Training Day

First day out on the water this season -- let's see how rusty I got over the winter.

Wind: Good wind today, but gusty.  Forecast 8-12 knt with gusts up to 15-18.  Actual estimated: 10 knt with gusts to 15.  Wind coming downriver, maybe a bit off of the Ontario shore

Waves: Surprisingly small.  Still there, but not too much wave resistance.

Focus: Work on getting out early, keeping the boat flat.  Secondary effort is to measure tacking speed.

Notes: The hiking bench definitely helped me get out there farther, for longer periods of time.  Definitely did a better job than last year of keeping the boat flat.  I got caught once looking at the sail rather than looking at the water.  I was fully hiked out, hit a lull, and couldn't get in soon enough -- into the drink.

Did 10 chained tacks (from close hauled to close reach, back to top speed, and then up to close hauled again) in 2:12.  Second attempt, did it in 1:48.

Boat: 196281.  Hull and tiller good.  Sail was in rough shape.  Daggerboard beat to crap.