Over this past winter break, my family and I got the opportunity to travel to Miami, Florida for my first Orange Bowl Regatta. We arrived on December 18th for a pre-racing clinic, where I was able to get a feel for the conditions and become familiar with the area. I learned what the general conditions were for each wind direction and how to handle them.
Two days after Christmas, the regatta finally started. The first day was tricky. After being postponed for many hours we only got one race off. The conditions were shifty with around 5 to 8 knots. The pin was favored but it paid off to start at the committee boat and tack immediately onto port. The current was pushing you behind the line and towards the pin so there was a lot of line sag, which was a major aspect throughout the entire regatta.
The second day had oscillating winds between 10-14 knots with a little chop. The main priorities for that day were getting a clear start and tacking into the first shift. We had to make up for the lack of racing the day before by completing a very long and tiring 4 races. I got a UFD on one of the races, as well as a 12th place in another race, which was much better. Day three brought somewhat similar conditions, only a little windier and choppier. We had a shifty breeze around 15-17 knots. Once again, the pin was favored and in some cases it was better to tack onto port since port was the long tack. I finished in 7th on the last race, but unfortunately I got a BFD on that race as well.
The final day of Orange Bowl there was very little wind, and we were postponed on land and on water, resulting in never completing a race. In the end, the Orange Bowl regatta was a very good experience for me. I learned more about linesights and how to focus on your priorities in a race. Although I did get a UFD and BFD which dropped my scores quite a bit, I learned the boundaries of where to be on the line and how not to be afraid when there is a black flag because you can make huge gains. I would like to thank San Diego Yacht Club and the Competition Fund for their support and giving me the opportunity to compete in Miami.