Foiler Town USA

When 2011 ends, how you gonna come, with your hands on your head or the trigger of your gun....

2012-01-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

So when 2011 ended, I came out with my hands on my head. 3 days of tooling around above 11 000ft and I had HAPE..... I didn't think this was even possible (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), although the Docs that treated me assured me it was very very possible and the reason they live in Telluride is they get to see it and treat it at an "too often rate" rate. Anyway, I've discovered that slowly drown in your own fluids is not fun, it gives you a headache you can only dream of in your post new years eve day after. Never felt anything so bad. To cut a bad story short, ended up in the local hospital where 4 hours on pure oxygen got rid of the worst. I think it was Ian Andrewes who I said I tended to go out big when sailing the Moth, this sets an all time record.

Reflecting back on the 2011 season thought of some thoughts:

1) We got a pretty full seasons in with several great events, but generally poor turn out. That said, I think I attended all the regattas with the exception of HPDO, and each w=one was a blast for their own reason. Seems strange that it was less than 12 months ago we were pre Aus Worlds and embroiled in "Wing gate". Would love to know what Mothistas want as a regatta schedule.... you know how to hit reply.

2) Great to see new youngsters coming in like JP, especially as they challenge the "world order".

3) Awesome to have another Brit in the fold with Simon Propper arrival at ABYC. As the new West COast Mach 2 dealer and having a demo boat available, I'm really looking forward to 2012 as the year we take off and march down "Road to the Hawaii Worlds 2013.

4) Its been a breath of fresh air to have Anthony Kotoun and Matt Knowles driving the East Coast with the Miami Grand Prix Series. First series was done mid December with a very innovative series hosted in Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Beautiful place, great breeze and again a club that couldn't make us more welcome. Loved the innovative AC style course which had us reaching in to top mark, before usual up wind down wind. Had the effect of compressing the fleet, tighter racing and if your a weekend warrior like me, kept you with the big boys longer. Cant make the next event, but can't wait for the March event 16th and 17th so mark you calendars! Only disappointment was to see only 3 East Coast boats there.

We've a great 2012 race schedule built, take a look at the Class web site. The number of boats are growing slowly, some nice Mach 2s appearing on the second hand market allowing a cheap upgrade. But to make our Class thrive here in the USA, we need participation, especially from the working stiffs like me! Come on guys and girls, this is our class, if we want it to thrive, we need to turn up and participate. Its fun believe me and little effort to ship the boat around. Lets all commit to doing one more travel away regatta than we did in 2011 and it'll make a huge difference to numbers, participation and fun!

Over and out in 2012 and see you in Miami in March

Das Boot

2011-12-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

No racing Saturday due to lack of wind, but an awesome day today. Everyone up early with a 10am start, out on water by 9:15, straight into foiling. With an 8 races scheduled it was always going to be a full on day. We got to use our AC style course, with a reach into to the turning mark, a down wind, then upmwnd, twice. Races were very exciting, fleet pretty much together at least to leeward gate? Apart from having brain fad end thinking we were doing windward leewards on first race, I really enjoyed it. Very different but very fast paced. And yes we crammed in 8 races. I started to get into the groove, then about race 5 started to struggle. It wasn't till part way through race 7 I realized I'd lost my breather tube out the back of the boat, and was starting to make some good submairine impressions. Could just about get on the foils but very bow up, then as water moved forward, yup massive nose dives. As or sailing into a marina, hmm, any way thanks to the collection of powerboats who helped me before I sunk completely. Boat took well over an hour to drain and I'm guessing back tank was full near enough.

On the racing side it was Bora all the way, from Anthony, then Matt Pistay. Really solid regatta, great location,

Happy holidays over and out......

Miami Vice, slalom version

2011-12-17T04:54:00.000-08:00

We're in Miami for our first winter event. Friday was slalom with 11 boats here and 2 more promised for the weekend. Great conditions, warm, some chop and 8 tightly fought slalom races before breeze died away. Magnus set the slalom course of all time, definitely our best yet. Tons of lead changes few different winners but Bora came out on top. Great day and a great start to Miami.

I used slightly different settings and was really happy with my speed and manoevers, yes the Hayling rig settings were working well, thanks !

We've also got our usual ethnic mix with a Brit and 2 Aussies (Ben and John), so may be we should have the ashes, although their sailing is in a different league to mine, so need a few more from the home land to join me next time. Warm water, fun area socially, good breeze, what more could you want.

Proper racing starts today, over and out from Miami

I Fought the Law and the Law Won

2011-11-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

Guess you learn every day. Got pulled over on the way to Long Beach by the 2010 versions of Ponch from CHiPS. What do you know, I get a ticket for driving in the wrong lane. I didn't think that was possible but guess it now is. I personally think it was a case of racial profiling, Welsh guy, driving a Japanese car, towing a boat made in China that flies. It's all falling into place!

Sailing was fun, bit marginal. Tried to compare mast rake with Simon but as both our mast are different lengths, (McK vs CST) it poses tonight's Maths problem.

Have at it!

If Richard and Simon are looking to have the same mast rake but Richards mast is longer than Simons, What length does Richard forstay need to be to achieve the same rake as Simon?

Simon Mast is 3455mm

Richard Mast is 3488mm

The J ie forstay to mast stump is the same at 969mm for both boats

Turkey Town

2011-11-20T06:49:00.000-08:00

Finally, Finally we have wind for a regatta! It the usual ABYC Turkey Day regatta, about 200 boats and 8 Moths. Yesterday we had a gusty shifty 15 - 18knots, PRO fired off 4 races, huge legs (will need to speak to him about that!) and a to of fun. Eric is showing some really awesome speed taking out 3 of the 4 races run, who Zack taking the other bullet. Anthony and Matt travelled from the East coast and are being rewarded! Geoff came down with his home build from Park City (cant wait to have our first regatta there) and got part of his foiling issues sorted out.

Overall a couple of things really came together:

1) we got the demo Moth going which is a great omen for the future

2) Anthony sailed Charlies boat.

All makes me believe there is a market for having a few boats on each coast for charter, the US is a big place and if we're going to really build the fleet could be the way to do it. Tons of logistic issues of course, but a call to arms for our two Mach 2 dealers.

More wind forecast today, probably with rain and an unusual direction for us...... Final results later in day

Over and out from Long Beach

2012 Worlds dates and ;ocation now fixed

2011-11-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

You heard it here (plus Int Moth Web site!)

As such I hereby announce that the 2012 Zhik Moth Worlds will held as follows:
Venue: Vela Club Campione, Lake Garda, Italy
Dates: 18--‐26 August 2012 (with an Italian Championship on 16--‐17 Aug)

Book now!

I was made for loving you

2011-10-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is what this weekend's racing should have been like, only it wasn't! 10 boats on the start line Saturday and all we manage to get in was 2 low riding races before we all ended up getting towed home! Never seen Long Beach that calm before. Definitely a weird year wind wise. Thanks to all who traveled so far, still the curry Saturday night was memorable.

Small front foil is finally fitted and as of last weekend felt very fast. Ride height all working well so now looking forward Turkey Day then Miami.

Looking ahead to next year, there's the Worlds in Garda, when we finally get a date, then back for Hawaii Pac Rims and the "Road to Kaneohe" or our Worlds in 2013. We've some great regattas starting line to line up, so gt your self a boat, plenty of Mach 2s now entering the second hand market, as well as active dealers on both Coasts.

Over and out till Turkey Day

The Right Profile

2011-09-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Nice photo from Da Woody at this weekends Coronado Yacht Club Fall Sports boat regatta. You know the one, used to be ISAF, Sailing Anarchy shindig. We only got 4 boats there but was pretty mellow racing ie turn up at start line once the wind had built, 3 full foiling races, sail home and on to the rumbos. The club couldn't have made us more welcome and they clearly have a soft spot for us Mothistas. All boast from FT10s to us racing on same course made for some very interesting moments especially some of the mark roundings, but everyone played nicely and it was only the Tigers that seemed to have an affection for hitting each other.

I managed to wind on so much mast rake that although fast, I now can't get under the boom without getting stuck which had its moments. I now need to decide to work on more flexibility, or loose more weight......

Nah.... just wound off some rake going more upright!!

Adam won, after going for it in the boat park with a hacksaw, chopping 20mm off his main foil, Eric sailing his new M2 showed us why he has been winning the Bladerider Cup where he took Adam to the tie break and count back. Jimmer went on to win the Bladerider place, tying the series with Nige. Nige will need to turn up at the next 2 events or looks like Jimmer will be an easy winner.

On a final note, has the AC45 coverage been awesome or what!!!

Over and out

Two Faces

2011-09-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

All in all its been a pretty good few days on the Moth, if you can can excuse the body damage. 23 knots to stop and your body doesn't stop till it hits the shrouds. One black eye, two cuts and a bent shroud pin from my troubles. For an 11ft boat with only 8m2 of sail they sure can bite very hard if you get it wrong. Long Beach has been classic over the last few weeks, turning out a 20 - 25 knots on Sunday and a 15 - 18 on Tuesday. Big chop driving harder and harder, no compromise on the gybes and tacks and you do get to wipe out........ often....! Add on to that testing my new ride height adjuster and wand / flap gain doodah and it makes for an interesting session. As it was pretty much on the limit Sunday couldn't get too much input on changing the ratio, but upwind felt like winding off ratio brought the bottom end speed up and smoothed out the ride. Down wind was faaaast but needed to be real careful on the gybes as the boat is much less forgiving especially with our notorious LB chop. It sure feels like there is a ton of boat speed possible but developing this slowly.

One of the best coaching points I heard was from Chris Rast who helped me with.....

"Set it up to go fast even if it's very difficult to sail. Then learn to sail it!"

Much more to go and really looking forward to the flatter waters of South Bay Diego this weekend

Over and out

Rehab

2011-09-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

After several attempts earlier in the year to get my new Sailing Bits ride height and gearing adjuster working properly, I have now had yet another go. Well, OK , the first two attempts don't count as I hadn't really thought it through, but no sailing over weekend and time to kill allowed me to spend some time fiddling with the boat, current JP ride height adjusters and foil. First thing was stick the foil in and to measure everything so I could accurately recreate my favorite settings, both high and low modes. I then managed to get to the same place with the new RHA but it was jamming on the combing surround of the foil case. Out with the Dremel and ground it down till it all fitted and wand was friction free. Then tons of measurements and adjustments and finally got back to my start point. From there it was really a case of testing out the gearing adjuster. What was really a surprise for me was at max ride height on my old RHA, how little wand movement there really is.

The big test will be this weekend when I go sailing. I'll have the Go Pro and its time to test the new set up in some serious Long Beach chop. Forecast looks good.

Over and out from LB

Transmission

2011-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Pretty crappy piece of video of a pretty awesome system. Yes Karl had "Virtual Reality" out again today. It flies high, it flies level, it flies fast, then he got a ticket from the harbor patrol, so games were ended early. It's a much better approach then the previous, its well sorted, seems to have little friction and is definitely a different way to think if a foiling moth. Lets face it with Nathan sailing 300 days a year, its going to take something more to beat him. May be this is it and a resurgence of the DIY Moth. Not sure I'm going to cut the bottom out of the Mach 2 just yet, butI'm just sayin'.

Other than that full on Long Beach day. Wind over tide again with decent standing wave at harbor mouth. But yes had a great day, full control, tons of speed, till I ran out of steam about 2 1/2 hours in. Came back with a smile though!

Crazy Train

2011-08-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

My Little Demon

2011-08-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Finally worked it out today...... Building breeze, peaking at 18 - 22, class Long Beach day. Went for it and yes finally remembered how to gybe and even tack. Had a blast, enjoyed it, I'm back! Seems like it was a long summer of frustration, too much work too much travel and not enough sailing, but today made up for being washed up on the beach last weekend when the breeze was on.

I see the new Mach 2.1 is now available. Nice line of upgrades. I'm starting to wonder the phasing of a new boat, before the Garda Worlds or before the Hawaii Worlds? Also interesting to see it now comes in colours. Well that's going to change things! Sky blue anyone?

Over and out from Long Beach

Ghost in the Machine

2011-07-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

At last weeks Moth Madness I saw some pretty sweet numbers on the max speedometer (ProStart). Quick investigation of the track down load showed this. So to believe my 33.6 knots average speed I think I have to believe a 43 knots and a 35 knots. I was shifting in some big pressure on relatively flat water, but is too long a stretch for me. So unless any of you techy mindset mothistas out there can interpret this differently I'm calling a "ghost in the machine". I can guarantee that it wasn't from being frustrated and throwing my Pro Start! Shame as it was quite exciting for 24 hours.

Reflecting back on the Gorge, hadn't been in the boat for a while, and when it blows there, that place gets into my head. Lesson is to strap on your big girl panties, harden the f#ck up and send it.

Beyond that it was very interesting how much I had to wind off the ride height going down wind at high speed (28s). When I forgot to wind it back on upwind, I was really riding low. It always amazes me how sensitive the boat is to a half turn on the ride height.

I'm going to get the SoCal Mothistas going again with a couple of training sessions (Long Beach and Coronado) as well as focus on Halloween and Turkey day regattas where we should congregate next.

Over and out from LA.

Back in Black

2011-07-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, 3 months since my last blog!!! I knew I had been busy but there some limits. Work in last quarter was crazy as we bought 2 new Companies in Brazil, so Liz and I decamped to Sao Paulo for most of May and June, only coming back to do the US Nats at Long Beach. Numbers were back up to 12 with Karl guesting in "The Pearl" and new guy JP showing us all how its done in light airs. It was a good regatta, won by Dalton, but the predominently light airs and South Bay chop did many a head in...... Matty were talking about you !!! Still good regatta with about 12 races run.

Were just back form the Gorge, which roared then coughed the fell silent. Friday was awesome at 20+. Howver my sailing really left quite a bit to be desired. Seemed to have moved back a few moths making all the same old mistakes. At least I finihsed every race, didnt come last in all them, and generally did much better than last year. But its a tough place to sail and can really get in your head. However when you get it right its just awesome.

Next regatta coming up. Newport on Aug 21st 22nd

Over and out

Small but Perfectly Formed

2011-04-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

A very small fleet formed for the PCCs in Coronado this weekend. All in all despite having 11 Moths there, we only got 6 sailors. But perfectly formed it was! Winds Thursday Friday were 10 -12 and Saturday a shifty and complex 8 - 10. We got off 13 races plus a 4 race slalom that was really fun. High lights include Zack as new champion and JP showing how talent can really be applied in a Moth at a young age! Watch out for him, he will be a force to be reckoned with even this summer.

So whats the scoop, well I bought a new sail MacDougal 10c and really liked it even if I didn't get the set up quite right, but more worrying is the tail off in fleet numbers at each regatta so far this year.

I think this one over the Easter Weekend and the odd timing of it didn't help us much, but after getting 22 boats there last year, to have only 6 was a bit of a knock. I'm really hoping this is just a blip and that by US Nats in June we will be back on track. We had 15 boats there last year and I think we should try as a class to beat the number. We're on the road towards the Worlds in 2013 and which it may seem a long way off, in reality it isn't and we need to work as a Class to increase the numbers of Mothistas at each event otherwise we risk being sidelined as a side show. Its our Class and we can only make of it what we will, but that's going to take each of us being involved. Let me know if the schedule isn't working out and we will do our best to change it. We still need to vote on ABYC or Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club for our Worlds venue and we should aim to get all feedback and votes by the US Nats at ABYC in June,

Till then.....

Paint It Black

2011-04-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

A little video producion from an awesome event. Point for spotting my near miss with Charlie turn 1 slalom heat 2

Trust I'll see you all at Coronado in a few short weekends or the PCCs

Pac Rim Day 2. Slalom is on

2011-04-03T09:47:00.001-07:00

4 races in and it was on to the slalom. In a light and shifty 10 knots, the 11 competitors went head to head in 2 heats. Format was top 2 went through to final. Then we had a losers heat, where top place also went through. The repercharge was on! Adam and Junior qualify, and Boras in the repecharge! Our heat was closely fought, at as to first mark, with Charlie and Zack going through. Bora makes it in at last moment. and the winner of the pitcher of Mai Tais is........

Charlie. Awesome and using my new cut down main foil. Clearly more development to come in that direction.

We had Liz working the camera shutter and there are just some awesome shots of this beautiful place to sail. It looks like the club will potentially make a bid for the 2013 Worlds. It would be a great destination location for the event. We also have a strong bid from ABYC in Long Beach. To make our decision I think we will make a vote after this event, and then again after the Long Beach event in early June. This will then allow enough time to pull a proposal together for ratification at Euros in Travemunde.

Looking a little light today, so who knows but were 11 races in already.

The Morning After

2011-04-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm awake, just. My body hurts. I feel like I've been run over by a truck. Welcome to Moth Pac Rims Day 2! Yesterday was a bit of a tour de force. Wind 8 - 18s, 7 races, all fast and furious. There's really an intensity to Moth racing that just exist in other classes, at least not the one I've been invoved in. At some point I'm going to wear my heart rate monitor during a race. I would bet when were upwind, we're anaerobic the whole way. Still a ton of fun, had a bit of a bug so plenty of puking, which isn't fun when youre hiking your ass off. And yes big speed down wind. 26.8 in one memorable gust.

More to come, over and out from Kaneohe

The Last Wild Waltz

2011-03-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

A bit like George Lucas with the Star Wars films, this one is the last chapter. Two more to come but they take time. This one I shot in max resolution HD on the Go Pro and you can really notice the difference in quality. Plays like TV n the lap top.

Normal service will be resumed next week as I head off to the Pac Rim Champs in Kaneohe Oahu. Boat is delivered Monday and I get there Wednesday. All other boats which are coming from Aus are still in customs so I hope Bear can wave his magic and get them out Monday or Tuesday. Otherwise will leave Nige Eric and me! We may have to change the championships to Mai Tai drinking instead.

Over and out...........

161 800

2011-03-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

161 800, 161 800, 161 800. I keep repeating it to myself, 161 800. Yup vertical ft skied in BC last week. I'm in a trance used to the rhythm of a heli skiing day. Wake up, eat as many calories as you can force down. Boots on, transponder on, out to heli, fly through what really is the last frontier. Guide picks some insane first run, either steep and trees if the weathers down, or wide open deeeep alpine. First turns, everything grumbles, find the rhythm of the day, snow whapping against your chest, with the occasional face shot, legs are burning but don't give in, down to heli, pack off, skiis off, wade through chest deep snow. Repeat 10 times. Back to lodge, shower beer dinner sleep by 8:30. Repeat 7 times.

The trance goes on.........

I've Got the Power

2011-02-26T15:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a day, very "other world" compared to our usual Long Beach days. Arrived early, wind already cranking. Bit of a slow sail through the channel as I was being shadowed by the Coasties. But once outside it was on.... Turkey Day 2 Redux. Blowing dogs off chains, cold in a SoCal kinda way and a big ugly chop. Was winding off the ride height adjuster but for some brain fade pulled the wrong way so had max height and yes max wipe outs till I figured it all out. Once I had my setting back then Yee Haa, popping through 27 knots again down wind. Still I was out on my own, not even a power boat in sight and felt pretty exposed in those conditions. So set to some training tacks and gybes but general boat handling. Happy to see what I learnt in Turkey Day epic stuck and had fun in big conditions. Also had a ton more rake on. Makes boat easier to handle but tacking harder, just need to nail more foiling tacks

Realized I need to pack my boat tomorrow for Hawaii.... at least it'll be warm there

Over and out from Long Beach for a month or so........

Twisted Logic

2011-02-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

As we close on our first event of the year, Pacific Rims Champs in Hawaii, a strange phenomena is happening. I guesstimating we will have between 12 and 15 boats there, but with only about 30 % of the fleet sailing their own boat, and a ton of chartering going on. Just so happens a very stuffed 20ft container made a stop of on the way from the Words back home. Looks like it contains 13 Moths, 3 wings (various states of repair), a coach boat (deflated), and a partridge in a pear tree (only joking, I think). Good for us, many people can come to Hawaii without cost of shipping their own boat and defraying the cost with charter costs. Being always interested in a scheme or 2 this got me thinking...... a 40 ft container 20 boats shipped from event to event. Turn up and pilot. Then I thought some more, and thought back to Bercy in the 80s, indoor windsurfing, 20 000 crowds pumping music..... so then I thought some more and it really got dangerous... 20 moths shipped from event to event, big media, buoy racing as well as slalom, close enough to shore to watch, crowds, pumping music, and not you hip hop hat on backward crap, but pumping god fearing rock and roll... last gybe, Charlie vs Bora, soft sail vs wing, mano e mano cage match, one winner....

All potential backers and McConaghy please pm me for further details...

Riders on the Storm

2011-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Wind Graph, Belmont Shore

Today's windspeeds not shown. Click here for current windspeeds.

Fun day training with Zack and Nat. Arrived at club rigged no wind. 11:30 am blast came through with first front. Hang on to all gear. Sail out for some nice foiling in a dying breeze, get skunked (2 - 2:30), low ride back only to get hit with with 30knot gust right in the channel, yup at the narrow bit, the always difficult bit! Out of control foiling with TWA at 160, no space for a gybe away and the Harbor police right there. Fortunately they gave us a pass as they could see it was all a bit out of control. Almost foiled into the club trying to avoid Nat just below me. Definitely a mad 10 minutes then nothing! Great conditions to practice changing gear and puling a little bit less Vang.

Looking forward to some warmer weather and to Hawaii which is in just a few short weeks.

Before the Europeans we need to choose a venue for the 2013 Worlds. Thinking of some criteria how about:

Predictable consistent winds
Warm
Easy to get to
At or near a big population of sailors so we can convert as many to foiling and Moths in advance and post the event
Experienced club

Also being an AC year, timing will be critical. Other thoughts?

Pump It

2011-02-08T18:39:00.001-08:00

With quite a bit of debate in SA forums on how much vang to pull on, I thought I'd run an experiment. OK I was bored at work and went to gym! But after a nice warm thought I'd see how much weight I can pull with a 4 mm line. The protocol was sitting, not bracing feet, pull maximum weight.

The stats were:

Left hand 43Kgs

Right Hand 45.5Kgs

Now my vang is rigged at 24:1 and I have been pulling vang on till I cant pull anymore so thats erm.... 2 takeaway 5

Port Tack 1032 Kgs line load

Starboard Tack 1091 Kgs line load

F#ck that's a lot! Rig is a stiff CST355 and a Raptor. Thought I'd started to see overbend wrinkles so last sail eased the vang by about an inch or two from max and got much better speed. Pulling too hard.... you decide :)

Seahorse just came through the post. Cover shot, 6 photo spread of "that Nathan wipe out", 4 other shots of Moths and a quote from Lindsay Bergan. How cool is that? Cooler than a cool thing, and a huge boost for us, especially the 15 boat going to Hawaii for the newly minted Pac Rim Cup.

Bring it on!

Come Rain, Come Shine

2011-01-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

First foiling day since Thanksgiving and YES, I still remember how to tack and gybe, Sweet!

Long Beach was cranking, 22 at Pier J in the gusts and fronts, rain showers, sun, we had it all.

New painted and sanded foils, more rig rake and some sweet top speed runs including 22 knots straight down the channel on the way home.

"Who me Officer, no sorry must have got the wrong person".

But best was saved for our last windward mark bear away. 26.6knots and not bad in the usual Long Beach chop.

Nat and I sailed 41 km, hiked our legs off, and were rewarded by a great start to 2011.

Key learning this time around was allowing a little bit of twist into the main when it was cranking. Thanks to Adam Lowery for that tip. With a ton of cunno, it seemed to give me height and speed when we did our straight line tests up wind. Also really worked on smoothing out the carve on the gybe. Nice plus really fun.

Roll on Hawaii for the Pac Rim Champs.......

Raining Again

2011-01-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

The Mothista says to his smoking hot wife:

"Honey can you book some tickets for Seattle Jan 8th"

Smoking hot wife says:

"Great we're going skiing?"

"No, sailing! But pack your ski stuff we're going to need it. Forecast is snow"

Pic is of Liz, for once on the other end of the camera. Duwarmish Head race with Jonathan on the mighty Dark Star. The forecast of rain held off but we did get the odd flurry of snow. Ton of fun with a great crew!

2013 Worlds

2011-01-14T18:45:00.001-08:00

Looks like the 2013 Worlds will be held in the US of A. Yeah Baby!

Tears in Heaven

2011-01-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Pos Helm Nat R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Pts

1 Nathan Outteridge AUS 5 1 1 1 1 1 5

2 Peter Burling NZL 2 3 2 1 1 1 7

3 Joe Turner AUS 2 1 1 7 2 3 9

4 Scott Babbage AUS 6 2 2 3 3 4 14

5 Rob Gough AUS 1 3 3 4 5 4 15

6 Iain Jensen AUS 1 9 7 2 6 2 18

7 Tom Slingsby AUS 6 2 6 3 2 5 18

8 John Harris AUS 9 7 3 8 3 3 24

9 Brad Funk USA DNF 8 11 2 4 2 27

10 Arnaud Psarofaghis SUI 4 4 6 7 7 6 27

Here's the leader board at the Worlds after 2 days and 6 races. No Bora, no Simon, several new names, so whats happening? Is this a shift in the world power of Mothing? It's all going the Moth Squad way at the moment and with Brad keeping the US Airforce just in contention, likewise for Arnaud and the Euros. Bora and Dalton are just outside the top 10 in the early teens. So why the Aussie domination? Could be a couple of things playing out:

Moth Squad loaded with talent? Yes possibly but the US and Euro top sailors are also pretty seriously capable with ex Olympians and ex World Champions.
Practiced more? No doubt pulling together the concept of a team, load with talent, and then practice together like hell is one out of the US airforce play book. The concentration of Moth sailing in Sydney again helps especially if you compare to the US where getting together for a regatta is a serious exercise in logistics.
Focus and build up? Did designing and building the wing plus shipping and travel to Australia, take the focus out of the US airforce build up at the last minute? Similarly a dreary winter in Europe and then travel can't have made a solid build easy for the Europeans either. But it certainly looks like Moth Squad had a strong build of momentum leading up to the event which can only have helped.

But as they say, it isn't over till the fat lady sings and with the format of the event allowing the results from first 9 races to be taken through as a non discard, all is to play for in the last 2 days.

Game on and don't discount anyone in the top 15 from pulling off the Championship!

You Can't Always Get What You Want

2011-01-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

First, Happy New Year to everyone, trust it will be all you wish for, and a successful one. Been playing around with my Go Pro on a recent ski trip to Deer Valley. I'm sure Ill get some technique tips from Bear on this one, and yes I'm still in the midst of my Rolling Stones obsession.

On the Moth front work list is complete apart from tightening some bolts on the trailer. Sailing next weekend up in Seattle with Jonathan McKee. Could be the prelude to some thing but blogging about it will have to wait for now till I'm more certain it will happen. The it's full on Mothing till Hawaii or the mid winters, which ever happens first! New years resolutions are made and looking to make the next jump in my Moth sailing. Not going to the Worlds isn't exactly helping the cause, but work has to fit in!

Thursday this week will be a big day. Race 1 of the Aus Nationals. The furor around Bora and Bears wing seems to have died down a bit. Measurement day will be critical but at least now there is a set of guidance for them to be measured to. How we got there is another story, but really highlights the difficulty for a Development Class in managing rapidly advancing technology with a fleet and set of followers that are very connected in cyberspace. Till we get to the AGM, next test is to see how fast they really are.

From my SA post here's my tips for Worlds

Top 3:

Bora, Simon, Nathan. You couldn't really bet against any of them.

Top 3 wild cards:

Dalton, Tom Slingsby, AMAC, Brad Funk (a real dark horse in this, could bring home the chocolates), Scott Babbage

Top 5

Bear (sure to be there), Arnoud, John Harris (been here before), Dave Lister, Luka Damic, Charlie McKee

Top 10

Chris Rast, Mike Lennon, Adam Lowery, Joe Turner,

Sympathy for the Devil

2010-12-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Taking a bit of time out of the boat and using it to do all those jobs I promised during the season but never got to. I've tidied up the front end putting on new towers courtesy of Chris Rast. Made of bearing grade PEEK they really do the trick in stabilizing the wand axle. Whilst there I bent the wand link so it runs at 90 deg and redid the lines.

Foils are painted (courtesy of Karl W), and now I can see some of the weave etc I think its a massive difference and something that really needs doing on each boat. If this isn't enough I've been co opted onto the Exec to help sort out a suitable ruling for the Wings that promise to be at Belmont. Not an easy task as we try to ram a round peg (a wing) into a square hole (Our rules allow them but don't contemplate how to measure them) but Squadron Leader Mark Robinson, aided by wing man Adam May are doing a great job in guiding us through it.

We recently ran a basic survey of the US Class membership and it was overwhelming majority want to see us race wings and have a practical set of rules that will allow us to measure them with little drama.

Belmont looks like it will be epic with 120 entries, really cant believe I won't be there.

Finally as you can see from the title, I'm still going through my Rolling Stones phase spurred on by reading Keith Richards autobiography.

Till next year.....

Wild Horses

2010-11-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

So big Saturday was followed up with even bigger Sunday! Sailing out managed to poke my mast through the top of sail but made it back quickly and some awesome help from Zack got it re rigged in a few minutes. Once out of channel it was apparent just how windy it was, probably 20s at that stage. Head back in the game after a good nights sleep, nailed the start and tacked over for the Long Beach port tack. Our course was between the 2 oil islands and once in the squeeze it was howlin! At one point everyone was capsized and this was only 1st windward work. Came around the mark with Zack and Chris and couldn't bear off without pitch poling. Several capsizes latter and finally had worked out how to do it. So here's my guide for survival down wind big winds and big swell with difficult chop on top:

At windward mark wind off bow down, pin mid point
Slide back as you bear off
Steer carefully but firmly and quickly till your way down range, not too far as boat will roll in one you
Stay thee and steer around the worst, just don't come up too much as you'll power up massively
Kind of feels like sitting on rudder foil and bounce down wind!

Doesn't look great, but seems to be fast and safe.

Last race managed a 2nd with this technique. Zack took bullets today to draw with Chris and won the turkey on count back! Awesome display of power sailing..

So that's it for the season, roll on 2011.

I Can't Get No..... Satisfaction

2010-11-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

It was full on today at Day 1 of ABYC Turkey Day regatta. We had 5 Moths so our own start, but even getting there was massive. 20 knots and a big swell coming straight down the harbor channel made for big waves at the entrance. We all made it out but were praying it calmed a bit for the return journey.

Marto the PRO packed in 4 races of 2 laps, and with the breeze and short period swell made it epic. By the last windward work it looked more like Napoleons retreat from Moscow as everyone was hiked out.

Made 4 times 3rd place. mixed it a bit with Chris and Zack, but a 80 hours work week and Man flu meant I didn't really have my head in the game.

Roll on tomorrow!

I fought the law and the law won

2010-11-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

Sunday dawned with the promise of wind, but alas the sea breeze fought the Santa Ana all day, resulting a puffy 5 -8 knots and temps that were hot hot hot. We got a few scant moments of foiling in the gusts, but despite trying twice the PRO was unable to lay a course that didn't involve long sessions of low riding. Long slow sail back and a fight up the channel ( I cheated and caught a tow line from passing fishing boat!) made for a bit of a frustrating day.

All frustrations we gone once we were back and we still had the keg to finish so after a couple of cold ones we had the prize giving. It was really innovative as there were no prizes except the kudos of winning, but what do you expect from a low key fun regatta that cost $40 and included a keg of beer! Thanks to Martin PRO and to ABYC for a warm welcome and great support with this.

The circus rolls on to Turkey Day at ABYC where we already have 5 entered and our own start!

Its a 3 way....

2010-11-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well sports fans going in to the top of the 9th and its a 3 way tie.... Three races and Chris Rast, Zack Maxim and me all with a 1,2,3. Chris won last race and I came third so on count back I guess that gives Chris the shot with me in the caboose. Nat was consistent with 4ths and Jimmer and Karl (once again riding the FrankenMoth) trading places in 5th and 6th.

Small rear foil was very interesting. Fast, very fast down wind, funnily enough very easy to tack, but seemed to struggling stopping the boat pitching in the usual short period Long Beach chop. Overall so far, I'd say a winner. Only other change I made was more rake so I can pitch the boat more bow down up wind without too much lee helm. Seems fast.

Breeze was 10 -12 and PRO set a wickedly short line so starts were intense inc a mass OCS on race 2. Predictably for winter the breeze shut off like a tap at about 3:30 so we were limited to 3 races but it was INTENSE!

De brief occurred around a keg of Firestone at top of ramp, the it was all in for a Belmont shores curry and as you'd imagine the talk was all wings!

Last day coming up and it's all to play for

Over and out.....

Hard Days Night

2010-11-12T20:44:00.001-08:00

Sweet day in Long Beach. 10 -12 with full on foiling and warm.....again. 3 of us got out at around 2pm, Christ R staying shore side working on tuning or getting my old Bladerider ride height adjuster to fit on his loaner Mach 2. We got a good 2 1/2 hrs training in , loads of upwind downwinds and hike till you drop conditions. Using the sail very flat up wind is really helping. Moving the wand pivot point back to mid point is also giving me good ride height, just need to be careful not to hike it over too far and ventilate. Scary how fast teh wind shut off at 5pm and first time de rig in the dark. Tomorrow will have the new little rudder foil on so really looking to see what that does for the boat speed and height. Should have about 6 of us out tomorrow but we'll need to see who turns up.... Predict Wind has breeze on with about 15 knots, Howie should be out on the 18, so it's all to play for!

Over and out from Long Beach Mothistas

Warriors of the Wasteland Directors Cut

2010-11-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Summer is definitely on the wain and we'll soon be in the waste land that is winter in Long Beach. But the club was relatively quite even though there was the Halloween regatta, and not too many power boats out. 12pm no wind, 1pm a bit, by 1:30 full foiling and what an epic days sail. Went down not expecting too much and had just an awesome 3 hours. Zack joined in the fun for last 90 mins. It was a tack gybe fest. Water was flat as and about 12 knots breeze. Really worked on the tacks and speed through the gybes. Happy I seem not to be waggling the tiller like a virgin at a viking landing anymore. Managed to gybe all the way down the channel without falling off foils, first time ever. Also found nice new setting on the wand angle, nice and high till bolt slipped back, and Zack helped me set my sail up way flatter than I ever thought I should. So thats what the 8:1 down hauls for!

So to the comments section, please add in style scores, tips or just plain abuse.....

Till ABYC Moth Fest on 13th 14th over and out.............

Born in the USA

2010-10-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Been an awesome year so far. These 2 images are about 12 months apart, and in between has been some awesome regattas plus my first Worlds. The only thing that remains the same is the rash vest! Learnt a ton, had a great time, made a ton of new friends. Changed my sail number form a GBR to USA. Last regatta for 2010 is a Pre Worlds training event at ABYC in a few weeks. The next leap forward will be made right there as Bora and George will be racing with their new wing rigs.... Cant wait and cant wait to see what 2011 brings for the Class....

Awesome to be part of the revolution.......

Wings Across America

2010-10-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

This is the dawning of a new age. Bora launched Wing No 2 built by the Skiffworks in 8 days and possibly being offered as a kit a little further down the track. Its modelled here by Anthony. Both this one and the one Adam built look simply gorgeous and they seem to suit a moth so well. The blogshpere is full of "are they legal", "should they be allowed", but I still think the real issue is "are they faster"? And here I don't mean in a straight line but in a real world sailing event. Transporting them around will also have to be solved, but at least the "trailermahal" I built in the earlier part of the year may well come in handy!

So what else is going on? Not much Moth sailing since the Anarchy love fest. New job, to much work plus family commitments over last month means been to busy. Plan to go next weekend if any of you SoCal Mothistas are up for it.

Last event of the season coming up. It will be 12th thru 14th in Coronado, a combined regatta / packing the container for the Worlds event! Hey and guess what it is most likely the first competitive outing for a wing! Be there!

Sweet Child O' Mine

2010-10-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

Been ignoring the blog recently. New job is taking up the time as well as Presidential duties in getting shipping organized for the Worlds. Pieced this together over weekend, amazing how tramps change colour!

Wish Id gone to HPOD now

Also Thierry Martinez is hot footing it to Detroit. Wonder wing to be launched??

Over and out from Long beach

I am an Anarchist

2010-09-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

Sailing Anarchy Forums: SA SouthBay "WORLD'S of All The WORLD'S - Sailing Anarchy Forums

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Fun weekend of racing in Coronado at the annual Sailing Anarchy love fest. All were there inc Ed and Clean, although I've never seen any one look so hung over as Clean this morning. Nat and Eric were doing pretty well but paled in comparison to Clean.

Great breeze on Friday then died away as the days rolled on. Some weird Santa Ana vs the sea breeze battle. But that said we got 9 races in, although Adam remind us this morning, yesterday we had 6 hours on the water for 90 mins racing. No wonder we all looked a little fried yesterday afternoon, and rehydrating with the Rumbos ..... well all a bit epic really. I seem to recall somewhere in there we adjudicated a protest as a committee for the Flying Tigers.

Anyway, Adam made it look easy with a string of 1sts, I managed to prevent a total whitewash with a win yesterday and a string of seconds. Nat and Eric rounding it out. I'm now with much more rake and feeling happier, boast going great, just need to keep pointing it in the right direction. Seasons going to roll to a close soon, but its been an epic year....

Over and out from SoCal

Letter to the US Class

2010-09-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Dearest Mothistas!

As I'm sure you've read, I have taken on the role of Class President for the US, continuing the great tradition (well 2) of having a Brit (Welsh really) in the firing line. Firstly I really want to thank Nigel for all the hard work he has put into the Class, helping us build membership with active boats, and leading us through a very successful World championship. Clearly, a large pair of shoes to fill, and thanks Nige for staying on in the Treasurer Secretary role. Kudos brother!

First a little about me for those I've not met. I started sailing Mirror dinghies as a kid, growing up through 470s and University team racing. Career family and our son Christian put sailing on hold for far too many years before a posting to Sydney rekindled the flame. After a quick flirtation with sailing big boats off shore, I saw my first foiling Moth and the die were cast. I had to have one. June 2008 the Black Pearl arrived (X8) and I took those first faltering steps toward foiling we all know so well. Hands up all of you who remember to the detail where and when you first foiled. Yup, thoughts so! 2 years on, I've got Deus ex Machina, my Mach 2, and I'm loving every minute of it!

I've got a huge amount of respect for this class and particularly the people in it. With people like Bora Gulari and Charlie Mckee we have world class sailors right here in our back yard and that allows us to progress quickly to the highest level of Moth Sailing. We have something very special. So I thought why not take this on? Its time to give something back.

Looking forward I think we have 3 critical tasks facing us, which we must work on together:
1. We must find ways of achieving critical mass to encourage and support new Mothists of all levels and ability to join us
2. Given the size of the country and the current demographics of our fleet (hardworking, family supporting individuals, significant number of pros with other commitments), we must develop a racing schedule that is fun, competitive and encourages as many members as possible to participate
3. The final, and probably the most controversial task for my fellow Brits / Aussies and Europeans, is building a frame work (regattas, training, sponsorship, shipping etc) that allows us to have the best shot of regaining the World Champion title for America in 2011 and again in the near future

The boats continue to develop fast and expect to see more than just Adam with a wing rig. Will these remain legal? Who knows, but remember the controversy when Rohan arrived in France in 2003 with a set of hydro-foils. We haven't looked back since, and such is life in the most exciting development class out there.

Finally, we're on the card to hold the 2013 Worlds in the US building on the awesome success that was The Gorge 2009. Where, when, who all jump to my mind.

One of the items we are making a fast start on is an upgrade to our web site along with links to social media. This should help us communicate and discuss ideas in a much better way, so watch out for that development in the coming weeks.

In the end, its our class, we own it and drive it. To help us succeed, I really want to get and need your input. Are the questions right, what are your views, how do we work together toward them? Let me know what you think and well go from there.....

Looking forward to see you all out on the track in the not too distant future.

No Line on the Horizon

2010-09-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

Had fun at our local Labor Day regatta, ABYC putting on a top notch event. Leaving the dock on Saturday was just flat out weird. We had breeze, probably 10-12, but still had the marine layer (fog to my Blighty chums). Normally its cleared out by the building heat and breeze. But today was really different. Once out of the channel it was full on foiling, upwind at 15s. Yes, I disappeared straight into the fog bank at speed. Couldn't see anything except water about 20 m in front and that was it. Sailed out for 5 mins, then tacked over toward sailing area, and had another 5 mins before I started to pick out oil island and other boats. Strangest wildest and scariest 10 mins in the Moth.... ever! Thought I was going to start to navigate with the Velocitek!

Fun day out. used Simon's settings from his blog, front hole on foil (I'm usually in the middle hole, no comments please) and the wand wound to top of settings (my usual ). I've got the gantry wound out 1 and may go to 2. Really nice set up, for some reason seemed really stable platform through the gybes. Had good speed vs the I14s, so collected some more nice set up numbers. Ah numbers, numbers its all a numbers game!

Role on the ISAF regatta end of the month

Learning to Fly

2010-08-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Good training at Long Beach yesterday. Light pressure and yes you guessed it chop / swell / powerboat wash. So with 8 - 10 knots and just foiling it was great to be able to work on foiling tacks and gybes. Tried to get some speed work done with the A cats but with the inconsistent breeze it wasn't possible to hang on to them up wind, watching them rapidly disappear over the horizon just didn't help!

So what did I learn (no laughing here!).

Tacks:

need to steer slowly into turn but rapidly increase rate of turn to get bow through wind and powered up on new tack.
Body has to move pretty fast at last stages to keep up.
Dump the extension on new tack, let "Shocky the auto pilot" deal with it whilst you concentrate on trim

Gybe:

Seemed tougher to find a good medium in the chop but think the name of the game is rate of turn just fast enough to allow you to flack the battens over and get the power back on fast as you're burning off speed quickly just post gybe onto new board

Only other new news in the Moth Sphere is that I've been asked to take on the US Class President for my sins, continuing the great tradition ( well 2) of having a Brit in the firing line for the US class. Nige has done an incredible job for the class, helping us to growth, and guiding us through a World Championship, so I've got some pretty big shoes to fill. I would like to publicly thank him for all he has done, awesome dude, awesome sailor.

I think the key questions we need to face as a Class in the US are:

Given the size of the country how do we get to critical mass to encourage new people of all levels and ability to join us?
Given the size of the country and the current demographics of our fleet (significant number of pros with other commitments" how do we come up with a racing schedule that is fun competitive and encourages the above?
Final, and probably the most controversial for my fellow Brits / Aussies / and Europeans, what infrastructure (regattas, training, sponsorship, shipping etc) do we need to set up to ensure we have the best possible chance of a US World Champion in Belmont 2011, Garda 2012 and US 2013?

(Next we will be tackling world peace)

Answers on a post card please..........

All in a Day

2010-08-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was just epic. Long Beach at 18s, and I really enjoyed my sail. Boats was just back, so I really wanted to try out some new set ups. So first the rig:

Rigged the Raptor on my new CST 357c. Big difference with a stiffer mast, much easier to control the low leech tension and hence pointing. Also seems that the skin was much more stable, not having the creases you can see in this pic on the soft McC. I also found some nice new modes with the Raptor. Clearly wailing on the vang then down haul when over powered brought the sail back under control and allowed me to 2 block most of the way up wind. Found I could go up wind in high mode at 13s and low mode at 15s. All I need to do now is to hike harder to be able to carry it all!.
I had also put a new setting on the rudder foil, This has let me fly more bow down and given more scope on the rudder adjustment. Also needed to really trim the rudder angle between tacks.
I did try flying low and then very low upwind to allow me to increase windward heel, seemed to work but the boat is very sensitive to just 1/2 a turn on the ride height adjuster.

I didn't have any other Moths out with Zack away, Nat and Karl in re build mode, Eric and Bobby MIA, but did get to play with the A cats who were training. Was able to hold them up wind if I hiked like hell ( yes all 15 secs of it!). Couldn't point as high but was keeping in the hunt. Down wind I had a ton more speed, except the Long Beach chop was heinous. Not sure if I'm just not used to it after 6 weeks away, but it was just like liquid mogul skiing. Went over the handlebars twice!

So now building toward the SA ISAF regatta late Sept and possibly the HDPO a few weeks later. Looking to really get some consistency in boat handling as well as execute better tacks.

Bora took a great 2nd place at the Euros, not sure what happened in the last race, sure looked like he had momentum going into the last day having caught back the 7 points he was adrift earlier in the week. Chris also had a very strong regatta, look for more to come from him in the future

Over and out from Long Beach

The Boys are Back in Town

2010-08-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

The boats back, Bora and the US Air force are giving it heaps over in Europe, .......

All's well with the World!........

Except.................

"and all the while I sit here, Charlies out there in the jungle getting stronger"......

Cue the sound of helicopters and the intro the the Doors singing "This is the end"........

Its killing me not being over in Silverplana with the team. I'm really enjoying my racing and getting better, and whilst I'm sure Bora, Nathan and probably the top 50 can sleep easy, living vicariously through them is just not easy for me, especially as it looks like I can't make the Worlds this year. I think it shows how the foiling Moth can really get under your skin, its just such a fun boat and a really fun group of sailors. So as the Euros comes toward its close with 3 days left and Bora within 3 points of Nathan, thoughts, wishes and positive vibes go out to Bora. If he wins this it would be a brave man who would bet against him at Belmont, another venue with a reputation for a breeze. It will also go some way to negate some of the criticism levelled at him after Dubai. as they say "cometh the time, cometh the man".

For me got a few practices I need to nail:

Not enough windward heel going to windward. I'm going to try lowering ride height a bit so I can lean over more without sucking air down the main foil. Hopefully we'll get a few out Saturday so I can do some testing
Get the new CST up and running on the Raptor. A stiffer section will really help with closing the leech and going high, going fast
I'm almost there with the foiling tacks, consolidate and the recent vids of Nathan tacking has helped me understand the last moves exiting the tack....

Over and out from Long Beach

Everybody Getting High

2010-08-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

North Americans Day 3.

Storms greeted us on the last day, but they quickly cleared to allow us to get 2 races in before the wind shut off completly. Adam was crowned a worthy Champion.

I had just an awesome regatta, getting stringer as it went on, record three 2nd places in last three races, almost winning the last 2.

I feel I've achieved what I wanted, got the Raptor going, got my consistency back post the Gorge, all systems working really well now, tuned up boat pitch (thanks Chris) and really found some upwind speed.... My mojos back!

When I got home this morning my new CST mast has arrived, so I can now build that into the program. I've a much better set of settings for it. Having sailed the Raptor with the McC mast as wel as the CST I think its definately more suited to the stiffer mast. Liz took tons of photos as usual so I've got some nice comparison shots between the Bear / Bora stiff mast sets ups and mine. You can see the difference in the leech profiles up wind. Given that we all seem to pull vang on till you cant pull it on any more, the difference should be the mast.

Warriors of the Waste Land

2010-08-08T05:06:00.000-07:00

We've been pushing the port tack starts all year. It's just so enticing in a Moth. Need the right hand side, tacking is so slow, the boat so nimble, power down on port, find a gap and go for it. Well yesterday it all came to the inevitable conclusion at the start of race 2. With closing speeds of close to 35 knots Chris and Bear collided wing bar to wing bar. It was a blessing no one was hurt. I really felt for Bear, one of the hardest working, least sung Moth sailors out there, he was teed up for a titanic battle for the championship with Adam Lowery. He managed to get the boat back before it sunk, with the rear wing bar mount ripped out of the hull. Chris boat was undamaged which is again a testament to the strength of Mach 2. Awesome photos from Liz who kept the finger down on the shutter button, sequence above is about 2 - 3 seconds.

Drama over and back to the racing.....

We had a hot 5 races in around 15 to 18 knots, really tight. Tons of spectator craft churned up the water so sailing was very hard especially down wind where everyone went over the handlebars as least once. Going in to the last day, Adam is leading from Matt and Chris, with me 4th, all in a very rapidly depleting fleet....

Stay tuned more to come as Adam stands poised to take his first well deserved crown...

Four Horsemen

2010-08-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

With the breeze coming off the land, there were times today when it looked like the four horsemen of the apocalypse were smoking down wind and coming to get us. Adam lost his rig on the way out, and spent 90 mins in the water fixing the broken pin and re rigging whilst capsized, all with the help of Bora's mate who jumped in, no wetsuit, to help out. Kudos to all involved. Gusts from 5 to 25 knots and back as well as 20 deg shifts were the name of the game and Bora excelled, until Adam beat him in the last race. Bear sailed really consistently and we had plenty of place changes in each race, with tight racing through each race. We got 4 races in, I got a 5, 3, 4,5 I think, it was all getting pretty confusing at one point, who'd finished and who'd pulled out but just an awesome day.

10 - 20 forecast again today, with a sightly easier direction, so more hot racing on the menu

You know when a town (Harbor Springs) and yacht club (Litter Travis Bay Yacht Club) welcome you when:

Our launch ramp had 2 steel posts sticking up at the end and we were worried about lifting the boats up and over. No problem, talk to the council and 30 mins later 2 work men turn up and chop the posts off. Add to that Dave Irish allowing us to keep our boats in his boat yard hanger fully rigged and you have the makings of an awesome venue.

Worlds in 2013 anyone......

Speed Speed Speed

2010-08-05T14:15:00.001-07:00

Harbor Springs and its turning it on. Yesterdays practice was pretty light at around 10 -12 knots, but today.... awesome! Wind built from the get go to around 22 - 25 knots, gusty in the harbor entrance but ripping down range. As you sailed down the waves built and I did well to heed Boras advice, "sail down wind gybing down the shore till you get scared then turn back up wind! Waves built quickly down range but had some awesome runs. All in all a great days sailing. Set my own personal best of 26.8 but Bora won the ride of the day with a smoking 30 knot 5 sec average. Once we see the download tonight will be really curious to see where the spikes are, 31 anyone?

The event site is awesome, gets my vote as best rigging launching area of any Moth event we've done. Grassy area, full use of Irish Daves Boat yard, loads of people interested in the boat.

Racing starts tomorrow,

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

2010-08-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Off to the North Americans tomorrow in Harbor Springs Michigan. Yes where....?? supposed to be quite beautiful and a fun place to sail. The m32s just had they're Nats last weekend.

The goals are set:

Get the Raptor up and running on the McC mast (Despite trying his best Luka couldn't get the CST mast here on time, not unless he sent it still curing)
Nice steady regatta, no wild risk taking
Get first days results on the board then chip away
Regain my consistency by focusing on what I've learnt and my game plan
Have fun

The other big news of the day is Adams wing sail mast. Just looked awesome. I can here the Moth world twittering away already......

Stay tuned for updates from NAs

The Kids Are Alright

2010-07-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Began thinking a bit more about the results at the Gorge. Clearly a full on event. With Matt, Zack, and Hans all in the hunt (3rd 4th and 5th respectively) it's starting at last to look like a young persons class, not just the young at heart. Yes I can say this from my lofty old age! But it has struck me that we need the teenagers in the class to help drive it along. Many don't seem to join because of perceived expense, but when I see what Hans and Eric are able to do with "old Bladeriders" makes me think a junior could enter this class with a $8000 BR and be somewhat on the pace. And these are exactly who we need to encourage to join us. The question now is how? Answers on a post card please.....

Good news Sunday. I finally figured out how to post a video, this one shot at the Gorge with my GoPro.

Other great news, CST have come through with a new mast, which is just awesome customer service, thanks Luka. Race is on to get it to to Harbor Springs for the North Americans!

And if you haven't seen it, go see Inception at the movies, great film!

As you can see I'm missing the boat! Only one more weekend.

Thursday Grind: The Schooner Rigged Moth

2010-07-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Developed in a wood shed in Washington by Dan of Raptor sails and piloted by our own Charlie McKee, the schooner rigged Moth made its first appearance at the Gorge last weekend. Testing went well but it was reported to be a bit of a handful in the gybes. Asked for a comment Charlie said "it's intuitive"

Remember you heard it here first

Ch Ch Changes

2010-07-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry no report last night, I was shattered! With Sunday forecast for the Gorge to go nuclear, the RC crammed in 7 races, 3 in the morning session and 4 in the evening. Crawled out of the boat at about 7pm, pizza beer and bed. And yes Sunday was nuclear with no racing. Dalton sailed supremely to win, followed by Charlie, Matt, Zack, and Hans. Hans sailed very well in an old Bladerider, just shows what you can do with talent and skill!

For me, not the best regatta I have done, but a huge learning curve and experience. My usual consistency deserted me, probably through trying too much in such extreme conditions, and once gone it was hard to get it back. It's clear that when the breeze is 25 knots plus, it will punish the slightest mistake either in boat handling or in boat prep. Just getting to the start with 2 - 3 knots up hill current, readjusting to where to place, and just understand the signals, was tough, boy hard day at the office.

I had an awesome setup on the Raptor / Nano / EC6 combo, but trying to rig in the gusts of Saturday I snapped the forestay, then had to rush into trying to set up the wire shrouds whihc I had never done before. Too much rake made the boat really fast but almost unhandleable through the transitions. For the evening I put the MSL 13 back on as I knew the settings, but there's quite a bit of adjustment needed between the 2 rigs and I didn't quite get it right. So lessons learnt all around:

Gybing and tacking going great even in high winds
Make sure you know ALL settings if you use two rigs
Why splice when you can knot!

I'm going to re think a little and make sure I am keeping the boat very very simple and change only one thing at a time! Time to look at that list of 14 mods and start to reduce them. Eric made the job somewhat simpler, snapping my Nano 4. To be fair to him it was a really weird break, just snapped in half about 5 inches below the join. Looks like carbon hadn't been wetted out with enough epoxy. Calling CST...

WIndmlls of the Mind

2010-07-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well the breeze was on by 9am, and continued to build. The photo above is where our leeward mark would be. The windsurfers had already been in and changed down to their 4.0s. The RC wisely called it at 20:13, no racing till at least 4pm. We all duly arrived back at 4om, still blowing dogs off chains, local wind speed had 28s gusting 33s. Delay again till 5pm, still blowing, RC called it for the day. By 6:30 we could have got 2 or 3 good races in but wise call this early.

Must admit got a bit phased out by today. I've never enjoyed long delays on windy days, would rather get on it. By 5 one side of me said "rig up and get out there", the other said, "you'll break something". It was soften slightly, but I prevaricated, and by the time it had softened enough to be reasonable, I'd lost the mood /drive to go out and practice. Still tomorrow needs to be Go Big or Go Home.

Positives for today:

Really great tour round with Liz during day, there's some awesome scenery
Seeing my old boat out on the water and going well

Survivor medal goes to Dalton, his score for the day was

Gantry off Chris R boat
Sailing Dan with no bungs
Gantry off Dans boat

Don t know how many times he had to swim in towing a Moth, but I got tired just watching :)

Take me to the River

2010-07-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well that was awesome! My first time sailing at the Gorge and it really turned it on. Still a training day but we had Jonathen, Dalton and Lyndsey, Matt, Zack, Eric and me out. Started off at aroudn 11am with a relatively sane 15 knots, but quickly built to over 20, then built some more.....25 to 30 ish. At which point we all came in. Liz and I went off for a bit of sight seeing but there are a couple boats back out at aroudn 6pm. I suspect Zack Dalton and Lindsay.

Used the Raptor / Nano for first time and still have a few tweeks to do but loved how repsonsive it was in the big breeze. Had max vang and max d haul on to hold it and it sailed great. Uphill saw some 16 knots boat speed at times so pretty pleased with pace. All I need now is consistency, but the relatively flat water cf Long Beach does flatter tacks and gybes.

Lookng at some video I shot couple learning points:

Nice and steady into the gybe, even carve
Focus on not waggling rudder all over place,
Move body and tiller in unison to keep boat flat through gybe and tack

First race tomorow, little less wind would be good!

Wild Wild Life

2010-07-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Great day practice in Long Beach Sunday, managed to come in just as wind bulit but it was ok, got my practice in but didnt get to do much speed testing with Nat Zack or Eric. Boat was packed and now as I write this at 40 000ft I'm trusting the boat is on the roof of Zack's van and on its way to the Gorge. We're planning for a late sail Wednesday before full on testing Thursday and racing through weekend. Time to see if all the training / set up and the new boat since the Words is going to pay off.

Liz is always amazed by the amount of time I can spend "fettling" the boat so though I'd write a list of the mods I've done to the Mach 2 in the three months of ownership. Nothing compared to owning a Bladerider but fun all the same. So here goes:

Precourt micro tension block on forestay
Gulari custom wand mount starboard side (tap snapped in the port side one!)
Wand elastic tension system brought back to wing bars
JPZ ride height adjuster
Million $ shim tape on front foil
AMac custom front foil horizontal (thinner section)
4:1 mainsheet
8:1 down haul
24:1 vang
EC6+ "cheese slicer" on rear wing bar
North Spectra hiking straps
Sailing Bits Velocitek mount
Breather tubes on hull drains
Nano 4 / Raptor / EC6+ rigging / Boat Bits carbon prodder rig as number 2 rig

Whats on your ride?

Check in for daily reports from Gorge Madness, along with pics by Liz.

Video Killed the Radio Star

2010-07-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

OK, been trying to upload my first video, shot and edited last weekend. So I am kind of hoping it is going to appear here!! Anyone with some advice on how to publish vids, I am all ears. It's only 2.8Mb how hard can it be.

Well the last weekend before the summer road trip is upon us. Haven't been able to get too much sailing in but what I have I've really tried to focus on quality, following religiously my training plan of practicing:

Boats speed testing with Nat
Sail with one hand helps with moving in and getting to sail controls
Usual Gybes and tacks
Start line lay lines, foiling and non foiling
Gybing into mark rounding

One more weekend and we'll see how it plays out. Felt pretty good up against the A cats last weekend till the vang lost the plot

We're planning to get out Sunday at ABYC, with Zack, Eric and Nat. Should be good if I can tear them away from the World Cup. I reckon, rig, change watch the match (Go Spain :)) and dive in the boats. We'll also need to pack Sunday evening, which means getting the travel box to ABYC on the top of the car, will be a slow drive down with that up there.

Tomorrow I'm planning to finalize the new rig, Raptor on the Nano all held up with EC6+. Vang is now all sorted and guess what I learnt to splice properly.

Now back to seeing if I can get the vid to up load, says its still loading....

Pump it

2010-07-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Been a few weeks since out in the boat, an insane work schedule accounting for most of it. After last sessions tales of broken vangs, I began to feel a bit sorry for Eric. Last time out he just got out to us and I broke the vang, this Saturday, he'd just arrived on the race course, and the very neat piece of splicing I'd done came apart and there I was with another broken vang. Sorry Mate, it isn't personal!

It was the ABYC 4th July regatta, low key affair and although It was supposed to be be me, Eric and Zack, only I was out for first race. So started with the cats, and whilst being canned up wind, I was all over the A cats and F18s down wind, eventually winning the first race on the water. Felt very pleased with boat setup and handling. Tactics and positioning still need some polishing before the Gorge, but happy where I am. Pretty weird conditions at Long Beach with a long South swell making its presence felt inside the breakwater, and the usual vicious wind chop coming the other way. Very interesting on port tack where you could choose to go bow down by a few degrees and make 15s with the swell, but poor angle, or point high and do 11s. Not sure I ever worked out best option.

One more weekend before we pack for the Gorge. Shipping is booked for the North Americans, and Zack is driving the boats up to the Gorge next week, role on summer!

Take the Long Way Home

2010-06-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

An awesome days sailing was over early when my vang snapped in a bear away. Bugger! Tried to re rig it using the 2mm ride height adjuster line, the yellow line in the pic, but by then the cams had all popped off (Yes Dan I can hear you laughing now, its was the 13b!:)) and without a working vang, I couldn't get them back on and stayed on. Usually even if they have come off I can get them on in the water, but not without a vang! After a 20 min fight I gave up and sailed slowly back to ABYC. Still managed to foil part of the way with a very rickety rig! Up till then Nat and I were having a ball, Long Beach turning it on yet again, with solid 15s and dead flat water under the break water.

The vang line had snapped about 1/3 way down the cascade, so spent today cutting off all the Chinese Dynema and replacing it. Also gave me the chance to think through adding a purchase to the vang.

The trailer has arrived, good news! Although very over engineered, and over designed by Moi and built by Bear Trailer Sports in LA, it has come out great. Need to get one small adjustment made to the boat supports, but really pleased! Makes going Mothing ten times easier!

Training for the Gorge going well, we should be finalizing shipping for the SoCal boats this week. Want to get the vang sorted, plus the Raptor on the Nano 4 and Chris is sending me a nice set of North Spectra Hikers, so teh boat will be sweet! Roll on the event.

Physical, Physical, I wanna get Physical

2010-06-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

THAT was a full on day.

My hands hurt, my shoulders feel like they've been wrenched out of their sockets, I tore the ass out of my skiff suit, broke the main sheet bridle, Nat lost his wand paddle and went through another rudder. Yup SoCal Moth training at it's best!

We had about 15s, I'm guessing, but unusually from the South so plenty of swell and chop which was great practice for the Gorge. We did umpteen upwind down winds about a mile a leg, and basically sailed till we couldn't hike anymore, and had accumulated the above list of damage. The on water photography continued, not bad from a Moth doing 18s!

What did we learn:

Continued to play with the settings on the 13b. Not too much foot tension, and use the d haul to play between pointing mode (not on full) and over powered mode ( on full). Had plenty of height and speed. Vang on hard except in softer conditions.
Keep practicing sailing with one hand, mess up a change of setting and the boat with you is gooone!
Nat's Raptor looks good, fast up wind, but down wind in medium air I could sail through him, well once! Seems to have more speed, though both up wind and down in bigger pressure. But if we were both concentrating and hiking hard, no really difference in speed.
He who sails the most..... wins.
Finally, a crazy work week, and a bottle of wine / cigar the night before, doesn't make for a fit fast Mothista, almost threw up on the first long windward leg :).

Choices, choice there are always choices.........

There's Raptors Waiting in the Long Grass

2010-06-08T19:00:00.001-07:00

The new Raptors have arrived in Long Beach! First shot you can see Nat's sail rigged, other three shots you can see my sail laid out over my trusty 13b. So what do we see Mothistas?

Although Nats sail is not loaded, it clearly sets up well on the stiff McConnachy mast. Smooth skin, flat up top, power where you'd want it.

Compared to the 13b, and yes only laid out on the floor, the plan shape is narrower, more area up top, quite a bit actually, higher clew (much easier gybing or go like Bora with a massive amount of rake!), and slightly lower luff curve. I can see why it really suits the Nano 4.

I'm planning to continue training with the 13b, stick the sail numbers on the Raptor, and then do a bit of testing with the Raptor before Gorge Madness. We're in the middle of a major product launch so don't have much time to burn of testing and finding set ups, so will need to be careful in my selection. I've got a nice set up going at the moment, and plenty of speed.

Bad Moon Rising, an American Memorial Day

2010-05-31T18:23:00.001-07:00

Had some off Moth fun this weekend. Friends invited us out to the Mojave, rode dirt bikes, smoked cigars, drank Tequilla and Howled at the Moon....

Dont worry Mothistas, the boat will be wheeled out again next weekend... :)

I Can Sail for Miles and Miles

2010-05-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Finally got around to down loading my Velocitek. Quite some interesting data there:

First speed:

As chart above shows got very close to cracking 25 knots in our recent regatta. Came down the last leeward leg in the pressure of the day and still in relatively flat water. Even with the wand flicking like crazy I still had a ton of control in the Mach 2. It's really made me wonder about how to go for a max speed run. I think bear off, hike like hell and sail deep, using VMG to keep speed building. Been trying some other stuff recently, but next time its on, I'm going to give it a go. Recon if I start high up under breakwater at Long Beach where its super flat, shoudl be abe to build some good ol' velocity....

Distance:

Interesting stats. Thursday and Friday I sailed 45Km and 51Km respectively, whilst at ABYC regatta sailed 66.7Km on Saturday and 51.6Km on Sunday. Make you think that some long distance racing such as Border Run or the Ditch Run could be on the cards with the right weather and right suport boat, i.e. faaaaasst!

My Random Walk Down the Start Line

2010-05-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

This week, I was really fortunate to have 2 days coaching with Charlie and to be joined on the Friday by a mystery Mothista for some windward leeward fun. Massive amount of learning from an excellent coach, who was able to diagnose and break down my "issues" into manageable chunks that I can work on and improve on my own. Great breeze, up to 25 knts on Thursday and a more modest 18 knts on Friday, made for some great foiling. We just have to have the NAs or US Champs here in 2011.

Biggest "ahah" for me was the exercise "pick a point before line and accelerate into pin end start". I knew sort of where I wanted to put the boat, but either couldn't put it there, or couldn't hold it there for long enough. Made me wonder about just how random my starting has been. Yes I can basically figure out which end of the line to aim at, but the rest for me was then a random wander down the start line reacting to what ever I encountered and if lucky enough foiling off the line roughly as the gun went and in a direction the boat just happened to be pointing at that moment. It really made me think about just what have I been doing or not doing. Still now I have a system to break it down and hopefully remove the randomness! Next regatta we will see!

I also got much better at gybing on the whistle, so much so that Liz is now thinking of getting one to see if she can train me at home: "peep" do the dishes, "peep" do the ironing, "peep...." ok I am sure you get the idea....

Whilst the cats are away: Post Script

2010-05-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

I thought about this some more last night. Whilst we only had 4 boats there, we really went at it on the start lines. 7 races and every start was really hotly contested by all 4 boats. Closest I have been to other Moths all played out at high speed. I pushed Nat over the line, he pushed me over, we both pushed Dan over, port starboards, Eric trying to catch us on the line with a starboard start. This was much closer than ever. I am guessing but without the "Heads of State" to keep order, and with fewer boats, we had more room to dial up, both contributed to some white hot starting action. There were definitely a few starts where I couldn't believe what we were doing. I could have thrown my water bottle and hit all three other boats easily. Awesome practice and a ton of fun.....

While the cats are away the mice will play. Santa Barbara Skiff Fest day 2

2010-05-16T18:50:00.001-07:00

With all the usual suspects out sailing Melges, the Moth SoCal B fleet took to the water for day 2. Bit of June gloom, (mist) on little wind made for a slow sail out and a bit of worry about what we were going to get. BUT magically as the 5 min gun went first Nat then me were up on foils. By the gun we were all on it and another incredibly tight well fought for port hand start. Starts were the order of the day, Nat pushed me over in race 2, getting me back for pushing him over yesterday. Returned and fought hard to get back to a second inching Eric on the line. Sorry dude but I needed it! Wind built to a nice 15 - 18 again and sunshine, Nat almost taking the win, coming downwind on the pressure of the day. The morning group foil tuning seemed to have paid off at least for Eric, he was really pushing it and almost won the last race. Ended up with 1,2,1,1,2,1,1 so was pretty happy but my starboard to port gybe, wow that was bad. Even manged to turtle on one gybe chasing Nat in the second race. Think I am being a bit too timid and need to drive the boat round the turn. Always something to work on. Funnily enough I seemed to have nailed my port to starboard. Its a strange ol world! Still awesome fun weekend and a ton of sailing. Nice to sail with Dan and Eric, they are going to be tough competition in a few months.

Back to the beginning: Santa Barbara Skiff Fest day 1.

2010-05-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Last year this was my first event on US soil, well ocean. I'd learnt to sail the Moth, sort of, in Sydney and had relocated with work to SoCal. Boat arrived, we still weren't members of a club saw the event on the Inter Web and thought, well its a skiff festival, must be Moths. Well got that wrong, last year I was the only Moth in a hoard of I14s and 29ers. This year we're more organised and Nat, Eric, and Dan ( who drove down from San Fran) are rewarded with awesome conditions. Given its been a year, I'm pretty happy. Standard of my sailing and racing has really improved, I've been to my first Worlds, got a new boat, been through several rigs and settings, and just had a blast in this awesome class. Roll on the next 12 months, yeehaa>

Now our normal service will be resumed and back to the racing.

The June gloom, gave way to sunshine as we sailed out and we were on foils from the getgo. Dana ran a tight program in building breeze and well/ chop. Wind steadied at 15 - 18s, and we cranked out three races. I managed a 1,2,1 with Nat, 2,1,2 and Dan and Eric catching up fast as they get used to their boats. My new foil worked really well on old settings until wind built but managed to find a new setting quickly and ground it out in the third race. My gybing was awful, I don't think I pulled one off during the races despite have a great practice on the way out. Practice practice practise tomorrow. Very strange only having 3 races after 4 months of 4 - 6 races at events, quite relaxed really. Back on the schedule tomorrow.

Best Moth Trailer in the World pt 2: Does my Ass Look Big with this Trailer

2010-05-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

OK, 6ft by 10ft by 36" turned out to be massive. See pic 1! Quick re think and the use of the grinder and its now down to 18" high, see pic 2. Looks much better and still has awesome storage, now I won't be towing someting the size of a family caravan around behind me. Vic has made a really sweet mounting system on the lid as well so all cool. Will be a few more weeks before it's finished.

Even better news my foil and push rod have arrived so I'm back in business for this weekends Skiff Fest in Santa Barbara so no more tangential posts. Normal service will be resumed!

The Best Moth Trailer in the World

2010-05-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

As I sit here patiently waiting for my new front horizontal and push rod (more later), I thought I'd share my new trailer design with y'all Mothistas.

Genesis of this has been Marty's trailer back in Sydney, but the real catalyst was the weight of the dolly on the new Mach 2. Currently Liz and I lift boat onto roof rack of our Honda Element. Easy with the Bladerider but much much harder with the Mach 2. Much complaining from Liz and a few idle hours on a flight and the design was born! Took me a few weeks to find Vic at Bear Trailer Sports who was willing to take on the challenge of fabricating this for me. Many many conversations and photos later, especially trying to explain what a Moth was, and the trailer is part complete. Key specs are 6ft by 10ft by 24ins deep. Top opening with ability to open lid with Moth on already. It will also have the ability to add on a "double decker" so I can take 2 Moths. The boat goes for a fitting on Monday morning before trailer goes for powder coat. Pics Monday where I get to see if what I designed on paper comes to reality.

Back to the sailing front, was nice to take a few weekends off after a very busy 4 months, but now I am pinning for the boat. Talked to Amac last week and foil and push rod have left Melbourne on Tuesday for Sydney where my Nano 4 will be added to package and the whole lot shipped to LA. I really really hope this all arrives before the Santa Barbara skiff fest next weekend. I have a bodge for the broken foil and push rod just in case but it really won't be pretty! Hopefully I won't be posting pics of it!

Liz is complaining about how many rigs I now have, as I attempt to do a Bora / George multi sail spar combo thing. There's a North V8 and Southern Spars mast for sale :)

Exit All directions

2010-05-07T17:31:00.001-07:00

Final photo from the sequence above..... good times!

That Start. Junior goes Down Town

2010-05-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

There's been some real enthusiasm for Port tack starts recently. Need to get to the right hand side of course? Tacking a Moth is risky and slow unless you really have your foiling tacks dialled in. What better than fire it up on port with 30 secs to go, blast down the line and look for the gap, be first to the favoured side, especially in Long Beach. What could be better right? Well if your timing is slightly off, and in Moths we are talking by say 2 - 5 seconds, and the starboard tack foilers are pushing the pin equally aggressively you get the above sequence.... Awesome to watch if not a bit scary. Closing speeds on opposite tacks would be around 25ish knots. One touch and we would be picking a million carbon pieces out of the ocean. Full marks to Junior for giving it a go, but kudos to Adam who really pulls it off (BR in shot s2, 3 and 4).

8 sutures and a nice cup of tea

2010-04-25T17:00:00.001-07:00

"Let's just pop out for a quick mountain bike". Guess Thursday night was going to be prophetic. Arrived late, rode further than we anticipated, and it was butt a** cold. At the top of the last long descent with the sun setting, Liz took a dive over the handlebars. Nice puncture wound from the brake lever (I thought they weren't supposed to do that) in her thigh. Now its getting dark and we still have 5 miles to go. Fortunately we had a trained paramedic with us. Cut the shorts, take a quick look, wow that's really deep, tell her it's just a scratch. pad, and tap it all together some how, ride back and drive to hospital. 8 stitches later, (she freaked when she knew how deep it was :)) and we realise this ain't the NHS. Doctor did the suturing, everyone seemed to care, and we were in and out in 2 hours. Pic is of my smokin' hot wife's lily whites with the cut pre suture!

Once I get my foil back from Amac, in about 10 days I hope, normal service will be resumed and we'll be back on Moths. Till then you'll have to put up with what ever adventure we're currently on.

Thursday Grind: Bora perfects "no hands" gybe

2010-04-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Now he has perfected the "no hands" gybe, Bora is rumored to be getting rid of the tiller assembly.

Asked for comments Bora stated "its intuitive".

Remember you heard it hear first

EPIC

2010-04-18T22:04:00.001-07:00

Long Beach saved the best to last. Day started off pretty light, marginal foiling. Half the fleet went to the wrong mark, yes the further one. Zack called it right (why didnt I listen) and aced it. The breeze switched off for about 30 mins then built and built, coming in pretty steady at 20++ for last race. The bear away at the top mark was of epic proportions, especialy as we had to dodge the Cal 20 fleet to get down range. The Velocitek was nailed at 25 knots the whole way, very bumpy but the boat held on. Nailed the gybe, don't know how and seeent it for the finish gate! Slight misunderstanding with the coach boat and I lost 2 inch off the tip of my foil, plus the push rod. Tried to sail in, and no you cant sail a Moth with out a flap. Really happy with the regatta, club loved it as did the Moth class. Came 7th and very happy with my light wind speed, still needs work higher up the range but it will come.

Consumate performance and new Cal State Champion Bora Gulari with a very polished performance in all conditions.

Man of the match, Charlie McKee. Leaves his boat with Committee boat, sails a juniors boat in, comes back and sails his boat in, all in 20knots ++

MVP, Zack Maxam, getting better every second!

Results

1) Bora

2) Zack

3) Charlie

Rest will be posted on Sailing Anarchy / Scuttlebut / Moth class web site

6s and 7s

2010-04-17T22:28:00.001-07:00

Long Beach really turned it on today. 6 races in a building breeeze which top out around 20 knots for last two races. Really happy with my boat speed and handling scoring a series of 6 thru 8. Not reulst up yet but Bora is leading, chased by Charlie. I just need to cut down on the silly mistakes and be much more accurate with lay lines. The sail in was wild with the usual standing waves in the channel mouth.... more later

Day 1 ABYC regatta Welcome to the Dark Side

2010-04-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a name change to up the sperm count! Sitting around the table after an awesome sail and the regatta has been re christened. This is now the California State Championships.!

We just need to remember to tell everyone else!

Today was all about find the boat containers, unpack, remember what the hell was in them, rig and go for a sail. Wind cooperated with a 18 -20. Classic Long Beach. We set a windward leeward tucked up under the break water, smoking fast, think I saw 23 ish at one point down range. Ran about 4 or 5 races, Bora was fast and lead, then swapped boats with Charlie, where he was fast and led! About 8 of us out, all close competition. Nat going super fast in his Cinchillazilla up against the Mach 2 armada, Bates and Matt representing Bladerider. New Mach 2 is fast enough, and very stable, but I need to sail the right way and stop making stupid handling mistakes. But he ho the gybes and foiling tacks are coming on well.

We also ran a demo, 5 guys foiling for first time. Just awesome to see them all foil in quite tough conditions for first timers. Think Ive lost my voice from shouting "Sit forward" very hard to break the dinghy habit of sitting back the faster you go.... Still recon they are hooked.... Welcome to the dark side !

My legs ache

2010-04-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

OK off Moth topic but on Sunday we rode Stage 8 of the Amgen Tour of California, a tough 63 miles and about 5000ft of climbing with two climbs up the fabled "Rock Store " climb. This was to support the "Breaking Away from Cancer " charity. All this after about 4 hours in the boat on Saturday. Rode another 53 miles today as I get ready for the amateur race on the same stage during the Tour itself. Yes its official my legs ache! On the way home thought I'd take the easy way out a call Liz to pick me up before the final climb to our house. My wonderful wife was there waiting, great, bike in the back, turn the key, battery dead. F*ck! Phone towing service, bike out, leave Liz with car, ride rest of way home, legs now killing me and on the verge of bonking, Liz gets jump start, takes car to garage, pick her up in my car, come home, legs still aching like hell, now really hungry, eat and going to bed! Only hope this will help me for the up coming three days of hike like hell racing that is a Moth regatta...

Su Su Seventeen

2010-04-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

With the ABYC regatta coming up next weekend looks like we will have around 17 entries, way more than we anticipated when we set out on the venture to build the class at ABYC. Nat has made a sterling effort to marshal the club, and the club are really behind us in pulling this together. The demo day on Friday will be pretty interesting and we're keen to see if we can hook a few more into buying Moths. There are some really well sorted out boats around at the moment but boy they are selling fast.

Long range forecast looks a bit ho hum, good Friday but easing pressure through weekend. But forecasts are forecasts, yesterday was supposed to be good, 12 - 15s, but end up a gusty and shifty 8 - 10. That was no where in the forecast. First boats should be out around Thursday, I'll be there from Friday.

Nice 13 knots in 8 knots of breeze yesterday.....

End of an era

2010-04-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Well my beloved Black Pearl has finally left the building. She was sold before the Worlds and has gone to a new home up in Seattle, fortunately to a keen Mothy!. Loads of adventures together as I learnt to foil in this boat. She took me from the beginning in Balmoral Sydney, through the move to LA, and final to a great campaign at the 2010 Dubai Worlds. The list of mods was waaay too long to list. and as all Bladerider owners know, the hours of boat work were endless but tons of fun. All the learning has now been transferred to "Deus ex Machina" my new Mach 2. The boats gone but the spirit lives on.

I was reading one of Simon's recent posts about growing the class through inexpensive X8s. This has to be the way to go. If you're new to the class, buying a well sorted strong as an ox X8 has to be the way to do it. They are competitive enough and whilst not quite as fast as a well sailed Mach 2, until you can foiling gybe and tack faultlessly and under pressure, you wont know the difference.

So here's your chance if you live in SoCal. Our first ever Moth regatta at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach will be weekend of 17th 18th April. There will be a demo day on Friday 16th. There are several well sorted and clean Bladeriders for sail and a couple will be here for the regatta. Stolen from motor racing world.....

"Demo Friday, race Saturday"...

See you there

First attempt at on board photos

2010-04-03T19:55:00.001-07:00

First attempts at on board photography. I don t think Thierry Martinez has anything to worry about quite yet. Still builds the skills of sailing with one hand....

Great day at Long Beach, nicely coupled with an, lets say, unusal boat set up. By the time I realized I had waaay too much AoA, I was pretty beat. Blowing about 15 - 20s, coupled with teh Long Beach power boat chop, and I had monster height, which of course led to the usual large crashes. First time I have ever been able to stand a Moth on its nose, with me still in the hiking straps. Figured out best set up was use the back hole on the case, reducing AoA, and making the boat much faster and predictable. Found my boat sspeed in several long up winds with Nat in the very rapid Chinchilazilla. Games came to an early end after Nat down hauled the mast through the top of his sail, well Karl's sail. Only 1 more V6 to go! Regaining the channel was no easy feat as it was starting to blow by this stage and the chop more confused than ever. Awesome foil, sending it straight down the channel in flaaat water!

I've Finally Given In

2010-04-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

OK so this is the first blog. Going to the Worlds in Dubai has driven this. After 18 months of Mothing, being a member of the original Blog Free Zone, Balmoral Sailing Club, I've given in and started a blog. Plan is to focus on being a mid pack Moth sailor with aspiration. As Bora says, "want to sail slow, start a blog". Here goes. Hope I can find out how to get back in....