Win a pair of sailing gloves. . .

Now that tropical storm Faye has moved north of Central Florida we are ready to get back to our normal routine. While many of you spent this past week assessing and cleaning up flood damage, I took the time to get rid of the clutter in my life. It is amazing how much junk collects over the years and how much 'stuff' can be crammed into a closet. Albeit most of the closets are now empty, with a vow to never pile one item on top of another, or one box in front of another, there are still odds and ends on my bookshelf, my kitchen counter, and end tables scattered about the house. Enough decluttering, it is time to get back into shape mentally and physically.

Having lost 15 pounds I am just beginning to feel spry again. Who knows maybe it will even give me the edge I need for sunfish competition. Speaking of competition, what have ya'll been doing to improve your sailing? Everyone on the Fast Lane Team joined as a volunteer committed to learning how to race. Learning to race is an ever evolving process. As soon as you figure out how to hook up the spinnaker pole, you are asked to anticipate when you will need it. An efficient foredeck crew doesn't wait for the skipper to bellow to the bowman to 'hoist the pole,' rather
the foredeck crew learns to watch the wind and be aware of when the boat will be turning to a downwind tract. How do you that?

Watch the windvane. . . On the upwind leg the foredeck spends their time (a) skirting the jib as part of the tacking maneavers, (b) watches for puffs (c) takes bearings on other boats and the marks and (d) looks up at the wind vane. On the upwind leg the windvane points nearly parallell to the boat; the pointed end toward the bow and the wider end toward the stern. As the boat is turned off the wind (onto a reach) the wind vane lies perpendicular to the boat. In other words the pointed end points toward the port or starboard side of the boat with the wider end of the windvane pointing toward the opposite port or starboard side. Then, when the boat is headed downwind, the pointed end of the windvane points aft (or toward the stern, with the wider end of the windwave toward the bow.

Here's a contest: The first gal to draw a picture of the three angles of the windvane - upwind, reaching and downwind will win a brand new pair of sailing gloves. Send your pix via e-mail or
snail mail, or present to your boat captain.

Quit reading and start drawing. . . .