Updates

Well it is about time that an update is in order. I sailed last Thursday for the first races in the DIYC Thursday Night Racing series. We practiced on Cool Change the Sunday before, doing nothing but Spinnaker gybes back and forth, up and down the bay. That practice obviously came in very handy as well had a spectacular race this past Thursday. We led our competition and even ended up in the middle of the fleet that started ahead of us.

I am into my 3rd week of the USPS Piloting course and it is very cool. I'm learned how to chart lattitude and longitude, measure distance and use a plotter to determine true and magnetic bearing. All good so far and very interesting. I will say that it is kind of a pain in the ass to work out of two books but that's the way it's structured. I did get the results of my USPS Weather Course Exam and I got a 95, only missing 5 question. Two of those were related to reading the surface analysis, so my answers were in the back park with regard to where the wind was going and where it was coming from. I mean come on there is not a whole lot of difference in answering W versus WSW. Never the less, I'll take it.

After the Piloting course is over, I look forward to reviewing the weather material from scratch again, just to make sure I have a good handle on it. I have found this material very interesting. I've even given some of the Thursday Night crew a lesson on weather each time we have been out, and now that seems to be expected of me. It's a great way to review.

In the interest of not making this all text or about me, I've posted a new link to one of the latest videos from the America's Cup AC45 boats. Check it out, if there is anyone out there...