Tacks & Jibes (Thanks BB)

Been practicing for a couple big regattas in September.  Annapolis Race Week, which I did last year & a really biggie: the J/30 North Americans.  This particular regatta is only for J/30s.  From all over the country.  Very cool.  

So last Friday I had a great opportunity to fly the kite without the pole & without the main.  It was an amazing experience, yeah, kinda geeking out on the sailing thing again but I can't even begin to describe how it feels to see that big sail fill & the tug on your arms as you are the one controlling that boat through the water...sailing nirvana.

Last night instead of racing we did a ton of tacks & jibes--over & over--start runs over & over. I was a busy chickie--was a little rusty & also feeling a bit stressed about getting it right & sometimes I screwed up but by the end I think I had the feel back & was executing better--it was cool also because I was the only one trimming spin & handling the guy (ah, the sexual innuendo here...).  It ain't easy to do both but taking care of both really helps get that feel of moving the sail with the wind better--still a steep learning curve & there are some things that I need to work on but it is exciting to get out there & learn so much.  I was telling Xing Fu that this season has really been one of learning--from the J-World class that I took early in the season I have a much better grasp of it all--certainly I'm no expert or even that good, but I now see things that I'd NEVER have known or seen before or even understood--even last year.  And I'm still trying to catch up.  But I am lucky because I am given an amazing opportunity on the boat I sail on--ratcheting up as my skipper likes to say...yeah, baby!