What's Next??

I decided to wait a couple of weeks following the Laser Master's North Americans to get caught up on work, kids and life before I locked into the summer racing schedule. My mother and father's heath has been pretty fragile and so I am thinking it makes sense to try and stay pretty close to home for a while.

Jay Lutz graciously offered me a chance to steer a J-122 in Block Island Race week which was also going to serve as the J-122 North Americans. I was very excited about this opportunity but in the final analysis, taking a full week off to go up there was going to be tough with all of the variables considered.

A few months ago, I accepted an invitation to be Glen Darden's tactician on his New York 42 ("Hoss") in a big event that will be held July 11-14th in Newport Rhode Island. I haven't sailed with Glen since I crewed for him on the winning Mallory Cup team in 1980 (along with Kelly Gough). I have competed against Glen for many years, most recently in the J-80 Worlds that he won in Corpus Christi (to my 3rd place).

I have always found Glen to be a real gentleman on and off of the water, a great competitor and usually has about the most organized program going. It will be fun to sail in Newport and I am looking forward to the challenge of trying to help get us around the race course in an environment that I am totally unfamiliar with.

Following that event, I wil be taking the kids, my fiance Amy and her 3 girls to the beach for a week. I will be taking all of the gear....paddle boards, surf boards and windsurfing equipment, etc. so there will be plenty of exercise to be had by all.

As for the Laser Worlds training, I have made the decision to see how the next month goes with my parents health issues before I make any final decision on going. In the meantime, I am going to sail the Laser every chance I get and really spend my time off the water getting has fit as I possibly can. I think I can drop my weight into the high 170's and continue to work on my downwind speed and be competitive. If everything stabilizes on the home front, I am going to look at trying to go somewhere in July for a week of training. All of the kids will be in camp during the 2nd week of July, so this may be the best time to try and go somewhere.

There will be a training camp in Caberete during this time frame or perhaps I will go to the West Coast or Corpus Christi for some high-wind, downwind training.

Both of my boy's want to start playing tackle football this fall and they are scheduled to begin every day practice around the first of August. I would like to be here a much as I can for that and probably won't travel much during the month of August. There is a chance though that I might try making the Laser Master's Nationals in Monterrey, CA in mid August if I can arrange a charter boat. That might actually be a pretty good practice venue for the Worlds.

So...with that said, I think by mid July, I will have to make a go or no-go decision on the Worlds. As I think more about it, by the time you go to Nova Scotia, you might as well travel to Europe, Austrailia or just about any other venue for the worlds. This year won't be my last crack at it. I will just have to make sure that it fits in well with everything going with the people that are most important to me.

In late September, the J-22 North Americans will be held in Dallas at the Rush Creek Yacht Club so that will be a great event if the Worlds don't work out.

I have to say that I did get a pretty good feeling about my chances after the 2nd place finish (tied for 1st) at the North Americans. I think that I can get the focus where it needs to be, I will have a chance to do well at the Worlds....if I can get away to do it.

I will keep you posted!!

Scott