IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training Session 3 at Bosham Sailing Club
by Roger Cerrato 9 Dec 2019 08:27 AEDT
8 December 2019
IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training Session 3 at Bosham © Andy Kerr
Hoping for a window of lighter winds 13 sailors arrived bright and early on a breezy December morning for the third session of the IOCA South pre zone winter training programme at Bosham SC.
Force four gusting five and blue skies greeted the slightly apprehensive Optimist sailors, the youngest of whom was only seven.
Coaches Andy Kerr, Henry Chandler and Will Jarman offered some key advice for the day: Pull on lots of kicker, sit back, no further back, even further back, now let the sail out and hang on!
Off they flew to return an hour later grinning and demanding hot chocolate, amazingly without a single capsize and only a few nosedives. More hands were raised than not when asked who wanted to go out again, so after refuelling and a few more tips on strong wind sailing. Hike hard and sit even further back, they were off once again.
As the forecast promised the wind was now blowing a solid force five with gusts of six whistling through Bosham channel. Coaches glanced nervously at each other as Optimists skipped across the water. Some sailors smiled, other grimaced, others couldn't quite believe an Optimist could travel at that speed.
Once again all sailed brilliantly and more than rose to the challenge the conditions dished out, a big well done to all and I'm sure they'll all sleep well tonight.