Where have I come since last year?

In early 2007 I wrote about being with the exotic boys and girls and thinking it was a bit shitty, and my 'gear changes' were bad and my heavy weather sailing was poor.

After a couple of races with them though I could see that I was confident in over 30 knts wind and best on the main. Thereafter I resigned and my v. first day I walked up to the 1J109:

I tweaked the rig and thought it was soft and then had to fight even with a reef in! We had a good tactician, a 2.4m builder/designer, and I bowed mostly to him. Race win day 2.

Eating a bit of humble pie and bowing to better regattamenn: lesson learnt, move on to my own 'right boat, right time' on their curve or alternatively get on a way good boat.

Also this year I learnt more about gear changes- listen to the sail makers, twist the sails, use the traveller and back stay and set the rig up a few turns. Steer around the bigger lumps and correct by pressing on the jib/genoa and easing the main. Steer up in the lulls with smaller lumps. Genoa a pancake along the foot with good twist and top tell tales flying inner most of the time to depower, while then powering up for the big lump steers.

More than anyone but TG I managed to push them up the results ladder- even when off tactics my boat speed and team work got us up into some seriously good spots and lead to wins all over the place after my move. 16th under Fæder'n puts us amongst the top 20 in the country, and probably in atual fact now it is a top 5 LYS boat in eastland at least.

I learnt more about my place in the world being decided by initial chemistry and then some back room dealing and 'forlik's before I even step on board with anger!