March 03rd, 2015
Hot Donutz race report: Well, I guess even the losers get lucky sometimes! Certainly this year was a much harder fought competition, and doubtful if I'll even be in the top three at next weekend's Spring Dinghy (which okay, I'm also going for a three peat in). Winds are predicted to be an unSpringlike 8, my achilles heel and Gordon's blast-off zone. Of course, anything over 12 and it's Davo and I battling it out on the horizon. Bob Hyde is coming on strong, so he could be a factor with his "barber-hauler" technique working well. It's anybody's game, always is.
Before Sunday's final penultimate race, I told one of the competitors, Quintin, most improved sailor of the series that I really hoped that Gordon wins, because he's such a nice guy, the fastest Weta sailor on the planet in under 10 Chris included, and has still not won a regatta in the last three years at least that I've been in. So as a PMP, I'm going to outline some lessons learned here for him so he can win one of our Major's next weekend at StFYC, St. Fancy.
Get to the line earlier and establish your position. Be a tiger.
Use your speed wisely. Stay the course. No need to tack off to a different direction when you are the fastest sailor. If you have a bad start and need to clear your air, do it in a short two tacks, not a tangent. Tangents work great 1 out of 10 times. Play the odds. Blow through the lee if you have to and can.
Same thing off the wind. When you see the guy ahead of you preparing to gybe, gybe first. Pounce on him. Carrying on past the layline may pay off, but it may not, so use that speed to bury the donut.
When in the lead, COVER COVER COVER. You don't want to get into a tacking duel until the last leg if there are other competitors around at least until the last leg or last race, like barber hauling BOBBO, or carry someone off onto the horizon downwind as you are also carrying yourself. like BOBBO, If you need to "shave" some points, It is better to gain vmg and stay either just ahead or one boat length below the boat behind if you have the speed as it gives you the room to gybe into that final mark room overlap position.
Be prepared the day ahead with your boat, and don't party too hard the night before. It keeps you loose for the first race but then you find yourself off in left field wondering where the fleet went!
And the final lesson of the day... that's right, you guessed it. Eat more donuts!
Luis Kitchen: Where does the name Hot Donutz come from?
Jonathan: I doubt they have Krispy Kreme in NZ, but that is the sign that gets lit when the donuts are hot off the press. So when the wind picks up as do my heels, I deem it "Hot Donut's sign lit" conditions
Gordon Lyon's race report: Sunday brought the final 3 races of the Richmond Yacht Club Mid-Winter Series, and it was a doozy. This series is what keeps the NorCal Weta Fleet in our boats (and our woolies) from December till March. This was the largest and most competitive RYC Mid-Winters yet, with 9 boats sailing in the series and 5 different skippers taking firsts, so going into Sunday’s final 3 races, it could have been almost anyone’s day. Jonathan Weston (champ the previous 2 years) had only a five point lead over Gordon Lyon, and Bob Hyde and Dave Berntsen were nipping at the heels…
