CATALINA TUESDAYS JUNE 24,2014: THE NIGHT OF SHIFTING WINDS

Tuesday June 24, 2014

THE NIGHT OF SHIFTING WINDS

Talk about changing conditions! As we left the harbor, it was apparent the wind was going to be light, so we swapped out to a larger head sail. What was the wind going to do?  By the time we got to the start mark, there was a light Easterly blowing, so we were trying to come up with an East wind course.  One of the boats out toward Mile reported great Northwest wind out there. We could not find a proper course, so once again came up with an impromptu course.  Start to Mile and back to start.  It seemed like it was going to be a very short race as we sailed out into an increasing wind.

With an excellent start and a larger headsail, Sailing Pair A Dice broadened the lead over the rest of the boats. We rounded Mile comfortably in front of the fleet and headed back toward the start/finish mark.  Little did we know that we were in for yet more wind shifts. As we approached the finish mark, the wind seemed to die and all of the boats seemed to be compressing and getting closer to us.  This was not going to be a slam-dunk after all!  With a very light easterly starting to blow and a current fighting against us, we tried to round the finish mark and failed.  We tacked again as the other boats were getting closer and attempted a second rounding of the mark.  The current once again tried to sweep us into the mark.  Finally, on the third try we successfully rounded the mark just ahead of the other boats that were sweeping in on us.  Next to round was Blue Ribbon just ahead of Iris who was just ahead of Sea Quake (C&C 29) then Pacific Spirit.  I think all of the boats fought the same battle trying to round the finish mark with very light wind with a current fighting against them.

There were several things that occurred during this race that worked in Sailing Pair a Dice’s favor.  There is no denying that a larger jib in  lighter wind helps.  Bruce Vessey was our skipper and he did a masterful job at setting us up for a perfect start, despite all of the competition on the line.  As we sailed toward Mile, there were some boats to windward but behind us.  There was temptation to tack over to stay between our competitors and Mile which is a normal tactical move.  This idea was negated by the fact that we were sailing into more wind the further we went out.  The old “sail to more wind” rule trumped other decisions. As we attempted to round the finish mark, our error was not staying on our tacks (in light wind) long enough to get momentum up.  Sometimes being impatient, and tacking too early in these conditions can work against you.  We gave a lot of our lead up to competitors with our impatience and tacking too early.

We had a great barbecue at the club, with over 40 people gathered discussing sailing and strategy and enjoying great food and companionship.

Barging Part II: 

In the last blog, I bloviated about barging.  It is absolutely true that barging is a risky move which often doesn’t work out well.  If you can work it out so you approach the line on a beam reach, you are going faster than boats on a close reach.  Being faster means you can squirt out ahead of competitors, so it can work to your advantage, but you must know the rules and abide by them. When can you barge and have it work out?  Obviously in a reverse PHRF start, the line can be nearly empty so you can be successful barging.  Frequently, competing boats will approach the line early and must run the line so they are not over early.  This can leave the door wide open to cross right at the preferred end of the line. The important thing is to know the rules, realize when you are wrong, accept your position and act accordingly.

Weight:

I mentioned the importance of weight a couple of postings back.  Why is weight or the lack thereof important?  If you had to pick up 100 pounds and carry it 100 yards, it would require a bit of energy. When we are sailing, we are trying to harness the energy of the wind.  Obviously, if there is a lot of wind, excess weight is not as critical as in lighter wind, but it still requires energy to move the excess weight.  Tonight, It was interesting watching the boats round the finish mark and seeing the lighter boats accelerate in the light wind and pass the heavier boats.

So how do you eliminate weight on the boat?  Obviously, any tools not currently needed can be removed and any other things not needed can also be removed.  Always remember: Boats are not meant to be storage lockers!  Are holding tanks empty?  The crew on the boat can also be displaced for proper heel.  Getting people out of the cockpit and up on the rail can be a tremendous help.

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

CATALINA SAILBOATS RACING ON MONTEREY BAY ON TUESDAY NIGHTS

June 17, 2014

TACTICS OR STRATEGY

It really doesn’t get better than this.  A beautiful warm evening with a nice Easterly blowing 10 knots with signs of increasing with time.  As I looked over the course chart for an acceptable course to run, nothing seemed to fit. We needed a course that stayed close to the beach for the building Easterly, but without a long downwind slog against the waves.  We decided on a course that was not on the chart.  Start to Blacks,  then to GOV then finish at the start mark.  The boats seemed to be streaming out of the harbor nonstop until we had about 10-12 boats.  We decided on a start time of 6:10 and everyone started their starting routine.

By the time of the start, most of the boats were on the line right on time.  On Pair A Dice, we were in a position to windward of Diver Down and to Leeward of TOAD and Pacific Spirit.  Diver Down, Pacific Spirit and Toad seemed to cross the line in unison and Pair a Dice fell in right behind Toad right at the mark.  We immediately tightened our sails for sailing hard on the wind, attempting to climb above Toad and Pacific Spirit.  It was a straight beat to the mark and everyone made it without having to tack.  It was a beautiful sight to see all of the boats rounding blacks nearly at once.  All the boats were then on a run to Gov attempting to out maneuver the competitors.  On Pair a Dice we deployed our whisker pole and started working our way through the pack.   One by one we passed each boat.  Since we were finally in the lead, valiant attempts were made by several boats to steal or wind and slow us down. By the time we got to Gov, we had a good lead on the whole fleet.

As we rounded Gov, the decision had to be made, inside or outside.  We felt with a building Easterly that there would be more wind toward the beach and tacked over soon after rounding Gov.  The boats that went outside made the correct decision as the wind filled in from the outside.  On the first crossing, Homer on Blue Ribbon passed us and we passed in front of Diver Down and Pacific Spirit.  By the second crossing Diver down crossed in front of us.  Homer’s Blue Ribbon was first with Diver Down being the first Catalina and Pair a Dice next then Pacific Spirit and Aeolian.  It was great seeing all of the boats crossing the line right after each other.  Ultimately, the boats that went outside got the better wind and generally did better, demonstrating that  it’s correct strategic decisions  that often determines the winners.

We had a great meeting over dinner at Johnnies with over 20 people showing up.  A perfect end to the night of sailing, discussing tactics and boating in a casual atmosphere.

Darn Sailing Rules:

Racing sailboats has many components: boat speed, strategy (which part of the course has the most wind) and tactics (using the rules of racing to out fox competitors).   In order to race fairly, rules should be known and followed.  While rules are in effect at all times, there are two main times when following rules is critical because boats are in such close proximity:  At the start and rounding marks. At starts the rules that apply are the section A rules which define right of way.  Rule 11 states: Boats on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.  This means a leeward boat can legally luff up a windward boat, making them cross the line before the start or crowd out a boat attempting to clear an end of the start line.  This makes it unwise to approach an end to the line if other boats are to your leeward.  The boat to leeward will hail “You are BARGING –NO ROOM”.  We have all tried barging, and when caught barging, your only option is to turn short of the pin end, jibe around and start after everyone is clear.  Of course none of us wants to wreck our boat; so  sometimes, boats will allow a barging boat room especially in beer can races.  Barging is not following the rules and will leave you in a vulnerable position that leaves you in poor position or worse a damaged boat.

 It is important to distinguish that a start is not rounding a mark!  Rule 18 governs mark roundings and does entitle boats to mark room in certain situations.  There is no such thing as mark room on a start line unless there are obstructions such as a pier.

You can learn about Rules by reading the rules book or sailing magazines.  There are many books and DVD’s that illustrate and teach rules. All skippers should become familiar with rules and abide by them. As a bonus, knowing the rules also makes watching regattas such as the Americas Cup much more fun! 

_/)                  _/)                                                   _/)                                          _/)

NOTE: NEXT TUESDAY IS BARBECUE NIGHT AT THE YACHT CLUB.  BRING YOUR OWN FAVORITE FOOD FOR GRILLING. 

Looking forward to seeing you next Tuesday!

Barry

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

CATALINA TUESDAY: JUNE 10, 2014. CATALINA SAILBOATS RACING IN

SQUEAKING AHEAD OF COMPETITORS

Tuesday June 10, 2014

Once again, another beautiful Santa Cruz evening with a steady 10 knot wind from the northwest with no hint of it lessening through the evening.  We chose course 4: Start-Wharf,Gov,Finish with a 6:10 start time.  We had 12 boats out for the evening.  On Pair a Dice, we knew a port tack start was preferred, but with this many boats we opted for a starboard Tack start.  It’s better to have the right of way at the line.

We were a little early to the start and had to stall, but were able to speed up for the finals seconds to the start.  After the start, we all tacked toward wharf trying to take advantage of all headers and lifts. Pair a Dice was moving rather sluggishly: we could not get the boat up to speed and could not achieve the weather helm we like to sail with when we go to weather. Homer told us over dinner that we probably had kelp on the keel which we had checked but could not see. Ultimately Homer in Blue Ribbon was the first to round Wharf with Diver Down and Pacific Spirit right behind them with Pair A Dice trailing further behind.

As we rounded Wharf, we had our work cut out for us, with three stiff competitors enjoying a substantial lead over us.  Fortunately, Diver Down and Pacific Spirit were involved with each other and both boats headed toward the end of the wharf.  On Pair A Dice, we set the pole and headed directly toward Gov.   This angle of sail kept us in the wind, while both Diver Down and Pacific Spirit seemed to sail into a hole at the end of the wharf.  By the time we rounded Gov, we were just ahead of Pacific Spirit and heading toward start, still trying to reel Blue Ribbon in.   While Diver Down and Pacific Spirit were entangled, we kept our lead and were able to round Start behind Blue Ribbon.  Diver Down and Pacific Spirit rounded right behind us.   It was great looking over the course and seeing many other boats battling it out in their respective races.  This is the essence of our Tuesday nights: whether fighting for first, third, fifth or seventh, we are all attempting to get enough boat speed to squeak ahead of our competitors.

Secrets to squeaking ahead of competitors:

So you are attempting to keep ahead of a competitor or overtake a competitor.  What are the little secrets to getting that little more speed to squeak ahead of a competitor?  Some of it is preparation ahead of time: bottom clean? boat as light as possible? Folding prop? Boat properly equipped with proper sail inventory for current conditions? Has  your keel and rudder been faired? If you have prepared ahead of time, you can possibly out sail your competition by using some other tricks: is your sail trim perfect? Is weight displaced appropriately on your boat? (get crew out of the cockpit!), Is there a way to divorce yourself from a pesky competitor to get clear air by sailing dramatically higher or lower? (this is best attempted if you can catch your competitor off guard).  Are you using waves to your advantage? (this can be a huge advantage in Santa Cruz: using waves to your advantage!).  Can you get to more advantageous wind than your competitor? The tricks go on and on only waiting for your observation and discovery.

A book could be written on each of the items mentioned in the last paragraph and I will attempt to delve into these topics in the future. For now, I will only say that a clean bottom is essential to speed.  This does not require a diver to clean your boat each week.  You can keep your boat bottom clean by using various devices that are inexpensive and easy to make.  Often crewmembers arrive at different times.  Earlier arrivers can work to get the boat ready which means cleaning the bottom.  At least you can use a deck brush to clean the waterline and rudder which is better than nothing!

See you next Tuesday,

Barry L. Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

TUESDAY JUNE 3, 2014: CATALINA SAILBOATS RACING MONTEREY BAY

Tuesday June 3, 2014

HEADERS LIFTS AND OTHER FACTORS

Summer is finally here, and with it, other activities and vacations can get in the way of sailing on Tuesdays.  I only had one of my usual crew members show up and was a little late getting out of the harbor.  We arrived on the scene: about 12 knots of a steady breeze from south west.  Pacific Spirit called the course to be course 6: start to Mile and finish at Gov.  We had six boats out for a great evening of sailing and it was nice to see Diver Down back out after a few months off.

With a starboard tack start being favored, everyone was in a parade at the start with Makani leading followed by Pacific Spirit then  Pair A DIce and Diver Down just behind and a little to windward to us.  It seems we were all early for the start and we were all stalling.  Since I was just to leeward of Pacific Spirit, and wanted to get to windward of them, I stalled by luffing up and setting myself up so I was just behind them and a little to windward of them. As we crossed the line, Makani was leading,  followed by Pacific Spirit, Pair a Dice and Diver Down.  I found myself sandwiched between Pacific Spirit to leeward and Diver Down to windward.  Diver Down was being lee-bowed by us and with the disturbed wind was not able to roll us and finally tacked over.  Not wanting to “sail to the corner” we tacked over shortly after while Makani and Pacific Spirit sailed further out.  We watched as Diver Down sailed way inside as we kept tacking toward the first mark (Mile). On the first and second crossing with Makani, we had to take their stern.  As we approached Mile to round, we were astounded that Diver Down had taken quite a lead and was ahead of us.  Both Makani and Pair a Dice overstood Mile a little, and Pair A Dice rounded mile just ahead of Makani.  Alas, we were never able to close the gap with Diver Down so Diver Down took honors for the night.  Pair a Dice was second followed by Makani, Pacific Spirit then Andiamo and Aeolian.  With as many tacks as it took to get to Mile, it seems that it was proper reading and use of headers, lifts and other factors that declared the winner.  In retrospect, I think the long tack Diver Down took inside let them take the waves at a better angle and this gave them their lead. Good job Vance and crew!

After the race Mark Barshay found the perfect venue for dinner: The Crows Nest deck facing the ocean.  It was far enough from the band and they had space heaters which made it very cozy.  We had great discussions on tactics and conditions we faced on the race course

The Dance of the start:

The start is one of the most difficult and critical parts of racing.  So how do you consistently get a great start?  From my experience, the best starting sailors are the ones that have a keen judgement of time and distance.  How long will it take to cover a certain distance in the wind that is available?  Of course getting out and practicing starts greatly improves judgment of time and distance.  Once you have this skill, you must learn to dance with the other boats.  The end of the line closest to the wind is the favored end of the line, so you can bet, the favored end will be crowded with boats.  Dancing with other boats is having the ability to think quickly and know how to make a bad situation advantageous for your boat.  Other boats do something; tack. Jibe, luff you up, what are you going to do to counter their move? This only comes with experience and our Tuesday nights are a perfect time to develop this skill.

One other observation I have made about starts.  It is a known fact that the lighter the boat, the quicker they can accelerate.  Lighter boats will usually pull up to the line and luff up stopping their boat, knowing they can accelerate quickly.  Catalinas are not light boats and take a long time to accelerate.  As usual, clear air is critical, but I would think that crossing the line at full speed even a little late for the start is better than slowing the boat in the last 30 seconds before the start.

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice