Yet more TISC training, with Dave, Andy, Hugh and Glen

So five 300s on the water yesterday for a training session out of TISC.  Tim Weedon was also thought to be joining us, but the threat of rain (and the lack of a 300) must have put him off!  This week is a low tide weekend, but the lightish winds and muddy slip didn't put us off and we were on the water by 13:00 or so.

In emails earlier in the week, Hugh had suggested that we organise ourselves better for the training, and try to understand what we are going to do before we got onto the water.  A great idea, and this session ended up being focused on starting and 'mini-races' with a gate start. 

Unfortunately my tiller extension separated from the tiller after sailing for 10 minutes - much to the amusement of my 300 colleagues ("I thought your boat was well maintained Mark ho ho ho") - and I had to return to shore to bodge it back together with gaffer tape.  The extension had been fixed to the tiller using stainless self tappers into aluminium, corrosion had inevitably rotted the aluminium and the screws pulled out.  Its all nicely bolted now.

Anyway, I thought one of our mini-races may be of interest.  I've picked the one when I was the gate boat, so as to see all the others.

Points of interest in the video:

- At 0:33 I'm warning Andrew that I've put hours into the finish on my hull and please can he control the frothiness and give some tolerance to the back of my boat.  Suffice to say that you would have needed a micrometer to measure the distance between the starter and the gate boat!
- At 2:45 you can see Andrew stick a great covering tack on Dave, no respect for the long standing members of the fleet!
- At 4:00 is the bear away at the top mark.  Very poor rounding from me (loss of boat speed), but interesting that no one else choose to keep as far left.

And some reflections for my training:

- Moving the outhaul pulley as close as possible to the mast has really helped offwind, as there is no friction to stop the main going out 90 degrees.  No need to continually play with the outhaul setting either.
- Upwind speed in the F2/3 was very similar across all boats and weights (I didn't feel slow, and everyone was broadly the same speed).  Downwind I think my lighter weight probably gave me an edge.  Reaching in the F3 Dave took masses out of me, when it died to a F2 on the way back in I seemed to have the edge.
- The boat needs re-waxing (inside) and I need boots with more grip, kept slipping.
- Short straps are great, but take some getting into after tacks.  Needs a couple of hours tacking practice with attention to foot placement.

Great to see Glen on the water, its a hefty learning curve and time on the water training is the easiest way to get up it.  Andy's boat speed has got to the point of being disrespectful to the established fleet, and will be getting no more tips!  He is threatening to sail some of the Chiller races in the 3, this can only be good news for an already competitive fleet!