Tuesday, August 18, 2015

2.4 Open Worlds, Rauma Finland


102 Boats
7th Overall
4th Para Country
5th Para Sailor
1st Grand Master
1st Rookie

Half of the starting line

Most of the World’s best Para Sailors were in Rauma.  The regatta was fairly light, smooth water and shifty.  The starting lines were not easy, which meant it was challenging to have a good overall finish.   Racing against this fleet I was able to learn a lot of new things necessary for me to be able to keep successfully competing. It was a very good building block for me to reach my goal, to compete and medal in Rio next September of 2016. I have continued my task of learning as much as possible over the last 6 months against the top five 2.4 sailors in the World. They are experienced and well established. Their Olympic programs and teams are all well in place. Their tech part of boat building is very strong.  I would currently rate myself just behind this group and I feel in my heart that I am starting to challenge them. In Rauma, I had better boat speed and my handling skills also hugely improved. I was competitive.  

It was a wonderful to be able to finally sail my own boat, the Kanaloa, built at Charger in Finland. With their expertise, I believe I was able to successfully modify her, and feel confident that these changes worked.  My 2.4 fits my style of sailing, and Kanaloa did not disappoint.

I was so impressed to see that 5 out of the top 7 finishers were Paralympic sailors.   They are soooooo good.  It was a great experience for me to be racing with them in Rauma.

Bjomar Erikstad, Norway, 1st Para Sailor, 2nd Overall,.
This guy is unbelievable, Bjomar has no arms, just hands coming out of his shoulders.
He trims with his teeth!!
Note : Dacron Sails


Practice Race

A 7 leg race on a course, in an area that we did not sail on again. 
I had a very good start, on the line, many were over and none were called, including the eventual winner who started 4 boat lengths ahead of me on my wind.  This showed what I was up against with the RC.  Do I take the chance they won’t see me and pull the trigger?  Or keep it safe and try to battle back..  I chose the latter.  No letters in my scores…  This was one of my goals.

I sailed around in 2nd to 4th the whole race.  The RC said the finish would be above the top mark.  Halfway up the last beat, after I moved to the left of the fleet, they dropped the finish 20 degrees to the right.  I was way over stood and ended up 6th, my top 3 finish was gone.

First Day
Light, holes and shifty.  First race good start, good race, 3rd finish..  Gave me confidence to start that way.



Second race, fouled on both sides at the start!, got off the line 63rd. Rounded 41st top mark and finished 24th.  A keeper in this fleet, great recovery, good speed.

Third race, my best of the Regatta.  Very light, ok start, light and patchy.  Played the fleet on the first leg rounded around 7-10, held position on the run, but on the next beat, passed all but one boat, the eventual series winner, by the top mark.  I gybed set into 1st place, and held this position to the bottom mark. I ended up playing the right side on the final leg and loosing at the finish line but I was very happy with a 2nd.

Last mark, last race of day one, I am leading, third around Stellan Berlin, winner of the last 3 worlds.



The light and tricky day fit me well.  Conditions that I would expect in Rio. Boat speed was good and my sailing matched. 

Second Race Day
This was a day of top 5 starts but not finishes.  I was not fast with a little more wind 8-12 knots.  I started just to leeward of the good guys and could not hold my height.  This did not feel good.   Still a consistent  day with 11,11,13.  My sailing was good with shifts and puffs.  Passed boats ok.  But I just didn’t have it.


Rounded just behind the current gold medalist, Helena Lucas, GBR, 3 Para, 5th Overall

It was a pleasure to work with Jay Kehoe for the first time as my coach.  He did a great job seeing things that I can’t see from a small boat so close to the water.  Great support on and off the water.


On the Lay Day, we went over the rig tune and made some changes.  New boat, new rigging and it settled in, and was now stretched.  We re-tuned the rig, and the next day of racing the boat came alive.  Best speed I had, which if I had that tune the day before, I think I would have had all top 5 finishes.  I know that is hind sight but just learning here.  I can always let the rig off but never make it tighter…while racing.

Third Race Day, Moving day
Not the right direction of moving..  Went from 4th to eighth.  Two bad races and one ok race, or even very good race.  I did not get off the line at all.  The fleet just fouls and pushes the line.  The RC lets them go..  Even on a Black flag.  The 2nd race of the day I was headed  for the pin start, and was going to be forced over in a black flag situation.  I bailed out with 5 secs to go and gybed around and started on port.  Some how, after taking more transoms that I can count, I got clear and started to play the shifts.  There were many and, it was amazing!  I was 3rd at the top mark.. Go figure.  Made the mistake of trying the right side of the course on the next two beats, and dropped to 7th.

What the day taught me was , just stay cool, work the course from where you are and good things will happen..  How many times have I learned this?
Heiko Kroger, GER, 2nd Para, 3rd Overall

Last Race Day, 2 races, last chance.
With no real bad races, I could go for it.  Went and won the pin, sailed a good race in different conditions, very shifty, left favored.  Top 7 at the top mark, passed boats on the run to round 3rd and finished there after holding off with good speed and shifts on the final 3 legs the top 3 boats in the series..  Felt good again with everything.

Last Race,
For the first time in the regatta I picked the wrong end of the line.  Sailed ok, but finished poorly for a throw out.  Wish I finished stronger, but the 3rd was good enough to move me up one place.

What Did I Learn

So many things!
Sailing:  I have learned enough to be competitive right now, but not enough to win.  These conditions should be very similar to Rio. The start with 100 boats was hard. In Rio there will only be 16 boats, and the starts will be more civil.  Seventy of the boats here did not care what they did and you could not count on them to sail to the rules.  I am ok with starting in normal size fleets.  I can trust my starting to be consistent. 

Instruments:   My compass did not work well. A last minute change on Lay day to use the Pro Start’s COG saved the day.  No more funny numbers when the heel changed.  I am going to have to figure out how do handle the situation.  The compass is important in a tidal area like Rio.  I really want the COG with the Pro Start and the compass to see the current set… I need to re-think my compass.

Rig:  I learned a lot about tension, and spreader sweep.  I spent time observing the winning boats and their systems. I now have a plan to improve in this area, which will make a difference.

Boat:  There are many things that I was really happy with on my boat.  More improvements still to be made though once I get her back to the US. It was not possible to do this in Finland and compete. 

Sails:  All of the competitive teams have  excellent sail programs.  This is nothing different than I am used to in the big boats.  I am very fortunate to be currently using standard sails from Quantum and North.  Now that I  have the experience I am looking forward to developing my sails for my boat and rig that will suit for Rio conditions.

Rauma was key in my development toward Rio.  Sailing against the best, and having just enough experience to be able to see the differences in speed and programs, will help me build on.

After this regatta, I now have the confidence that with hard work, good team management, great coaching and sufficient funding we should be able to medal in Rio.  

My success in Rio, will all come down to raising more money for this program.  My competition is all funded by their countries, they are Pro Para Sailors.  To this point, I have been lucky to have support from the Windmark Olympic Foundation, St. Francis Sailing Foundation, USALCO, Quantum and North Sails, Gill, Velocitek, and Kaenon.  The months are ticking by now and with only a short time left to continue my quest.  I am only 25% there with my funding.  The next 4 months are crucial in my boat and sail development. 

Event web site: 





Thursday, July 30, 2015

TransPac 2015



We had a really good race on the good ship Wizard.  It was a strange race not the normal weather.  To start with, we started in a South Easterly!!, Had Spinnakers up by Catalina.  The forecast was for little to no wind, be we made it out well, leading our class and at one point 100 miles into the race was ahead of 2 out 3 100 footers.

We had a near miss with a very large Blue Whale, I would say 1 meter.  He came up from the port side, surfaced on the starboard side.  One of the crew thought the tail slapped the boat...


The hard problem for this race was boats were so different in speed they took different routes..  Ragamuffin took the way north course, getting up to San Francisco's latitude.  We were 200 miles south of them looking to connect to the high and good wind.  We did, and took off and look very good in the race, till the wind died on us the last 36 hrs and the little boats were able to sail directly to the mark with wind...

Raggs sailed 2576 miles
Rio sailed 2441 miles
Wizard sailed 2472
and the Race winner GI sailed 2315

You can re-live the race at http://yb.tl/transpac2015

Such is Ocean Racing...

We had a great trip, we all could have sailed another 2000 miles.

Next week on the to Finland to sail the 2.4 open worlds with 108 other boat!!
First time in my new boat

Saturday, July 18, 2015

TransPac start today for Wizard and crew


Wizard winning the Barn Door in 2013

Today we tack off for Hawaii.  Most of the time it is a very nice fast race in the trade winds.  But not today.  There is ex hurricane making a mess of the trades.  You might think we should get south and hit it hard, but it is not moving toward HI, it is going to fizzle out and kill the trades.  In fact, we might have rain around the start.  The first 300 miles will be the hardest with light winds from everywhere.  

Follow the race at http://yb.tl/transpac2015

There has been two starts already, the classes that started first are in good normal winds and will most likely win the race.  Lending Club, decided not to start the race today and went off on a record run leaving on Wednesday and they are over 1/2 way and will break the record for the crossing.  The boats that started Thursday, are in little wind and are stuck...

Here you have our routing, finish is around 8 days.  Wizard when it was Bella Mente has the non power mono hull record of 6 days 19 hrs..  No chance for that this year.




Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Busy week.

After finishing up the Clagett regatta, I had a chance to sail 2.4 against Paul Tingley, gold medalist in the 2008.  Paul was very helpful and we had about 3 hrs on the water in Newport.  What came out of the last two weeks is I am getting used to the boat and can sail it much better and more consistently.  Confidence is going up.  I now can trust my speed and can turn my attention to the race course.

On the way to JFK, we were able to stop by and see our friends at Oakcliff Sailing Center.  http://www.oakcliffsailing.org/ This is a fantastic place to get out on the water.  They are helping all sorts of people get better at sailing.  First class.  I was talked into sailing on the Thursday night classic regatta with founder Hunt Lawrence.  We had a nice light air battle with some of these beautiful boats around the bay.


The Windmark Olympic Sailing Foundation is supporting my Road to Rio campaign.  It is a 501(3)c tax deductible foundation.  The foundation is supporting the USA sailing team.  Please help. 

I was able to spend the fourth of July in Kokkola, Finland.  Where my new 2.4 is being built.  Charger builds about 50-60 boats a year and does a very good job.   The boat builders are very good there.  Yards like Swan and Baltic do a big business there.  The 2.4 has just as much going on as a big boat, but just takes less time to  put it together. 

They had a boat ready for me most of it done, but after seeing all the little changes I wanted to make we took the next boat out of the mold.  I was then able to place everything where I wanted.  
This is the table where all the lines go, so many cleats

I have a few ideas that I am bringing from the big boats to the 2.4.  I will see how they work, next month when I pick up the boat in Rauma, Finland.  The 2.4 open worlds are there 8/8-15.  They expect more that 110 boats...  Both able and disable bodies.  A very big challenge, to sail against the best in the world in these boats in an area that I have not seen.

Deck right out of the mold

My boat with foam and bulkheads going in.

Coming back to Newport from Finland, we worked on Ted Green's 2.4 to make some of the rigging changes I put into my new boat.  After a day and half of work we got sailing with a supper spar in.  This was my first try with this type of rig and a new learning curve started.  Felt pretty good and matched my new sails well from both Quantum and North.  In the Newport Regatta out of Sail Newport, I used each set on one day of racing.  Both set of sails did well, winning all the races I finished.  Had a small break down and lost my back stay in one race.

All in all, ready to go back to Finland to race the worlds, just after I sail to Hawaii on Wizard one more time....



Monday, June 29, 2015

Clagett Regatta Report




It was perfect conditions over the 4 days of sailing here in Newport.  The regatta had 11 races in which I was lucky enough to win them all.  Not as easy as it might seem.  But the time sailing in Europe really help here.  I was able to concentrate on sailing fast and consistent.  I felt much more at home in the boat and therefore was able to read the course and start well.  All came together for a really good result.  I feel now, when I go back to Europe to sail against the best I will be more on par with them and be able to race the boat well.  I know there is still much to prefect to get to the Euro level, but feel I am on track.

Many thanks to my Clagett Regatta Sponsor USALCO.  Also continue support from Windmark Sailing Foundation. In Kind support from Velocitek, Gill, Kaenon, North Sails.

Special Thanks go the Ted & Ted Green, both without the use of their boats, I would not been able to sail.


Here is the report from the race:


C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta
That's a wrap for the thirteenth Clagett  Regatta



NEWPORT, R.I. (June 28, 2015) – After a day of a coaching clinic and three days of racing on Narragansett Bay the 13th C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta finished up today.  Overnight the forecasted winds and rain made for a wet and grey start to the day for the 25 Clagett boats, docked at the Sail Newport Alofsin Pier in Fort Adams State Park.

After a meeting this morning of the Clagett Race Committee and officials, it was decided to take the three fleets out and get racing underway.  A race course was set off of Goat Island with a Northerly wind direction at 15 knots and the first fleet to hear the starters gun were the Sonar class.

"Today turned out to be a very reasonable race day after the extended delay to let the squall line through which was left over from the storm last night," said Clagett Principal Race Officer, Ron Hopkins (Bristol, RI).

In the eight boat Sonar fleet it came down to the last day of racing to decide who would take home the top prize.  The Canadian team skippered by Paul Tingley (Toronto, Canada) and crewed by Scott Lutes (Nova Scotia, Canada) and Logan Campbell (Saskatchewan, Canada) managed to take the gun in all four races today.  The US Sailing Team Sperry crew of Rick Doerr (Clifton, NJ) and his team of Hugh Fruend (South Freeport, ME) and Brad Kendell (Clearwater, FL) who have been the lead boat for the first two days have finished the regatta in second place after a third and forth finishes today.

Paul Tingley, the winning Sonar skipper commented, "We got the boat dialed in today to the right settings and found our boat speed and it showed in the results today.  We have qualified for Rio so our regatta schedule going forward will include the Open Sonar Worlds in September and then heading down to Melbourne for the International Sailing Federation (ISAF)  Worlds in November."

Clagett first time participants, the sailors in the Warrior Sailing Program, finished a respective forth and fifth in the Sonar class.  The team skippered by Preston Scholfield (Tampa, FL), were taking part in their first competitive sailing regatta and finished in forth behind the two US Sailing Team Sperry teams and the Canadian Sailing Team Sonar.

"We're really pleased in our joint mission with The Clagett to get new sailors into adaptive sailing.  We at the Warrior Sailing Program look forward to attending many more Clagett events in the future with even more Warrior Sailing Program teams attending," said Warrior Sailing Program Director, Ben Poucher (Tampa, FL).

One point separated the first and second place in the SKUD 18 class.  Ryan Porteous (San Diego, CA) and Maureen McKinnon (Marblehead, MA) took the gold spot with Sarah Everhart-Skeels (Tiverton, RI) and Cindy Walker (Middletown, RI) right on their heels in silver.  These two teams are both on the US Sailing Team Sperry Paralympic team.  Wrapping up the bronze position was Tracy Schmitt (Toronto, Canada) who sailed with Kay Van Valkenburgh.  In 2014 Tracy sailed a 2.4mR at the Clagett and this year wanted to see how the purpose designed SKUD 18 would be to sail.

"It was great having the two other boats out there with the class.  It raised the level of competition and both teams are new to the boat.  It was great to have them on the start line and pushing us over the three days.  We are doing the Newport Regatta next and will be at the ISAF Worlds in Melbourne, Australia in November," said Porteous after racing.

The 2.4mR 's had another two races today to complete an 11 race series.  Overnight leader, Dee Smith (Annapolis, MD) held on to his position in first to take the win in the 13 boat class.  This is Smith's first Clagett regatta.  Peter Wood (Ottawa, Canada), a six time Clagett participant, kept the second place and Tim Ripley (Randolph, NJ) rounded out the podium for the 2.4mR's.

"This is an incredibly run regatta, one of the best I have been to.  From the Race Committee to the docks and volunteers and the hospitality.  I'd like to thank both Ted Green II and Ted Green III for loaning me boats and for the opportunity to sail in The Clagett," remarked Smith after winning the 2.4mR class today and the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy for 2015.

"I'd like to give a huge thank you to so many people.  Without the team we have working, on the race committee, jury, sponsors, Sail Newport and Fort Adams State Park staff, local Newport Yacht Clubs and many others this event would not happen.  We've had another great year and look forward to seeing many of you back again next year and some new faces joining the ranks.  We can confirm that the dates for 2016 are June 22 for registration, June 23 for the clinic with racing on June 24-26.  We will give free entry in 2016 for the first registration once the Notice of Race is published," said Clagett co-founder and President Judy McLennan (Portsmouth, RI).

Final Results for Clagett 2015

2015 C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta
Final Results

Sonar


















1
Paul Tingley
3
2
2
1
1
3
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
[3]
20.0
2
Rick Doerr
1
1
1
3
2
2
2
1
1
2
3
2
4
2
[4]
23.0
3
Andrew & Melissa Fisher
2
3
3
2
3
1
3
2
3
3
2
3
3
4
[4]
33.0
4
Preston Schofield
7
5
5
4
5
5
5
4
7
6
5
6
2
5
[7]
64.0
5
Sammy Lugo
6
4
4
5
6
8
4
8
6
5
7
4
7
3
[8]
69.0
6
Antonio F. Sanpere
4
6
9/DNS
6
4
7
6
5
4
4
6
7
5
7
[9]
71.0
7
Gary Pierce
5
8
7
8
8
4
7
6
5
7
4
5
6
6
[8]
78.0
8
Richard Ramos
8
7
6
9/SCP
7
6
8
7
9/DNS
9/DNS
9/DNS
9/DNS
9/DNS
9/DNS
[9]
103.0



















2.4mR
1
Dee Smith
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1



[1]
10.0
2
Peter Wood
2
3
4
2
2
7
2
4
2
3
2



[7]
26.0
3
Tim Ripley
9
6
5
8
7
5
4
9
5
2
3



[9]
54.0
4
Theodore Green
12
14/DNS
3
5
12
4
3
3
3
5
5



[14]
55.0
5
Christine Lavallee
6
7
7
10
8
6
5
6
8
6
6



[10]
65.0
6
Peter Eagar
13
5
13
12
4
2
7
2
4
4
14/DNF



[14]
66.0
7
Charles Rosenfield
3
2
2
4
3
9
14/DNS
14/DNS
14/DNS
14/DSQ
4



[14]
69.0
8
Alain Dubuc
5
4
9
7
5
12
8
10
6
14/DNS
14/DNS



[14]
80.0
9
Audrey Kobayashi
7
11
8
11
6
13
6
7
14/RET
8
8



[14]
85.0
10
Kevin Holmberg
8
14/DNS
11
6
11
3
12
11
10
7
7



[14]
86.0
11
Aaron Wong-Sing
4
10
6
9
9
11
11
8
7
14/DNS
14/DNS



[14]
89.0
12
Zak Kordik
11
9
12
3
10
8
9
5
11
14/DNS
14/DNS



[14]
92.0
13
Erick Poirier
10
8
10
13
13
10
10
12
9
14/DNS
14/DNS



[14]
109.0



















Skud 18
1
Ryan Porteous
1
1
5/RET
4
1
1
3
1
1
2
2
1


[5]
18.0
2
Sarah Everhart Skeels
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
5/DNS


[5]
19.0
3
Tracy Schmitt
5/DNF
5/RET
4
1
3
3
1
4
3
3
4
3


[5]
34.0
4
Craig Wilson
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
3
2


[4]
36.0





Larry Gadsby Trophy - (Most improved sailor) - Preston Scholfield - Warrior Sailing Program Skipper

Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkley Seamanship Award - Sarah Everhart Skeels - SKUD 18 class

Susan Johnson Sportsmanship Award - Tim Ripley (2.4mR class)/Gray Benson (Volunteer)

Nick Scandone Trophy - (For dedication and perseverance ) - Tim Ripley (2.4mR class)

C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy - Dee Smith (2.4mR class)