Club News


Three Top Ten Finishes for Paul Didham Sailing Radial Laser

By | August 23, 2015

US Youth Championships
Event Website | Results

Roger Williams University in Rhode Island hosted the 2015 U.S Sailing Youth Championship. The regatta is invitation only; therefore, competition is always tough. This was my second year competing in the event, last year I placed 14th sailing in Michigan. Going into this event my goal was a have a consistent regatta and place in the top ten.

Mount Hope Bay is an interesting venue to sail in. It is at the top end of Narragansett Bay quite a distance from the ocean. The breeze can be anything, from a constant sea breeze to an unstable front. Also, the shipping channel in the middle of the race course makes current a factor. The first day of the regatta conditions were pristine, the sea breeze filled in and built to a constant 15 knots. The race committee got three races off, I had a solid day, and ended the day in 6th place overall.

Conditions during the second day of the event were bleak to say the least. With a front fighting the sea breeze we had an unstable breeze the entire day. This was a nightmare for the race committee, when they finally went for it, I knew the race was going to be tricky. I was able to get a good start and working the shifts up the middle I rounded the top mark in top ten, but the race was far from over. The race committee had the radials sailing on the outer loop of the trapezoid course. Sailing on the edge of the fleet on the downwind I made some gains. Things only went wrong on the second upwind beat. The breeze dropped down to 1.5 knots, the course was shortened. I tried working up the middle but lost on both sides. It was a tough race.

The third day again we were faced with unstable conditions. The breeze was so shifty you just had to pick a side and hope the last shift would favor you. As frustrating as it was it did teach me a lot about shifty venue tactics. Information I would later use for Laser Nationals.

Unfortunately the last day of the regatta we again saw the same unstable conditions. After two more races the regatta was over. I finished 9th, it was a bittersweet moment. I had made the top ten, but I knew if the conditions had been like the first day of the regatta I would have done better. Even so I enjoyed myself, and was able to get plenty of “take a ways” for the next regatta. Thank you for supporting me this event! 


Laser National Championship
Event Website | Results

by Paul Didham

After the Youth Champs regatta, I had a scenic seven hour drive down to New Jersey, the green summer vegetation and the quaint New England villages were a pleasant change from the usual Southern California vista.

The 2015 Laser Nationals was hosted by the Brant Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey. The four day event provided a wide variety of conditions. Arriving a week early, I got four solid training days in. By the end of the training block, I was fully prepared for the event.

Brant Beach Yacht Club is known for its steady sea breeze, 15-20 knots. This however was not the case for this regatta. The first day of the regatta we were met by an onshore postponement. That was due to a severe storm cell offshore that sucked the breeze into it. After two hours of waiting we left the beach, the race committee set the course and was able to get one race off, only for the full rigs. Unfortunately, the radial race was abandoned due to a thunderstorm cell. With the cell approaching, the RC sent everyone in.

The second day of the regatta the breeze filled in early. The race committee, eager to get off races, got five races off for the radials. This was enough for the qualifying round. The conditions for the day were shifty. Plus the short course racing made the start immensely important. With it being the first day that counted, the goal was consistently. The game plan for all five races was simple: start near the favored end and stay in phase with the shifts. I was able to execute the game plan for four races. Unfortunately, my primary vang line got caught in the pulley system of the vang. This caused me to pick up one bad score.

The third day of the regatta is known as moving day. This is even more true in gold fleet were the spread of points is so compact. With conditions similar to the day before, the game plan remained the same. With the pressure gone of getting the qualifying round done the race committee set a longer course and we only did three races. I was able to get a good day of racing in and put myself in a good position for the last day of racing.

The final day of the regatta the wind was up. There were large shifts and short course racing. The race committee got three races off. With the exception of the last race I had a solid day. I finished the regatta in 10th/135. Thanks for supporting me in competing in this National Championship.


Laser North American Championship
Event Website | Results

The 2015 Laser North American Championship was hosted by Sail NC, located in Manteo NC whose venue is famous for its consistent sea breezes. The competition was going to be fierce with sailors from Canada and Central America to contend with but I felt confident.  It is worth noting that it is nearby Kitty Hawk where the Wright brothers first flew in 1903. After an eight hour drive from New Jersey we arrived at the venue. Due to the close scheduling of Laser Nationals and Laser North Americans I only got in one practice day. Nonetheless, I felt confident for the event.

The first day of the regatta, the sea breeze filled in making the conditions pristine. The wind was shifty, and the key to the day was playing the major shifts. For the most part I was able to execute this strategy. Overall the first day was a success, the only problems I had were on the downwind. I could not figure out the wave pattern. This did cost me some places, but tactically I was sailing smart.

With an early start time on second day, I knew things would be different from the previous day. When we arrived at the boat park the conditions were very different, the breeze strength was the same, but the wind direction was out of the opposite direction. What was interesting about this day was for the most part little changed from the strategy. In the pre-start I recorded my bearing, then I got lifted. This allowed me to stay in phase with the shifts. We had three races, and again I was able to have a consistent day with my worst score being a 10th.

Going into the first day of gold fleet, the points were close I was in 15th and only 9 points out of 10th. With the points so close I decided to follow the same strategy, the goal was to be consistent and avoid the large scores. The first race started unfavorably getting forced off the lifted tack, I was ping ponged on the right side. I rounded the top mark in the twenties. On the reach, I made the high road work and passed two boats. With the breeze lightning up, the fleet compressed at the end of the reach. I was able to capitalize on this by positioning myself on the outside for the downwind. This allowed me to stay in more pressure and get closer to the leaders. At the bottom gate, I was roughly in 14th. After I rounded the gate I tacked out and got onto the long tack, then connected with a lefty, came back and I was in 6th. I was able to maintain that place for the rest of the race. The next two races I executed my game plan and picked up a 3rd and a 10th.

I felt confident going into the last day; there were only 9 points that separated me from 5th place. Also, I had the lowest drop out of that group. Chances were I could only move up. Unfortunately the breeze did not cooperate and we did not race. I finished the regatta in 9th place out of 121. Thank you for supporting me at the 2015 Laser North American Championship.