Here are some of my observations and thoughts from the regatta.
1. The Jericho sailing center is one fantastic place. Mike, Roger, Keith, and Dave are very lucky. I am green with envy. The whole staff at Jericho went out of their way to make us feel at home, and we did make ourselves at home. I\’ll be back the next chance I can get time and afford the trip.
2. One of the keys to sailing a Swift fast is to keep the boat as flat as possible. Even people on the RC and shore crews commented that people who seemed to have good speed were very flat. The boat is also much easier to handle when flat. If you roll up on the wind, you get too much drag and the rudder comes up out of the water.
3. Make sure all your lines and controls are fee flowing. I don\’t know how many times I would get in the lead only to have a total rats nest hoisting the kite and either end up with a knot in the haliard or take too long and have the kite hourglass on me. Also don\’t hoist the kite while going DDW. It will only twist up and foul. Stay high while hoisting the kite and it will flow out from the boat. Same is true for the dowse. This is when the head will go behind the spreaders and make the rest of the dowse dificult and the next hoist all but impossible.