First of all why I do this ? Just to have an adventure ? To bring back old memories 20 years ago when I was part of a past time regatta team in Austria, mainly joining regattas in Adriatic Sea ?
I tell you being 20 years older and 20 kg heavier somehow memories seems to be borrowed from a different person.
However booked is booked, I could never step back so I join the race with @teamtigress.
As certain positions in my watch (the famous dolphin watch), based on age, weight (bowman) or missing experience, downwind with spinnaker (on the helm) are not useful to be covered by me, I found my position as a kite trimmer.
I think that sounds good to me as when I used to do this on Adriatic Sea it was an easy job, only sitting and in best case all of 15 minutes at a time.
So far theory - how is reality?
Well as this is a racing boat and not really social sailing AND we for sure want to achieve a podium position, I end up with a blocked neck from watching the spinnaker for any signs of collapsing and parallel checking if waves moves the ship apart from the course - good that I was given 2 eyes.
Any additional eye is not needed as the landscape of the Atlantic sea does not change that dramatically so far - another difference to Adriatic Sea.
And as god was good to me he gave me as well ears to wait for the commands of my skipper and first mate as they seem to have some sort of 6th sense what will happen.
And the story about trimming all of 15 minutes - I can only say welcome to Atlantic Sea where the wind is strong and the waves are high.
And then there is the thing with the watch time - 6 hours during the day and once or twice for 4 hours in the night - playing a professional I try hard to be focused when I am on watch but there is obviously a difference in playing or being a professional. No chance for me to do that - in the beginning of the individual watch somehow it works out but the later on my mind is drifting apart and more open for disturbances.
Thinking of my wife, calculating the miles to go and the expected arrival, watching the sea for dolphins to earn the name of the watch, being hit by flying fish in the night or just getting tired as I am simply not used to this type of work.
Good that there is much pressure on the sheets that I have to change hands every 3 minutes - god knows if I ever get a feeling back in my swollen fingers.
The last learning for me - whenever you do not watch the spinnaker because you cannot find your water or grab some food etc. one can bet that in two out of three times there is a problem with the spinnaker - starting with the friendly but loud and clear command to ease or trim, second the shocking what I did overlook - third my head translates the english command to my known german one, fourth immediately afterwards adrenaline supports to execute the command hoping it was not to late and finally fifth the promise to myself to be more focused... until the next disturbance comes.
When I am back home I write the statistical proof of this theory maybe I will become as famous as Murphy.
For those who ask themselves why I do that - my answer is simple - I booked a racing crossing not a cruising one so never give up and try harder.
Gerhard Purgstaller
Austria
Kite Trimmer on @teamtigress on Jua Kali
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