506 Registered

by Pam

Division	Standard	Radial	4.7	USA
Apprentice (35-44)	34	27	0	2
Master (45-54)	119	75	3	5
Grand Master (55-64)	89	71	1	16
Great Grand Master (65-74)	8	79	0	15
Total	250	252	4	38

Everybody wants to go to France. Doug is switching back to the standard, is at the top end of his age group, is underweight, and has the second largest group competing. 89 boats on the start line!

He has his hiking bench set up in the entry way to the living room and every time he walks past it, he jumps on for a couple of minutes. He thought he was in good shape until he went out for a sail on a particularly windy day a couple of weeks ago and learned differently. 

He just returned from the Butterfly Nationals where he won it (not easily) for the 5th time. And from now until France, his practice conditions and fleet size looks like this:

Hmmm ... wonder how he'll do. Either way, we're going to France! 

One Down - Four to Go

by Pam

Doug finally got around to updating his Worlds Journals with his recollections from the Worlds in Japan in 1994. It was the only time he was actually frightened by the conditions and it was also the only time he sailed in an event where the conditions were likely responsible for the death of a sailor.

Update at link below:

1994 Laser Master World Championships (Wakayama, Japan)

Happy Father's Day

by Pam

Same message of appreciation ... two very different ways of expressing it.  Which video is more impactful? Which makes you feel the best?

Coaching - Doing It Right!

by Pam

Shout out to Ryan Minth down in Houston for doing it right. We're not really tapped into the junior sailing programs but the sailors in Houston consistently get our attention. They have terrific parental support, great coaching, they tend to arrive in bulk at regattas and they do very well. 

One of the young sailors featured in the news below won the recent Easter Laser Regatta, giving Doug a real workout and totally re-energizing his sailing. Whatever Ryan is doing, he's doing it right. He's fun, easy to be around, seems to have a great rapport with the sailors and has managed to create a program that just plain works. 

Although Ryan is doing a great job with his sailors, we also have other great junior coaches in Texas, not to mention students who have remarkable attitudes, like young Caleb in Dallas, who has impressed Doug with his tenacity even in challenging conditions. The future looks bright.

Even though Ryan is an accomplished sailor and coach, I find it difficult to find much information about him online. He is the creator of C-Vane and was US Sailing's 2009 Developmental Coach of the Year. Their write-up, although old, speaks volumes:

US SAILING’s 2009 Developmental Coach of the Year: Ryan Minth 

In a short six-month time span, Minth coached a team of young, unknown Texas sailors to become top-ranked North American Laser Class Grand Prix sailors in the Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7. In February, Minth began coaching the first-ever team of young Laser sailors at the Gulf Coast Youth Sailing Association (GCYSA), developing a training program that fit the varying ages, abilities and experience of the sailors. Since then, the team members have competed against the best Laser sailors in the United States at major national regattas, including the Laser National Championship, Laser North American Championship and several regional Laser events. At the Laser North American Championship in June, three team members finished in the top 10; at the Laser National Championship in August, all five team members finished in the top 19 with two Laser Radial sailors in the top 10 and the Laser 4.7 sailor finishing second.

Minth’s expertise of developing high performance sailors can be attributed to his own success as a competitive sailor – he was on the 2005 US Sailing Team in the Laser -- and coaching a variety of classes, ages and abilities. He also stresses the importance of working with several coaches to provide different perspectives and expertise to the team, so each athlete can develop his or her own style and build on their strengths.

"Ryan’s coaching style encourages hard work, physical fitness and consistent regatta preparation,” said GCYSA President Edmund Martinez. “Ryan’s coaching philosophy encourages sailors to look at the Big Picture of sailing – to try sailing different boats, to work with different coaches and to think beyond your next regatta. His passion for the sport of sailing and his dedication to developing young people into exceptionally competent physically fit sailors as well as exemplary sportsmen make him an excellent choice for this honor. This year’s sailing results are a testament to his coaching abilities. Our sailors’ loyalty to him and their growing confidence is a testament to his leadership.”

Hyères World Championships Checklist

By Doug

Bruce in Australia is one of the 537 people who may be going to Hyères and suggested I post a checklist for the Worlds. Here's a checklist of things to remember:

Before leaving

• Resist mentioning travel plans to strangers on Facebook.
• Notify credit card companies on dates and countries.
• Get local medical references in advance (for me, vision).
• Turn off cell phone roaming unless you plan to pay for it.
• Replace the universal joint on your extension tiller.
• Consider taking your own hiking strap, supplied ones can be rough (see comment below, this may have changed).
• Take along a universal power adapter.
• Backup your computer.

In transit

• Buy Jet Ease that is available at most airports.
• Some airlines are not permitting tillers as carry-on luggage.
• Take a trash bag for wet clothes on the way back.

Your charter

• Tillers hit the traveler cleat of some European Lasers - use a strip of Teflon to lift it.
• Consider buying a rolled sail in France to save shipping hassles.
• You can change deck fittings but must replace them after the competition (see comment below - I don't do this but others routinely have changed fittings).
• Miscellaneous items: compass, gloves, wind indicator, telltales, sponge, duck tape, electrical tape, ratchet block, hat, sun block, lip protector, spare glasses.

Conditions to expect courtesy of Brett Beyer who has been to Hyères many times

• Our Masters is late season and Hyères always seems to be very influenced by the weather systems at the time.
• Any Northerly gradient wind can intensify into the well known “Mistral” wind which is why this place is favored by sailboarders and kitesurfers. Those winds are quite cool, flatter water, land affected, strong and shifty.
• The other wind is an onshore E/SE with big rolling waves if its fresh or at least, always choppy even if not fresh winds.
• I am expecting a variety of wind and chop conditions.
• Some people have said it may be lighter winds during that time of year, but I’m not convinced.

Gybing - Thoughts from Steve Cockerill, Frank Bethwaite... and me

By Doug

In the post about Laser Mainsheet Snags, comments were made about how Steve Cockerill's video suggests letting the boom out to initiate a heavy-air-gybe. I commented that surely letting the boom out would not work because it would be too unstable.

The boom is waaaaay too far out. But even a little out makes things unstable.

Then one of the sailors that Steve sponsors said this comment was correct and the reason for letting this boom out was to intentionally make the boat unstable.

So, let's recap:

• We're in strong wind on starboard and want to gybe.
• Almost all top-level events are held in open water, so there are probably big waves - a tricky situation.
• Steve suggests letting the boom out which is how you invite a death roll and swim (the twist at top of the sail is pushing everything to windward).
• The center of effort is now to the right of the boat which now wants to bear off.
• This initiates heavy air gybe with little or no rudder movement.

I have never tried or even seen this, but it's brilliant!! Except for one problem - it's a controlled heavy-air-death-roll-that-ends-up-in-a-gybe. Steve is a better man than me because my priority for a heavy-air-big-wave-gybe is getting the boom across without tipping.

This brings to mind comments from another world-class sailor. Several years ago, there was a Sailing World cover story article by Frank Bethwaite about how you bear off in a strong gust rather than the more intuitive heading up. 

Trying to head up in a strong gust.

Frank called this 'steering for balance' and it was controversial at the time, with lots of people saying that Frank was wrong. Frank was, of course, correct.

One of the key points Frank made was that by turning sharply in a gust, the boat wants to 'trip' over the centerboard. And the higher the speed, the more the importance as you lose control from the pressure in the rig.

I learned this by accident about ten years ago practicing on a local lake in a 30 knot breeze. With each gybe, the boom would slam across and there was a huge pressure on the rig and in the steering as I tried to get the right balance again. We've all had this problem.

So I tried something different and for me, counterintuitive: as the boom slammed across and I was on a new tack, I bore off to head straight downwind - steering for balance. The helm went neutral and everything worked beautifully, even in 30 knots.

So here's a combination to try when it's really honking - sheet out a little to start a gybe, let the boat bear off on its own, and as the boom slams across, bear off sharply to neutralize the helm. Oh and Ute, try to not wrap your mainsheet around the end of your boom!

In the 90s, the Worlds courses included a gybe mark and in a breeze it was referred to as the graveyard because so many boats would tip at the mark.  My practice sessions would include gybing at a certain point in a breeze and not waiting for lulls.  The goal was to have enough practice and confidence to gybe at any time while maintaining control at all times so that I could maneuver around boats that were scattered in the graveyard. That era inspired Laser sailors to practice and perfect various techniques.  That's the key ... pick a technique that works best for you and then practice it until you're comfortable.

Choices

by Pam

Doug and I had a little adventure this past weekend. Sunfish Southwest Regional Regatta down at Lake Canyon, TX. Drama seems to follow us around wherever we go. Or do we create it? You decide.

Friday

Other obligations pull at your time and you're late getting on the road and you arrive at the yacht club gates Friday night at 2:00 AM, no cell phone reception, the gate code provided doesn't work and you're in a remote location about 20 miles from the nearest interstate highway.  Do you …

1. Try to locate a nearby hotel at 2:00 AM
2. Drive to a location where you have reception and try to call some lucky sailor at 2:00 AM and ask for the gate code.
3. Put it in "Park", turn the car off, lean the seats back and retire for the evening.
4. Climb the gate with barbed wire on the sides, surveillance cameras and warnings of no trespassing so you can go in search of someone with the gate code.

As Doug was straddled atop the 8-10 foot gate and I continued to punch in variations of the gate code, I had a vision of Doug suddenly being whisked to the side while riding the gate with all sorts of obstructions to get tangled in. He must have had the same vision running through his head because he shot me a dirty look and I stopped punching in codes and he dropped down and disappeared into the night.

You've illegally broken into a yacht club by jumping the fence and left your wife at the gate to deal with any police that may have been called. You have located a few cars you don't recognize in the parking lot that might have sailors sleeping in them and you now need to wake someone up, hoping not to get shot by any gun wielding Texans, so you can get the gate code.  Do you …

1. Pick out a car that looks less likely to be "carrying" and knock 'not like a serial killer' and persist until someone wakes up and gives you the code.
2. Shout loudly and wake up anyone within earshot and ask for the gate code.
3. Abandon your wife who tried to open the gate with you on it and just find a lounge chair by the pool and settle in for the night.
4. Make your wife climb the fence too, leave the car, grab a pillow and blanket and you both go find a lounge chair by the pool.

When Doug returned to the gate, having successfully retrieved the code and not been shot, we entered, left the trailer in the launch area, and went in search of a place to pitch our tent. We got into the tent at the top of a hill and woke up the next morning at the bottom. Upon putting our sleeping gear away, we looked down at the trailer hitch on the car and even though the trailer was in a different location, the connector was firmly attached with a bunch of wires hanging there.  Note to self … 2:00 AM is not a good arrival time.

Saturday

It was a bit of a rough night and the wind for Saturday is looking iffy. You rig, sail out and start racing. Long about lunch time, you finish the 2nd race in 4th place while your wife is still on the course. It's hot as hell and the Race Committee sends the early finishers in to have lunch in the nice air conditioning.  Do you …

1. Go in, sit down and relax in the air conditioning and have lunch.
2. Hang around for a bit, chat with the Race Committee and pretend that you are waiting for your wife, and after waiting a respectable amount of time but before the wind dies completely, slowly head toward the club.
3. Settle in for the very long, hot, windless wait for your wife who seems to have been parked or sailing backwards for at least 10 minutes.
4. Accept the tow from the chase boat when the wind dies and abandon that wife who tried to open that dang gate with you on top of it.

As Doug lounged in his boat near the finish line, the wind died and the motor boat slop caused him to drift backwards onto the race course while still well clear of any competitors. When there was a touch of a breeze, he sailed back up above the line but when sailing across the finish line a second time, the Race Committee sounded a horn and scored him with an 11th place.

Sunday

When the scores come out for Day 1 and you see that your 4th is now an 11th and a little chat to correct the mistake reveals an interpretation from Race Committee that you had continued to sail and they must now count the 11th.  Do you …

1. Laugh along with all the other sailors getting a kick out of you being penalized for waiting for that wife that tried to open the gate with you on it.
2. Chalk it up to education and forget about it.
3. File a Protest
4. File for Redress

As Doug was called into the redress hearing he was introduced to the protest committee: Bubba, Bubba, and Wayne.  Real names, I swear. Great guys, with a combined age that was well over 200. The redress hearing was most unusual wherein Doug stated the facts and the Race Committee said, I agree 100%. 

You've lost your redress hearing but you don't agree with the results and you've heard that this issue has come up several times and it's becoming a precedent in the region.  Do you …

1. Forget about it, because it doesn't change the end result anyway.
2. Forget about it, because it was a Worlds qualifier event and you aren't a member of the class and shouldn't have been allowed to race in the first place.
3. Make a note to cite this ruling to that wife of yours so you no longer have to wait for her after you've finished.
4. File an appeal with US Sailing just because it's an interpretation that should be challenged.

Did you know that if you contact the US Sunfish Class Association to inquire about an appeal, you'll talk to the the same folks managing the Laser Class because both classes are managed by the same company Laser Class Secretary because the Laser Class is now managing and running the Sunfish Class?  

Since I don't want Doug to have an excuse not to wait for me at the finish line, "we" filed an appeal.  How would you rule?

Grounds for Appeal:

Improper interpretation by Protest Committee of the following:

Definition of "Finish" - part (c) … continues to sail the course (pg 7 of RRS)

"Fair Sportsmanship" (rule/definition ?)

Facts: These facts were undisputed in the protest hearing. Appellant finished the race and was scored in 4th place. While the first three finishers left the course for lunch, Appellant then lounged in his boat and waited for approximately 10 minutes above and near finish line for his wife to finish the race. The wind died and motor boat waves caused Appellant to drift below the finish line while still well clear of the course of any competitors (it was a long finish line). There was a slight breeze and Appellant used that to sail out of the racing area and upon crossing the finish line for the second time, the RC sounded a horn and re-scored him with an 11th place finish.

Dispute 1: RC and Protest Committee contend that Appellant had "continued to sail the course" when he drifted below the finish line. Case 127 of The Case Book - Interpretations of the Racing Rules 2013-2016 clearly indicates a competitor is finished when 'no finishing mark is influencing her choice of course." Appellant, by definition, had finished racing when he was scored in 4th place and scooched down in his boat to wait for his very lovely wife.

Dispute 2: Protest Committee also contends that "fair sportsmanship" required him to clear the finish line for all other sailors. This is a subjective statement with no rule cited as being broken and no such definition in the RRS.  Appellant was exercising "fair sportsmanship" to wait for his wife at the finish or there would surely be hell to pay if he didn't.

Lake Canyon Yacht Club is a great place to sail and they really go over the top on meals and in welcoming competitors. The Race Committee and Protest Committee were very well trained, very friendly and very respectful.  There were four competent PROs on the Race Committee and they had all been to training and a similar scenario came up on the test. They ruled the way they were taught. I just want to know if the instructor had it right because it doesn't feel right.

So back to the drama question, it's us isn't it?

Sports Without Balls

by Pam

No, this isn't an answer to Reaching Broadly's latest post.

If you are a regular reader and refresh your browser cache (Shift+F5 in most browsers) you will see a menu banner (they call it a hat) appear across the top of our blog denoting the fact that we joined The Active Times as a content provider.

As we had it explained to us, The Active Times is an aggregation website dedicated to sports without balls. You gotta love a female director who will just come right out and proudly announce that as part of her pitch. She really didn't have to sell us since it seemed like a natural fit.

They don't want to control, censor or change our content in any way and just want to link us to a larger community of people living healthy outdoor lifestyles. They might have advertising but we still do not. They might make money on their site but we still do not. I went to their site and saw lots of interesting things I'd like to do, see, and learn more about. As we understand it, nothing on our blog changes except the addition of the menu at the top. Click on that and you're off to Never Never Land and I think you might decide to make that trip often.

When I hovered over the "Water" tab on their site, there was Canoe, Kayak, Surf and Gear. What? NO SAILING! That just wouldn't do. The world of active outdoor lifestyle folks need to know about the wonderful world of sailing so we said yes, please feel free to point to our posts. They say that they have over one million visitors per month. That's a lot of potential new sailors. 

The director was telling us that she will ping folks in The Active Times community through social media to engage them. She'll ask things like, 'what's the temperature where you are?' or 'if you could change places with your partner for a day, what would your day look like?' I think I'll like the stimulating questions. We might choose to add some 'how to get involved in the sport of sailing' posts and we might offer more explanation on various terms but other than that, nothing should change.

So ... we just moved an old post up (after this one). Ute from Germany has a follow up question on the main sheet snag. Who can help?

Laser Mainsheet Snags

By Doug

This good question comes from one of our German readers: When gybing in medium or stronger winds, I often encounter the problem that the main gets caught around the end of the boom. In regattas it is one of the many reasons for frustration.

There are 3 ways for a Laser main to get caught:

1. The main gets caught around the transom when jibing. This happens to all of us. In light air, I like to pull the main in as much as possible in front of the ratchet block so there is less slack to get caught, and the boom goes out much easier without having to run through the ratchet. When the wind is higher, a sharp tug when the boom starts to come across usually lifts the mainsheet just enough to clear the transom. If it gets caught, the way the pros free it is by hitting the inside of the main with the tiller extension rather than moving to the back to free it by hand.
2. As mentioned, the main gets caught around the end of the boom. I've had this occasionally happen and am not sure how to prevent it, so I'm open to suggestions. But one thing is for sure - the only way to fix this is by reaching back and freeing it with one hand. This can be tricky in a breeze.
3. The main gets caught in the clue boom block. In my 38 years of sailing Lasers, this has only happened to me once and yes, it was at a critical moment in the final race at the Jeju Worlds. Pulling harder only jammed it more, so my best advice when you cannot figure out what's wrong is to stop, go back, and look at the problem. In my case, pulling hard just made things much worse.

Peckover's Law: easy problems happen during easy times. The really difficult problems nail you at the worst possible times.

Update 5/28/14:  I'm putting this back up to the top because we're still getting comments and it appears there is more to discuss.

Seeing the Wind

By Doug

Adrift from Simon Christen on Vimeo.

My good friend Joe from Canada sent us this amazing video and added, "could this fog flow be an insight to how you can see the wind.. almost like a giant wind tunnel... note how the flow is like the current in a river with eddies and different strength." I'm not sure, but it sure is good to watch.

Spring DinghyFest at Rush Creek Yacht Club

by Pam

In my opinion, this venue and event is not for beginners. In the Dallas area, it is pretty much the only lake where you get conditions that will help prepare you for open water. It is Doug's preferred venue for training for the Worlds.

It is at this event that I first met Doug. He sat down next to me at lunch, was introduced to me, shook my hand, said hello, asked me how it was going, didn't wait for a reply and has completely forgotten meeting me there. In his defense, his house had flooded that day and he had only just arrived and had other things on his mind. I was miserable at that regatta. First time sailing a Sunfish there, no idea how to de-power the boat, so far behind the fleet that I was the last person off the course for lunch and there was no one at the ramp to help me and when I got to the club for lunch, most people were done. It went downhill from there.

One year, I quit early on the first day, sat up on the hill watching and listening to the race committee on the radio. Several Lasers were tipping so much that they were tying up the rescue boats and becoming a hazard and the RC was discussing forcing them to go in after x number of tips because they had no business being out there in those conditions. Lots of boats from all fleets left the course voluntarily that day.

Another year, I was quickly blown off the course and had strained and fatigued every muscle I had. I jumped on a Sunfish with Doug insisting that I didn't have the strength to pull or hold the mainsheet. The picture of us at the upper right corner of this blog was from that day.  The picture represents bad memories but lots of gratitude for Doug.

Once again, this year I arrived half full of dread and really not wanting to sail. It was blowing, of course, and the waves were more than I'd ever seen. The Lasers have stopped showing up for this event so Doug and I were both sailing Sunfish. I considered quitting several times on the race course, I considered quitting after we came in for lunch and I was shivering from being so wet, and I considered quitting the regatta and not going back the second day.

Nevertheless, I sailed all 6 races and it was definitely no walk in the park. Of the 16 boats registered in our fleet, 10 opted out of one or more races. Of the 43 boats registered for the regatta, 21 opted out of one or more races. One boat, an 18 foot Aussie skiff was the entertainment of the weekend as we all took bets on whether they'd make it down the launch ramp, out of the harbor or to the start line. Two attempts, a rig change and a shredded sail and the winner was 'they made it down the ramp, out of the harbor but never made it to the start line'. Note: it wasn't being sailed by Aussies but kudos to them for trying and having such a great attitude about it at the prize giving, promising to start a race next time.

Meanwhile, I had managed a 3rd in one race with Doug so far back I couldn't see him. In another race I crossed a boat, looked back and it was Doug with the most surprised and perplexed look on his face. At the next crossing, he was starboard and even though I usually call out "wife" which trumps all when crossing Doug, he wasn't giving way and I had to duck him. When I tacked back to starboard, a gust hit that just about took me over. Doug hiked, flattened the boat and left me behind. I finished the regatta in 6th place and Doug finished in 2nd. Did I mention that of the 17 boat fleet, 10 opted out of one or more races and one of those still finished above me ... so beat 1 boat. Two of the better sailors didn't sail all the races or Doug would have finished 3rd or 4th.

Let it be known, this was the weekend that Doug decided to train for the Laser Worlds by sailing a Sunfish.

Many years ago Doug was out in his Laser training for the Laser Worlds and Paul Foerster (Olympic gold and multiple silver medalist and, oh yeah, multiple class, multiple World Champion) was training in his Sunfish for the Worlds or Pan Am games and he started going upwind with Doug. Doug was thinking he's in shape and geared up for the Worlds and he's going to smoke poor Paul in his little, tourist, rinky dink, beach boat. And Doug learned that day that a well sailed Sunfish can hold a Laser in a breeze. Doug couldn't shake him no matter what he did and when they went downwind, Paul passed him.

Doug has been fretting about not having a decent sailing partner to train with for the upcoming Worlds so as he was sailing against Greg Gust and Paul Foerster this weekend, having really inconsistent races but once actually being in front of both of them for a couple of legs and mixing it up for a little bit, the light went on ... even though I'd been suggesting it for years … the sailing talent is certainly in the area, they just aren't sailing a Laser ... the downwind techniques the Sunfish uses are essentially the same for a Laser … and a Sunfish sailor is born.

Hyeres France Laser Masters Worlds - US Team Shirts

by Pam

Update:  this post was revised 5/21/14 and again 7/22/14 ... this is now the official US Team shirt (interpreted to mean no one else volunteered and this is the only US shirt)

Doug has registered, we've booked our flights, hotel, rental car and made arrangements for house sitting for our very large, protective and spoiled pup (meaning, the house is not empty). It appeared we were behind schedule because the flights and hotels were already selling out so we grabbed a place away from the hustle and bustle of 600 crazy sailors. France, here we come!

US Team Shirt for 2014 Masters Worlds

We here at Improper Course always seem to be out of step, swimming upstream, and doing all things improper. What fun would life be to follow the crowd? Anyway, since the normal mode of operation on US Team shirts is to sometimes wait until the last minute, we decided to start kicking around ideas early when, of course, we should have been booking our travel. 

This started out as an "unofficial" US Team shirt but is now the US Team shirt and it is available for order now and will be delivered to you in France. Feel free to send us an email (somewhere in the right margin under our "About Us" is an "Email Us") and let us know your size (men's or women's) and quantity. We don't yet know the final price but it should be under $25.00 depending on how many are ordered. The design will be embroidered and I already bought a sample shirt just to make sure Doug liked the quality. He gave it two thumbs up. Men's and women's shirt and sizing detail is below.  

I think everyone knows the connection between the US and France and the Statute of Liberty … but I did some research and found a lot of things I didn't know so here are a few tidbits. Can you guess which are not true?

Tidbits about the Statute of Liberty: 

1. Lady Liberty is French by birth, immigrated to United States in 1886 and is among the most famous American symbols in the world. 
2. Her full name is Le liberté éclairant le monde (Liberty Enlightening the World).
3. She was given to the United States by the people of France to commemorate the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and to represent the friendship between the two countries established during the American Revolution.
4. In addition to the US and France, there are replicas located in Argentina, Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vietnam (pictures around the world).
5. In the early 1950's, Boy Scout troops erected over 200 replicas in 39 states of the US to celebrate Scouting's 40th anniversary theme "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty." (photos across the US).
6. The most recent replica in France was unveiled on February 1, 2014 in Nice about 80 miles from Hyères and commemorates 100 years since the First World War. She stands in the Quai des États-Unis (Quay of the United States) which was named in honor of the US when they decided to join the Allied Forces in 1917. 
7. French historian Edouard de Laboulaye suggested the statute.  Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue and obtained a U.S. patent (D11023S) for its structure. The framework was designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (the man behind the Eiffel Tower).
8. She functioned as a lighthouse from 1886 to 1902. In high winds of 50 mph, she can sway up to 3 inches and the torch can move 5 inches.
9. It is claimed that the seven spikes on her crown represent the seven oceans and the seven continents of the world, indicating the universal concept of liberty.
10. When Lady Liberty arrived in the US, the US had agreed to provide funds to build her pedestal but the funds had not been raised and there was no pedestal. John Pulitzer (yes, that Pulitzer) took on the task of raising the funds and asked people to send in their pennies. $102,000 was raised from 120,000 donors.
11. Her meanings have changed over the years: a monument of political cooperation between France and the United States; a monument to the end of slavery in US; a monument to American national unity amid ethnic diversity; a monument to immigration and economic opportunity; a monument to political liberty and freedom around the globe; and post 9/11, a monument to the resilience of New York City, and by extension, of humanity, in the face of destruction.
12. In 1984 she was added to the list of the World Heritage Sites.
13. In 2007 she was one of 20 finalists in a competition to name the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Use It or Lose It

by Pam

Several years ago I met the conditioning coach for an NHL (national hockey league) team. He was 40 years old and standing among several 20 something year old players. He looked the same age as they did but he also looked like he was in better shape than they were. Back in his 20s he was an Olympic level decathlete and twenty years later he still worked out and ate as though he were still competing. Being just a year younger than him, I wanted what he had and he was free with the advice. The secret was really simple: hydrate like crazy, NEVER eat anything unhealthy and exercise regularly and the body will respond.

He talked about exercising being the same as going to school. You can't start in college or graduate school. You have to start in elementary school and build up to college level exercise and it takes years.

About three weekends ago, Doug and I sailed Lasers in Fred's infamous Easter Regatta in Austin. I sailed three races in light to medium wind and called it quits. Doug didn't quit and came in 4th. Two weekends ago, Doug and I sailed in a Sunfish regatta. I sailed three races in heavy wind and then joined Doug on his boat and didn't sail the 2nd day. Doug didn't quit and came in 2nd. Yesterday, we sailed Butterflys in some heavy wind.  There were only 3 races and I sailed in all three and was in last place and Doug sailed in all 3 and had a 1st and two 2nds. 

I've been popping anti-inflammatories for weeks now like they were candy and there isn't anything that doesn't hurt. Doug gets a solid night's sleep after sailing and is good as new the next day. It's really starting to tick me off.

A couple of months ago, we were headed to the lake for some weekend sailing and I said, we need to grab a snack to take for lunch. We got in the car and I looked over and Doug had an apple and a banana and I had a box of Girl Scout cookies. Clearly, he's in grad school and I'm in elementary school and I've been here way too long.

You have to learn to walk before you run.

The body will respond to the stress you put upon it.

A picture is worth a thousand words … and this one is getting taped to my bathroom mirror. 

Commodore Cup - CSC (2014)

by Pam

Getting under the boom when tacking was a challenge!

This past weekend Doug and I sailed in a small regatta at the Dallas club which is always a special experience for Doug when he returns to sail in their open regattas. 

First of all, the Laser fleet that sailed was excellent. Small fleet, new blood, really good group of sailors and they had to work extra hard to stay on the course because it was a breezy weekend with gusts near 30 mph. It was so windy that a young 4.7 sailor took second place while a full rig or two had some swimming lessons. 

Second of all, although we sailed on the same course with the Lasers, we opted to sail Sunfish instead. The local Fish fleets have top notch competition and Doug was on the receiving end of sailing with sailors more talented than himself. I hiked for all I was worth and am proud to say I didn't tip once. I even stayed on the course with gusts to 28 mph and I swear one hit the minute I turned downwind to come in for lunch. I was launched, bow 3 feet in the air, a wall of water spraying out the back on both sides and as I neared the docks I was coming in hot and hollered for Doug to catch me. After a couple of unplanned gybes, I rounded up two feet from the docks as Doug jumped in to grab me. Back on the docks catching my breath, the kid I me said 'holy crap that was fun, let's do it again' and the old lady in me said 'ouch, I'm done.'

After lunch, I abandoned my boat and joined Doug on his boat and Greg Gust schooled us on the art of balance. Two people hiking like heck and Greg goes by us, sitting up, not hiking, and probably even had the main cleated. Doug couldn't believe his eyes. Our tacks were pure entertainment. I watched Doug slide back and press his face to the deck as he switched sides and got to laughing so hard I almost didn't make it across. I had to quit watching after that. We learned that Doug has never chicken gybed in his life and hadn't a clue how as we came to a dead stop at the lower mark.

Afterward, Greg was more than willing to share information on the art of getting the boat balanced so that it wasn't so much work. Doug missed his Laser. I loved watching him be challenged and puzzled. I think the Fish has something to teach us and the Fish sailors are wonderful. We'll be sailing it more this year. I'm betting it will make Doug a better Laser sailor.

Shout out to young Laser sailor, Caleb and his parents. Awesome job!  Keep it up.