Racing Primer Chapter VI    by   Guy R. 
     Last time I talked about efficiency to weather, finding The Groove and the futility of pinching  when you're looking for Velocity Made Good.  Sailing = Good.  Pinching = Bad.
     That brings us to the other frustrating aspect of the weather leg:  When do I make that final tack on the layline to the weathermark?  Go too soon and you'll need to tack twice more. Wait too long and you'll be sailing farther and longer than you needed.  When do I go? 
     On longboards, (which nowadays means only really light, puffy, shifty winds...) it's a good idea to stay near the middle of the course. This means stay pretty much downwind of the weathermark and try not to stray too far to one side or the other.  This allows you to take advantage of shifts and puffs that will in turn let you sail a shorter course.  An extra tack or two may often be worth it.  I usually make it a point to look over my shoulder for a landmark every single time I make a tack, whether I'm racing or not.  This is good advice in general, because it also ensures I will see anyone coming before we collide.  Specifically, though, it allows me to confirm my intuition/judgement about where I can expect to point after the tack. I can usually lay a point directly perpendicular to my longboard, or a little higher in steady wind. 
     Shortboards can't achieve or maintain the same high pointing angles, and so they are more vulnerable to shifts and especially lulls.  I  almost always seem to be wrong when I get cute and cut it too close.  A bad tack and you're toast!  Generally, I measure it like this: Sail as high as you can (without pinching... see Chapter 5!).  Look behind you.  See your wake?  It makes a "Vee" with the point at your fin, right?  Depending on your speed, it makes roughly a 30-degree angle between the windward leg of  the V and the Leeward leg of the V.  Use the shape of the V to "visually measure" another 30 degrees upwind and look in that direction over your shoulder behind you and upwind of you.  (You'll have to crane your neck WAY over to do this...)  You should be able to fetch anything downwind of the angle you just measured.  Tack (or jibe) and see if that's right.  Practice repeatedly until you just intuitively know what you can and cannot reach every time you tack.  That helps build confidence, avoid fatigue from premature transitions, and generally makes you a better sailor...Which is the point of racing.

Editor's Puffs:   by Roy Tansill
The February monthly meeting was one to remember.  It may turn out to be an important night for boardheads across the entire country as the club and E.M. Marketing’s Elaine Motl got together and agreed to reincarnate the U.S. Open Committee.  Its been more than a few years since this body has functioned and during that time we’ve all put the burden on Elaine and Gary to do the overwhelming majority of the planning and operating of this major annual event.  Without their persistence and belief in the Open’s importance to Corpus Christi, the event might have become a memory years ago.  Everyone who has enjoyed the Open owes the E.M. Marketing crew, especially Elaine and Gary thanks for keeping it going (even when they lost money doing so). 
      Non racing sailors who, for various reasons, think racing is meaningless have to concede that it is racing that promotes most of the advances we all enjoy in our gear.  For example, the wider boards we now are able to plane on in light winds were initially designed for racing  and were at the Open before the first Technos ever scooted across the Laguna Madre.  Likewise, all the efforts that have gone into leech twist and tip vortex design were tested initially on the race course.  Competition is important to all types of sailors but racing in particular is important to any of us who have learned to enjoy speed.  I’ve never raced in a big ‘event’ but I have thoroughly enjoyed just being at every one I’ve attended. 
     Can the U.S. Open be better- you bet; despite all of the participants’ high praises’ even a good thing can be improved.  The Open Committee’s input and efforts, along with Elaine et al’s professional know how, can expand the Open into much more than it has been.  The CCWA membership will make up  most of the Committee.  It is important that it be made up of non racers as well as those who do race so we can produce an Open with a broader appeal for all.  There will certainly be room for others (non CCWA)as well. 
     The stated purpose of the CCWA is to promote windsurfing;  is there a better venue available to us than the internationally known Open?  This year, as in the past, the Open will need volunteers for setting up and helping with the operation and even the tear down.  Also this year, by the early Fall,  we’ll need more volunteers to form the Committee which will help make the 2001 U.S. Open  the best its ever been.  Of course there’s no need to wait until the Fall to think about what can be improved, expanded or deleted and if you’ve never been involved why not volunteer your services this year and get a feel for what its about- its about windsurfing which we all enjoy. 

2000WINDSURFING SERIES  by: Nick Antrobus 
The 2000 Whataburger Windsurfing Series will be held on Corpus Christi Bay.  There will be six days of Course/Slalom Racing held at Cole Park, one day will be incorporated into the U.S. Open.  There will be two fleets;  the Open fleet and Sport fleet.  Both fleets will have a women's division. The Open fleet may be subdivided into divisions (such as Techno, Formula 3-1, Novice, etc.) if a quorum of participant racers so elect on the first day of racing.  All the divisions of the fleet will race together round the same courses.  It is anticipated that when the minimum wind speed (9 knots for 30 seconds) for Course racing prevails Course racing will be started.  At the Race Director's discretion, if resources allow, and when the sustained wind speed exceeds 20 knots, the race format may be changed to Downwind Slalom Racing. The Open Fleet Skipper's Meeting will be held each day at 1 p.m. with the first race starting no sooner than 2 p.m. The Sport fleet will sail reaching out-and-back races.  The Sport Fleet Skipper's Meeting will be held each day at 3 p.m. with the first race starting no sooner than 4 p.m. 
SCHEDULE 
March 25          Race # 1     May 13   Race # 4 
April 15            Race # 2     May 27   Race # 5 (within the US Open) 
April 29            Race # 3     June 10   Race # 6 
Awards Party   June 24 
AGE GROUPS 
Each division, including the Sport Fleet, will be divided into the following age groups:   Open   Any age,   Masters 35 to 44 years,  Grand Masters  45  and over 
AWARDS 
Awards will be given to approximately the top 60%  in each age group for overall series placing. 
SCORING 
Each Race will consist of a number of heats on that day.  Fleet scoring will be used.  In order to be counted in a race a racer must finish at least one heat.  Each division will be ranked on the total of their fleet points.  Race directors will be awarded Race points equal to their best Race score for the Race which they direct. The overall placing for each division in the 2000 Whataburger Series will be based on the lowest sum of the points for four days of racing.  In order to be eligible for the series placing a racer must compete in at least four days racing. 
SAIL NUMBERS 
A number or emblem must be affixed to each sail.  It shall be at least 6 inches high and readable from both sides of the sail. 
FEES 
Open fleet Season Pass (includes Race Tee Shirt) CCWA Member $80, Non-member $110.  One Race CCWA Member $20, Non-member $25.  Sport fleet Season Pass (includes Race Tee Shirt) CCWA Member $20, Non-member $30.  One Race CCWA Member $5, Non-member $6. 

2000 WHATABURGER RACE SERIES RESULTS

Race #1,  March 25

Open Fleet

Name C Greenslit John J Ernst Olivier Jallais Guy Racette Jan Hoogland Zing Phil Keyserlingk Skip Johnson Jon Bright Nick Antrobus Jay Hutchins Kurt V- Rueden David Cothran Jennifer Racette Kyle Krebs Pablo Arce Chris Marsh Chester Hulme Sail # WY-5 US-1166 CC-TX CC-111 VH US-097 Bib 115 US-660 CC-4 K-111 H US-430 US-TXT CC-111 US-459 Bib 168 Bib 55 CC-8 Heat 1 0.7 3 2 4 5 6 7 8 20-to 9 12 10 13 14 20 15 11 20 Heat 2 0.7 19-to 2 4 3 5 7 8 6 11 9 12 20 14 10 15 20 19  Heat 3 0.7 4 2 3 6 5 7 20-to 9 10 11 20-to 20-to 8 20 20 20 19  Heat 4 0.7 2 5 3 4 11-to 6 7 8 15-to 14 12 9 13 10 20 20 19  Heat 5 0.7 2 3 4-to 5 6 7 9 8 12 20-to 10 11 20-to 20 20 20 19 Heat 6 0.7 2 5 3 7-to 4 8-to 9 6 13 12 14 11 15 10 20 20 19 Heat 7 0.7-to 3 20-to 2 5 4 7 6 19 13 11 12 8 10 20-to 20-to 20-to 20-to Total Pts 4.2 16 19 19 28 30 41 47 56 68 69 70 72 74 90 110 111 115 Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Notes:  1) "to" means thrown out   2) Did Not Finish scored 19   3) Did Not Start scored 20   OPEN                        MASTERS                        GRAND MASTERS 1 Craig Greenslit         1 Guy Racette                      1 Jan Hoogland 2 J Jay Ernst                2 Zing                                  2 Nick Antrobus 3 Olivier Jallais            3 Philip Von Keyserlingk      3 Jay Hutchins  WOMEN 1 Jennifer Racette

The Coastal Bend Gets a Speed Ditch    by  Roy Tansill 
The insert stuffed hastily into last month’s CURRENTS  was the announcement of the grand opening of Sunset Lake Park in Portland.  I had received a call from Naismith Engineering the day after getting the issue printed requesting CCWA support at the opening.  It turned out that the caller was actually a DuPont employee, one of several corporate sponsors (Koch Refinery also), and what they wanted was a gaggle of windsurfers, kayaks, canoes, even small sailboats to provide a backdrop for the ceremonies.  The opening was promised to produce much media attention and a requisite crowd of politicians all wanting a backdrop of folks enjoying the new park.  I browsed the two flyers noting how things seem to have changed.  A coalition of politicians and corporate big wigs built this park and their brochure read as if Green Peace had written it.  No motor driven craft allowed on the lake (excluding needed emergency/police vehicles), birding trails, wade fishing.  Being very suspicious of the above two groups I had to admit that they did a good job regardless of their motivation. 
     Sunset Lake is potentially a fine speed sailing site.  Its rather narrow but you could leisurely jibe or tack a long board from the middle third of the lake.  It’s depth was said to be 12’ in the middle and the banks drop off nicely making beach starts possible three short board lengths from shore regardless of the fin length.  The lake’s length runs NNE to SSW making the opening’s marginal SE 10-15 winds almost a beam reach either way along the lake’s length.  Nick Antrobus was the first to sale the park beating both Karl Schuler and I to the warm salt water.  After the opening, the only route into the park will be by taking a right at Moore Ave. after crossing the harbor bridge heading toward Portland.  Take the right on Moore continue east and you’ll see the signs directing you to the Park.  This place would be explosive in those early morning cold front accompanying  Northern winds.  The NE end of the lake does get shallow near its Eastern side  but the middle had plenty of depth.  The only amenities are a few spot-a-pots on the fringe of a paved parking area.  From this parking lot you’ll have to carry your gear to the beach (about 60’).  For the opening we were permitted to drive onto the broader area of beach but bollard's had to be removed to gain access- they were put back in place as I exited. 
     While we sailed, Commodore Chester negotiated with the park management to make the new park a half way point for a Whataburger long distance race and our new PR Officer, Barbara Antrobus, met all the media folks.  Its a nice addition to our sailing options, a speed ditch nearby Corpus- give it a try. 

ABK News
Freestyle Groups with Andy Brandt are being offered at select ABK Clinics. The cost of the freestyle clinics will be the same as regular ABK Clinics and will include:  Lectures on-land, on the water instruction, video analysis (run concurrently with ABK video but separate from the other groups), three lunches and one group dinner.  Contact ABK Sports for more information at 415.927.8835 or info@abksports.com.  Following is the spring and summer schedule for the camps where Andy's freestyle groups will be available:  April 14-16: Tallahassee, FL  May 4-6: Dewey Beach, DE May  12-14: Long Beach Island, NJ  May 26-28: Madison, WI  June 16-18: San Louis Reservoir, CA July 21-23: Rio Vista, CA Aug 11-13: Rio Vista, CA.  Possible topics will include:  Pirouette, Clew first waterstart Duck Jibe, Leeside Sailing, Board upside down waterstart, Carve 360, Helicopter Tack, Light wind tack, Reg. Nose Sink Tack, Willy Skipper, Monkey Jibe, Sail & Body 360, One-handed Jump, Reverse Monkey Jibe, Pivot 360, Table Top, Back-winded Planing Jibe, Duck Jibe, Butt Jibe, Vulcan, Planing Hoss Tack, Rail Ride, One-handed  Laydown, Planing Duck Tack, Heli on the Rail,  Spock, Back-winded Pivot, Jibe, Snap Jibe, Clew-first 360 Sail and Body, Everole 360, and much more- the list goes on and on. 
 

Windsurf Women Instructional Fair

Sponsored by: Windsurfing Magazine, Aerotech Sails, AboGear, Bic Sport, Bic Carib Center, Chinook Sailing Products, Coolcats Web Design, Crankin' Downhaul Tool, and Fiberspar

The 2000 U.S. Cellular US Open press release is on the US Open Page.

The cartoon is on the cartoons page.
 

In response to RACE ISM. 
     I must immediately come to the defense of my friend Guy Racette, author of the racing series. If you know Guy like I do, you will know that he is not elitist nor would ever imply that non - racers are somehow inferior. In fact he is also the author of the Biff cartoon, where he always takes the Mickey out of himself as Biff the dweeb racer. I know for a fact that he intends his articles to be informative for all levels of  sailor, and it is a definite truth that racing techniques help anyone become a better sailor. The day you find yourself out on the water in a tough situation having to get upwind in a rip tide in the surf, you will be glad you listened to his advice on going upwind.
     Now let's examine racing itself. If nobody ever pushed the envelope of performance we would still be sailing a 12ft board weighing 45 lbs with a bed sheet rigged on a fishing rod and wooden booms. This can be likened to auto racing where the technological developments trickle down to the cars we drive to go to work every day. 
     Guy and Jennifer have been the pillar of this club that held it up and together when it was floundering, and have devoted countless hours of their time not to mention their own money to keep the club going. Quite frankly when someone comes into town, stays a short while, then starts to complain about our club, it makes me see red. The simple answer to there being no other articles in the newsletter is to get off the hiney and write something. I look forward with great anticipation to learn where the conditions like a washing machine are, and what kind of things can be done there. I am hoping Tom can teach me how to do tabletop forwards and double push loops on a freestyle board. If you removed the race articles from the last newsletter you are left with a very thin newsletter. That would appear to be Tom's point, but nobody decides to print only race articles and toss the others. In fact there are no others. 
     The club attempts to put on all kind of events other than racing. Inevitably you find the same crowd organizing and supporting those events. You will always find Guy and Jennifer  there doing whatever they can. I really hope Tom can organize a freestyle event since he clearly thinks this is the way to go. I don't have a freestyle board, but I promise I will be there nonetheless. Also pay attention to Cliff Tudor's article about races as family affairs. I take my wife and children to the Texas State championships. This is not the most serious race that I go to, but it is among the best. It is really fun to camp out and share a barbecue with other windsurfing folks. They all get up and race and have fun no matter how serious they are. If Tom turned up at the Texas States, he might actually catch himself having fun. I was planning to try to keep the club informed about the goings on at TAWR 2000, but since it is billed as a race, maybe I had better not. 
Guy Miller (TX1). 

Dear Editor: 
     I read Tom's comments and concerns in the February newsletter.  If my Introduction to the series of articles on racing gave anyone the impression that I feel racers are somehow better than non-racers, I am deeply sorry.  This sport is too small to have any sort of divisive trends within it.  The fact, brothers and sisters, is that I enjoy ripping up a swell on a freeride 4-meter day as much as anyone.  Occasionally, however, I see sailors at Oleander struggling to stay upwind or doing the "walk of shame" back up from Cole Park. These folks are missing out on the fun you and I have windsurfing. Some of them might even quit.  That makes me want to help. 
     When I started sailing, my skills took some time in coming.  Part of the reason was that the equipment really, really stunk.  Part of it was that I'm a slow learner.  The pressure for manufacturers to improve today's equipment comes from racing.  In my case, the pressure to improve my skills came from racing, too.  Well, that and the pressure not to drown. 
     Fast-forward 1979-2000:  Like many sports clubs, elder CCWA members welcome newcomers and try to share with them the information, the fun, yes,even the passion we feel about our sport.  Since racing is what I know, it's my humble contribution to this exchange.  I know that racing isn't fun for everyone, but I believe that everyone can improve their skills faster through racing.  That doesn't make anyone who prefers not to race any less valuable as a member.  Anyone who says otherwise is itching for a fight. 
Good sailing! 
Guy Racette  CC-111 
                                                                     And Biff Sez... 
Tom Dude! 
Are you, like, getting too much caffeine or something?  Lighten up. 
Biff  CC-BB 

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