June 2010 Archives

A typical alumni regatta means showing up on a beautiful sunny day in june with bright sun, 90 degree weather, and not a stich of breeze on the river.  We grill up hot dogs and hamburgers and wait for wind. Eventually the prevailing west wind will be overcome by the sea breeze and that last few races will be a little more spirited.

This year we showed up to 20-25 mph off wind.  I also forgot to bring my sailing boots, a horrible combination. I quickly realized how long it's been since I sailed in heavy air.  Also I noticed I was a bit heavier back then and had more balast.  The lack of sailing boots caused me to skid and slide on the wet inside of the hull, and made it less comfortable to hike out.  The beginning of the race went reasonably well, although I was consistently overpowered and dumping air to keep the boat upright.  at the leeward jibe mark I lost it, I slid ont he wet hull and wasn't abel to get up enough to hold the boat down on the jibe and it went over, and turtled.   Going into the water I managed to hang onto my sunglasses, and it took me a couple minutes te remember how to climb back up on the centerboard trunk  with the boat upside down.  I then pulled myself up on the overturned hull and grabbed the centerboard and pulled it back over. 

In the second race I lost it again jibing at the leeward mark, except I didn't turtle the boat.  I righted it and continued on.  I figure I owe the Charles  an obligatory swim once a year.  It looks like this year I made up for some lost time.  

This was also my first race in Dauntless my new 1x, and my first sprint race as a masters rower and not a novice.  Overall I'm satisfied with how it turned out, but I'm looking to do better.  I came in a close 4th, pretty much smoking the 5th and 6th boat on the water.  The race was into a strong headwind with moderate chop on the water, and I rowed at bout 28-32.  I made lightweight at 155, but they said the scale a was about 2lbs heavy.   Compared with how I did last year i've definitely picked up the pace, and as far as this regatta shows,  I'm a completive masters rower after one year.  

In the double I was actually quite happy with how we did.  We need to be faster for sure,  but the boat felt good. Oh yeah and we beat the other NYRA mens double on the water.  This was more of a moral  or personal victory.  Both of the guys in the other double are much more experienced rowers, and  have coaching experience.  THe reality of it is that it shows that I am a competitive masters rower. Again I need to be faster, but it shows progress from last year.  

Perhaps I've had a bit of an axe to grind after soem individuals told me that I couldn't row, that I wouldn't be able to keep up, that it wasn't safe for me to be in a boat...   I still clearly have my work cut out for me, but I'll give you one out of 3.  If you don't like loosing to the kid from Learn to Row, then it may be unsafe to have me out there :).

Around 1am we awoke to find Jefferson st. and 4th steed covered in a thick acrid smoke. Some pictures of The building that caught fire and the fire department responding as they spent a couple hours putting out the fire.