Fred's day at sea today

My son Fred started today a one on one training session with a well known Optimist Champion from before..also Champion in L'equipe and now match racer champion. With the Portuguese federation. We are now talking about ISAF champs, a whole different game. He is being trained all of this week. Today at sea from 10 am till 4:30 pm...tomorrow off, then thursday and Friday half days (becase he has school)..the school alloed him 1 day and two hlves off for this..

Her brother is no other than the Portuguese mini Transat contestant...so good reference here. (see his boat at delmar conde's web site)

I went to sea today with them to provide support and see how much different it was sailing Opti's at that level...

wow...Fred started with some really cool ground exercises that improve foot placement and avoids sore legs..ok.. really cool.

Then came these really cool tricks and litlle technique things that only a few know...

All I can say is I saw my son go to the sea today, and it's not the same one that came back to the harbour..

He is defenately more connected with the boat, he feels it in a different way..and his new boat, that he still is adapting to, is a great boat with a lot of options and trims features..That is probably one of the best Optimist boats in the World...damn nice gel coat, and the smoothnes...the ridgidity..amazing racing boat..

His foot straps were not set properly so I got him new ones, and he also got a different ratchet block and a dyneema main sheet...

I looked at my son, just turned 11, and saw a real racer today, the attitude, the body language, the position...he is now feeling it differentely..


He antecepiates the boat...man..what a difference...

Today we had 25 knots all day, but the waves dropped to 10 feet...

I can't help him as you may know because the club he races for is a "no parents allowed" deal..and we encourage...but..Fred's boat is in may marina, in Cascais...and we got permission to use his boat this week by the club manager...

So...Fred is getting a full time week of racing dudes jumping all over him...

My friends's Antonio yard, TUTTAMANIA (check his website), is doing a hull polish with teflon this week, and Fred got his first stickers...since he is now racing for real..stickers allowed..

Thanks to all

I am a proud dad..seeing my 11 yo doing it like the real big guys...just like them...

MY SON IS A SAILOR


(sorry for the post..I am happy)...

Alex