OzOne wrote:
Yep, you always remeber the dunking that cost, or near cost a
champioship win.

In this case, it was complacency. We'd already gybed at least a dozen
times, with few if any problems. I remember *exactly* how it happened...
in fact I can still see it all in slo-mo... didn't time the gybe with
the waves and as we slowed down into the gybe (normal mode was blasting
over & past them) the stern at first refused to swing and then slewed
around too far too quick. I was caught a little off balance and could
not get the bow back down. We swung broadside-to and a combination of
the waves and the spinnaker blowing thru put the boat on her ear. I
managed to not fall out...


I will till the day I die remember my mistake as a crew that cost us
an Oz national champ, when we gybed in 25kt+ and I'd left the dagger
board just an inch or so too high and it caught the vang.

Ouch! I've done that too.


We were far enough ahead, and recovered quickly enough to scramble to
a 3rd, but needed a 2nd to take the champ. Bugger!

Hey, it's still a darn good showing. We still beat one boat and almost
passed for a 2nd. Everyone else had gone in by that point, except the
Vipers.


I'll be seeing some of those guys for a Xmas beer tonight...It will
come up...again (hangs head in shame) :-(


Hope the story has gotten better with age!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King