2017 Orange Bowl Regatta Reports

Orange Bowl - RWB Fleet  Regatta Report: Coach Hector Guzman A day prior to the start of the event, the team met for one last practice session. We worked on fine-tuning our boats and sails while getting used to the conditions around the racing area. To finish the day and our preparation for the regatta, we partnered up with other teams and worked on starts and short races to get a good feel for what the next day would bring us. Throughout the event, we saw light to medium winds from the NE and the N along with short chop – which made for similar conditions to the classic Westerly in Chicago. This helped the team adapt and look fast and comfortable. This year’s Orange Bowl was an extraordinary experience full of lessons, laughs, and challenges where the team took a step forward to the next level. Sailing with current and 70+ boats on the line was demanding but yet rewarding when executed properly. Learning how to read the clouds to predict wind shifts was one of the highlights of this event. This process required us to be disciplined and attentive to detail. Furthermore, it taught us the importance of hypotheses testing and the value of their conclusions. Discovering patterns allowed us not only to understand the present but to predict the future - a fundamental tool/ability for sailboat racing. A respectable performance featured two overall finishes in the gold fleet, one silver, and two bronze while the team showed an outstanding attitude and desire to improve by continuing to work hard. Once again, I enjoyed coaching the team and look forward to many more experiences like this one. Orange Bowl - Green Fleet  Regatta Report: Coach Julia Melton We had seven Chicago Yacht Club sailors on the green fleet course with a little under 70 boats total in the fleet. The sailors learned a lot in the four days of racing such as the importance of staying hydrated and focusing on three simple things: positioning in the boat, sail trim, and direction. The positioning in the boat is critical because proper positioning allows the skipper steer in a straight line. Keeping the boat flat upwind was critical. In shifty conditions like Biscayne Bay sailors need to be deliberate with their movement to keep the boat flat. The second simple thing to focus on is sail trim. I always stress the importance of sail trim with my sailors. Sailors should make macro adjustments by sheeting in and out and then micro-adjustments by watching your telltales on the sail. The focus should be on your sail about 87-95% of the time, depending on the conditions. The other small percentage is used to check in with the fleet, course, waves, etc. The third simple thing we tried to focus on during the race was our direction around the course! This concept of "direction" may seem obvious, but newer sailors often forget about it on a green fleet course. Sailors need to make sure they are sailing in the right direction (towards the next mark!). This means navigating the least amount of distance to the next mark on the course. For example, upwind sailing the lifted tack and not sailing past layline. The CYC sailors supported their teammates on and off the water. The top finishers were Evan Wern finishing in 16th and Grace Renz finishing in 23rd. All of our Green fleet sailors did a remarkable job, and most importantly, they were all smiling on the last day!