It could not be said much better...

Due to family commitments, I am just not able to put together a report about the last great day on the water and the festivities put on by the German fleet for the price giving and the final diner in the Moth Hangar. Maybe I get something together later but for now, lets speak Mike C. who must be a happy man with the final results of the Team Ninja. Follow this link: Cookies report about day 4 & 5

No races during the Day, but...

Dash for cash: 1st Philipp Käsermann SUI, 2nd Matthias Renker SUI, 3rd Markus Steeg GER
11 hours ago · reply · retweet · favorite

The Ninja Days

Been busy with boat and entertainment prep and already this morning with tinkering on the boat to find a little bit more speed.

For updates you do not need to go any further as to: bristol-moths. Mike Cook, despite some mishapes during the windy day managed some great reporting. It is Markus on his MACH2 , who is matching with the Ninja´s and the open competition is enjoyed by everyone. Look for the results sheet at: Ergebnisse nach 8 Wettfahrten

Believe me, I am fighting to not become last in this tough competition with everyone having real good boat handling and course management. Gone are the days of Moth´s capsizing all over the course.

UPDATE: 3 races yesterday in marginal conditions (70% lowriding) for me and some others. NEvetheless we had good racing at the end of the fleet. Adjustments have to be corrected on some of the boats and there is lots going on in Camp Moth at present. It had been a day for the under 72 kg guys and gals.

What a great day, sunny and windy!

Yeah Alan, your wish came true. Wind and sun in Travemünde for the day....and maybe tomorrow as well.

We got held ashore until 14.00h when the announcement came via the public system that the first starting signal (all classes) will be at 15.25h. A bit if a surprise here in the "Kuhle" as the wind just does not come in. A look outside surprised many of us. Great seabreeze from the North/East. I had been nearly first on the beach but after forgetting my "Sign out" and a long way to the board to do, my time buffer was gone. Nearly last out on the water and a great upwind sail to the starting area. It was easy to sail upwind so I ended high above the line and realized some problems going down. No, not of technical nature, just the mind set and the inability to just "send it". I nearly ran down a Police boat, lying square in my course as I ran out of option staying on foils and I splashed badly. I gave it one or two more tries but my mind had already decided to hot the road for home. The waves had been builded up too much for me. The wind was just perfect 15 kn but the rollers from the North knocked my will, of staying out and racing, down.

I sailed home which was not bad and maybe you know the feeling after such a day. Everybody has a smile and some great stories to tell about wave height, max speed, great starts etc.Some had to hit the shore early but the majority of the fleet "must have" sailed three races. The list is not out yet, maybe later at: http://travemuender-woche.resultsl

The full stories of the day on the water, Ihave no doubt, will be on Cookies blog: The Brits put in some great results and they shall speak for themselves. Look at: bristol-moth blog, The Ninjas.

Before I forget: What a great demonstrations some Germans, Brits and Swiss sailors were putting in after the races, right in front of the "public meile" on the Trave, opposite the "PASSAT". Flying tacks!!, gybes, criss crossing like a Moth swarm. One swiss sailor got applauded loud from hundreds of people for showing a "running on water" stunt. Simon and Bora style. Impressive. The whole thing had been moderated from Gerd Girschkowsky, who is famous here in the North for good and fair sports reports. He was on top of the job. Thanks Gerd.

Pictures from Anja, Mottenfieber.de will be out later on the Nordea Moth European 2011 site at: imoth.de/euro2011

A lot of trying but just one success

After the pouring rain had gone and the Moth Sailors woke up at a cloudy but dry morning, it was first for the Moth Camp for a great breakfast provided by the German Team. The first start had been announced as per the program at 11.00h flat. And that is what happened, despite a few sailors did not reach the starting line in time. It was not only me and to start the competition with 3 letters is not really a good idea. But like the wind disappeared for the back end of the fleet on the way to the race course, it did also in the first race. Marginal foiling condition and than suddenly none. The race was abonded. When the light weight sailors, under 70kgs started foiling forth and back at the race committee, the PRO called for another start. The first eight sailors from the list managed 3 laps, the rest of the fleet had been counted Grand Prix style. It was Chris Rashley in first, JA
Jason Belben second, Mike Cook, Ben Paton and in 5th Emma Aspington. Full results should be on the dedicated homepage.

The fleet was moving slowly back to the base after the first race. Most sailors were freezing and the light conditions did not help. The sky cleared partly and at 15.15h flatt the German PRO, Rallle Meyer called for another start. The line was not biased and the fleet produced a foiling early start and had to be called back. Second start was OK but the sound signal for a delay was overlaid by the horn from a big freighter in the background. Some sailors, like me, had a good fight low riding. Emma was flying forth and back but was not gaining much on the Lowriders. I had the race of my life, beating Harald to the post errg weather mark but when we came back to the start/finish line, nearly everybody was already there. We had not discovered that there was no race because 3 seconds before the starting signal, theres was another horn and a flag. Bad when you are staring at the pin end, fully concentrated on the competition and a clean start.

More drifting and a nerve wrecking last end of the home race. Barely not wind and the water felt even more cold when we had to jump into the drink to get our boats ashore.

Not much time left for packing up the boat and for a good shower as we had the official invitation from the organizers for an evening out on the tall ship "Passat" including food and drinks. Weather forecast for tomorrow is mostly sunny and maybe good thermal breeze in the late afternoon. Let´s see what happens.

No change of action in T´muende

Sitting here in my Van in the late afternoon rain, I am reading about a great report about a trip through the sunny Med. Keeps me warm: medcrossing in a 'Mini 6.50´ This guy has a very fresh and subjective look at things. Read some of his older posts.

If you want to keep up with the Moth action at the Nordea Moth Europeans 2011 and want to get some more inside info, go to: bristol-moths.

Foto is taken straight out of the window of the Van and shows camp Moth in the "Kuhle".

Raining in Travemünde

Good Morning from Team "Kuhle", Travemünde. Ir is raining again this morning and the weather forceast is not promissing. Just heard it on the radio. Wind regularly Force 6 gusting to Bft 8 from the South-West. The "Dash for Cash" yesterday evening had to be cancelled and it is now put forward to Tuesday. Yesterday there had been 3 or 4 Mothies outside the breakwater practicing and they came back with a smile. Flat water and Force 5 outside. Our Australian friend sailed out late and I saw him doing a stunt which I would not recommend. Crossing the fairway was necessary but than crossing _in front_ of a medium size ship after a jibe was not really necessary. These big ship cannot move a centimeter and we should all be crossing behind ships.

At the skippers meeting today it had been announced that there is no practice race today due to wind gusting from 25to 35 through the afternoon. Even the Offshore racing had been cancelled. During a very warm welcome speech from German class president Carlo Mäge, it had been made public to the participants and the organizing committee, that there is a "freebe" party or dinner or BBQ every evening with drinks and food in the Moth-hall or one evening on the Tallship "PASSAT". Already this morning breakfast had been served, though the person in charge could not come today but Nina and Markus were always present and organized everything very nicely. It came in very handy for most of the sailors who are living in tents.

Over and out from Travemuende

Cruisin´

The pleasure of cruising had nearly been forgotten because all I wanted to do is sailing the Moth. This had been a bit disturbing and I had used a couple of different excuses to myself and to the family about not going to sea. And when I could not manage to get the hours in the Moth which I had planned for, I thought it would be better to spend last week with the family. Going cruising in the Baltic sea. It was very enjoyable and I should have kept on sailing until the EURO starts but instead the office was calling and that is why I am back at the screen now. Oh, there was some Moth talk underway. Met Felix after such a long time and tried to convince him to come back into the class. He still has the BR from former World Champion John Harris which he takes out in Berlin from time to time. It is pimped with the Holyrod rudder, as he told me.

We had not looked on the weather map one day, and it happened that we cruised around (with stops, see map) around the island of Als with only headwinds. But our boat is really going well and I can sit on ends going upwind, squeezing out a tenth of a knot more and a degree higher and it all takes place around the 6-7kn speed range. Not impressive for the Moth high flyers but totally absorbing the outside world. Real holiday. Now a week and a half and maybe some tinkering on the MACH2 3835 and I will be in Travemünde to sail in the Moth EURO. My KAFC friends should come and join the class at the CTM BBQ on Wednesday and talk their way into the most exciting boat class in the universe....at present.