Great Report from a First-Time ILCA Master World Sailor

Al Sargent has written great report about the recent Puerto Vallarta ILCA Master Worlds. He’s sharing lessons learned, helping others improve in their Laser sailing, and encouraging others to attend regatta like this one. There’s a goldmine of info, here’s just part on starting and another on working with a digital compass:

Starts: I had good starts in 11 out of 13 races. What worked:

·    Using a compass. It was crucial to use a compass to find the favored end. Right after we had our 5-minute warning signal, I’d sail up to the committee boat’s flag, bear away to a beam reach, point at the pin end, and get the compass bearing. Since my vang was max eased and mainsheet luffing, I was pretty much motionless. I’d wait several seconds for the compass to settle down, get the bearing, then add 90 degrees to get the perpendicular heading. I’d sail down the line, get clear air, and take a wind shot. Again, vang off so you don’t get knocked in the head. So much more accurate and quicker than having to sail upwind on either tack and guess!

·    Practice starts. Once you've done a wind shot and have a hypothesis on where you’ll start, do a practice start at that end. This will inform your time/distance thinking as well as laylines to the pin or boat.

·    Agile strategy. I’d get one or two more wind shots, the last one around two minutes to the start, which gave me enough time to sprint to the favored side. This allowed me to make the right choice even if the wind direction shifted late in the starting sequence.

·    Not taking huge risks. I didn’t try to win a side if it was risky. For instance Adil Khalid (UAE) lined up so close to the pin boat that he could barely clear it without luffing head to wind and sculling. I was happy to start one up from him since, by the time we cleared the pin, he’d slowed so much that we were even.

·   Seizing opportunities. At the same time, if a side of the line was uncontested, I wouldn't hesitate to start there. In one race, eventual regatta winner Adonis Bougiouris (GRE) tried to win the committee boat (right side). Problem was, he was next to the committee boat at 45 seconds to go. Even with doing a downspeed backup maneuver (backing his boom), he still allowed enough of a gap for me and Adil to safely start to his right. See below.

Al second from left, winning the boat despite Adonis trying to close the door

·   Quick bailouts. When getting shot out the back at a start, I’d very quickly bear away and tack onto port and duck boats. Typically when I started my tack, there’d be several boats to duck. But since other boats were bailing onto port at the same time as me, I’d only end up ducking maybe three boats — much less painful.

·    Quick parks. If I ended up next to someone prone to backing up (i.e., Adonis), quickly pushing out the boom for a second to stop allowed me enough of a gap that his backups wouldn’t impact me.

·    Drive-by snakes. When sailing on port, oftentimes starboard tackers will bear away to keep you from taking their hole. In these cases, it’s best to casually sail by, uninterested, then when you’re off the leeward corner of their boat, in their blind spot (since they’re looking ahead and to leeward), tack and take their hole. Credit to my squadmate James Espey for teaching me this one. Doing this, you need to comply with the rules: approach so there’s a ~five-foot gap between you and the windward boat (so they can initially keep clear), and sail straight until your pivot point (daggerboard) is ahead of theirs. Then slowly luff so that you lock them to windward of you, again while providing them with ample opportunity to keep clear. It’s aggressive but rules compliant.

What didn’t work:

·    Down-speed weakness. In one start that was pin-favored, Adonis did a downspeed backup, which kept me from moving forward. Not able to match his move, I got shot out the back and had to do one of those bailouts.

·    Sloppy rigging. In another start, the tail of my outhaul tie-down line was in front of my timer on the mast. At 20 seconds to the start, I leaned forward to tuck it away. “No harm to fix this, we’re all luffing,” I thought to myself. Bad idea. The boat to windward sheeted in right as I did this. I sheeted in a second too late and got rolled.

What to do differently:

·    Get better at downspeed maneuvers on the start line: backups, double-tacks, and half tacks.

·    Ensure that your gear is 100% ready for the start. What can go wrong, will.

 

Not assimilating wind data. This one’s a more subtle mistake with a major lesson. In race 12, in the restart, I did a wind shoot and saw a wind heading of 260 degrees. After the start, halfway up the leg, I found myself on starboard between Adonis and Ernesto Rodriquez (USA) — good company, right? Our starboard tack heading was about 208, and we were well left of rhumbline.

What’s wrong with this picture? A 208 degree heading + 35 tacking angle implies a wind direction of 245 degrees. We were eating a 15-degree header and letting boats get to the right of us. As it turns out Peter Hurley (USA), who was behind us at the time, got right, and saw a starboard heading of 230, implying a wind direction of 265 degrees.

Rather than cruising into oblivion with Ernesto and Adonis, I should have tacked on that 208 heading.

Next ILCA Master Worlds - Thailand!!

by Doug

 

February in Thailand.  Mark your calendars.  The ILCA 6 Master Worlds will be from February 8-16 and the ILCA 7 Master Worlds will be from February 18-26. The NOR can be seen here. I checked the airfares from the US and they were a surprisingly affordable $1,100.  I interviewed Richard Vine about the event and  it looks like it will be great venue.

Warning to Traveling Laser Sailors

by Doug

On my return trip from the Master Worlds in Mexico, I had problems with the Puerto Vallarta airport security. They would not accept my tiller as carry-on luggage. By the time I got back to check it as luggage, they were no longer accepting luggage. The supervisor was blunt – my options were throwing it away or missing the flight.

I considered taking it to lost-and-found with the hope of having someone else pick it up for me, but then I saw Ernesto Rodriguez (USA) checking in for his flight to Miami. He would have had the same problem, so I asked if he would tape our two tillers together and check them as baggage so that he can ship mine to Dallas … thank you, Ernesto!

So be warned. Wonder if the ILCA can get some sort of pre-clearance with a travel document we could use that ensures that others do not have this problem in the future.

2022 ILCA 7 Master World Championships (Nuevo Vallarta, MEX)

by Doug

If you’ve ever wondered what is would be like to take a break from sailing for a few years and then have the chance to attend a Laser Master Worlds on short notice, this post is for you. Pam insisted that I attend superb Brett Beyer’s (AUS) downwind clinic at the ISA in 2018 but I never got the chance to use it… a busy schedule and then Covid got in the way. We knew it would be rough, but the LMW Worlds in 2016 at the same location was the best and missing this was not an option. Unfortunately, Pam was caring for a family member and could not attend.

[Note from Pam: When Doug said he wanted to attend this event, I said 'you shouldn't go because you are not ready.'  Doug said, 'I'm not ready so I can't not go.' I went to run an errand early this morning before heading to the airport later to pick up Doug and saw a man step out onto his front lawn to get the paper.  He was about Doug's age, if not a little younger, and he had this gadget that extends your reach by about 4 feet. Instead of bending down to pick up the paper, he used this gadget to retrieve it.  And then I realized something I don't say very often ... Doug was right.] 

Practice Day

It’s good to be back after a 4-year break from Worlds competition. The flight from Dallas was uneventful until we landed and they instructed everyone to put on their masks … many people were not happy with the Mexican rules.

I went for a sail on Monday and it was not too windy but the waves were the biggest I’ve sailed for many years. There were lots of sailors much better than me. My GGM fleet is small with only 17 sailors, but we have 3 former world champions and 4 runners up, so there will be some good competition.

The practice race was today and the wind was stronger, perhaps 15-20. This is no problem on a Dallas lake, but the waves here were the biggest I’ve sailed in for perhaps 10 years. I went left, tacked on a header, and rounded a close 4^th with the two Brits leading. The run was awesome and, for me, a little scary with the waves. They’re not at right angles to the wind so everyone needs to sail by-the-lee on starboard. The speed down a wave takes the pressure off the sail which can lead to an accidental jibe that might not end well.

Most stopped sailing this practice race after the run and I was pleased to still be in 4^th. This could be a very good finish for me in the Worlds.

Day 1: Plan for today - 12 races scheduled and we get 1 discard, so rule #1 is do not use my discard on the first day! The waves are, for me, big and it pays to be aggressive to catch them, but rule #2 is tipping is worse than missing 10 waves. So the plan for today is to sail hard upwind and hang on downwind.

Race 1: This picture is the start of the first race, I’m 3 from the right and the race winner is 6 from the right. There are several faster upwind than me and a shift at the top of the leg pushed me down to about 10^th. We’re sailing the inner trapezoid course so the run was with some big waves. Using techniques from Brett Beyer’s downwind clinic from 4 years ago helped me pass 2 boats to round in 8^th. Tried to hold off several on the next beat and it turns out that I did not pace myself because on the top reach I was knocked out of the boat by a wave with my feet still under the straps and did not have the strength to sit back up into the boat. The same thing happened at my last Worlds in Ireland, but this time I tipped and did not have the strength to get going quickly. Finished second to last.

Race 2: Still pretty gassed, started at the committee boat end and tacked to go right. The plan was to avoid the crowd because I had not recovered from the first race. About 1 minute into the race, I pulled hard on the tiller and it came out of the rudder. The problem is that the rope supplied with the rudders is really thin and was obviously too small for my tiller cleat. So having $1,000 of carbon in my hand and no steering meant (1) don’t let go and (2) don’t tip. After a repair tying off the rudder line, I was under way again about 2 minutes behind. With such a good fleet, the race was effectively over, so I didn’t work hard but was able to catch 2 boats.

 This would normally be an appalling first day but I earned it:

• Wolfgang Gerz (GER) sails full-time and goes to all the major regattas and clinics. He won both races.
• The leaders have spent much more time practicing than me so they’re faster.
• I took Brett’s downwind clinic 4 years ago and this was the first time since that I’ve sailed in waves… definitely recommend the clinic if you get the chance.
• Pam and I are both committed to getting back into sailing and we’ll be spending more time on the water.

In spite of this slow start, this is the best way to spend a vacation! Bonus would be having Pam here [Pam added that sentence].

Day 2: Talking with people before we hit the water:

• Luke Elliot is one of the top Aussie sailors who was in the Gold Fleet in the open worlds last week and is on a support boat mentoring about 10 of us. I was telling him how my upwind speed in a breeze is not as good as it used to be and he suggested sailing with no vang. It seemed counter intuitive to be powered up when already overpowered, but it helps punch through the waves without footing.
• Luke also said that when sailing upwind in Australia you tack before the pressure hits whereas here he suggests you tack in the pressure, not before.
• I asked Brett Beyer if he was powering up on the runs by letting out his outhaul, and he said yes. I had not played my outhaul once yesterday.
• I also talked with Wolfgang Gerz who won both races yesterday. His strategy is staying with the leading group and then gaining downwind.

So my new goal is to improve every day, which will not be difficult after my results yesterday.

Race 3: Started in 12 knots with no real waves but a lot of chop. I played the shifts and rounded about 10^th. Catching waves was not really possible so the key was looking behind and staying in the pressure. Gained a few boats downwind and then lost them on the next beat to people who banged the left corner.

Without meaning to, I was with Wolfgang for much of the race and at one point on the second beat we were even so he lee-bowed me. Wolfgang finished just ahead in 5^th to my 9^th which summarized our differences – he sails with his head out of the boat to take advantage of every little opportunity, while I’m sailing with my head in the boat focusing on the compass and waves directly in front. This is an obvious area that needs improvement.

Race 4: Started with a building breeze with waves now big enough to occasionally surf. Wolfgang started just above me which was certainly not the plan. Having no vang helped me point and he tacked away. The compass and speed worked well enough to round in 5^th. The run was good by using some of Brett’s downwind techniques, but I lost two on the next beat by missing the last shift before the mark, so now in 7^th place. The top reach was for me a little hairy as this is where I was hit by a wave that knocked me out of the boat yesterday. Lost 2 boats on the reach and then 3 more on run by getting too far right trying to catch waves. Finished 12^th.

So, upwind today was a little better than yesterday but downwind was not because I made some tactical mistakes. My average finish was a little better.

Team Texas - Chris Henkel and his wife Maria from Austin, Texas

Got a kick out of the window display of the Men's Boutique in the background of the first picture - it's long been said 'don't drink the water in Mexico unless you want to spend the vacation on the toilet' - appreciated the store owner's sense of humor)

Day 3: Results

Race 5: Started later in the day with lighter winds like we saw yesterday. I wanted to start at the pin and go left so the plan was to approach on port and then tack into a hole. But the entire fleet kept moving down the line there was no hole, so I ducked everyone and started on port tack at the committee boat … that was a first for me. Some of the locals made the comment that the waves have been really big this year and there was a chop even though the breeze was just 12k. My speed was un-impressive and the compass didn’t really help because for some reason we were tacking in less than 90 degrees, even in the waves. Rounded 10^th. The rest of the race was uneventful and I finished 11^th.

Race 6: The committee boat seemed favored so I started there and my group tacked to go right. Vann Wilson (USA) was beside me and he punched out with good speed, mine was not. Rounded 7^th, the waves for me were hard to catch on the run where I lost 2 more boats. The next beat was shifty so you could be constantly up or down 3-4 positions. Rounded 10^th, and Jeff Loosemore (AUS) rolled me on the top reach. On the second run the boats just in front went left in more pressure and really stretched out, so again finished 11^th.

For the first half of the race Wolfgang Gerz (GER) was behind me. He sailed beautifully to round the last mark in 5^th and then passed 2 more boats on the final short beat. It was very impressive.

GGMs Doug and Don Hahl sporting the 2016 US team shirts Pam designed

Day 4: Saturday is a rest day and we continue for 3 more days starting on Sunday.

Our hosts take Covid very seriously.  This lady's job is offering people hand sanitizing

Day 5: On the water before the start, I asked Luke Elliott (AUS), who raced last week and finished a very respectable 29^th, to take a look at how I’m setting up my sail. He said it was too full at the top and suggested more cunningham and vang and a fuller foot. 

Races 7 and 8: Both races were similar … a good start in a good lane, not much speed upwind, rounded about 10^th, played some very catchable waves, worked hard to hold my position on the next beat, and ran out of gas. Conditioning has been a problem and on the top reach of the second race, I lost my balance, again fell out of the boat, and was dragged in the water with my feet still under the straps. After a few seconds of trying to reach the grab rail, I got out of the boat and then back in again. I have not seen anyone else have this problem and I’m sure it’s from just being totally exhausted. Pam knew that I was not in shape for this event but missing 4 worlds was out of the question, so we knew it would be tough if it was windy.

An interesting comment: the Germans take special care of their equipment and both left their boats fully rigged overnight. I’ll have to ask them why.

At the 1994 Master Worlds a competitor from Taiwan drowned. Ever since then, the race management has had an ambulance on site during the racing. We appreciate that.

Day 6: Results

Races 9 and 10: Races 9 and 10 were a little different because the breeze did not pick up until the second race. I started the first race at the pin, went to what some called the favored left side, sailed on a knock coming back, and rounded 10^th. Things remained the same until the final beat and I misjudged the finish line to finish 12^th. The race was won by James Jacob (USA) who went right on the first beat and led for the entire race. He said that he had maximum vang upwind which surprised both Brett and me.

In the second race, I started near the committee boat. Tim Law (GBR) crossed me, so I tacked to watch him as he will comfortably win my GGM division. There was nothing unusual about his body movement or steering, just very smooth and fast. Tim apparently trains with the GBR Olympic hopefuls.

Sign beside our launching ramp that few have noticed

Day 7: Results

Races 11 and 12: The breeze was lighter all day. Started close to the committee boat and Richard Vine (THA), hit the line perfectly at full speed and he rolled me. Went right and had just terrible speed, something that has not been a problem for me in previous Worlds in lighter conditions. Downwind was a little better. Wolfgang had a bad first beat but managed to finish 4^th, Tim won the race and the championship and is the new GGM world champion. There’s no secret to sailing a Laser, he was the best prepared and has been very fast all week.

James had led for most of the first race so I asked him to sail upwind with me for a few minutes. He’s sailing with lots of vang which is counterintuitive… but it worked as he won the final race in very impressive fashion.

The final race was again sailed in a lighter breeze. Started near the pin in better speed but realized that playing the shifts in choppy conditions is hard to do accurately with my old Silva compass, so this will be its last event. Passed a few boats on the final beat to finish 9^th. Wolfgang again had a terrible first beat but sailed a superb race to finish 2^nd. He too was at the Brett downwind clinic and his speed on those legs was very impressive.

So Tim easily won, Wolfgang finished second, and Peter Vessella (USA) was third with seven top-3 results. I got what I deserved – 13^th pace – because Laser sailing gets a little tougher each year.

There’s lot more to cover as we’ll have updates from the fleet winners, what can be learned from the open guys last week, the Master Worlds next year in Thailand, and more, so stay tuned.

On the right, what world champions eat. On the left, screw it I'm hungry.

The breakfast crew with 2 world champions: Grand Master Brett Beyer (AUS) and Apprentice Andres Heredia (ARG). Thanks to Rod Barnes for insisting that Pam and I continue blogging.

2022 ILCA 7 Master Worlds - Practice Day

 by Pam

Practice Day and Opening Ceremony.  Doug's room is on the bottom floor and walking out his front door puts him about 6 feet from the boats.  The yacht club and launch ramp are just a few steps away.

They were under a postponement waiting for the breeze to come in. Doug decided to retreat to his room and take a nap and wait for the horn and the postponement flag going down. He thinks he is a light sleeper (he's not) and would hear the horn.  

Needless to say, he woke up and realized it was kind of quiet, stepped outside and all the boats were gone. So, he rushed to launch and said there was a strong breeze and he actually tipped in the harbor trying to get out. Next, he encountered 4 to 5 foot waves, not rollers but full on waves. He said more than once he had the thought 'I shouldn't be out here.'  I'm a little worried for him.

I was talking with him as he headed out to the Opening Ceremony and he had to immediately double back and get his mask. He said it's really impressive, everyone is wearing a mask. When checking in and waiting in line, they actually have people going through and telling people to back up for social distancing. Quite a change from the United States, especially Texas. I'm thankful for it.

Really wish I was there. Here is a video of one of the tigers at the hotel carrying around its newly acquired purse. I guess someone got too close?

We're Back??

    by Pam

Geesh, it's been so long since we blogged that it was a struggle just to log back into the account.  Doug is in Mexico getting ready to sail in the Laser ILCA 7 Master Worlds. I'm sitting this one out (supporting from home) and already regretting the decision. However, Doug's body will likely be in shock in a few days and he may be regretting the decision to go. We did not just stop blogging, we stopped sailing, and we got old, fat, and slow and we're finding that it's a long road back. The reason for the break is the usual: work/family obligations and a work/life imbalance. We've both been back on the water since the beginning of the year with Doug having to take a break for a couple of months to go care for a relative of mine in need. Each time we sail, we are shocked at how little it takes to completely wipe us out. Never stop sailing!! It's the beginning of the end and getting back to sailing shape when you are older is feeling like a monumental task.  

So, to catch up ... we skipped the Master Worlds in the Netherlands for a work/holiday trip to Switzerland. No regrets as we had some much needed down time. We planned to attend the Master Worlds in Australia and Doug went a week early and landed the day before the event was cancelled due to the pandemic. He spent more time in the air than on the ground for that one and flew back with a man coughing next to him the whole way.  Not fun but he did get to see some old friends.  After flying all the way to Australia only to have the Worlds cancelled, when the Spain Worlds were scheduled, then delayed, we betted on it ultimately being cancelled and Doug did not even register. So after three missed Worlds, even though Doug got diverted to Colorado and is not ready for Mexico, there was no way he was sitting this one out and was able to register late.  Game on!  

As to Covid, we are less concerned about it these days. We both got Covid sitting at home in our pajamas before vaccinations were available. A sewage leak necessitated workers in the house and despite being super careful, they brought us Covid. We both got vaccinated, then boosted and then Doug went to Colorado to take care of my relative and I went into the office for just one day for the first time since the pandemic began and got Covid again. Doug got boosted again before heading to Mexico. We feel like we're as protected as we can be and are not among those that get serious illness. It wasn't fun and is still scary to think what is now lurking in our bodies that might turn on us some day but it's the card we drew. 

Stay tuned for Doug's Worlds journaling.  He ran into a fellow in the lobby as he was checking in who had just sailed in the ILCA 7 Men's World Championship, who finished in the top 10, and asked how it went. I believe the word he used was that it was tough. Doug asked where the guys in front were making their gains, upwind or downwind, and he said both. Looks like doing well at this event will require fitness upwind and technique downwind. Not sure Doug is ranking very high in either of those categories so his report may be observations from the rear rather than tips from the middle or front.  But I'm sure he'll chat with those at the front and see what they might be willing to share.