Spring Fling - Regatta Debrief

38 LYC sailors invaded Miami this past weekend for the Spring Fling Regatta hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club.  Stephan Baker continued his winning ways posting Bullets in all 6 races. Connor Bolland was 2nd overall, sailing his best event to date with only 1 finish outside of the top 3. Other top LYC finishers were Sara Shcuman (5th) Tommy Sitzman (7th), Cody Roe (9th), Jake Homberger (11th), Jack Redmond (13th), Lulu Hamilton (20th), Ty Lamm (23rd), Ryan Konrad (24th), Nico Garcia-Castrillon (28th), Lucy Meagher (34th) and Lucas Tenrierro (36th) - so 13 LYC Sailors in the top 40, with 130 boats in attendance. 12 LYC Green Fleeters also competed led by Pierce Webber in 12th. Full Results. 

We are almost to the USODA Team Trials, the biggest event of the year, and this was the last "Test Event" before the regatta. As Trials, the venue was Biscayne Bay,  and I think the level of competition was pretty good - all the best Florida and east coast Opti sailors as well as some Texans, Californians and Illinoisans were in attendance. So while sailors should expect the overall competition to  go up a level at Team Trails, it was a true "test even" in both the venue and competition.

It is my hope that this recap of the conditions and corresponding racing priorities can help sailors to synthesize their last weekend. The conditions may be different going forward or they may be the same! We want to be fast, and have a grasp of all the conditions on Biscayne Bay.


Saturday Wind:

Saturday brought breeze from the SE - 120-140 Degrees on the Compass at first start. When the wind comes from this direction over the Key, we have learned that it creates a bend. This bend manifests as a geographic shift to the left as you reach the top of the racing area. Like this:

The sailors tested the course before Race 1 and almost all split tacks came back Left favored. So we figured the theory applied. The sky was clear and sunny, so the first race was all about execution to the left - where-ever you start its all about getting and holding a lane on Starboard Tack. With the pin significantly favored for this start this was difficult! There were some black flag disqualifications and a lot of boats fighting for the Pin 3rd of a short start line.

Before the 2nd race the wind shifted right to about 155 deg. and the boat was slightly favored. There were now a lot of Black Flag penalties (always more BFD on a boat favored line). As low, puffy seabreeze clouds began to appear I cautioned sailors to be aware that a further shift right could occur. CRYC's Cort Snyder seemed to have the same philosophy and sailed hard to the right corner. However, as I watched the race from the right corner, I could feel the puffs coming...and going. There was not the sustained pressure to get across from the right. The LYC sailors that trusted their eyes the most - looking up the course and seeing better pressure on the left - made out ahead! This is an important lesson: the forecast and coaches can tell you what might happen - but trust your eyes the most on what is actually occurring that moment! The wind on the water (marked by darker water or choppier waves) is telling you what IS happening.

The Wind did shift Right - to as much as 170 degrees, and on the last beat Cody and KJ made up a ton of ground by being patient with the right.

The wind oscillated back and forth at about 165 degrees for the rest of the day. With light air and consistent conditions, sailing the "Golden Route" becomes really important. It looks like this:

Popularized by Joakim Karlson, the Golden Route is essentially the strategy that you should get out to start the race to what you think is the favored side  then move in (aka "CONSOLIDATE!") further up the beat as you side begins to pay off. You get clear air and hopefully better pressure/current to get ahead, then consolidate on the best wind shift/angle you can once you are ahead.

Boats that sailed up the middle to start the beat and weren't winning ate too much dirty air and had no chance in these 6-8kt, choppy conditions.

If you picked the wrong side, you could still make it work, with:
  -BOATSPEED
 - PATIENCE
 - Lead your side back, consolidating at the 'least bad' time.

Connor Bolland did this beautifully in the 3rd race. He was on the right trailing Cort and KJ who had gotten out to clear air first. But he led them back to the middle and continued to play the wind shifts and sail in clear air all the way to the windward mark - rounding Mark 1 in the top 5 and able to get a 2nd. For my Silver fleet sailors they are still perfecting the Golden route - KJ moved out great and had awesome speed, but didn't always know when to consolidate. Cody, Kevin and Will started the beat eating up too much of the middle. Nico on the other hand seemed to have really good lanes when I saw him at the top of the beat. Truman's starting wasn't up to the level he's displayed in practice, although he had a good consistent regatta (this will pay on a 4 day event). Tyler was super fast and I think close to some even better races. Cody had a breakout regatta not on the first beat, but in working hard and focusing around the racecourse, passing a ton of boats on the reach, run and last beat. I'd estimate he gained 30 points after the 1st mark over the course of the first 4 races!

Photo: Tom Rodgers 

Current:

The current is opposite of what you think should happen. It flows in (low tide to high tide) to Biscayne bay FROM the North, and Flows out TO the North. The 2 Bridges, the Bear Cut Bridge and the City Bridge are essentially the veins of Biscane Bay - the tide comes in and goes out through them.

The Tide forecast was for High Tide just before racing and an ebbing current all day. Current goes faster in deeper water, but changes first in shallow water. Thus the current angle in our racing area shifted throughout the day -early on it was flowing towards the shallower City Bridge, later towards max ebb it was going more towards the Bear Cut Bridge:

The Current was less than we expected, but still effected the racing on Saturday with light wind. The current is not always as predictable as you would think on the Bay, so its important to always be re-checking it between races and even during each race (see which way are you sliding while rounding each mark?). Keep an open mind on when it might increase, decrease, or shift in vector!

As the current increases towards the Bear Cut with wind from the SE, one must be careful not to be swept over the Port Layline/get pinned out on the port side. With current less than usual this didn't happen too much, but something sailors should be aware of. As we learned in Lake Garda, the favored side doesn't pay if you go over the Layline!

Sunday Conditions:

Sunday was breezier and overcast, with threatening advisories from some news sources! But really he wind was only about 15-18 kts. Not too much! We sailed 2 races in each fleet and flew in on a broad reach. With small shifts and almost slack current it was all about getting off the line, and goin' real fast! The wind-blown current was enough that there was some line sag, so that you could really start ahead of the competition. This is what a line sight is made for in Optis - you will not be able to use a line sight when boats are over, but when the fleet is under the line it will give you the confidence to punch out!

The line was square and there was just Ocean to windward, but the left paid for some reason on most  beats. I don't know exactly why this was. The wind was only 180 degrees - just south of the end of the key, so its possible there was some Key-induced acceloration of the breeze on the left. Stephan, who understands more than most of the coaches, covered Connor almost all the way to the layline on the Left, not being concerned with the boats on the right in first beat of the last race, and they rounded 1,2. It will be interesting to see if the Trend persists with a different Tide while sailing in a breezy Southerly.

Speedwork:

Speed comes from 2 things: Tuning and Technique. Our kids Tuning has gotten pretty good but we are always looking for perfection in our sails. Making sure the boom-vang and the luff are actually  tight before rigging the Luff ties can help some sailors get the luff ties more even.

There will be a Measurement boat at TT's so boom ties - you matter to us now! Same for the Daggerboard Tie in (a safety regulation).

There were no Judges for Rule 42 at Spring Fling. I though our sailors were sailing within the rules (Pilo and I will asses penalties for breaches in practice), but we should be prepared for a little more scrutiny at Team Trials. I hope the judges will pay special attention to Upwind Sculling in light winds - its something we work hard to prohibit our sailors from, but that I observe from some other competitors.

Downwind our sailors had pretty good speed just by being forwards in the boat, limiting rudder movement, and focusing on the waves.

Balancing the boat upwind on Biscayne Bay often means moving back a little of your normal position (back 2cm?). This helps the boat get through the Chop without the bow pounding. Upwind the bow drag is a bigger concern than the stern dragging a little.

The Chop don't lie! If you are connected to the boat, have good technique and focus on every wave, you will be fast. Every wave you hit wrong slows you down a lot. Its possible that Stephan might be only 5% better than the next sailors in the Country, but its those few more waves they hit wrong that slow them down considerably and take boatlenghts to recover from. You need to sail relaxed so you can work the boat consistently and think at the same time!

One thing sailors should always be aware of is large powerboat wake. Parents and coaches are running up and down boat the Right Edge of the first beat and the Left Edge of the Last beat. So as you reach the corner you have a decision: to go thought the waves, or tack and try to surf them as you consolidate. If you get the pressure or a header just before some boat chop, or the chop will stop you if you don't tack- Tack with speed before the waves then try to surf them upwind!!!

Checking habitually for SeaWeed on the foils is a key skill we have been practicing and may have contributed to our sailors good speed Saturday.

Food/Hydration/Coaching:
Sailors were given very little time between each race and need to do a better job eating and drinking water! Make sure your food is accessible and your bag CLEARLY LABLED! First, last and Sail # should all be marked on it. Ask for Water and food first, then advice! Then go test your sail and the course/start line, and come check in with the coach again. Is a working relationship where we are here to help you and give you advice. We're not here to spoon feed you and tell you what to do - you have to analyze and think for yourself! Of all the coaches I think I anchored the least, preferring to be free to check the current, check the line and wind with my compass, and make a quick comment to a sailor on the edge of the waiting area. The downside to this is if we have to fix something I drift downwind. If your coach is drifting too far downwind - don't sail down to them. Gather as much information as you can and check in when they motor back up to the top of the waiting area! Our coaching team for this regatta in addition to myself was Pilar Calabresse and Pilo Rocha - two awesome colleagues!

Mental Prep for Team Trials:
We were the most prepared team at Spring Fling. We practiced with KBYC the previous weekend, and were one of the few teams out to practice at the venue Friday. With 4 more practices scheduled at KBYC before team trails we hope to maintain this edge! Here's some things to think about:

* On a 4 day regatta, consistency is key. 

*The top boats should be working togehter to extend on the fleet up until the last leg- "Keep your 4th!" as we say in College Sailing - Arthur 

*"The regatta is always from here on out - take it ONE race at a time!" -Arthur 

*"Its all about sailing relaxed" -Pilo 

*"Pressure is just you minds way of reminding you to do a good job."  - Arthur 

*"Fill your mind with what matters - sailing fast and looking around." - Michael Blackburn

*"The best sailors have already won the regatta before it even begins." - Paul Elvestrom 

* "Its all about your Attitude!"  - Pilo

*Visualize yourself sailing well" - Blackburn

*Garret, if you do not make good race I will [dump you in the water]!"- Pili, 2015 Trials  
(Just kidding!) 






Thank you to everyone (all the parents) who have been supporting us through a great season, and we hope to make it a successful Team Trials next week!

Photo: Tom Rodgers