Report - Orange Bowl Clinic

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Madoka Hamlin

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Dec 30, 2022, 11:58:40 PM12/30/22
to international-laser-clas...@googlegroups.com
Hi everyone!
Hope you all are having a great holiday season!

I was mostly in FL this month -  for D13 regatta, clinic, and then just finished Orange Bowl Regatta today.

I wrote some notes, so sharing that here.
Still not a great writer like Mr. Al Sargent, but I have been working on it!

OrangeBowl Clinic (4days)

Location: Key Biscayne YC
Date: December 20-23, 2022

1st Day

Sailing time: 12:45 ~ 16:30

Drills:
4 min rolling starts w/ every 3rd start as a short race
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Wind - Started with oscillating wind, then started to shift to the right. Then, because of the clouds, the left became extremely favored. About 8-12 during normal, 4-6 in lulls, and 14 knots in puffs.
Current - First, it started with an angle that pushed us right to left on the start. Then, because the wind shifted, it started to push us below the line. But, the current switched and started going out again.
Waves - Very mild waves, only a few were surfable in the ILCA 4.
Clouds - In the beginning, there weren’t many clouds, and it was sunny. Throughout the day, more clouds came in, and they became dark. It started to rain a little, and the wind got puffy.

Overview:
The biggest thing today was watching the clouds and shifts. I was able to be in the top of all the races because I was able to watch the clouds and predict how much and where the wind was. 
On the starts, I tried many approaches (at the boat, in the middle, at the pin, port tack) and was able to learn a few things about holding my spot, and when to abandon the spot. I constantly trimmed my sail, backwinded, crabbed (?), and drifted using my centerboard to protect my spot on the line, and I was able to get a better feel for it.

Image.jpeg


2nd Day

Sailing time: 12:30 ~ 17:30

Drills: (same as yesterday)
4 min rolling starts w/ every 3rd start as a short race
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Clouds - Dark rain clouds -> moving towards 100
               Puffy clouds -> moving towards 230
               Thin clouds -> moving towards 330
Wind direction - Started at 50, moved to 60-70
Wind velocity - It was 3-8 knots throughout the day. It started at around 6 knots, gradually died to about 3, then picked back up to 8, then died again to about 5 knots by 17:00.
Start - At the first race, the start line was at a 320 degrees from boat to pin end.
Waves - None/very slight chop
Current - Because the wind was lighter today, the current was affecting us more. Throughout the entire day, the current was pushing us over the line.

Overview:
Today’s main focus in the clinic was goals and procedures during/at the start.
During the pre start, we need to think about pressure (where and how strong), current (where and how strong), the marks (where and favored), clouds (where, type, how it will affect), land (how it will affect wind), line bias, compass numbers (wind, current, clouds), the course (favored side, what course), and acceleration time (2 boat lengths away, 5 boat lengths away time).


image


image


Day 3

Sailing Time: 11:45 ~ 16:30

Drills:
3 min start, then sail short windward leeward about 5 laps
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Wind Direction - South direction the entire day.
Wind Velocity - In the morning was about 6-8 knots, in the afternoon it picked up to about 10-14 knots.
Current - Pushing us under the line about 1-2 boat lengths per minute.
Waves - Choppy, mediocre-big amount
Clouds - Not much clouds in the morning. Dark clouds on course right, clear skies on course left at around 13:00, stayed similar afterwards.



Overview:
Today’s main goal was boat handling (tacks and jybes)
During the roll tacks, trim the sail all the way, throw your shoulders out stronger, then duck the boom while still keeping your bottom further out. Then, cross the boat while pulling the rail with your main sheet hand. Do not switch hands yet! Next, jump into the hiking straps, switch hands quickly, then once the boat starts to flatten, quickly move your bottom close to the main sheet block. 
On the mark rounding, while doing the “hamster wheel” trim, roll the boat to gain a speed boost. Flatten while heading up, so it won’t be a yellow flag. Pump the sail a little bit when the boat is almost completely flattened.

image


Notes:
Maneuvers 
Tacks - Goal: Maintain speed
             Entry: Avoid ww heel before head-to-wind
             Cross: Grab rail, hook strap, ease sheet
             Exit: Do not overflatten!
             Too aggressive -> can shake air out of sail
Mark Rounding - Wide & Tight
                           “Hamster wheel” trim vs overhead

Day 4

Sailing time: 11:45 ~ 15:45

Drills:
4 min rolling starts w/ every 3rd start full outer loop (for 4.7, inner loop for radial)

Conditions:
Wind direction - Oscillating all day from 245-280 degrees, very shifty but not caused by clouds, rather the weird wind direction coming from land.
Wind velocity - Started at 10 knots, up to 14, down to 6, back up to 8, then down to 4-6 knots in the end. Very puffy across the course.
Current - About 2 boat lengths per minute pushing us below the line.
Clouds - Storm clouds above Key Biscayne, clear skies on the water, so didn’t affect us much.
Waves - Very choppy! About half to one boat length between the bigger waves, and the chop was tall and very frequent.

Overview:
Today’s goal was boat handling (trimming, body movements, tiller movements)
On the reach - When there is a boat behind, keep defending, attack when possible. 
                          Keep the centerboard up when windy, it can be lower as the wind gets lighter.
On the upwind - Use the main sheet before anything else. Then, use the rudder a little bit to steer over the waves, but not too much so you don’t disturb the flow of the blades. Use the upper body accordingly, but don’t do useless movements, use strong movements less.



Talia Hamlin, USA 169388

On Dec 30, 2022, at 12:16, Al Sargent <asar...@stanfordalumni.org> wrote:


Yes, Andron and I are going.

On Fri, Dec 30, 2022 at 10:49 AM Kathleen Cornetta <katie.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
Anyone interested in sailing Sunday out of ACSC?

Katie

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Discussion forum for International Laser Class Association - - ---District 24, covering northern California and Nevada. Topics should include all things (ILCA) Laser and not idle chit chat which should be taken offline from this forum. This site is rated PG.
To join this group, email international-laser-class-ass...@googlegroups.com
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Takayanagi Toshinari

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Jan 10, 2023, 5:15:09 PM1/10/23
to Madoka Hamlin, David Lapier, international-laser-clas...@googlegroups.com
Thank you very much Talia for the very informative clinic notes! It took me a while to come back and read this though. 

I have a question about the clouds for Talia and other D24 sailors; You repeatedly mentioned about the “clouds" in this note, but I never thought about the clouds when racing and I have been having no idea about how the clouds affect the wind or the relationship between the clouds and the winds. So, my question is: How the clouds affect the winds?  I remember David was also mentioning about the clouds after some race (was that the one in RYC?), but I perhaps could not understand his point and I forgot what David was talking about.

Thanks,
Toshi



On Dec 30, 2022, at 20:57, Madoka Hamlin <madoka...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everyone!
Hope you all are having a great holiday season!

I was mostly in FL this month -  for D13 regatta, clinic, and then just finished Orange Bowl Regatta today.

I wrote some notes, so sharing that here.
Still not a great writer like Mr. Al Sargent, but I have been working on it!

OrangeBowl Clinic (4days)

Location: Key Biscayne YC
Date: December 20-23, 2022

1st Day

Sailing time: 12:45 ~ 16:30

Drills:
4 min rolling starts w/ every 3rd start as a short race
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Wind - Started with oscillating wind, then started to shift to the right. Then, because of the clouds, the left became extremely favored. About 8-12 during normal, 4-6 in lulls, and 14 knots in puffs.
Current - First, it started with an angle that pushed us right to left on the start. Then, because the wind shifted, it started to push us below the line. But, the current switched and started going out again.
Waves - Very mild waves, only a few were surfable in the ILCA 4.
Clouds - In the beginning, there weren’t many clouds, and it was sunny. Throughout the day, more clouds came in, and they became dark. It started to rain a little, and the wind got puffy.

Overview:
The biggest thing today was watching the clouds and shifts. I was able to be in the top of all the races because I was able to watch the clouds and predict how much and where the wind was. 
On the starts, I tried many approaches (at the boat, in the middle, at the pin, port tack) and was able to learn a few things about holding my spot, and when to abandon the spot. I constantly trimmed my sail, backwinded, crabbed (?), and drifted using my centerboard to protect my spot on the line, and I was able to get a better feel for it.

<Image.jpeg>


2nd Day

Sailing time: 12:30 ~ 17:30

Drills: (same as yesterday)
4 min rolling starts w/ every 3rd start as a short race
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Clouds - Dark rain clouds -> moving towards 100
               Puffy clouds -> moving towards 230
               Thin clouds -> moving towards 330
Wind direction - Started at 50, moved to 60-70
Wind velocity - It was 3-8 knots throughout the day. It started at around 6 knots, gradually died to about 3, then picked back up to 8, then died again to about 5 knots by 17:00.
Start - At the first race, the start line was at a 320 degrees from boat to pin end.
Waves - None/very slight chop
Current - Because the wind was lighter today, the current was affecting us more. Throughout the entire day, the current was pushing us over the line.

Overview:
Today’s main focus in the clinic was goals and procedures during/at the start.
During the pre start, we need to think about pressure (where and how strong), current (where and how strong), the marks (where and favored), clouds (where, type, how it will affect), land (how it will affect wind), line bias, compass numbers (wind, current, clouds), the course (favored side, what course), and acceleration time (2 boat lengths away, 5 boat lengths away time).


<image.png>


<image.png>


Day 3

Sailing Time: 11:45 ~ 16:30

Drills:
3 min start, then sail short windward leeward about 5 laps
Twice around windward leeward 30 min race

Conditions:
Wind Direction - South direction the entire day.
Wind Velocity - In the morning was about 6-8 knots, in the afternoon it picked up to about 10-14 knots.
Current - Pushing us under the line about 1-2 boat lengths per minute.
Waves - Choppy, mediocre-big amount
Clouds - Not much clouds in the morning. Dark clouds on course right, clear skies on course left at around 13:00, stayed similar afterwards.



Overview:
Today’s main goal was boat handling (tacks and jybes)
During the roll tacks, trim the sail all the way, throw your shoulders out stronger, then duck the boom while still keeping your bottom further out. Then, cross the boat while pulling the rail with your main sheet hand. Do not switch hands yet! Next, jump into the hiking straps, switch hands quickly, then once the boat starts to flatten, quickly move your bottom close to the main sheet block. 
On the mark rounding, while doing the “hamster wheel” trim, roll the boat to gain a speed boost. Flatten while heading up, so it won’t be a yellow flag. Pump the sail a little bit when the boat is almost completely flattened.

<image.png>

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