Laser Slalom?
This year I applied and got accepted to the St. Francis Yacht Club Heavy Weather Laser Slalom 2011. It took place August 3 and 4, 2011, The course is short, two parallel rows, four buoys each, starting in front of the yacht club and heading west for only about 200 yards. In other words, all the action is easily seen from the race deck or along the shore in front of the club. Thirty two of the World’s best Laser sailors competed in this double elimination series for the honor of joining the small pantheon of luminaries who can say they have won this event (Paul Cayard, Morgan Larson, John Kostecki and Tom Blackhaller to name a few).
The first day it blew 15-25+ knots, I had the unfortunate first round random pick against Scott Ferguson, two time defending Laser Master world champion and Oracle Racing's wing designer. The race was close, though he got the best of me in the last couple gybes to take the lead. My second round was against a local Junior sailing prodigy Joe Carter. By this round the wind was in the 25+ knot range and it turned into a carnage fest. I flipped two or three times and Joe went over two or three times that, the result was my victory! Whew! I made through the first day and made to the second day, my goal besides overall victory.
Day two started out nuking! 25+! My third round pick was a local Finn sailor and Opti coach Andy Casey. The race was close, and I managed to hold a slight lead going into the last downwind leg when a film crew boat threw me a huge wake which managed to flip me... I followed it up with a quick recovery only to find myself losing the round.
Overall it was an amazing experience, getting to hang out with 2 time gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe, Scott Ferguson and a bunch of the local legends. The overall victory went to East Coast Master Peter Shope.
Good Times! Check out the amazing video! http://www.sailingworld.com/brightcove_playlists/video/1117447013001
Wednesday Night Beer Cans with the 505!
This season I took the opportunity to race my 505 at the Wednesday Night Beer Cans at the Richmond Yacht Club. The competition consists of a couple other 505's various skiffs and about fifty or so keel boats ranging from Moore 24's to Farr 36's. Surprisingly we managed to finish in the top five in all but 2 of the 15 nights that we raced. This was a great opportunity to get my new crew Luther Strayer trained up in the insanity that is crewing on a 505, as well it was perfect for getting the boat dialed.
In my spare time.
Back in April my buddy Chris Larsen and I designed and launched a 1/15 scale (3 foot long) radio controlled model of the Americas Cup AC 45 Catamaran. It is fully functional with rudder control, sail controls, and wing camber controls. The construction of the hulls and wing are hot knife c and c foam with vacumn bagged carbon over the top. She weighs in at just over two pounds and is crazy fast. I am constantly tweaking it to make it perform better. I will post a video as soon as possible! Here is a recent pick to tide you over.
Delta Dinghy Ditch
This is a race for dinghy's that starts in the California Delta and goes thirty five miles up river to Sacramento's Lake Washington Sailing Club. this is the fourth time that I have participated in the race. I have done it twice in a laser and once before in my 505 where my wife and i set the Barn Door record. This year I chose to do it again in the 505. The fleet consisted of of a handful of 505's, some Lasers, FD's, Lightnings and a bunch of Thistles. This time around I picked up my one of my laser buddies Will Lowe to fill in as crew.
So there we were, it was blowing 5-7 knots and with the reverse handicap we started at the back of the pack, about an hour and a half after the first boat. Once we shook the other 505's and the FD we spent the rest of the day reeling in boats and passing them like they were anchored. After four plus hours we managed to just reel in all but two boats! We finished the race third overall, missing first by less than four minutes! We did win the 505 division! Overall a great event that I look forward to next years and hopefully it will nuke!
Thursday Night Laser Series
After thirty two nights, over a hundred races and twenty eight sailors I managed to defend my championship and win the overall title for two years in a row. My training partner and the US Women's Single Handed National Champion Christine Neville finished just behind me in second, followed closely by local heavy air legend Mike Bishop. Everyone stepped up their game this season, the fleet got stronger and stronger, as well most of the group purchased new boats and they were putting the time training for the worlds.All of this made it a tough season trying to defend my title. Good times! I can't wait for next season!
It's a boy!
My wife gave birth to my son Thomas Ruben Nelson on September 16th 2011 at 9:13 am weighing in at 7lbs 3oz and 19" tall. I am totally stoked! I don't want to put pressure on him, I have already been shopping around for an El Toro or an Opti for him... My plan is to get him out on the water with in the first six months. I am working on my theory, you know the whole grow your own crew thing... Whatever he wants to do in life I will support him, especially if it is sailing! :) Look foward to more post with Thomas!
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