Sailing Season Underway

Well we've been sailing around here for three weeks. The early part of the season is always interesting in many ways. First (and probably foremost) is the excitement of actually sailing again (verses reading, writing or talking about it...) This excitement motivates many people to take advantage of the earliest opportunities for sailing. Others however, take longer (several weeks) to get their boats race ready and in the water... or adjust their schedules... or find crew... etc. before they make it out on Thursday nights. I don't understand these people...
Another interesting aspect to the early spring is people griping about the lake level. Fern Ridge is an ACE project. The lake level (or elevation) is subject to the corp's Rule Curve. The whining began in February as the ACE dumped water out of the lake during a period of rain accumulation. The resulting lake level dropped below the ideal lake level (in red) or rule curve. The following days and weeks were relatively dry and the complaining increased. To make a long story short... the ACE met with the sailing community, we've had a wet enough spring to fill the lake and the complaining has dissipated. For sailors, a "full pool" means our season won't be cut short!
Lastly (for this post), the early part of the season seems to bring us some pretty easy success. The three of us have been sailing together for 10 years now. I'm the new guy to join the other two who have been racing together for over 30 years! It doesn't take us long to shake the rust off and get back to a high level of performance. Unfortunately, this doesn't help us prepare for early season regattas as much as tighter competition might. What are the best ways to sharpen your skills and thought processes and teamwork in the absence of consistent competition?

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