Peter Commette and Alex Commette

Originally published on www.snipe.it

(Italian and English text)

Dopo l’ultima regata di Porto, dopo essermi congratulato per il suo terzo posto, chiesi a Peter Commette – che abbiamo tutti apprezzato per alcuni articoli scritti per il nostro sito - di “buttare giù qualche riga” sul Mondiale appena concluso. Mi rispose che nelle settimane successive sarebbe stato impegnato per lavoro a Monaco e a Londra, ma poi, tornato in Florida, mi avrebbe scritto qualcosa.

A little history on the list:

Since 1980, I've taken numerous chunks of years off of sailing at various times, making it harder and harder for me when I come back to remember what my crew and I are supposed to focus on around the race course. Connie and I first adapted the checklist to the Snipe in 1989. Our list built on a list my E-Scow teammate, Terry Kempton, and I first put together in 1978, when this 28 foot surfboard was throwing too many new things at us too fast during the races, and we couldn't keep up without a memorized outline. The list has been through a number of permutations over the years (e.g., dropping out things like on the E-Scow: responsibility for leeboards, backstays, best times to use the big chute or little; and on the Snipe: whisker pole technique prior to pole launchers). Recently, since my daughters brought me out of retirement in 2002, daughter Morgan has tweeked the list a lot, and now Sheehan has added her own twists. This past Winter Circuit, we added a new technique learned from Gavin McKinney, Jimmy Lowe's teammate, for setting the pole on a heavy air reach.

by Peter Commette
Originally published in the Snipe Bulletin, June 1992

In 1973, I won the U.S. Youth Championships, single-handed division, with all firsts. Luckily, though, I was saved the certain embarrassment of losing badly at the World Youth Championships by a rather unfortunate set of circumstances. These circumstances ultimately dictated that I participate in another regatta being held at the same time, and that the runnerup from the U.S. Youth Championships attend the World Youths in my place. That runner-up was Augie Diaz, and he blew away the competition at the World Youths, winning easily.

Why would I undoubtedly have lost? And why was our runner-up such an easy victor? The answer is simple: The U.S. Youth Championships were sailed in heavy air, and the Worlds were held off Portugal in light air. Augie had developed a keen light-air technique in the Snipe, and at the time, I didn't have a clue as to how to sail in light air.

Originally published in the Snipe Bulletin, July 1993. Slightly modified by the Author, April 2006.

Regular readers of the Snipe Bulletin need no introduction to Peter Commette. He is one of the world's best Snipe sailors and his record in other classes is even better, with a Laser World Title to his credit.

As the years go on, there seem to be fewer and fewer techniques which I utilize that my competitors don't. Moreover, of those left-over techniques, there are fewer and fewer which I feel comfortable in believing give me a speed advantage.

However, there still are two points of sail concerning which I can offer some help to a few. These points of sail are: escaping the starting line and going fast upwind in a breeze and chop.

The key to sailing fast upwind in a breeze and chop is to keep the boat moving. This means that it is critically important to keep your lee bow
clear so that you can drive off when you need speed. From this first philosophy of keeping your lee bow clear, comes a starting philosophy and a few starting techniques. I will not go into an in-depth discussion of starting, since most of you know that I am the king of OCS, and you know better than to listen to me.