WOW- Brangiforte - Fitness, aging and Sunfish Racing
12/23/2022 6:37 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: Fitness, Aging and Sunfish Racing
Although I am not big on New Year’s resolutions, this year I made one. I wanted to do everything possible to prepare for the North Americans in Barrington. I decided this preparation would include three things: On the water training, fitness training and education. Since it would be two months before we would be sailing again, I decided to focus on the last two first. For this WOW, I want to discuss some learning experiences on fitness. The other two are subjects for future WOWs.
After dealing with endless snowstorms in January, I finally started working out in Feb. One week later, I broke my shoulder. I was really bummed out, realizing it would be months before I could get in the gym or sail. However, as in other occurrences in life, when something bad happens, there is often something good that comes from it. In this case, the silver lining was an education on staying in shape while getting older. After pouting for awhile and letting the shoulder heal, I decided to try some physical therapy. The P.T. guys were great (one was a sailor) and set up a program to get me back on the water ASAP. I also read a great book by Former Laser world champion Michael Blackburn, called Sail Fitter. This is a summary of what I learned.
The most important muscles used in singlehanded sailing are the quads (front of leg), core (abs and lower back) and biceps. The lower quads are the main muscle supporting the body when hiking. These can be strengthened by standard gym exercises like leg extensions, lunges and squats (instead of me trying to explain any exercises, it would be best to go to YouTube and see the proper form.) For more sailing specific work, make a hiking bench or try my new favorite- sitting on a balance ball while locking your feet under a weight rack. After your toes are locked under the rack, slide back on your hamstrings and do crunches- this is the best sailing exercise ever, since it works your core at the same time.
Another great exercise for the legs is bike riding. Not only is bike riding great for your legs, it is even better for your cardiovascular system. We all know how important that is, particularly as we get older, but you would be surprised how much it helps your sailing. Having good cardio endurance helps keep your head in the game during a long race, or back to back races. Gisele talked me into getting a spinning bike this winter. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but I have come to really enjoy it. We get the DVDs that have 30 and 45 minute classes, and thanks to my competitiveness, I try very hard to keep up with the instructors in the videos. Of course, any kind of cardio work, such as running, biking, or the use of Elliptical machines, will improve your stamina, and thus your sailing.
Ok, now comes the warning! Any time you are working a muscle, like the quads, you must work the muscle on the other side of the body. In this case, the hamstring must get equal work. If you do not work the antagonist muscle, you will get a muscle imbalance. This is really bad, particularly for us older folks. You can do hamstring work by doing leg curls- either with a machine or balance ball.
Core work is easy and kind of fun. There are lots of ways to work the core and if you go to google, you see hundreds of examples. Again, make sure you work the lower back to oppose the abs. Having a strong core is very fast in moderate air, as it helps you to drive the boat through the waves and flatten it in the puffs.
The biceps, and particularly, the brachialis are the main sheeting muscles. These muscles can be strengthened by doing a bicep exercise called hammer curls. Be careful to balance bicep work with triceps work as well. The triceps can be worked with machines, free weights or even push-ups. My P.T. guys had me doing a lot of triceps work, since I also tore a biceps tendon, and they wanted me to strengthen the opposing muscle. I think working the triceps is really good for sailing, since it helps with steering upwind in waves.
Since I have so many problems with my arms (tendonitis in both elbows and a torn biceps tendon) they wanted me to learn a new way of sheeting. They wanted me to try sheeting underhand. I tried this and it just doesn’t work. They also had me doing a lot of upper back work, so that I would incorporate the lats into sheeting. This helped a little, but more importantly, had another affect. By strengthening your upper back, you improve your posture. Having good posture is fast! If you ask a top Laser how to go faster in breeze, he will tell you” it’s easy- just drop your shoulders”. In order to do this, you must have good posture. Another time when it is fast is in 5-10 kts, when you keep your shoulders outside of your butt , to keep the boat on a steady heel (more on this tech. in a later WOW) Posture improving exercises include – Lat pull downs, rows, and, most importantly, scapular abductions. I plan on doing these a lot from now on, as my posture is still bad.
Two other good exercises to help the aging sailor are wrist curls, using a wrist roller (I made one using a 1.25” dowel, an old Cunningham line and a 3lb. weight) and anything involving shoulder stabilization movements. The wrist roller strengthens the forearms, which helps with sheeting and helps prevent tennis elbow. The shoulder stabilization exercises also help with sheeting and rapid trimming at the leeward mark. More importantly, doing stabilization exercises helps prevent injury to our aging shoulders. I have noticed a trend in shoulder work; it seems like knowledgeable coaches and trainers are having their athletes doing more stabilization work and less bench and military presses- since these muscles are more for show, than actual work! I recently read Finn sailor Zach Railey does lots of stabilization work to improve his sheeting skills. If a big strong kid like Zach does them, it certainly encourages me to do the same.
I know this seems like a lot of stuff to do, especially with our busy lives. The way I justify it, is that it makes a real difference! It makes you a faster sailor, helps prevent injury, helps with daily activities, helps keep the doctor away and even makes you look better. It is really a good investment in time!
Here are some tips to getting in workouts:
When I was preparing for the N.A.s, I was pressed for time, but determined to be in the best possible shape, so I set up the following plan:
- There would be no time to go to the gym- all workouts would be at home.
- Knowing that the spinning classes involved both leg work and Cardio; this was my first priority. I would do at least three classes a week. If there was extra time at night, I would do a 45 min. class, if it was busy night, I would sneak in a 30 min. class
- Two other nights a week I would do core work. One of these nights, I would ad Upper body (Shoulder stab. And arm work) on the other night, I would do legs. Each workout would take 30-40 mins. This routine allows plenty of rest between workouts, to allow the shoulders and legs time to recover.
While it is fun to go to the gym, all of the exercises mentioned here can be done at home. The best piece of equipment (next to the bike) is a stability ball. These balls are inexpensive and allow you to do dozens of challenging exercises. With the ball, a few light dumbbells, and a homemade wrist roller, you can do every exercise needed to strengthen your body for sailing. The best part is that it can all be done, in a short time, while watching TV or listening to music. Just be sure to start off easy and use light weights, particularly on shoulder exercises.
One final note, although I don’t want to sound like your mother, proper nutrition goes a long way when trying to stay healthy. Clean proteins, good complex carbs, such as oatmeal, and lots of fruits and veggies help you recover faster after exercise and fuel your muscles for the next workout. Personally, I find that the day after a leg work out, I can’t get enough food into me. While some foods may work better for some people than others, it is really worth taking nutrition into consideration, as it has a big affect on your health, and fitness.
Bill
WOW- Bill Brangiforte Juan Delgado
12/23/2022 6:36 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: Juan Delgado
We were lucky to have Juan Delgado sail with us on this windy day. For the last five years, Juan has been one of the fastest Sunfish sailors in the world; his lowest finish in a World championship was 6th! I thought it would be a good idea to write up some lessons learned, after sailing with him and asking lots of questions. Although Juan only weighs 150 lbs., he is incredibly fast in breeze. Here are some of his thoughts.
- In any condition over 10 kts- use a Jens rig. He feels this opens the leech, making the sail more efficient, helps pointing, helps depowering, and makes sheeting easier. The easier sheeting is something I never thought of! This is particularly useful during a long day on the water, or a long week of heavy air sailing (such as a world championship). With the sheet being easier to control, depowering thru puffs requires less effort. This is particularly important late in the weather leg, when your arms are really fatigued. This is a really good reason to learn and use the new Jens rig set up!
- He hikes hard(easier said than done) and sheets properly. By this, I mean he keeps his shoulders outside of his butt and keeps his sheeting arm up high. This technique allows almost 3 feet of sheet to be let out in a gust, without leaning in- SUPER FAST! While sailing next to him, I realized, as I got tired, I would start to lean in and my sheeting arm would straighten out. This poor form causes me to lean in even more to let out the sheet- SUPER SLOW!
- His fitness routine involves a lot of upper body work, including rows, upper back and shoulder work, and bicep curls. This is going to be one of my main fitness goals during the winter. Strengthening the upper back also helps with posture, which helps maintain that shoulder-out position that is so fast in many conditions!
- When tacking, Juan likes to sheet in hard just before the tack. He feels this makes the boat head up better and keeps the sail fuller longer. He claims that when this is done properly , the boat makes great vmg to weather!
- Downwind, he never eases the sail more than 90 degrees to the hull, even when sailing by the Lee. He feels that, because of the open leech of the sail, most people go slower by easing past 90 degrees. He actually thinks it should not go past 85 degrees in most conditions.
- With a strong SW breeze and outgoing tide we had great surfing conditions Sunday. Juan and I had fun playing waves and s-curving down the river. He (like me) thinks the sunfish should be sailed downwind on angles , almost all the time. He likes to take waves, off his leeward bow, and surf hard by the lee. Another thing we agreed on , was that , in any breeze over about 17 kts, the boat should be planing or surfing almost nonstop. If the boat isn’t planing or surfing, or the bow is going under waves- heat it up to a reach, or go by the lee.
- Thanks to Scott- for the use of the boat and to the Barrington RC, for sticking it out in some tough conditions.
- One final thought- it would be nice if we could put together a boat for quests. This would introduce newcomers to the fleet and allow visitors, such as Juan to sail with us.
See everyone Sunday. I’m cooking this week!
Bill
WOW - Bill Brangiforte WOW: For December 18
12/23/2022 6:35 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: For December 18
With Andy, Scott and I virtually tied going into the last race (Back to the Dock), and ice forming on our decks, it was a fitting end to the Fall series. The ice cold Northerly we were racing in did two things: It froze our fingers (somebody has to make some gloves that actually keep your hands warm without being too bulky) and caused an extremely shifty breeze. I would like to discuss this breeze and mention a few other thoughts.
The northerly breeze is always shifty in any part of Narraganset Bay because it has to travel other land before it hits us. The narrow Warren River exaggerates this effect. Sunday’s breeze was even shiftier because it was so cold! When the air is colder than the water, as is typical in winter, it becomes very unstable and leads to big shifts and differences in pressure. You can tell when you are dealing with this unstable condition by looking at objects far away over water. If they appear to be floating above the water, it is going to be extra shifty! I knew sailing out that, playing this breeze properly was going to be the key factor to success and would be more important than the current. Here are some ways to handle these unstable conditions:
- Constantly look upwind for clues. The shifts and puffs were fairly easy to see Sunday because the sun was behind us while going upwind. I find it almost more important in winter conditions to wear good sunglasses, because the sun is low in the sky and adds to the glare that makes reading puffs more difficult. This is particularly important when the breeze is out of the South. With the wind out of the North, however, the shifts and puffs really stood out as they approached!
- In general, Standard oscillating shift strategy, such as staying on the lifted tack, not letting boats cross, crossing when you can, and tacking back after a gain on boats to windward is the right move, but there is more to it than that.
- Because the shifts and velocity changes are so drastic , you must use good fleet positioning to maintain consistency. Fortunately for us, racing in 10-15 boat fleets, on short courses, is a perfect way to practice fleet positioning! Here are some examples of percentage positioning moves: If you are to windward of most of the fleet and sailing in a lift- put the bow down to close the lateral distance on the boats to leeward. That way, when the next header arrives, they will not gain as much. If you are ahead and to leeward of most the fleet, and you see a lift coming, try to point as high as you can; again that will keep some of the lateral distance down, and the windward boats won’t gain as much. If 1 or 2 boats are crossing you in better pressure, don’t tack until you are in their breeze, or they will roll you. In this case, it may be better to duck and sail into the better breeze. When you are sailing one of those giant lifts, with lots of pressure, get a shore bearing before you start going up. In many cases Sunday, you would get a 30-40 degree shift. However, once the pressure dropped off, you would go back down 20 degrees. In this case, you would still be 20 degrees above the shore bearing and should keep going. Almost everyone got this wrong at one time or another Sunday! If you are to windward of most of the fleet and are heading back towards the middle of the course- Don’t tack until the boats to leeward tack! This tactic works 90% of the time and is a classic example of proper fleet positioning! If it gets light and fluky at the weather mark and you see a big puff coming in on one side, don’t be afraid to sail above the layline , to get to it faster. Bob Perry did this in one race and passed most of the fleet right at the mark!
- Another place where we are lucky to get lots of practice is at leeward mark roundings. In Sunday’s shifty breeze, it was essential to be able to hold your lane, after the bottom mark, if the wind was in a left phase. In the 4th race, I rounded too close to Dave, and began to fall into his bad air. I should have hung in there and waited for the next righty, before tacking. Instead, I tacked out of phase and into much less pressure, only to lose most of the fleet. After the race, Coach Callahan asked me what I was thinking when I did that! I wasn’t thinking- I was just being impatient and not using good fleet positioning!
- A couple of thoughts on dealing with the current- When sailing up the river against the tide, don’t play the Warren side. Andy and I did this , and we got hammered! Anytime you let the boat get slow or stalled, the tide punishes you. If ever there is a time for good tacks- this is it. Actually, try to minimize tacks, if possible. Keep the boat on an even heel (the butt in , shoulder out technique is perfect in these conditions). In Sundays conditions- staying on the lifted tack and in better pressure was almost always more important than playing the tide!
- I certainly want to thank Frank, Sally, Joel, Leo and rest of the wonderful staff at Barrington Y.C. for a great fall series! Barrington Y.C. feels like my second home , and frostbiting has become one of my favorite things!
- Happy Holidays to everyone! See you in March!
Bill
WOW - Bill Brangiforte from the 2012 Intl Masters
12/23/2022 6:33 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: From the 2012 International Masters
Posted March 01, 2012
It appears that all those Sunday afternoons, freezing our butts off, on the Warren River, is really paying off. Eric Woodman and I just returned from the Sunfish International Masters in Florida, where we finished first and second. Eric finished 10 points ahead of third place finisher Donnie Martinborough, a three-time world champion. Since we were the only two sailors there (out of 57) who frostbite, there is certainly something to be said about the training we get out of the Barrington frostbite series. Let me explain some of my thoughts on this. The mental preparation needed to win a championship is basically the same as winning a Sunday afternoon on the river. The more we do this preparation, the more it becomes second nature. For example, we casually rig our boats and discuss rigging options every Sunday, so rushing to get a chartered boat together is much less stressful. Doing so in the warm weather also seems to be almost too easy!
One of the greatest ways to succeed in our sport is to have a plan based on data accumulated before the start. Frostbiting has trained me to get this data on the brief sail out to the course, and the really brief period between races. Using this same approach, after rigging our boats on Thurs. afternoon, we went out to do some testing. In a brief period of time, we came up with the following data points:
- There was a slight adverse current. It would not play a big role, but was something to consider at the start and when calling laylines.
- The wind built all day and even at 4:30 was still building. Good data pointBring hiking pants, heavier sheet, spray top, etc.
- The breeze was slowly, but persistently veering, especially late in the day. Big data point.
- Although the breeze was oscillating, the big puffs were righties, and they lasted longer than the lefties.
We came in a half hour later, tweaked a few things on the boats, and had a debriefing session. The plan was pretty obvious. Early in the day, stay right of center, but play the shifts. Late in the day – Be prepared for good breeze, start on the right and play the right hard. This plan worked very well, and at the end of the first day, we were in really good shape.
A couple more thoughts:
Eric won the boat at probably 5 out of 6 starts. He claimed starting against Andy and Scott every week was actually harder than starting at the Masters. I think 40 - 50 starts every season makes you much more confident in your starting technique.
While we were enjoying the nice weather, and seeing old friends, Eric maintained a calm, businesslike approach to the regatta. This is the proper mindset to have at an event like this.
On the flight down to Florida, I decided, at the starts, I would use port tack approaches, and look for a nice hole to tack into. I knew there would be a wide range of talent at this event, and there would be “Marshmallows” to start next to. This didn’t work out well, as the marshmallows proved to be very unpredictable. Perhaps this is part of the “Aged and treacherous “stuff Master sailors are famous for!
When it is hot, drink lots of water!
If the race committee uses the new “signal boat in the middle of the line” trick, don’t get anywhere near it! I started one race right behind it, and the propeller wash and stern wake were horribly slow!
It is really a good idea to brush up on signal flags and race committee procedures before a big event. I don’t think I have ever been to a major regatta, where there wasn’t a confusing call by the race committee. In this case, there were many, including a tricky Z-flag and postponement flag event. There are more to these rules than you think! The committee has the right to do many things, and this can adversely affect your results if you are not sure what to do!
While it was nice in Florida, I am looking forward getting out on the river this Sunday!
WOW- Bill Brangiforte from the 2011-2012 Frostbite Series
12/23/2022 6:31 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: From the 2011-2012 Frostbite Series
We had an interesting series this year. While the fleet size was down a bit, we had really good racing, and personally, I think I learned more this year than ever before. I like to take things I read about or know that I need work on, and put them into play while frostbiting. Here are a few things I picked up this season and am looking forward to trying out this summer.
1. Andy Horton wrote a great article in Sailing World about lessons he has learned over the years and are helpful in any boat. My favorite was the one about anticipating gusts and reacting before they hit. He says that preparing for a gust is like hitting a tennis ball. You don’t swing when the ball is right at you; you start swinging early and use momentum to hit it. Dealing with an incoming puff is the same thing. When you see a gust is about to hit you, start hiking early and pre- flatten the boat. The day I decided to try this was perfect- It was a puffy 8-12 knot southerly, and we had some fairly long beats. I found The Sunfish loves this technique because the swept back rudder creates a lot of weather helm and the boat can be sailed bolt up-right without the helm going mushy! So, in these conditions- the right form is Hike- ease – trim. However, once the breeze gets over about 13 knots, the right technique is the classic EaseHike- Trim.
2. It was finally drilled into my head, this season, that in light air you must pick a side and play that side upwind! This is true in big fleets, on lakes and on the Warren River when sailing against the tide. The reason is that that puffs come in from the sides, and the boats in the middle only get the remnants, while the boats on the sides make gains. You can easily lose out to the boats on both sides, if you play the middle in light air. On the river,you need all the pressure you can get to fight the tide. If you are playing aside and a gust comes in , you make strong gains against the boats with less pressure. Often, you see one side pay off big, then the other side pay off, while the boats in the middle are getting clobbered.
3. Next to starts, more gains and losses occur at the leeward mark than any other place on the course. If we were to video tape roundings (not a bad idea), we would see that most sailors are under sheeted and too far away from the mark. If you are rounding by yourself, (no overlaps) think about these things.
- Start your rounding much wider than you think – in breeze, 4-5 boat lengths below the mark.
- Don’t jibe or head up until you are perpendicular to the mark. Jibe when your boom is pointing at the mark.
- Over sheet slightly before jibing- this will help you head up faster after the jibe.
- Think of the jibe and rounding as one maneuver.
- Use two hands to sheet in. (this takes some practice)
- Don’t tighten your Cunningham until you are going back upwind.
- If you get a chance to get some time practicing, work on leeward mark roundings. In a big fleet, good roundings make a huge difference, since holding your lane after the rounding can be the key to having a good upwind leg.
4. As you approach the weather mark, scan for puffs before bearing off. If there is a puff coming from the left (looking upwind) reach up a little to get into it sooner. If there is more pressure on the right (looking upwind) jibe immediately.
5. In gusty offshore conditions (such as we had Sunday), be careful as you get closer to shore. In the third race, I had a big lead and was getting lifted 20 degrees on port tack, in a big gust. I was straight leg hiking (out on my toes), when I got auto-tacked. There was no warning of this. The next thing I knew was that I was upside down! Andy had a good point on this. Sail the lifted tack, but reach off a little, so you have some cushion, to prevent a capsize. Also, as you get closer to the shore, don’t hike as hard, so you can get back in the boat if needed. Heeling may be slow, but in these conditions, it is better than being upside down!
6. My general racing philosophy is to avoid other boats and get around the course as fast as possible. I have had my best success when I focus on speed and shifts upwind and speed and pressure downwind. However, boat to boat tactics do play a role, and we had some interesting cases in the last few weeks. The first one occurred while we were heading upwind, in a breezy southerly, against a strong incoming tide. Doris was to leeward of me as we approached the weather mark layline on port. She tacked a little too early (not allowing enough for the strong tide). I could not cross her, but the duck would have been huge, so I decided to tack on her lee bow and hope for the best. I did not work out well for us! I had to jibe around and she hit the mark. What I should have done was to use the old Buddy Melges trick of slowing down (luffing) as Doris approached.
This way, she would cross me, and I could tack when I was sure I could make the mark. By slowing down and passing astern, you avoid that huge duck (that takes you farther away from the mark) and prevents that awful 130 degree tack that is soooooo slow! The next one occurred Sunday. In the fifth race I rounded the leeward mark right behind Eric. The breeze had gone hard left, making it a one tack beat to the finish. (Remember, when the breeze goes left, the right side of the finish line is favored). If the tide had not been so strong, Eric would have easily beat Me.; but the tide pushed us just beyond the committee boat. Eric could not tack without fouling me, so he had to wait for me to tack first. I tacked right at the boat and crossed ahead. Eric delayed his tack for a second, and ended up unable to clear the boat (Because of the strong tide). He had to jibe around and lost several places. I am not sure, but I think Eric’s only defense would have been to pinch me off (maybe even luffing head to wind) and force me to tack before we got to the committee boat. We should talk to Amanda about this, and see if there was another possible defense for Eric in this situation. This is the best part of frostbiting. We get to deal with all kinds of situations and discuss them later; so when we go to championships, we feel right at home!
7. I want to thank Frank for running the series for us this year. Frank is a really nice guy and I speak for everyone when say how much we appreciate him! I also want to thank Leo, Sally, Joel, Teresa and the rest of the Crew at Barrington Y.C. for their hard work and hospitality! See everyone at the Regionals.
WOW- Bill Brangiforte 2012 World Championships
12/23/2022 6:29 pm
Bill Brangiforte WOW: From the 2012 World Championship
Posted November 01, 2012
Thoughts from the 2012 Sunfish World Championships in St. Petersburg
With light winds and sometimes strong current, the 2012 Sunfish Worlds was not the most exciting series I have ever been in, but it was one of the most interesting! Never have I seen so many penalties, flags, and people walking around reading rule books. However, the yacht club and city were quite nice, and after the regatta, there was much to talk about. The most important thing to take away from an event like this is that it should be used as a learning experience. Let’s take a look at some lessons learned.
I have said this before, and I certainly learned it again; before going to a big event, brush up on race committee procedures. I don’t think I have ever been to a major event where something confusing didn’t happen. This time , there were Z flag and OCS penalties that carried over into the next race after an abandonment , lots of yellow flag penalties, and a confusing finish, at the gate, after shortening the course at the second weather mark. (You are supposed to finish between the gate marks). After Tuesday’s races, people were trying, and failing at getting redress and everyone’s head was spinning. This leads to lesson two!
Tuesday night, when we got back to the house Chris Williams, Eric and I were renting, we were all annoyed. We spent most of the night angrily discussing the day’s events. We all had foul trouble- Chris had a Z flag penalty (20%) and his first yellow flag penalty, Eric had an OCS and Z flag penalty (40%), and I had my second Yellow flag( one more and I would basically be out of the regatta). So, here is the second lesson- Once these penalties occur, you need to move on! As I get older, I see more and more similarities between racing sailboats and other parts of life! I see it all the time running a business. Crazy things happen, but you still need to focus on the tasks at hand! To some people, this comes naturally, while others struggle with it. I am somewhere in the middle. The main tasks for the next day’s race didn’t change- We still needed to focus on the basics- getting a good start, playing shifts and going fast! Actually, anytime things are not going well, or you are having a bad series, stop and think about the important basic things necessary to sail well. When doing this, I find it helpful to think about things that have worked well in the past and try to do the same things again.
Speaking of doing things that have worked in the past, there is a new rig that the Southern group is using. It is basically a Forrester Jens rig that is used in light air. It allows the rig to sit farther aft. This moves the center of effort back and allows for tighter sheeting, without bending the boom. I used it the first day and had good results (I don’t think it had anything to do with the rig) and felt slow the second day, so I took it out and did not think about for the rest of the week. I just don’t think a World Championship is a good place to test a new rig. This set-up does deserve some further thought however. Amanda used it all week and was fast. She said that she had to move her gooseneck back to 16’’ to balance the boat. This makes sense, since bringing the center of effort aft increases helm. Tom Whitehurst used it all week and was one of the fastest on the course. Had he not had starting penalties, he would have been in the top 3. On the other hand, the winner, Alex Zimmermann, was clearly the fastest guy on the course and he did not use it. Perhaps, we could do some speed testing with it this winter if we get some good Southerly’s and thus some fairly long beats.
One thing I noticed about Whitehurst, was that he sails the boat very flat! This would be particularly important with that rig, in order to balance the helm. In the last race, I was having trouble holding off a group of fast South American Kids, until I started sailing the boat flatter. Once I did this, I was able to match their speed and effectively cover them. Zimmermann sails with some heel, but I think he flattens the boat once he feels he is moving ok. He also sails with the tiller extension behind him (frying eggs style) and is crazy fast upwind!
There was definitely a good strategy for sailing the first beat in this regatta. It is basically the same strategy used anytime the fleet is large and the wind is light. The trick is to analyze which side looks better before the start, then start and initially work toward that side. Once you are out towards your chosen side, start watching the fleet! Once boats to windward, on the same tack as you, start falling bow down to you, tack back towards the center to consolidate your gain. You want to play a side (there is less breeze in the middle of the course), but you need to keep using your gains to work back towards the middle. Now here is the tricky part – once you start working back in, if boats to leeward (on the same Tack) are also heading in- go with them. Don’t tack until they do! This requires patience. There is no reason to tack out, if the leeward boats are more towards the middle, since you will still get the puffs first, but are not risking being hung out to dry if the breeze goes hard the other way. While heading back to the middle, if you have a good lane, it is a great time to put the bow and foot. Stuart Walker calls this- “Moving out, then digging in!” Now, unless you are near the top of the fleet, you must move back to a side as you approach the weather mark. The area, to leeward, between the weather mark and the offset mark becomes a “cone of death” as the lead boats begin to round and head downwind. Between the light air, chop and large number of boats, that area becomes almost unsailable (not sure if that is a word). So, the drill is –Move out-move in- move out. In my 5 good races, I followed that strategy and was in good shape at the first mark. In two of my bad races, I simply did not dig back in when an opportunity presented itself. I was greedy, waiting for a bigger shift, then got out of faze and finally got clobbered when the breeze went the other way. Had I tacked back in when I got a small gain (there were opportunities) I would have been back in the fight!
Remember, anytime the wind is shifty upwind (as it was in St. Pete) it will be equally shifty downwind. This presents great opportunities for gains. I made some decent comebacks, by simply paying attention downwind. There seemed to be pack mentalities downwind. Many times, boats would be sailing dead downwind, on each other’s breeze, while sailing away from the gate. Since there was sometimes a strong opposing tide, (as it is on the Warren River) it was extremely important to keep the boat moving fast by 1. Keeping the boat heated up (broad reaching or sailing by the lee) 2. Keeping as clear a lane as possible behind you and 3. Staying in the strongest pressure you can get to. Whenever things got tense, or I felt slow downwind, I simply watched the angle of my mast head fly and headed towards the best pressure. I also found it best to avoid the “cone of death” downwind as well. This generally meant that you would have to stay high initially when starting the run.
My sister jokingly tells me not to give out all of my tricks in these Words of wisdom, because “someday, in some important race, it will come back to haunt you”. Well, apparently, someone printed one of my old WOWs from Barrington Frostbite, on how to sail in current, in the Sunfish worlds.org website during the regatta. The article says “when the committee boat is pointing down the line, due to current, start at the boat. Well, the next day, that was happening. On top of that, the boat was favored and the right side of the course had more pressure. Seemed like a no brainer. However, as I sat at the boat, in the biggest logjam I have ever been in, I thought – Maybe Rene was right! I think it was 45 seconds after the start, before I even crossed the starting line! The lesson here, like everything else in life, is-if it is too good to be true-think twice about! The right move here would have been to sit on port tack, near the boat, and watch how the fleet is setting up. If there looks like the fleet is going to pile up at the boat, tack and work your way down the line a bit. However, if it doesn’t look too crowded there, and the tide is pushing the boats away from the committee boat, get up there. If it is not too crowded, you can even try a barging start.
Speaking of starts, an interesting situation occurred in the last race. With about 4 minutes to go before the gun, the wind went hard left. It was so far left that it was hard to cross the line on Starboard tack. Many of the competitors were complaining that the committee should postpone. What they should have been doing was paying attention! All day, the breeze tended right and by simply looking upwind, you could see the same thing was happening again. The lefty was a temporary oscillation. The left looked really weak and light, yet the fleet was piling up at the pin. I started at the boat and immediately tacked. This accomplished two things- First, it put me on the favored (long) tack, and second it got me into the new, stronger pressure coming from the right. Once I got into this pressure, I tacked immediately (trying not to be greedy this time), put the bow down hard, and footed back towards the middle of the beat. This ended up working out really well.
A couple of final thoughts-
Alex Zimmermann sailed a fantastic series, and clearly deserved the win!
The Sunfish worlds.org website was awesome! Even some of my non-sailing friends thought it was cool. It would be great for the class to have a site like that!
I certainly wish Len Ruby was here so I could tell him all about the Regatta, as I have done so many times over the last several years! I would also love his input on the new rig!
Ok- now let’s get everyone out on the river this winter for some good practices
Bill Brangiforte
WOW - Andy David Fall 2012 Season
12/23/2022 6:27 pm
Posted November 01, 2012
The Fall 2012 season was characterized by light, shifty breezes and as always in the Warren River, there was a strong current. As would be expected with light conditions, nobody dominated every week, with Scott winning 3 of the weeks, and Bill and I each taking 2. In the end, it was “not having a bad race” that was the key. Scott and I ended virtually tied, with the math going in my favor. Here are some of what I think were keys to success.
*The start. The start is very important, especially in the short courses that we sail in Frostbite, much like what college sailors spend 6 days a week perfecting over 4 years. Though it has been a long time since those days for me, there are still some key rules that I follow that some really great coaches and sailors taught me.
1. Never gybe before the start. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that it is the move that has the most risk of a capsize or crash, or snagging your mainsheet on something, especially if it is windy. It also moves you away from the line quickly, which with the short starting sequence is usually not good. I have to admit that I occasionally break this rule if it is light wind, and the tide is against the wind.
2. Stay within the triangle. When sailing back and forth along the line before the start, never go outside the laylines to the boat and the pin. I actually rarely go outside a box perpendicular to the ends. The idea is not to win every start, it is just to be in the front row with speed. Going outside the box can put you in high risk places, depending on how other boats setup. It also leaves you less options if there is a windshift.
3. Never setup for a barging start. This is related to staying within the triangle. Though occasionally someone barging ends up with a hole, and then can tack off to the right (when that is clearly favored due to current) and be first to the windward mark. That won’t happen every time. Others will figure it out and cause congestion there. And remember, the best series is the one with the least bad races.
4. Once the gun goes off, stick the bow up and go. If you are thinking that you are close to the line before the start with your bow down, don’t keep it there as the gun goes off. Steer up hard and sheet in. Remember it only matters where your bow is at go, so don’t hold off after the gun or your close-to-the-line start could be wasted.
5. For the minute after the start, you should have full concentration on boatspeed and hiking. If you have a decent start, this is what will put you in the front row, and allow you to make your own decisions. The only time that I break this rule is if there is a big left shift, and I can tack and cross.
*In a shifty breeze, do not bang a corner…even if you are behind. One may think that in a shifty breeze, the most gain can be made by banging a corner. However, what we typically see is an oscillating breeze that has shifts less than every 3 minutes. So, that means that you want to take advantage of every shift, and you can’t do that if you are in a corner. Now, many times the winner of the first leg does come out of a corner with the last shift, but consistency is the key, and the next few boats are usually those that played each shift/puff. This brings up an interesting starting situation. As long as the starting line is square to the average shift, then I would say that you can start anywhere on the line, even if there happens to be a left or right shift at the start.
*New rig setup. Eric, Bill and Amanda came back from the Worlds with information on a new rig setup that some were using. Considering that my boatspeed has been quite variable in recent years, I was quick to give it a try. It is actually simple to do if you are already setup with an adjustable jens rig. You basically put in a jens, and then just snug the upper halyard. As I understand it, this pivots the rig back and allows for tighter sheeting without bending the boom. Therefore allowing for higher pointing. The other thing that it does is shift the whole rig back. So, you then need to move the rig a bit forward by sliding the gooseneck back. I sailed in the light stuff with the gooseneck at 15.5”, where I would normally have it at 14”. I found that the boat was really balanced in the light stuff without having to heel the boat, which seemed fast.
*Downwind can be more important than upwind! This fall we had multiple weeks when the current was moving against the wind. This caused there to be a longer time sailing downwind than upwind. The fleet would get to the windward mark quickly, and then all come to a big slow down and crunch together as they rounded the windward mark. Being first around the windward mark was always precarious, and it was very difficult to hold that place. So, there is no relaxing downwind. You need to search the puffs, and also understand the tidal flows. It can be a long way downwind. A few years ago Bill gave be some really good advice on sailing in a big fleet. When you round the windward mark, you need to escape. Ensure that you catch the first puff or wave, and just get out of there. The situation quickly changes at a windward mark, where the boats ahead go from having clear air to very dirty air. I find when the wind and current are against each other, even in a small fleet, this advice is very beneficial.
*Keep a notebook. This fall, I started keeping a digital notebook, writing down the conditions and happenings each week. I use Evernote, so when I am thinking about any situation that came up, I can update that via my laptop, iPad or any via any other device on the web. Just writing things down really enforces lessons.
Happy New Year! See you in March!
WOW - Andy David: Bolton Lake Regatta 2013
12/23/2022 6:26 pm
Words of Wisdom: Andy David on Bolton Lake Regatta 2013
Posted May 28, 2013
Bolton Lake - May 19, 2013 - Andy David
Having only sailed on Bolton Lake (a small lake in Connecticut) once, 10 years ago, I was not sure what to expect. Though, as I was rigging up, everyone told me that this place is known for some crazy shifts, and to never think that you have won or lost until you cross the finish line. Though I did take this to heart all the way until I finished the last race, I actually never saw the craziness play out this year. The shifty southerly was predictable from my perspective, and never went too hard in either direction, and never stayed to one side for too long. So, here is what I think were key to my day.
Protect the Middle - I really learned this frostbiting this year in many shifty northerlies. With breezes that are shifting multiple times on a leg, it is important to stay towards the middle so that you can take advantage of as many shifts as possible. If you go out to a corner seeing a big puff over there, you may actually get to it and get a big advantage half-way up the beat, only to see your leverage slowly disappear as those in the middle do multiple extra tacks and stay lifted for the remainder of the beat. I sailed up the middle every beat, except in the last race, but I will get to that later.
Don't Hesitate to Tack - The puffs coming down the course in general moved straight down and did not fan out. I realized early that you did not have to sail into the puff too much before getting the benefit. So, I would work my way to the puff, and just as I got there, tack and take the puff back to the middle. It was always important for me to know what was going on just on my hip, so I would know what it would look like when I tacked.
Sunglasses - Though it was cloudy out, I left my sunglasses on. I usually take them off, but I was actually wearing a pair that brightened things up. I took them off a few times between races, and I could not see the puffs as well.
Sail Heavy When Lifted - When you are on the lifted tack, there is a tendency to take it up as high as possible to get the biggest advantage. However, in a situation like we had, it should be expected that the next puff/shift will go the other direction. So I find that I sail heavy in a lift, and really look for speed to the next puff.
The Last Race - Going into Race 6, Bill and I were tied with a throwout. My throwout was a 4 and Bill's was a 7. So, to win, I needed to either beat Bill and/or ensure that he finished worst than 4th. There was nobody else that could win based on the math. Bill and I came off of the line about even, with him about 3 boats above me. The first shift went to the left, and I tacked and crossed him. I go back to my first point above, Protect the Middle. I set myself up so that I had a cover on Bill, but was closer to the middle than him, always wanting to move him to a corner. We did a whole bunch of tacks up the left side and rounded the windward mark 1, 2, with Drew Staniar right there with us. Drew got by Bill before the leeward mark, and going back upwind it was a similar story. I followed Bill to the left, always staying to the right of him. We gradually moved back in the fleet. Once I was confident that he was far enough to the corner, without any moves left. I moved back to the middle with enough boats in between us to feel safe for the rest of the race.
WOW - Brangiforte: Wequaquet Lake Regional
12/23/2022 6:25 pm
WOW from Wequaquet Lake Regional (Brangiforte)
Posted August 10, 2013
Word of Wisdom
Bill Brangiforte
Aug. 2013
I wanted to express a couple of quick thoughts about the Wequaquet Regionals while they are still fresh in my head. I will briefly discus some tactical stuff and expand on it in later WOWS. More importantly, I want to talk about some of the things that went on off the water.
While Driving to The Cape, for the clinic, on the Friday, I began to think about an overall strategy for the regatta. We knew the fleet was going to be very strong and the breeze was going to be decent and from the Northeast, a direction I had not seen before on the lake. My plan was to try to do three things- Be patient, be observant, and let others make mistakes. I will try to explain these.
I think I have lost this regatta in the first race, more times than I can count. It always happens the same way- I round the last leeward mark close behind someone ( maybe 3rd or 4th) and try to pass them by doing something stupid, like tacking off the favored tack, and end up losing the two boats behind me. Of course, in the final standings, I end up 2 points behind the winner! This time, I rounded the leeward mark right behind Drew Buttner. He stayed on the lifted tack and sailed towards an incoming righty. Although it took patience to follow Drew, it was the right thing to do, as Amanda, Ken and Eric were close behind. It actually felt good to follow the plan and it put me into the right frame of mind for the rest of the regatta.
Eric had a really good day on Sat. He said he was seeing the shifts coming clearly and using one shift to get to the next. This is the key to sailing in a shifty breeze. Great Chess players are able to see many moves in advance; Grandmasters sometimes see 7-8 moves ahead. We are more fortunate. We only need to be able to see two moves ahead. While it is fairly easy to see a shift or puff coming, it is the one following it that we must set up for. For example, if you are on port tack and the second shift looks like it is coming from the left, you probably should tack as soon as the first header hits you, thus positioning yourself for the second one. However, if the pressure looks stronger to the right (behind the first shift) sail deeper into the shift, or if it is a fan puff, put the bow down a little and sail up the right side of the shift. Combining this with proper fleet positioning leads to consistently good results!
Patience again played a big role in race 3. I tacked shortly after rounding the leeward mark and found myself on a big lift. The problem was that the wind kept going right and the boats to windward were lifting over me. The lift seemed to last forever, but we were less than half way to the weather mark. Some of the sailors around me felt the breeze was persistently shifting to the right and tacked to get into it. This was mistake, as there was no reason to think it was persistent. It was not the sea breeze direction, nor was there any indication of a weather change. I remember thinking- Be patient, there is a long way to go! While the breeze kept going right, it was definitely getting lighter and the boats above us were starting to have less pressure; another sign it was not persistent. Finally, as I neared the Port layline, the breeze died. Now is the time to be really observant! A new wind line appeared from the left and I used the old Stuart Walker tactic of sailing past the layline (in this situation) to get to the new breeze first. I reached into the mark ahead of the boats previously to windward and was able to hold them off to the finish.
We were really lucky to have sailing legend Dave Dellenbaugh race with us over the weekend. Dave writes a great sailing magazine called “Speed and Smarts”. It is always great to sail against someone like this, because you can learn so much from them. The biggest thing I learned from him is that he practices what he preaches! Every sailing tactics book tells you to check the starting line, get line sights, etc. The truth is, most of us are not that diligent about doing so; maybe because we get lazy or nervous. Not Dave; he constantly checks the line, gets and verifies his line sights and vigilantly looks upwind for clues. For this reason, he is an excellent starter and always jumped out into the front row. I am definitely going to try to work harder at this in the future. He also put a great move on me downwind, but I will talk about this, and more in-depth tactical stuff, at a later time.
What I really want to talk about is what a great weekend it was! WLYC did an awesome job of organizing the event. Besides great racing and hospitality, they had special events for the kids and the adults. This is exactly what the class, and all of sailing for that matter, needs. It seems like people prefer venues that do not require long sails out to the race course, have shorter course races and have shore side get-togethers. Other venues, such as Massapoag YC have used this formula and they have become very popular over the last few years. These events make it nice for families and thus, are well attended.
It seems like we need to show others what this class is all about! I am sure that with the state of the economy, people are looking to sail without spending lots of money, and time working on their boats. Events like this should encourage others to come out and sail Sunfish. As far as racing sailors go, we need to show how competitive this class is. Even at the local level, this class is strong. When people like Alan Beckwith and Brian McGuiness don’t even make the top ten at a regional event, you know we have a good fleet. We also need to encourage juniors and less experienced sailors to show up and sail, by being helpful and perhaps having a separate score for them. All of this can be shown, with pictures and stories on our awesome new website!
Finally, I want to thank WLYC for dedicating the 50th anniversary of the event to Len Ruby! I also want to send out a huge thank you to Drew Staniar, Eric and the Sunfish class for the wedding toast to Gisele and I at the awards ceremony! It meant a lot to both of us, and Gisele could not wait to tell her family in Rio all about it.
Bill
WOW - Andy David: Fall 2012 Season
12/23/2022 6:23 pm
Andy David’s Words of Wisdom from Fall Frosbiting, 2013
Posted November 01, 2012
The Fall 2012 season was characterized by light, shifty breezes and as always in the Warren River, there was a strong current. As would be expected with light conditions, nobody dominated every week, with Scott winning 3 of the weeks, and Bill and I each taking 2. In the end, it was “not having a bad race” that was the key. Scott and I ended virtually tied, with the math going in my favor. Here are some of what I think were keys to success.
*The start. The start is very important, especially in the short courses that we sail in Frostbite, much like what college sailors spend 6 days a week perfecting over 4 years. Though it has been a long time since those days for me, there are still some key rules that I follow that some really great coaches and sailors taught me.
1. Never gybe before the start. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that it is the move that has the most risk of a capsize or crash, or snagging your mainsheet on something, especially if it is windy. It also moves you away from the line quickly, which with the short starting sequence is usually not good. I have to admit that I occasionally break this rule if it is light wind, and the tide is against the wind.
2. Stay within the triangle. When sailing back and forth along the line before the start, never go outside the laylines to the boat and the pin. I actually rarely go outside a box perpendicular to the ends. The idea is not to win every start, it is just to be in the front row with speed. Going outside the box can put you in high risk places, depending on how other boats setup. It also leaves you less options if there is a windshift.
3. Never setup for a barging start. This is related to staying within the triangle. Though occasionally someone barging ends up with a hole, and then can tack off to the right (when that is clearly favored due to current) and be first to the windward mark. That won’t happen every time. Others will figure it out and cause congestion there. And remember, the best series is the one with the least bad races.
4. Once the gun goes off, stick the bow up and go. If you are thinking that you are close to the line before the start with your bow down, don’t keep it there as the gun goes off. Steer up hard and sheet in. Remember it only matters where your bow is at go, so don’t hold off after the gun or your close-to-the-line start could be wasted.
5. For the minute after the start, you should have full concentration on boatspeed and hiking. If you have a decent start, this is what will put you in the front row, and allow you to make your own decisions. The only time that I break this rule is if there is a big left shift, and I can tack and cross.
*In a shifty breeze, do not bang a corner…even if you are behind. One may think that in a shifty breeze, the most gain can be made by banging a corner. However, what we typically see is an oscillating breeze that has shifts less than every 3 minutes. So, that means that you want to take advantage of every shift, and you can’t do that if you are in a corner. Now, many times the winner of the first leg does come out of a corner with the last shift, but consistency is the key, and the next few boats are usually those that played each shift/puff. This brings up an interesting starting situation. As long as the starting line is square to the average shift, then I would say that you can start anywhere on the line, even if there happens to be a left or right shift at the start.
*New rig setup. Eric, Bill and Amanda came back from the Worlds with information on a new rig setup that some were using. Considering that my boatspeed has been quite variable in recent years, I was quick to give it a try. It is actually simple to do if you are already setup with an adjustable jens rig. You basically put in a jens, and then just snug the upper halyard. As I understand it, this pivots the rig back and allows for tighter sheeting without bending the boom. Therefore allowing for higher pointing. The other thing that it does is shift the whole rig back. So, you then need to move the rig a bit forward by sliding the gooseneck back. I sailed in the light stuff with the gooseneck at 15.5”, where I would normally have it at 14”. I found that the boat was really balanced in the light stuff without having to heel the boat, which seemed fast.
*Downwind can be more important than upwind! This fall we had multiple weeks when the current was moving against the wind. This caused there to be a longer time sailing downwind than upwind. The fleet would get to the windward mark quickly, and then all come to a big slow down and crunch together as they rounded the windward mark. Being first around the windward mark was always precarious, and it was very difficult to hold that place. So, there is no relaxing downwind. You need to search the puffs, and also understand the tidal flows. It can be a long way downwind. A few years ago Bill gave be some really good advice on sailing in a big fleet. When you round the windward mark, you need to escape. Ensure that you catch the first puff or wave, and just get out of there. The situation quickly changes at a windward mark, where the boats ahead go from having clear air to very dirty air. I find when the wind and current are against each other, even in a small fleet, this advice is very beneficial.
*Keep a notebook. This fall, I started keeping a digital notebook, writing down the conditions and happenings each week. I use Evernote, so when I am thinking about any situation that came up, I can update that via my laptop, iPad or any via any other device on the web. Just writing things down really enforces lessons.
Happy New Year! See you in March!
