steps in sail management. It takes time and practice to get the techniques down, but when you do it well, it feels wonderful.
Tomorrow is another great day (weather wise) for sailing and all 5 skud teams are to be there to practice. An opportunity to put the techniques into practice.
Amy
Friday, September 28, 2007
Full Moon...Tides and Undercurrents
Never believe weather reports. Today, despite the forecast of rain and possible thunderstorms (50%) we had a gorgeous day with some interesting challenges. Apparently the full moon phase we are in results in very high tides and very low tides which fuel an undercurrent that can be a huge factor in one's sailing strategy. What is amazing are all the factors that you have to keep in mind when sailing. Sailing involves some meteorology, geometry (especially angles), earth science, and even astrology (moon phases and tides). Then there is the "on-course" strategy--playing offense--pushing defense--following the pack or being a lone pressure rider. You get the idea. I am learning every day and each day has its own factors that need to be analyzed and strategically planned for. That is why I love sailing so much: no two days (and often no two races) are ever the same. It is a constant challenge. I like a challenge.
Mark had a great birthday and today we went for some authentic Mexican food--and that was awesome (I'm not a food fan, so for me that is some good food). We talked about today and some basic techniques that I need to work on as well as goals we have. We have begun to co-strategies, which is great. I like to be "aggressive" with some of my sailing tactics, and I like Mark's ability to sail the high angles. Together, we can give some folks a run for their money. Teamwork is vital and Mark likes the input. Like Ms. S in the classroom--Mark is democratic about tactics n the water and will make executive decisions as they are needed. This is definitely a change, a growth in our partnership.
We continue practices through the weekend and will take a day of rest. It is hard work. Ibuprofen is my friend. I hope everyone has a good weekend. I'll get some new pictures up soon too.
Amy
Mark had a great birthday and today we went for some authentic Mexican food--and that was awesome (I'm not a food fan, so for me that is some good food). We talked about today and some basic techniques that I need to work on as well as goals we have. We have begun to co-strategies, which is great. I like to be "aggressive" with some of my sailing tactics, and I like Mark's ability to sail the high angles. Together, we can give some folks a run for their money. Teamwork is vital and Mark likes the input. Like Ms. S in the classroom--Mark is democratic about tactics n the water and will make executive decisions as they are needed. This is definitely a change, a growth in our partnership.
We continue practices through the weekend and will take a day of rest. It is hard work. Ibuprofen is my friend. I hope everyone has a good weekend. I'll get some new pictures up soon too.
Amy
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Practice Day One: Sailing in Fog
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARK! Today is Mark's birthday and we celebrated at a sushi/hibachi restaurant. The skipper is a day older, but any wiser?
Today was a first for me. We left the hotel at 9:00 AM for an 11:00 practice. The fog was thick and we decided to wait and see if it would "burn off." Apparently the fog that rolls in around here only dissipates when it is burned off by the sun versus being blown off. As the day didn't seem to warm up too much, well the fog didn't disappear either. Around 1:00 we decided the fog was less and we would have good enough visibility to do some practice starts.
Around 4:00 the visibility was no more than a few hundred feet. We were not only sailing with our individual disabilities, but we were now blind. It is the most disorientating feeling that I have ever had. I lost all sense of direction and we had somehow drifted into the sea lane where large vessels (like barges) pass through. At one point the horn of one these vessels sounded and it was much closer than we thought. We clustered close together around the coaches boat, and he kept blowing his whistle to alert them that we were there. From the size of the waves the vessel made and how quickly they reached us--that ship was way too close for comfort. We decided to head in.
We followed the fog horn sound that marks the mouth of the bay and followed the land line as closely as possible. It was a "Bermuda triangle" kind of moment, eerie and tense with only ghost-like visibility of other vessels. We all made it in (only 3 of the 5 teams are here practicing at this time) safely. The fog continued to roll in and it was thicker than this morning when we left around 6:00. Another first for my sailing experiences.
The great news is that my seating worked great and I had good leverage and it made a great difference with the speed and strength at which I can manage the sails, especially the spinnaker. Mark's seat works well but would be easier if we reverse the switches. When he is on the low side it is hard for him to reach the far side of the head piece to tilt back up. Mark had some very good starts and I felt much more confident about my sail management. Overall, a good day.
I've added some pictures of where we are sailing out of and you can compare them to today's fog pictures. I also included a couple of Mark's tilting switch that he activates with his head. Tomorrow is an 11:00 am practice...let's hope the fog gives us a break!
Amy
Today was a first for me. We left the hotel at 9:00 AM for an 11:00 practice. The fog was thick and we decided to wait and see if it would "burn off." Apparently the fog that rolls in around here only dissipates when it is burned off by the sun versus being blown off. As the day didn't seem to warm up too much, well the fog didn't disappear either. Around 1:00 we decided the fog was less and we would have good enough visibility to do some practice starts.
Around 4:00 the visibility was no more than a few hundred feet. We were not only sailing with our individual disabilities, but we were now blind. It is the most disorientating feeling that I have ever had. I lost all sense of direction and we had somehow drifted into the sea lane where large vessels (like barges) pass through. At one point the horn of one these vessels sounded and it was much closer than we thought. We clustered close together around the coaches boat, and he kept blowing his whistle to alert them that we were there. From the size of the waves the vessel made and how quickly they reached us--that ship was way too close for comfort. We decided to head in.
We followed the fog horn sound that marks the mouth of the bay and followed the land line as closely as possible. It was a "Bermuda triangle" kind of moment, eerie and tense with only ghost-like visibility of other vessels. We all made it in (only 3 of the 5 teams are here practicing at this time) safely. The fog continued to roll in and it was thicker than this morning when we left around 6:00. Another first for my sailing experiences.
The great news is that my seating worked great and I had good leverage and it made a great difference with the speed and strength at which I can manage the sails, especially the spinnaker. Mark's seat works well but would be easier if we reverse the switches. When he is on the low side it is hard for him to reach the far side of the head piece to tilt back up. Mark had some very good starts and I felt much more confident about my sail management. Overall, a good day.
I've added some pictures of where we are sailing out of and you can compare them to today's fog pictures. I also included a couple of Mark's tilting switch that he activates with his head. Tomorrow is an 11:00 am practice...let's hope the fog gives us a break!
Amy
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Newport, Rhode Island (it is a state--Rhode Island)
Hi everyone,
I see you guys are giving Ms. Roberts a run for her money aye? Be nice! And watch what you pray for!
We made it to Newport today and the winds were strong, but Mark needed to test out his new seat tilting switch so we didn't catch the wind today. The head device he uses to activate the switch is so cool. I will download pictures tomorrow so you can get a look at it. Only two other US teams are here and we are all busy "readying" our boats.
Our coach, Betsy Alison, has called for the first practice tomorrow from 11:00-3:00. This will be the test for our new modifications. Wish us luck! We usually practice "starts" and other maneuvers to get us thinking about strategies. Some folks swear that those who start strong finish first. There seems to be more truth than not to the saying. I'm looking forward to sailing tomorrow--it feels like it has taken forever to get to this point. Winds are to be around 11 knots which is nice for sailing.
I'm not sure how I can forget so easily, but Newport is such a beautiful place. We sail out of the Newport Sailing Center--home to Shake-a-Leg, one of the first disabled sailing programs ever. The docks and Sailing Center are located in Fort Adams State Park--the old fort is just down the road and we sail by it as we leave the bay for the open sea. Yes, Rhode Island is on the ocean, so it's salt water and a bit colder than our grand old Lake Ontario.
I will let you know how our day goes tomorrow and will get some more pictures on the blog too. Be kind to your teachers--I'll be back before you know it.
Ms. S
I see you guys are giving Ms. Roberts a run for her money aye? Be nice! And watch what you pray for!
We made it to Newport today and the winds were strong, but Mark needed to test out his new seat tilting switch so we didn't catch the wind today. The head device he uses to activate the switch is so cool. I will download pictures tomorrow so you can get a look at it. Only two other US teams are here and we are all busy "readying" our boats.
Our coach, Betsy Alison, has called for the first practice tomorrow from 11:00-3:00. This will be the test for our new modifications. Wish us luck! We usually practice "starts" and other maneuvers to get us thinking about strategies. Some folks swear that those who start strong finish first. There seems to be more truth than not to the saying. I'm looking forward to sailing tomorrow--it feels like it has taken forever to get to this point. Winds are to be around 11 knots which is nice for sailing.
I'm not sure how I can forget so easily, but Newport is such a beautiful place. We sail out of the Newport Sailing Center--home to Shake-a-Leg, one of the first disabled sailing programs ever. The docks and Sailing Center are located in Fort Adams State Park--the old fort is just down the road and we sail by it as we leave the bay for the open sea. Yes, Rhode Island is on the ocean, so it's salt water and a bit colder than our grand old Lake Ontario.
I will let you know how our day goes tomorrow and will get some more pictures on the blog too. Be kind to your teachers--I'll be back before you know it.
Ms. S
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Modifications are done!
Mr. Lewis has worked day and night for two days to get my seat set and to get Mark a switch he can use (without needing his hands or fingers) to independently tilt his seat. I am not going anywhere in the seat this time. Check out the final picture and note the red strap around my waist (it was one of the straps the NHS folks gave me). I just hope if and when I do need to get myself out, I can!
Mark's father came up with a way for him to use his head to activate the switch to make his seat tilt. I have to take a picture of it--it is very imaginative. The next step for both of us is to put the boat in the water and see how our new modifications work! Tomorrow morning we move out and head out for Newport, R.I. We will get the boat in and test out the equipment. If things seem to be in working we will join the other US team boats for the first day of practice.
Until tomorrow...It's time for bed. Thanks for all your support.
Amy
Mark's father came up with a way for him to use his head to activate the switch to make his seat tilt. I have to take a picture of it--it is very imaginative. The next step for both of us is to put the boat in the water and see how our new modifications work! Tomorrow morning we move out and head out for Newport, R.I. We will get the boat in and test out the equipment. If things seem to be in working we will join the other US team boats for the first day of practice.
Until tomorrow...It's time for bed. Thanks for all your support.
Amy
Monday, September 24, 2007
On the Road Again. . .
May I first say how overwhelmed and touched I am with all the support from the Norman Howard School's faculty, staff, and students; the EnCompass Resources for Learning administration and employees; my Mom and Dad, ("the kids"), Liz and friends (especially my book club members); and the community of disabled people in Rochester (NSCIA and Center for Disability Rights). I have been greatly blessed to have such a wonderful network of people who encourage, support, and follow me through all my adventures.
At school this past Friday, the whole school gathered for an assembly to wish me well and good luck. Little did I imagine the send off that I was given! It was rather overwhelming and so surprising. I was sent off with a basket of goods to keep well and warm and fed...an amazing amount of money was gifted to me by the faculty and staff and another generous gift from the EnCompass administration. It was all so surreal and touching. I will make a shrine in my hotel room when I get there and post a picture. Mark and I are going to christen the boat too with the bottle of sparkling grape juice. I just can't find the words to express how much I appreciated all that you did. Thanks again! and again! and again! and again . . .
Well, it is a beautiful Monday in Hingham MA. I arrived at Mark's abode around 9:30pm last night and am waiting to get started on working out the kinks in my seat. Mark and I and his father (an engineer designer and wonderful problem solver) will take the next two days or longer to make sure we have a near perfect seating arrangement for me. Without body stability my ability to leverage the pull and use my arm strength for sail management is greatly compromised. I'm excited to get this worked out because it will mean improvement in the mechanical tactics. I will take pictures of the seating and the process so you have an idea what I'm talking about. We hope this process won't take more than two days so we can head to Newport and start practicing. I will definitely keep everyone posted!
Amy
At school this past Friday, the whole school gathered for an assembly to wish me well and good luck. Little did I imagine the send off that I was given! It was rather overwhelming and so surprising. I was sent off with a basket of goods to keep well and warm and fed...an amazing amount of money was gifted to me by the faculty and staff and another generous gift from the EnCompass administration. It was all so surreal and touching. I will make a shrine in my hotel room when I get there and post a picture. Mark and I are going to christen the boat too with the bottle of sparkling grape juice. I just can't find the words to express how much I appreciated all that you did. Thanks again! and again! and again! and again . . .
Well, it is a beautiful Monday in Hingham MA. I arrived at Mark's abode around 9:30pm last night and am waiting to get started on working out the kinks in my seat. Mark and I and his father (an engineer designer and wonderful problem solver) will take the next two days or longer to make sure we have a near perfect seating arrangement for me. Without body stability my ability to leverage the pull and use my arm strength for sail management is greatly compromised. I'm excited to get this worked out because it will mean improvement in the mechanical tactics. I will take pictures of the seating and the process so you have an idea what I'm talking about. We hope this process won't take more than two days so we can head to Newport and start practicing. I will definitely keep everyone posted!
Amy
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Day 5
Hi everyone! Believe it or not, it is over. I am still in one piece but believe that I will be mighty sore the next couple of days (speaking of sore--wait until you see my combat wounds). Who said sailing we was a safe sport? From everyone's comments, I guess I made the news. I haven't seen a paper yet and read parts of a photo copy. It has all been a whirlwind experience, but worth it all.
We began today in 14th place (slipped 2 spots). The competition has been fierce and the winds today were up to 22-28 knots!! That makes for a lot of needed muscle on those sails. We started strong and ended not so strong in the first race. We still struggle with windward sailing and seeing the shifts in the wind. But I must admit, we are much better on the downwind legs and it feels good. In the second race, we had "spinnaker failure." The sail couldn't fully launch because it was all tied up in the lines. We lost a lot on that leg and it was a miracle we didn't end up in last place! The last race was better and we placed 7th. Overall we made some gains today and our final placement was 12th place. Not bad for little time in the boat!
The great part is that the US Skud 18 teams took first, second and fourth places for this regatta! Nice sailing and hard work paid off. We have closing ceremonies tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say I'm exhausted, its late and I need a well earned rest. Thanks to everyone for their support!
Amy
We began today in 14th place (slipped 2 spots). The competition has been fierce and the winds today were up to 22-28 knots!! That makes for a lot of needed muscle on those sails. We started strong and ended not so strong in the first race. We still struggle with windward sailing and seeing the shifts in the wind. But I must admit, we are much better on the downwind legs and it feels good. In the second race, we had "spinnaker failure." The sail couldn't fully launch because it was all tied up in the lines. We lost a lot on that leg and it was a miracle we didn't end up in last place! The last race was better and we placed 7th. Overall we made some gains today and our final placement was 12th place. Not bad for little time in the boat!
The great part is that the US Skud 18 teams took first, second and fourth places for this regatta! Nice sailing and hard work paid off. We have closing ceremonies tomorrow afternoon. Needless to say I'm exhausted, its late and I need a well earned rest. Thanks to everyone for their support!
Amy
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Day 4
What a glorious day for sailing. Initially the nautical reports said the winds would be light--2-6 knots. They lied. We ended up with nice 8-12 knot winds which make for some good sailing and those white caps. In terms of results...things could have been better. Today, our starts were dirt poor and I had fewer problems with the spinnaker, but still feel that goal needs more work. We also need to figure how to keep Ms. S strapped into the seat better so she can pull the lines without practically falling over. Always a learning experience.
We have fallen to 13 overall, and our best race we finished in 8th (which seems to be our lucky number). We did learn how to go faster downwind and that felt good. There were tons of spectator boats out there today (some of my friends from my book club came out to watch the races today).
I feel like I spent the majority of the day talking to reporters--a woman from the Irondequoit paper came today (yesterday was the D &C) and then the photographer from the D&C came. He took video and I was "wired" as we were sailing out of the channel (Mark and I had to tone down the rhetoric). The D &C says they will play the video on-line at their site--so check it out! I mentioned you guys and hope you get into the article!
Well--I must admit, I am tired. Something about all that fresh air and hard work takes all the air out of you. Continue to be nice to the teachers and tomorrow, our last day, will be better--for sure.
Sorry Brian, I'm not making those decisions--you have to ask Ms. Roberts. You can do a great story on your own--I have all the confidence in the world in your creativity. Hang in there--I'll be back Monday.
Amy
PS the Canadian stayed away from us today....
We have fallen to 13 overall, and our best race we finished in 8th (which seems to be our lucky number). We did learn how to go faster downwind and that felt good. There were tons of spectator boats out there today (some of my friends from my book club came out to watch the races today).
I feel like I spent the majority of the day talking to reporters--a woman from the Irondequoit paper came today (yesterday was the D &C) and then the photographer from the D&C came. He took video and I was "wired" as we were sailing out of the channel (Mark and I had to tone down the rhetoric). The D &C says they will play the video on-line at their site--so check it out! I mentioned you guys and hope you get into the article!
Well--I must admit, I am tired. Something about all that fresh air and hard work takes all the air out of you. Continue to be nice to the teachers and tomorrow, our last day, will be better--for sure.
Sorry Brian, I'm not making those decisions--you have to ask Ms. Roberts. You can do a great story on your own--I have all the confidence in the world in your creativity. Hang in there--I'll be back Monday.
Amy
PS the Canadian stayed away from us today....
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Day 3
We began the day in 12th place (based on yesterday's results).
Wow! What a wonderful day for sailing and mighty strong winds (which means a lot of water in the boat). I managed to not almost fall in, though I did lose the seat I sit on in the first race today. It was a great day--but long. As with anything in life, "the best laid plans of both mice and men often go astray..." my goal to work the spinnaker better was a dismal failure today.
In the first race we had a great start and rounded the first mark in 4th place...but the the fates, or maybe Neptune himself (Matt), were not on our side. As we came around the leeward mark I couldn't hall the spinnaker in--I fought it with all my strength. We finally realized the spinnaker line was caught in the zipper on the base of the jib. We had to sail away from the race course and try to figure it out--much time was lost and I thought for sure we would place last--but we jumped back in there and made some come back--at we didn't finish last! The second race was a blur. Don't ask me why. It was the third race that we did our best and finished 7th place.
Sam the Swedish woman is not sailing in my class (thank goodness); however a Canadian got us irked because he was asked to give room at the mark (we had right away) and he said something rather unprofessional to us, so I told Mark we had to beat them--and we did. Nothing wrong with a little competition. There will be no night sailing Sam--the rules state we can't start a race after 5pm. Goes to show you--life ain't fair.
Thanks to all of you for your comments and support you make me laugh after a very long and strenuous day! Tomorrow is day 4 and maybe some of the good starts and good sail trimming can come together. I miss you guys (believe it or not). Hang in there folks!
I almost forgot--the D&C interviewed us and he is coming out to take pictures and do video (which they put on-line). Anyhow, the article will be in Friday's paper. Take care, until tomorrow.
Amy
Wow! What a wonderful day for sailing and mighty strong winds (which means a lot of water in the boat). I managed to not almost fall in, though I did lose the seat I sit on in the first race today. It was a great day--but long. As with anything in life, "the best laid plans of both mice and men often go astray..." my goal to work the spinnaker better was a dismal failure today.
In the first race we had a great start and rounded the first mark in 4th place...but the the fates, or maybe Neptune himself (Matt), were not on our side. As we came around the leeward mark I couldn't hall the spinnaker in--I fought it with all my strength. We finally realized the spinnaker line was caught in the zipper on the base of the jib. We had to sail away from the race course and try to figure it out--much time was lost and I thought for sure we would place last--but we jumped back in there and made some come back--at we didn't finish last! The second race was a blur. Don't ask me why. It was the third race that we did our best and finished 7th place.
Sam the Swedish woman is not sailing in my class (thank goodness); however a Canadian got us irked because he was asked to give room at the mark (we had right away) and he said something rather unprofessional to us, so I told Mark we had to beat them--and we did. Nothing wrong with a little competition. There will be no night sailing Sam--the rules state we can't start a race after 5pm. Goes to show you--life ain't fair.
Thanks to all of you for your comments and support you make me laugh after a very long and strenuous day! Tomorrow is day 4 and maybe some of the good starts and good sail trimming can come together. I miss you guys (believe it or not). Hang in there folks!
I almost forgot--the D&C interviewed us and he is coming out to take pictures and do video (which they put on-line). Anyhow, the article will be in Friday's paper. Take care, until tomorrow.
Amy
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Day 2
Well today was a day for sailing! Nice winds and rain--yes rain. I like to sail in rain. I t makes the experience surreal in a way. But good energy and strong winds are in rain clouds too. Mark wasn't feeling good this morning, but we decided to give it a try. We made it through all three races! Yay! The winds were good and I can't say I was cold despite being pretty darn wet. However, I had my closest call to falling out of the boat on my way in today. I'm pretty much strapped in to my seat for stability and pulling power. But on the way back to the docks we were followed by a very strong front with rain and huge gusts. The gusts ripped the main sheets right out of my hand and in an attempt to reach them to pull them in I undid my shoulder straps...well, the wind was so strong it pulled me out of my seat onto the floor of the boat! The boat was so keeled that we were taking in a lot of water (all over me!). The only saving grace was my chest belt, which was keeping me in the boat as I hung by my armpits. It was a wild ride to say the least!
Before I get to the race results I have to talk about the importance of setting goals. When sailing, as with school and any other aspect of your life, one sets goals. We are not supposed to make "positioning goals," like "my goal is to place in the top six every race." We are to set goals based on improving skills, which in turn improves your outcomes). So my goal this race has been to work on sail management (especially launching and hauling the spinnaker). But I must admit I do have a placement goal--not to be last place ever. I'm real new to this boat and Mark has experience, and regattas have both very competent sailors and "green" or newer sailors. I just don't want to be last. That being said....
Our first race (in the rain) was our best--we placed in the top 1/2 at #8 out of 18. Not bad. After that, things just went downhill. For the most part we seemed to struggle with speed--it felt like everyone was going faster or gaining on us. For the results of the second race and third race I have to check the IFDS Worlds homepage when they post it (it wasn't posted yet); nevertheless we were at the bottom1/3 in those races. We weren't last and 8th place was pretty darn good.
Thanks for all your comments--I do hope everyone is being kind to our new teachers! I'm glad your starting your fractured fairy tales--Desiree told me her choice. What are other folks doing? Someone asked about how long it was to get the boat in the water. Well, we are taking about over an hour. It would be nice if we could get a bit more efficient with the process. It is a lot of work going from dry dock to sailing status. It will get better as the days go on. Today I had Kira, a tutoring student of mine from EnCompass come down and help out at the docks. She will be down the next couple of days too! Thank you Kira! And to answer Kailen's question--we are sailing right here on Lake Ontario from the Rochester Yacht Club. Today we spent almost 6 hours out on the lake.
Again, thanks for all your support! I'll get Mark on this blog soon. Chris--hang in there!
Amy
Before I get to the race results I have to talk about the importance of setting goals. When sailing, as with school and any other aspect of your life, one sets goals. We are not supposed to make "positioning goals," like "my goal is to place in the top six every race." We are to set goals based on improving skills, which in turn improves your outcomes). So my goal this race has been to work on sail management (especially launching and hauling the spinnaker). But I must admit I do have a placement goal--not to be last place ever. I'm real new to this boat and Mark has experience, and regattas have both very competent sailors and "green" or newer sailors. I just don't want to be last. That being said....
Our first race (in the rain) was our best--we placed in the top 1/2 at #8 out of 18. Not bad. After that, things just went downhill. For the most part we seemed to struggle with speed--it felt like everyone was going faster or gaining on us. For the results of the second race and third race I have to check the IFDS Worlds homepage when they post it (it wasn't posted yet); nevertheless we were at the bottom1/3 in those races. We weren't last and 8th place was pretty darn good.
Thanks for all your comments--I do hope everyone is being kind to our new teachers! I'm glad your starting your fractured fairy tales--Desiree told me her choice. What are other folks doing? Someone asked about how long it was to get the boat in the water. Well, we are taking about over an hour. It would be nice if we could get a bit more efficient with the process. It is a lot of work going from dry dock to sailing status. It will get better as the days go on. Today I had Kira, a tutoring student of mine from EnCompass come down and help out at the docks. She will be down the next couple of days too! Thank you Kira! And to answer Kailen's question--we are sailing right here on Lake Ontario from the Rochester Yacht Club. Today we spent almost 6 hours out on the lake.
Again, thanks for all your support! I'll get Mark on this blog soon. Chris--hang in there!
Amy
Monday, September 10, 2007
Day 1
Hi Everyone!
It was great to see your messages--you put a big smile on my face! There a couple things really important to the sport of sailing. The biggest one (once you have a boat) is the wind. Today was an unforgiving nearly windless day accompanied by big rollers (waves with deep dips). The wind never reached more than 4 knots and was 2-3 knots for the two hours we sat out on Lake Ontario. It was disappointing not to be able to race today. Another important aspect to sailing is not to suffer from sea sickness (Mark did today), so this gives you guys permission to bust his chops. Mark has promised to leave an introductory note and some messages for you too.
Just to fill you in on some more details...there are 29 countries represented in this event and there are 18 skud teams. Every day we are scheduled to race 3 races (weather permitting). Mark and I have to be dockside by 10:00-10:30. We have what we call "dock monkeys;" those folks that volunteer to help us rig the boat and get our bodies into the boat. It can be a very tedious process. For this event, every day we have to pull the boats (take them out of the water). I must admit, the volunteers on the dock and those hoisting the boats were awesome. I have never seen such efficiency in a regatta before.
I have some photos from today showing you the process (of hoisting and rigging the boat). It is really a great way to learn the lines (sheets) and sails. That is my job as crew--manage the lines and sails. The skud has three sails: the main, the jib, and the spinnaker. I will post a picture of my point of view so you can get the idea.
Again, thanks for visiting the site, say hi to Mark, and tomorrow I will fill you in again!
Amy
It was great to see your messages--you put a big smile on my face! There a couple things really important to the sport of sailing. The biggest one (once you have a boat) is the wind. Today was an unforgiving nearly windless day accompanied by big rollers (waves with deep dips). The wind never reached more than 4 knots and was 2-3 knots for the two hours we sat out on Lake Ontario. It was disappointing not to be able to race today. Another important aspect to sailing is not to suffer from sea sickness (Mark did today), so this gives you guys permission to bust his chops. Mark has promised to leave an introductory note and some messages for you too.
Just to fill you in on some more details...there are 29 countries represented in this event and there are 18 skud teams. Every day we are scheduled to race 3 races (weather permitting). Mark and I have to be dockside by 10:00-10:30. We have what we call "dock monkeys;" those folks that volunteer to help us rig the boat and get our bodies into the boat. It can be a very tedious process. For this event, every day we have to pull the boats (take them out of the water). I must admit, the volunteers on the dock and those hoisting the boats were awesome. I have never seen such efficiency in a regatta before.
I have some photos from today showing you the process (of hoisting and rigging the boat). It is really a great way to learn the lines (sheets) and sails. That is my job as crew--manage the lines and sails. The skud has three sails: the main, the jib, and the spinnaker. I will post a picture of my point of view so you can get the idea.
Again, thanks for visiting the site, say hi to Mark, and tomorrow I will fill you in again!
Amy
Welcome!
Tomorrow is the first day of racing in the IFDS Worlds right here in Rochester, New York! Mark and I have not been out since our regatta at Marblehead, Boston Yacht Club. Mark is still healing from two broken legs! We are determined to get out there and build up our "teammanship" and sharpen skills despite recent setbacks.
Tonight (Sunday) were the opening ceremonies. It was really great to see so many countries here for this event--over 170 of the worlds best sailors. It is a humbling experience in many ways!
We will be dockside by 10:30 daily and races for the Skud 18s begin at 1:00. Every day there will be three races a day, same times. There are even spectator boats down at the Rochester Yacht Club (the host), so if you want to get out there and see some awesome racing, go for it!
There are some great sites listed below if you would like to learn more about the boats and the events. There are three paralympic boat categories: the Single-Person (2.4), Two-Person (skud 18), Three-Person (sonars) Keelboats. I'll try to post pictures daily and of course give a summary of the day's events. Please feel free to post any questions or comments!
Amy
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