Worlds update

The 2011 Worlds start tomorrow and most of the sailors will be relaxing today and doing some boat work. I have a bit to do also after the toe straps broke yesterday and I exited stage left at 20 odd knots, snapping the tiller extension in the process.
Nevertheless it's fun here and the fleet seems to be on good form. We've had a few good races in the Australian Nationals and plenty of starting practice. I've been consistently slow downwind in practice and so for the event the KA MSL13 is coming out. As John Harris put it "You need that power to pull all that weed to the leeward mark" The 13 allows you to sail lower and that means you can stay in the gust longer. Its a gusty place.
I've also done more general recalls than I can ever err recall. The black flag, used liberally, was only accompanied by the black board once, and then order was restored. We must have had 10 generals over the last couple of days though..
Nathan and most of the Moth Squad are going well, all that practice not unsurprisingly paying off. Other names are struggling a bit but we are all on the same score right now so we'll see what happens.
Amacs new MSL16 is looking nice and I want a go! More tomorrow now my computer is working. Event website here http://www.mothworlds.org/belmont/

I'm cold

This country.. A week ago I was stuck in a snow drift for an appreciably long time. Long enough to find that if you are forced to make water by packing an old coffee cup with snow and then melting it with the might of the Abarth heating system, it takes one and a half hours to melt and you only get about 1cm of water in the bottom. Dehydration was in issue for a while!

But I hear that at least Australia is finally heating up! The forecast is I think for the rain to go and the summer to arrive and right now I'm trying to pack. The trophy is engraved and to see my name on it for the 2nd time still makes me very proud. I'm looking forward to this next event.

I haven't really been following what's going on over there, a couple of snippets from mates perhaps, but its not really worth bothering when you are on the other side of the world. Actually I'm more interested in the Ashes right now :-)

I tried hard to find that extra kilo over Christmas, which was a lovely day despite a Christmas eve shopping list cock up. I thought "Fennel" said "Funnel", but no matter. It will be useful on the Folkboat.

I am spending New Year in Sydney and then catching a ride with Scott to Belmont on the 1st so see you all then.

Si

Nice Worlds review!

Good worlds review by David Fuller of Yacht Sponsorship.com here

And here's the trophy you all want in the hands of the most beautiful world champion ever. Marie-Claude Fauroux of France, Overall World Champion in 1968. Those were the days..

Waiting for winter

Last weekend before the boat goes to Sydney and its cold here, cold as in stick your tongue to a metal post cold, (don't ask how I found out) as in 1 degrees in the day cold. In these temperatures you have to look at your hand to see if you are holding the mainsheet and at 16 knots upwind thats a wind chill of minus 6.

Still the boys were out yesterday which proves if nothing else that mad dogs and English men don't just go out in the mid day sun. Not me I'm afraid. When you cant even smile because your face is so cold, well imagine not smiling when you are up there on the foils...

But it gave me time to think as I watched. I thought about the new solid Wing and its place in the class. Possibly its not my place to comment either, but from what I've seen for some reason they remind me of a Zepplin, those beautiful airships that graced the skys in the 1920's. They, just like the Wing were graceful and silent up there in the clouds but ungainly, awkward and at the mercy of the weather when on land. This lead me to think that the Wings are somehow mournful, in the same way Eeyore is mournful in Winnie the Pooh. With this thought I warmed to them immensely, for if nothing else they have character, which I like.

Last Saturday was good and I nailed my tacking which was one thing to tick off the list. I'd been meaning to get around to it for a while, as previously I tacked like a lame duck. Not a metaphorical duck either but one that had stepped on a land mine or something. Anyway I'm pleased about that and gym work is going well too. I believe in the gym and good preparation. These events are won well before hand, in the gym or out in the boat or what ever you do, but in any event a long way before we dance under those lights.

S

Breaking and entering

I'm just filling in the entry form for the worlds, a job I traditionally hate, largely because you have to part with money.

You can tell a lot from the entry form about the quality of the event actually. I completed one the other day which had the question "In case of emergency who should we call..? The answer of course being a "Doctor" but if they cant even figure that out what chance have they got of getting the windward mark in the right place?

But this one seems a good one although I don't know what "MNA number" means, but given I've got a new credit card its a great way to remember the pin.

The wing debate rages and if we are seemingly and sadly unable to change any rules as the NOR has been issued I see that those winging it are all buggered, which is a shame.

It's due to sail numbers and if we are now calling the first element of the wing the err "mast" then the sail numbers have to go on the sail or the "tiny little bit behind the mast" as it should now be known

Try getting AUS 3876 or whatever on that legally. (You might just squeeze GBR 1 on it though..;-)

Aside from that I cant wait to race. I feel great, am fit, have some pace and I've always said that its the duty of the Champion to defend. I am in debt to Abarth and KA Sail for their continued support.

Black Deaths Wing

All has been looted, betrayed, sold; black death's wing flashed ahead....

I saw these poetic words in a book as I came back from the Abarth party in London on Thursday night.

There is a lot of worry about the wing. The ability to wait until we have enough information in order to make a decision seems to be the least popular option as it seems people would rather have "bad certainty" rather than "uncertainty" in order to get it sorted out now.

Anyway at the worlds I thinks its a big risk to use one, but one which may pay off...

I do believe though that in order to have an opinion people need to:-

1. Attend regatta's so they can see the class as it is today. Sorry guys but you cant get an accurate digital impression from your study as you wait patiently for another "innovation" to set. Its very different to how it was even two years ago.

2. People need to understand the class constitution. Rules have been discussed this week but its the constitution that's more important than we all think.

So what is the Moth constitution? Well its a set of laws that people before us have made that define our principles as a class. The class rules sit under them and in effect are limited by them,

The first constitution is:- To encourage the development of the International Moth Class, and the establishment of National Associations in all Countries.

The second one is:- promote and encourage racing of International Moths.

Going forward only the above should be used as the key go/no go check points. Right now you can argue either way although I'm sure it will come to a vote.

And I like votes! And in particular the instruction....."Please put your ex in a box!"

The News at Ten

Finally back on the water last weekend after recovering from injury. Earlier last week my shoulder was injected with steroids. The pain has now gone thankfully, but not before I all but fainted in Tesco's an hour after the injection as my body went "what's that stuff?" Where to faint was another issue, its not a faint friendly store actually but the clothing aisle at least had carpets.


On any Sunday! Club racing at HISC. All photo's courtesy of Chris Bashall

Anyway great to do a couple of club races last weekend and it was lovely to see so many Moths out. Its a good time of year to sail at HISC actually. The harbour is empty of yachts and feels big again and its still warm enough to have fun. Anyway although rusty it was nice to come away with a couple of bullets, one by the skin of my teeth after great racing with Mike Lennon.



I was using the new KA MSL10 C for the first time. I've always been a fan of the ten and I've used the 10B exclusively this year. This new iteration by Andrew I think takes it to the next level. It has a slightly higher clew which makes manoeuvres easier , zips on the luff for easier cam location and some luff curve and seam improvements. As a result it looks great and goes really well! I noticed that I could get the top to open a bit easier as the breeze built with the second batten down looking sweeter than on the earlier sail.

I was using the Mach 2 medium mast and felt fast upwind on Saturday against the others. Sunday I found I could also sail consistently fast and low downwind.