The Fat Lady Has Taken A Nap.

But the ... cough, cough, cough ..."Americans" haven't. Thanks to that great "American" skipper, his great "American" tactician and their "All American" crew, the race will run another day.

Mind you, I think the caterer is an American, but I could be wrong. 

That Fat Lady Really Doesn't Want To Sing!

  

It ain't over, till it's over. Kudos to Sir Ben for his brilliant tactics, Jimmy on the helm and the crew of Oracle for living to fight another day.

The Fat Lady Refuses To Sing!

Oracle won the day. So it stands at 8 races won by ENTZ and 5 for Larry's guys. But, since Larry had his hand in the cookie jar and was penalized 2 points, it's 8 to 3 in ETNZ's favor.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

The grand event continues. Team Oz/NZ Oracle won their race today.

The America's Cup. (Photo Slide Show)

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf

Some scenes from Thursday.

Photos taken using a Nikon D5100 and an Olympus EPL-1.

Eat My Wake!

Hello Mr. Ellison, Auckland is calling!

Larry, Larry, quite contrary,
How fast does your boat go?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
Maybe you should row

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

Even though they look fast, something is not right in Larryville. Can you say hello Auckland? Well maybe I'm jumping the gun, but it's not looking good for Team O.

Photo taken with my cheap plastic Nikon, using a very cheap Sigma lens.

Sailboats For Groms.

O'pen BIC.

RS Tera.
Modern sailing dinghies.

Optimist Dinghy.

El Toro.
Old designs.

What boats would you use for a youth sailing program, new or old school?.....or maybe a mix of old and new?

Tillerman Tuesday. (Moving Pictures)

Evidence captured on "film" (okay...digitally) that Laser sailors are crazy.
Hmm, maybe a hiking out isn't a bad thing to do. ......That sure looks like a lot of fun.

Hiking Out While Sailing. (Photos And Moving Pictures)

Who wants to do that? Trapping is superior to pure hiking, it's faster, thrilling and better for your knees. I wonder, does this mean a Farr 3.7, Contender or a Paper Jet (boats I can build) is in my future? The Farr and Contender are shown, any guesses as to what the boat at the top is?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bsH0fNubuc&w=480&h=360]

Wednesday Wipeout.

Three strikes, you're out!

Is The America's Cup A Real Race?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9W7uqVmz40&w=480&h=270]

THIS
WEEKEND'S
SCHEDULE

Nope!
To see a real race watch the video.(The TransPac)

Tillerman Tuesday.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think that the Laser would be a great boat to have for the advanced students to move into after sailing the Capri 14.2. Oh no, say it ain't so, Joe! But why?  I really like the idea of having 3 different rigs. This makes the Laser more versatile than my former boat, the Force 5, and it will give the students some excitement sailing on the Bay.

I really have joined the dark side.

Wednesday Wipeout.

Even great sailors wipeout on occasion.
That must have been a son of a gun to right!

Tillerman Tuesday.

How the hell did I go from teaching classes to being the boat keeper for the Lasers? Welcome to the Dark Side!

Fish And Skiff. (Moving Pictures)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3EHVyJuXTo&w=480&h=270]

The Kiwis know how to live.

Fuimos A La Playa Y Jugó En La Bahía.

Fun was had by all.

Joe talks to a Kiteboarder.
Joe to Kiteboarder: How long have you been kiteboarding?
Kiteboarder to Joe: I've been kiteboarding for 5 years. Before that, I windsurfed for 20 years.
Joe to Kiteboarder: Do you still windsurf?
Kiteboarder to Joe: No! My buddies and I sold all our gear. Kiteboarding is a lot more fun and less work.
Moral of the story: It's all about fun!

See you on the water!

The Dabchick: Is This The Best Sail Trainer For Groms?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k554e8yvY2M]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm wearing my sailing instructor's hat. The Dabchick is a sailboat (...board...scow) used in South Africa to train youths after outgrowing Optis (Oppis). I think it would make a great trainer and a wonderful way for the groms to learn some boat building skills. How cool is it to sail a boat that you've built.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWyW_f1QQzA]

From Go Sail: "The Dabchick dinghy designed by Jack Koper of Cape Town, was launched in 1956 as a double handed junior class. The idea was a simple flat decked, no cockpit, scow with a planing hull that could be home built from a few sheets of ply.

The Dabchick dinghy has found great popularity with some 4 000 boats having been built since then. Fairly quickly adept juniors found they could handle the two sail configuration single handed, and that has been its niche for most of the class existence. The sail plan is of a genoa, sheeted on a tracked fairlead, and mainsail. A dagger-board sits in an extended case allowing for it to be raked back in a breeze and on a reach.

The broad scow hull gives the boat enormous stability for the ab initio sailor whilst also being exceptionally quick onto the plane. In comparison to similar junior classes of the Mirror and Topper it well out performs both boats on all points of sailing. Like all scows is prefers a slight heel when working to weather. Not drawing much water it is snappy through the tack, and quick off the mark once the genoa is trimmed in. On the reach they are exciting but kind, due to that beam again. It is not unusual to see youngsters going out in conditions over twenty knots to enjoy some screaming reaches. Down wind placing the hull on a slight heel, as on a beat, reduces wetted surface and the Dabchick dinghy scuttles effortlessly along like the wildfowl it is named after.

The restricted class allows for different masts and fitting of control systems that feed onto either side of the deck, which is a great entry point for future performance dinghy sailors. The class has also recently allowed the introduction of Mylar sails as well as the adoption of a loose footed mainsail."

Hat tip to Tweezerman for the idea.

Happy Monday!

Did you have a great weekend?
Back to work!

Sailing The Laser Pico With Shirley Robertson. "Video."

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPkH81M6-NE]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZAPz9BCqJM]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMb6UEZ0pvE]

We also use the Laser Pico in our sailing program. Joe, we have a couple of Lasers too. God, I could end becoming a Laser sailor. Oh the horror!