Make ready for battle.

I've had a coupld of bad brain wave weeks of late coupled to a dodgey bout of IBS, so the pre season nerves are pumped up more than usual.

The big goal is to have a good Færder'n 2008, and to go the right side of nesodden/snarøya and the right way round Håøya. We have good boat speed on JJ but I doubt we can get near Blur on pure round the cans. However, it is not just about this.

How will we do against them? Will we have a bad start or go the wrong way early ? Will the crew be up to it? is the old man going to plan, discuss and listen to me / with me??

If I wasn't full of anticipation and nerves then I wouldn't be half as good a sailor as I am...instead I'd be like a lot of the wannabes and hasbeens like fat stu', who get so far on the learning curve and then stop up, resting on their own laurels, arrogance and letting their hang overs get the better of them.

færderseilasen 2008 is the biggie. After that it is just a summer with Hollanderen at the end of the holiday! So getting it right is key:

1) tidal charts, vinyl encaps with all the key tide gates and charted tide /ETAs at te different nøkkel points- the start, the fjord, Håøya- south and north and the sides, drammen fjord mouth, the small isles and the light and back in to Horten.

2) weather and wind shifts. Likely to be a hottie like last year with an established scando high. A Possibility for compressed isobars or a weak passing front with light airs in the warm sector followed by a big shift north west in the cold sector. Night winds are typically light and either the last of isobarics following the overall pattern and funneling down the dalene or just a night breeze falling of the hihger hills and following the dales down- this was bigger on the west side last year, as the east is low land comparitely. Sea breezes take at least til mid or late mornign so going east for an early thermal did not pay in the lights last year- shortest way to the funnel of a general sea breeze late morning up the great funnel of this "firth" was what paid- we just went out in the tide instead of creeping the shore and that was with guys with maybe 20 Fæder'ns back them.

3) sailing our own race- going the shortest way- following the tide and wind- keeping the boat moving- keeping it in free air.

4) being light for light airs or carrying extra water bottles for more wind.

5) being fed and rehydrated and in good craic.

6) gybe angles - knowing when to dig deep on the tack line and when to go higher.


preparation : 1) starting clean and mid line.

2) hoists and gybes

3) sail changes

4) laminated tideal charts and the big tidal times

5) sailing round Håøya.




I reckon this is my last blast at keel boats- after this it will be snipe helming if I can. I reckon with moving only if I get a decent contract and i will need to buy a car while I am here. Sniping requires a budget and a crew and both of these I lack so far. I am phucked if I am crewing one of these with an old twit on the helm or someone not as good as me.

Asker or VF??