Day 1 - Qld Sabre States

WOW - strong winds - over 25k at Peel Island weather buoy - racing changed to western side of Cleveland Point in Raby Bay. Twelve Sabres launched, with eleven seeing out the three races. Here's a shot leaving shore.... just before I ran aground - flinging myself forward over the thwart - no damage to me - just the centreboard!!

Racing was close - top boats were John Campbell, John Nobbs, Peter Skinner and John Ludwig.
Four women went onto the water - Anne, Kathy, Peta and myself. Kathy swam and retired. Pete swam and kept going. Anne and I had some close tussles, especially at the gybe mark - what she was gaining upwind I had caught by about that point.

Here's me on a gybe ..

Forecast is 15-20k today, getting up to 25 in some areas. We'll be on our toes out there again.

the space around us ...

I have been pondering/reflecting on some of the theme ideas Adrienne has in her book.
She talks about planning to achieve new levels in her sport - I think that is quite a useful approach and may be useful for goal setting - something I find difficult in my own sailing experience.
I am concluding from her story that we each have a space around us - and we fill it - by choices we make - though some say they cannoy make choices - that in itself is a choice.
How we choose to fill our space is interesting - could it be that if the right events, people, relationships don't make their way into our space we fill it with something else ... do others then perceive us to have our space filled - when in fact we have made a temporary allocation?
Maybe I will never know.

38, 13 and 2 ....

Getting keyed up for the Sabre States this weekend - 2 days to go - finalised the Sailing Instructions last night so they are off to competitors today - learned a lot from that exercise - but I have no desire to move into that side of sailing - committees, protests, rules .... the little trophies I am preparing are much more fun! Only dampener on the weekend is the 20-25k wind forecast.

Cars booked for serviceing today and tomorrow - time consuming but worth the effort, and cost, hopefully. Minimise risk. Started reviewing the interprofessional subject for Summer - it's a double subject - a lot of the process is familiar - hard part will be to settle on a topic to research! Planning a trip to the library tomorrow with the aim of getting that side of it sorted early. Then I can plan to plan.

Nationals - seem a distant event at the moment with so much other activity - maintaining training - doing extra work on upper body for mainsheet trimming - hard work - such a range of muscles to coordinate. Should be worth the effort - no real signs of last years shoulder impingement - so I am pleased about that. Currently - injury free.

Read Adrienne Cahalan's book this week ... Around the Buoys .... it reconfirmed to me I am not a big boat girl ... I like to own my own boat - so own something affordable .. I like to travel with my boat - so it must be small and light ... and I do like having a shower and nice meal at the end of the day.  Regarding the boys in the book ... I think she left a lot out ... there is no mention of love, romance, emotion ... general girly stuff ... 

I best go check on my varnish and put those extra bolts in the chainplates before the weekend ...priorities ... no room for emotion? ..... or is there?

40 and 15 to go

Time is flying.
I have decided to follow the Cairns Fishing blog for a while - decided fishing would be a suitable and easy recreational activity to do while I am at Kuranda :-) So I will take my pink fishing rod!!
Sabre States this weekend - we might get to 16 entries - whoot whoot - I'm excited.
Will do some final boat preparation tomorrow.
But tonight ... delicious linguini for dinner with my fav pesto - and some delicious KING prawns as accompaniment. mmm...

42 days to Nationals departure and only 16 days till Kuranda departure

Countdown!! means activity.
Mainsheet needs some modifications - should I try the old one as well to see if grip is better? MMM!!
Quicksand seemed well balanced to winward yesterday in 15k - not had such an experience before in my Sabres - but it didn't result in more speed - so what am I doing wrong - what can I improve?
Learned a bit more yesterday about where to NOT place the camera in the boat :-)
Considering a sail at CYC today.

43 days to Nationals departure

Saturday - about to leave home to sail at RQYS this afternoon. Will add new mainsail halyard - vectran - to see if it is less stretch under tension for the afternoon - the existing rope was unsatisfactory last week - had to even alter my traveller height to accommodate the stretched halyard - bad!

Forecast is for 15k, with some gusts above - strategy - take risks - st 1/3 down the line - push my envelope.
:-)

Semester 2 nearly over and Quicksand prepares for Qld Sabre States

Semester 2 exams finished today - just have to do some more clinical skill assessment next week to finalise the semester - results due 1 Dec. Summer Semester starts 29 November - so just a 10 day break between semesters.

Summer Semester has two subjects - a research proposal and a placement. Mostly by distance, minimal face to face. My placement is at Kuranda Medical Centre, Kuranda (25k out of Cairns) - leave Brisbane 1 December to drive up. Start at the medical centre on 6 December.

Quicksand, the new Sabre is giving me a lot of pleasure - she travels well through the water, and the new mast/mainsail (Quantum) seems to be working well - yet to have her in a real blow or strong wind - should be interesting - I will at least be familiar with the footing etc by then.

Qld Sabre States are 20-21 November - so lots of effort to get the boat and me ready for that. The event is at Cleveland YC. Six races over the weekend. Should be a lot of fun.

A pic of me doing a NOT very good tack!!

More pictures to come :-)