Must get out more...

Having last gone to the Moth Nationals in 1991, this year’s event at Stone SC – what a great club - was always going to be interesting.  Most surprising was how sweet-smelling the fleet were, courtesy of product sponsorship from Enliven

My account is not one of tales of daring do at the sharp end of the fleet, but more the experiences of a relative newcomer. The race reports are out there already.  And, yes, there were plenty of sharp sailors from around Europe sailing well sorted boats to a very high level.  The seasoned and serious UK Moth Squad were finding that edge for the forthcoming Worlds, but at my end of the fleet the Police Squad were having plenty of fun.  We don’t all sail or do the gym every day – I certainly can’t with 60 hour working weeks and three small children!

The first day had winds from 20 knots to not enough knots and showed me quite quickly how limited it is learning Moth sailing in isolation from others.  I just couldn’t get enough height or speed and found myself struggling to keep up - much more than I had expected.

By chance I’m reading Ben Ainslie’s autobiography at the moment and he describes his struggle on his first day’s Olympic racing in Savannah in 1996.  Whereas he had trained in the hot and humid conditions for 45 minutes at a time before pausing, full-on racing left even him exhausted.  I can equate with that – I’ve tended to go out for an hour at a time, then chill on the beach for an hour before another session (if time permits).  Three back to back races meant this was the first time I had spent over four hours straight on the water.  Discussions with my friend and heart surgeon colleague Raj Jutley about "Precision Hydration", which he has pioneered in motorsport, were most helpful.

The most pleasing aspect of the day was the low-ride soak (like the good old days!) across the tide  to the finish of race 3, overtaking several boats (but only to find all were a lap ahead… )

So I was glad to enjoy the enforced lay-day of Day 2.  I’m most grateful to Ricky Tagg for measuring my boat, but the real value of the Moth Class was shown by the efforts of Team Ninja to sort out my "issues".  Whereas I had drilled the pivot points in my Oligario Stik wand in the corresponding place from my old block, the angle and spacing were wrong.  After changing that, I had to redrill the horizontal pushrod (ok it’s a pull rod in a Ninja!)  link, lengthening the pushrod itself, polish the rod end, shorten the ride height adjuster slightly and increase the spacing of the Stik from the hull…  All of this took much discussion, stripping, altering, fitting, more discussion and refitting several times to get right.  Massive thanks are owed to Richard Westbury, Leigh Albrecht, Paul Hignett, Alex Koukourakis, Neil Baker, Ben Paton, Mike Cooke, Phil Oligario and others for their advice and assistance.  The end result was much less friction, much more wand travel and more appropriate gearing.

Day 3 dawned windy and bumpy, as documented elsewhere.  When, eventually, we went out, it was on my limit: I spent a while in the drink re-tying my wand retaining line on the way down to the start, which then I missed.  Conditions were a little to challenging to expend much concentration on the wand set-up. As I had to return home that evening, I called it a day after a few spectacular wipe outs.  In retrospect, I think I had underestimated how much I should have dropped the ride height to gain better control - I could have done better.

My goals were reached: I had only had time for four 1 hour outings this year so to complete my first foiling races - three back to back - on day one ticked one box.  To learn stacks more about boat set-up was tremendously valuable.  To meet old and new friends was great.  But what is most important for newcomers is to realise that there is huge value in attending class events. There is so, so much to learn from Mothies who are willing to give.

Back at Ogston this last weekend, there was opportunity to test the system settings properly. There was enough wind to hit the low 20’s with ease and much more control and comfort than before. Time to be able to start experimenting.  Several proper foiling gybes too, remembering advice offered at Stone. Then the usual Ogston limitations surfaced – forced into manoeuvres when not quite ready due to lack of space, 30 degree windshifts, invisible gusts and deep holes.

So I must resolve to get out more: try and find time to get to events; train longer without breaks; get out on the bumpy stuff.  Roll on summer hols in Abersoch, just ten days away…