File - Canadian Wayfarer Association

All sailors get psyched out at times. It is so easy to say “he’s going faster” or “ he’s pointing
higher.” In reality, he rarely is. However; if you keep thinking it, he soon will be! It stands to
reason, if you are concentrating on the opposition’s boat and not focused on yours, you will begin
to slow down. There will be times when he gets a lift or gust of wind you do not - that’s the way
it goes. You must continue to focus and be aware of your boat, the boats around you, the
orientation of the course, the wind, the waves and what the tide is doing. Easy, isn’t it? All it is
practice and learning from mistakes.
Stu describes the final, deciding race of the Championships
Going into the final race of the Nationals, I stood quarter of a point behind Mike McNamara. I
had to beat him over the water and finish in the top 5 to win the Championship. I knew my boat
was as fast as anyone’s in the breeze of the day and, importantly, so did everyone else. After a
number of attempts, the race was started and we got away to a good start, leading the bunch of
boats to the lefthand side of the course as planned.
Now to get around the windward mark first and away.. not to be! The boats from the righthand
side got there first. We go around 5th and McNamara 7th. My crew reminds me to “settle down
and think boat speed”, which he had been invaluable at doing all week. Despite making a mistake
up the second beat - allowing Mike to cross us - we quickly picked the best course. We knew the
boat was fast, so were able to relax and enjoy the sail, the result being that we were second
going round the last leeward mark and Mike McNamara was third. Priority one was to stay ahead
of him but also to remain in the top of the fleet. We covered hard initially and then eased off to
maintain general position and then, in the last quarter of the final beat covered hard again, once
second or third position overall seemed assured.
Hence I achieved a goal set a number of years earlier - to win the Wayfarer Championships -
through practice and learning from mistakes. We formed a well-tuned boat and crew who, given
their day and a little bit of luck, would take the championships from a field of very good sailors.
Yes.
How “Mad Savannah W 9363” was tuned
Mast Rake: 716,3 cm (23’6”) from normal main halyard hoisted sailing position to bottom edge
of traveller.
Mast Bend: Light/medium wind – 20,3 cm (8”) (measured to back of mast from the straight line
spreader tip to spreader tip)
Heavy wind – 19,7 cm (7¾”)
Spreader
52,7 cm (20¾”)
length:
Chocks: With 158 kg (350 lb) of tension on shrouds and mast set as above. 2 chocks to
firmly fit in gate in front of mast at deck level in all winds except light wind when
one 4mm chock removed.
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