tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post5131728868727740896..comments2024-02-25T10:43:07.698+13:00Comments on STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS: ________________________ Zephyr Nationals 2018 ______________________Alden Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-4976784357708688972018-04-25T07:59:20.205+12:002018-04-25T07:59:20.205+12:00Hi Heather - thanks for taking the time to comment...Hi Heather - thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes it was all very good fun. After sailing keelers for decades I had forgotten how great small boat sailing (especially national contests) really is. I am as competitive as most people, but I have to say simply competing and being part of the sailing was pretty satisfying. Setting realistic personal goals regarding sailing performance I think is the way for me to go. If I can improve on my Worser Bay performance I will be happy - if not I will still have enjoyed the sailing.<br />I think both of us deserve a medal for simply surviving what was a tough windy series.<br />Looking forward to seeing you at Tauranga next year.Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-64154561849106557792018-04-25T01:21:14.236+12:002018-04-25T01:21:14.236+12:00Hi Alden, Nice to find your great little blog here...Hi Alden, Nice to find your great little blog here! I enjoyed competing with you around the 60 place mark in the Zephyr Nationals at Worser Bay. You did better than I did, but it was all good fun. Hope to be at Tauranga next year... <br />Heather N0.312Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-13358189985648098622018-03-02T09:31:33.214+13:002018-03-02T09:31:33.214+13:00Ben, I enjoyed the experience very much and I inte...Ben, I enjoyed the experience very much and I intend to compete every year until I am physically unable to do so. Apart from enjoying the sailing, because the Zephyr Nationals are held all around New Zealand it will be enjoyable seeing and experiencing these different localities. Next year they will be held in Tauranga.Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-60335986395617780002018-03-01T22:05:57.671+13:002018-03-01T22:05:57.671+13:00Some spectacular photo’s Alden.
I can appreciate v...Some spectacular photo’s Alden.<br />I can appreciate very much your experiences of completing all 9 races and not capsizing.<br />Planing under these conditions must have been thrilling.<br />Next year again?<br />Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16337494349546448043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-37031847909481398452018-03-01T07:29:39.014+13:002018-03-01T07:29:39.014+13:00Thanks for the supportive comment Steve. I came cl...Thanks for the supportive comment Steve. I came close to coming last in the first race when 20 boats retired from racing and I looked and saw only 3 boats behind me!! - a humbling experience that cures one of human hubris and ego centrism, reminds one that we all like to win or at least do well, but encourages empathy by being placed right at the losing end of things - it won't do me any harm even at this stage of my life!!! .... and I did enjoy myself immensely. Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-83085108537823115092018-03-01T01:53:50.926+13:002018-03-01T01:53:50.926+13:00I'm with Paul too.. always consider it a &quo...I'm with Paul too.. always consider it a "win" if I just finish all races, and even better if I'm not last... two ticks for you... and you enjoyed it as well.. three ticks.. good result!Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-21794891011553035492018-02-28T17:31:42.142+13:002018-02-28T17:31:42.142+13:00Thanks for the supportive comment Paul - I was ple...Thanks for the supportive comment Paul - I was pleased to finish all the races in such rugged conditions but the overall result of course leaves something to be desired. But we all had a great time and I'm looking forward to the next one!!!Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-40246343580808213502018-02-28T17:20:38.483+13:002018-02-28T17:20:38.483+13:00Well done that man! Anyone completing all races is...Well done that man! Anyone completing all races is a champion in my books...;)Paul Mullingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05656301521677046663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-22497266828166784712018-02-28T14:46:28.477+13:002018-02-28T14:46:28.477+13:00Thanks Barubi - stubbornness and bloody mindedness...Thanks Barubi - stubbornness and bloody mindedness saw me through. If you were sailing last week then you do know what the weather was like.<br /><br />Yes, the Zephyr, despite the fact that unlike the Finn it has a fully battened mainsail and stayed mast there are similarities to the Finn. Others also make this comparison. The Zephyr has all the technical challenge of Finn sailing but with a sail area and rig (boom nice and high for old heads) that is appropriate to the age group that is sailing them - hence their popularity.<br /> Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-30342846436465455742018-02-28T10:57:48.976+13:002018-02-28T10:57:48.976+13:00Congratulations, you’ve been stubborn enough to ke...Congratulations, you’ve been stubborn enough to keep going but flexible enough to take advice. <br />Round in Evans Bay we blew out our spinnaker in the first race on Friday so the fear-to-fun ratio swung more to cruise mode for the rest of the regatta. I waved to you on Saturday when our race course moved towards Somes Island, but the Zephyrs were only dots in the distance. <br />We stopped at Worser Bay on Sunday morning after the skipper decided we wouldn’t sail the last races, couldn’t find Slipstream but could see close up that Zephyrs are technical boats with as many strings as a Finn. Barubihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17399545791822530547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-27832167691231989782018-02-28T07:09:39.351+13:002018-02-28T07:09:39.351+13:00Thanks Dan, it was a lot of fun. I was obviously t...Thanks Dan, it was a lot of fun. I was obviously totally out sailed by the vast majority of the fleet, so there is plenty to work on : >)Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3209493946963010404.post-88583570785231048012018-02-28T07:04:33.733+13:002018-02-28T07:04:33.733+13:00What fun. I'm impressed you had such a large n...What fun. I'm impressed you had such a large number of boats in the fleet. You learned a lot and enjoyed the event—just what you were after. Well done!Dan Gurneyhttp://www.estuarian.orgnoreply@blogger.com