I want to race; now what?
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:21 pm
I guess this is a good first topic for a brand new forum page. Or maybe it should go on the noob page. Or maybe a new forum page altogether - the "noob racer" forum.
I've been racing sailboats (Lasers on up to J/120s) for a few years and I still get out once or twice a week to race. This is my first kiting season, but I've been getting out almost every day that I'm not on a boat, so I'm progressing nicely . I usually kite at TP/Emery Pt./Racetrack, I get upwind and stay upwind easily, I have been recently working on gybing a directional, etc.
I usually bring my phone with me to take GPS tracks (I highly recommend using MapMyTracks.com) and have been monitoring how well I go upwind, estimating my VMG, estimating upwind angles, and the like. At my best and on my directional, I can only make about 70 degrees off the wind (20 degrees above a beam reach) and can make up to about 2 kts VMG. I've read that the good racers make up to about 10 kts VMG. I blame a lot of that on not having a race board. Should I share in more of the blame?
So my main question is: what is the next step?
Do I go out and buy a race board? Do I go out and get a new quiver of "race" kites? Do I walk in to St. Francis Yacht Club and sign up for the next race and get my ass handed to me? Or do I just keep practicing getting upwind faster and more efficiently on my directional? I notice I can go much, much faster and seem to get upwind better if I keep my board flatter and use the fins to steer upwind (as opposed to driving the rail underwater and creating a lot of drag). Though that makes the little muscle on the tops of my feet really sore. I imagine a race board would help with that.
Any thoughts or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
J
I've been racing sailboats (Lasers on up to J/120s) for a few years and I still get out once or twice a week to race. This is my first kiting season, but I've been getting out almost every day that I'm not on a boat, so I'm progressing nicely . I usually kite at TP/Emery Pt./Racetrack, I get upwind and stay upwind easily, I have been recently working on gybing a directional, etc.
I usually bring my phone with me to take GPS tracks (I highly recommend using MapMyTracks.com) and have been monitoring how well I go upwind, estimating my VMG, estimating upwind angles, and the like. At my best and on my directional, I can only make about 70 degrees off the wind (20 degrees above a beam reach) and can make up to about 2 kts VMG. I've read that the good racers make up to about 10 kts VMG. I blame a lot of that on not having a race board. Should I share in more of the blame?
So my main question is: what is the next step?
Do I go out and buy a race board? Do I go out and get a new quiver of "race" kites? Do I walk in to St. Francis Yacht Club and sign up for the next race and get my ass handed to me? Or do I just keep practicing getting upwind faster and more efficiently on my directional? I notice I can go much, much faster and seem to get upwind better if I keep my board flatter and use the fins to steer upwind (as opposed to driving the rail underwater and creating a lot of drag). Though that makes the little muscle on the tops of my feet really sore. I imagine a race board would help with that.
Any thoughts or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
J