Masters' Clinic with Thomas Fogh

A group of sailors in the area are heading to the Masters' Worlds' and had arranged for a prep clinic with Thomas Fogh at Britannia Yacht Club.  Somehow they heard that this rookie from Kanata was going as well, and extended an invite.

The first thing I learned is that my goal of "second last or better" is probably a stretch -- holy shit, these guys are good.  Their boat speed on any point, in any conditions must've been 135% mine, and that's not even including the fact that they don't lose any speed during their tacks, whereas I, well, do.

Speaking with the other sailors, as well as coach Fogh, I learned gobs about everything from setup, to boat handling, to proper technique, even a few tactical tips.  The only downside is that (given that the other folks were so much faster than I was) I didn't get a chance to practice the tactical aspects too much.

Setup - Before launch

Right away, I was pointed to some things I was doing wrong in terms of boat setup.  Some of this was functional, some was just to save wear-and-tear on the boat.

Traveller - My traveller was too loose to begin with.  In addition, the line was old and stretchy, and I had it tied in a simple "slip loop".  I should replace the line, and tie it in a bowline before getting it down tight.  For the clinic, I wasn't able to replace my line, but I did sail with it tighter than I normally do -- I was able to point better, depower more easily, and go faster.  Note that I WAS catching the sheet on the transom more (as the block needed some coaxing to move across the rudder, and got stuck a couple of times) but practice should take care of that.

Vang - as the control comes out of the cleat block, I have a loop with a rubberized handle.  My loop was set too far back from the cleat, allowing, in downwind conditions, the boom to rise up.  Also, after the loop, there is a trailing length of line.  I should be tying that extra line to the centreboard -- this allows the handle to "fall" to one side, but still be within reach.

Clew tie down - I didn't have it tied down tight enough

Centreboard brake - replace the rubber "M" brake, it's not holding the board in place

Outhaul - The outhaul ties off at the fairlead, and goes through a block with a hook which attaches to the clew grommet before going back through the fairlead to the control line.  The "turning point" that the fairlead makes should be "above" the tie off point, rather than "below" it.  I never really paid attention to it before, but apparently, the line can get caught under the fairlead where the rivet is.  I erroneously drew the line passing through the grommet, but you get the idea from the picture.  Also, I should add a (class legal) "inhaul", drawn in blue.

Setup - On the water

Cunningham - I tended to put way to much cunningham on.  The low purchase on the cunninham on the Laser, combinded with a stiff upper mast (in comparison to a skiff, a Byte, a cat, etc) means that the cunningham isn't really useful for bending the mast and depowering.  The cut of the Laser standard sail, also means that the cunningham is pulling along the bias of the sail cloth, which "stretches" the sail more than depowers.  Use a bit of cunningham to move draft in and out, but that's about it.

Vang - I didn't use nearly enough vang.  As a result, when I tried to sheet out to depower in gusts, the boom was just moving "up" and was actually increasing power, forcing me to pinch.

Boat handling - Tacks

My tacks the first day were quite awful. Improve:

• Tack smoother, slower.  Don't jam the rudder ever, instead use body weight more, and urge the boat using the rudder
• Move my ass farther back in the boat when tacking.  This helps head the boat up, and allows me to duck lower when crossing
• "kiss the rachet" when crossing
• come out of the turn with the rudder strait
• hike HARD when I come out
• head down a bit, momentarily, to regain lost speed, and get back on close hauled

Boat handling - Gybes/downwind

 I was doing too much of an "s-turn" when gybing.  Sheet in so boom is about 45 and then use body weight to turn the boat slightly to initiate gybe.  Going downwind, in fear of the death roll, I had my vang on too tight, and my boom in too much.  Get better at generating/handling more power.  Centreboard down "a bit", the thinking at the top level has changed from the "board all the way up" days.

Also, my position was wrong in light air.  I typically crouched on the windward side of the boat near the centreboard.  While my "place" in the boat was correct, I wasn't "locked in".  It was recommended that I put one leg under the hiking strap to ensure I could throw the boat around, if need be.

Starts

Wow, this is a post on its own..

Fitness

I've been told that the Laser is an "athletic boat".  Honestly, I'm not sure that it's much more "athletic" it is than most other dinghies.  I mean, when I go out on something like a 29er or Hobie, I'm aching the next day from all the pseudo-squats I'm doing from the wire, and I have yet to see someone unable to sail a Laser because they were not strong/agile enough.

What I think people mean by "the Laser is an athletic boat" is that "fit folks tend to sail Lasers a lot faster than unfit folks".  Compare that to something like the Albacore where those carrying more, um, "ballast" can still win by being very smart tactically and knowing the particular tweaks and trim settings to get every ounce of speed from the boat in any wind condition.

So, in prep for the Worlds' it couldn't hurt to get fitter.

Hiking: I built a hiking bench like Doug Peckover's and have been working on getting my time up.  From 10 seconds initially, I'm up to about 45.  A long way to go.

Upper Body Strength: I bought some rope and hung it from the rafters in the basement.  The two ends of the rope are about shoulder width apart and end in loops with plastic tubes as handholds.  I do chinups on this rope, I'm up to two or three sets of five.

Lower Body Strength: I have an old barbell with 70 pounds on it.  Doing 2 sets of 10 squats.  Perhaps I should get more weights?

Situps: I do situps on the hiking bench.  Sit-ups are actually easier than the "hiking" part.  I'm not sure how many I can

Flexability: Flexibility and cardio are by far the weakest points.  I never had great flexibility, and keep forgetting to work on it.  Any tips?

Cardio: I have no stamina.  I can jog maybe one kilometre, on a good day.

Agility: I have no idea how to train for improved agility/balance/quickness, other than to "sail more".  Any thoughts?

I'll try to remember to post in a month with improved results.

Lessons and Improving

I spoke with the instructor at the club about taking some additional lessons.  There's two routes I could go here, with the end goal being "become a better sailor".

I could go the certification route.  Right now I hold a CanSail 2 (what used to be "White Sail III") level.  That's basically "you know how to sail."  I got this 5 years ago when I first took lessons.  Now, I'm a much better (I think...) sailor now than I was then.  So maybe I should get trained up to the next level (CanSail 3/4 which basically corresponds to "know how to race").  The advantage of getting a formal certification is that I can putting myself on a common base with other (better) sailors, and I can then see what they're doing differently (better) than me.

Option two is to forgo the certifications, and just "get better".  Work on areas where I'm weak.  Refine areas I'm strong.  The advantage of this route is that I don't waste time developing skills which are of little use to the class of boat I sail on.  For example, how important is knowing "proper trapeze technique" if I'm sailing Lasers?

This got me thinking -- what are my overall goals?

• short term: place 2nd last or better in the Kingston Masters Worlds'
• long term: be a better overall sailor

The certification route would be better for my long term goal, but a more specific regimen would be better for my short term goal.

2015 Laser Masters' Worlds, Kingston

The reason I started this blog was because I want to be a better sailor (and I tend to retain information better when I write it down).

The goal of "becoming a better sailor" is also the reason I entered the Laser Masters' Worlds in Kingston (http://kingstonlaserworlds2015.com/)

Some background: As of this writing, I've only ever raced at the club level.  I'm not bad, and am usually in the top few boats of any given race, often the first of the Lasers (we race in a mixed fleet with no handicap).  All this to say though, I've never competed in the nationals, provincials or even an inter-club regatta.

And I think the experience with sailing with the best at something bigger than the club will make me a better sailor overall.  And besides, I'd love to have a photo on the wall that I can point to when I'm old and decrepit, saying "yep, here's me sailing at the Worlds, right beside the Olympians".  I'll leave out the "old-timers' regatta" when I point to the picture...

I've also been reading some sailing blogs by other sailors.  Improper Course (http://www.impropercourse.com/) and Proper Course (http://propercourse.blogspot.ca/) are my go-to pages.  Applying their tips and observations moved me from the middle of the fleet to the top, and these guys sail in the Worlds.

Now as a relatively new sailor (I've only been sailing 5 years) the concept of "The World Championship" is pretty intimidating.  But when I heard a few months ago that they were being held 2 hours from my house, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to apply for a berth.  From what I understand, they allocate berths on a priory list.  First shot goes to past champions, then come past competitors, then come those who do well on the grand prix circuit, and so on.  The last priority is "anyone else who applies", which is where I fall in.

I'm not sure how many applications they received, but somehow I made the list, and was offered an entry.

So I have a lot to prepare for.  Lots to learn.  I know how to sail (slowly, in comparison to these guys) but I don't know the whole regatta thing.  Opening ceremonies?  Measurement?  Multiple fleets on one course?  Multiple courses?  UH-OH!

On a positive note, at opening day of the club, I bumped into Mario, and was telling him about the race -- it turns out, he's on the race committee!  So there will be at least once face I recognize there, to go with all the names.

[update - Proper Course had an article about preparing for the Worlds' which is setting my mind at ease]