OCTOBER 30, 2108; THE LAST HURRAH FOR THE YEAR

OCTOBER 30, 2018

THE LAST HURRAH – FOR THIS SEASON

I was not able to be present for the last sail of the season.  Sometimes vacations get in the way!  I watched the race QS track and it looks like the wind did not allow many boats to finish.  With time so short, this can almost be expected.  Thanks to Todd and his crew on Kicks for setting this race up.  I understand there was a good crowd at the club for the barbecue also!

I love the educational opportunity of our Tuesday night sailing.  I find that if you keep alert and observe what happens during a race you can almost learn something new.  This does not seem possible but consider that ocean conditions are always changing.  In essence each day on the ocean can be as varied as snow-flakes.  No two are the same!  I enjoy learning and sharing my observations.  I do not claim to have all of the answers but I will share my thoughts for what they are worth.

With the help of Chris Hoffman, Fred Molnar and Don Radcliffe I feel we have finally achieved the perfect course chart for our Tuesday evening sails. With all of their suggestions, I finally started setting a mark for the other end of the line which has been a huge improvement.   Please keep your course chart for next summer.

I would like to recap some of the things I have learned this year and in previous years:

     Clean boat bottoms are crucial for boat speed.

·             Making your boat as light as possible will increase your speed.

·             Learn the racing rules and use them to your advantage

·             Do not get tangled with other boats (sail in clear air)

·             Learn how to deal with waves.

·             Sail to the area with the most wind (we are on SAIL boats)

·             In light wind, watch for wind higher off the water rather than just wind on the water.

These are just some of the basics.  Be observant and see what you can learn to improve your sailing.

OTHER REGATTAS

The midwinters will be starting on December 17.  It would be good to have a good showing of Jib and Main (jammers) participate in this series.  We can all apply what we have learned on our Tuesday nights. In order to participate you will need a PHRF certificate which only costs $20 for the season.  You can get a PHRF application at the yacht club.

THANKS TO DIANA ON PACIFIC SPIRIT FOR THIS PHOTO

Thanks to all of you for participating and making Tuesday nights something to look forward to.  I am already looking forward to next summer and Tuesday night sailing.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

OCTOBER 23, 2018: HIGH WIND ALERT

OCTOBER 23,2018

HIGH WIND ALERT

As I approached the harbor, it appeared a light Easterly breeze was blowing.  As we left the harbor, there were already about a dozen boats out for the fun.  With the wind coming from about 80 degrees, we set the buoy and called for a short course B5: start to blacks twice around.  We gave a five minute horn for a 5:50 start and set up for our start.

On Pair a Dice, we thought the buoy closer to land was the favored end and since we had pretty good speed running the line, this is how we started.  As usual in very light wind conditions we started looking around for signs of wind on the water.  We saw a huge patch of rippled water closer to land and headed for this area of apparent more wind.  We watched as all of the other boats tacked over to get outside. We observed the tacking angles and saw that we were being lifted and the boats on port tack were getting headed.  We thought we had it nailed! Then we watched as Tusitala rounded first followed by most of the fleet, while we were fighting in a breeze that was very light and shifty. Given the deteriorating wind, I called for a shortened course to finish at the finish mark (once around).  To complicate things even more on Pair a Dice we noted that there was a westerly current fighting our attempt to get around the mark.  At a point when we had no steerage, along comes Aeolian screaming in from outside on startboard tack (where was he finding  wind for all that speed?).  Aeolian graciously ducked us (thank you Mark!).  It did not even occur to me that we should have done a turn.  As slow as we were going, doing a turn would have taken a very long time (is the Crow’s Nest open for breakfast?)

At the finish, it was Tusitala 30:22, Nidaros 31:19, Kicks 32:38, Perfect 36- 32:45, Avatar 33:15, Aeolian 36:52, Sandpiper 43:17 ( all times elapsed and course length was 0.55miles.  Pair a Dice could not find enough wind to finish: DNF.

SANDPIPER SAILING INTO THE SUNSET

VIEW FROM AEOLIAN

VIEW FROM PAD: SUNSET IN THE WEST

MOON RISE IN THE EAST!

HIGH WIND ALERT:

On Pair a Dice, we were so focused on the usually reliable indicator of ripples on the water, we did not think that the wind was higher off the water and not contacting the water.  These are unusual conditions, but are magical when they happen.  My lesson learned for this night was to be more observant in light wind and realize that not all wind contacts the water. Maybe observing how fast boats are moving in apparently smoother water could be an indicator to watch for. Kudos to the boats that saw this on this night and took advantage of it.  We just never got the HIGH WIND ALERT memo!

SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE!

Another lesson I learned tonight.  In our mad scramble to grab the buoy and being “late to the party” we were motoring as fast as possible and noticed Tessa sitting in the waning light with no motor on.  We checked to make sure they were OK and they affirmed that they were fine.  At the dock, the crew of Tessa informed me that it was such a magical evening with the sunset in the west and the moon rising in the East that they were just enjoying the ambiance.  Sometimes we need to stop and smell the roses AND enjoy what we have.  What a gorgeous night!

NEXT TUESDAY IS THE LAST TUESDAY SAIL OF THE YEAR AND WILL ALSO BE A BARBECUE NIGHT AT THE CLUB. BRING YOUR FAVORITE GRILLING FOOD FOR A GREAT PARTY.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION THIS YEAR.  IT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC YEAR!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

OCTOBER 16, 2018: SHORT BUT SWEET

OCTOBER 16, 2018

SHORT BUT SWEET

Checking Predict wind in the morning, it sure looked dismal with very light breezes predicted for the evening.  I forgot, Predict wind does not account for our famous Santa Cruz eddy which produces our wonderful easterly breezes in the evening.  We had a wonderful easterly blowing as we left the harbor.  We set the mark and called an impromptu (not on the course card) course: Start, Blacks and finish at Gov. With last week’s race only having 4 boats finish, I wanted to make sure everyone finished tonight. We gave a 5 minute horn for a 5:45 start.

On Pair A Dice, I wanted to start at the red ball end of the line.  My thought was to avoid the congestion that was certain to form at the start mark.  As it was many boats started on starboard at the start mark.  We started on starboard about a third of the way up the line from the red ball.  It was not long before we saw a hole and tacked over onto port tack, only having to duck 2 boats in the process.  Pacific Spirit and Pair a Dice sailed side by side to the lay line for rounding Blacks and we followed Pacific Spirit around Blacks with Tusitala sailing off ahead of us.

Normally on an Easterly breeze, it would be dead down wind to GOV, but the wind was blowing from a strange angle (25-30 degrees) setting all of us on a beautiful beam reach.  We were just ahead of Avatar and prevented them from sailing to windward of us. 

At the finish, Tusitala was first(17:54), Pacific Spirit second(19:06), Pair a Dice(19:30) and Gunter (on his Fin) rounded shortly after. Avatar (19:43), Perfect 36 (19:44), Kicks (20:31), Nidaros (21:38), Aeolian (22:15) and Rosie (26:55).  All times are elapsed and the course was 1.46 miles.

Many people were not satisfied with the short course and only a 20minute race, but I was happy because everyone was able to at least finish. We had close to 15 boats out for the fun.  It was truly a Short but Sweet race, and it gave us plenty of time to go back and get the mark.

TACTICS:

It is often said in tactics that if you are in the lead that you should do everything to stay between an overtaking boat and the next mark.  On the run to Gov, Avatar was trying to pass us to windward which would have slowed us down so we steered more toward the beach they opted to pass us to leeward.  This is not unethical and “dirty sailing”, it is just using tactics to improve your results.  As I have often pointed out, it is always best to not “mix it up” with other boats, but when the opportunity presents itself, why not.  This is racing after all.

THANKS TO JEFF HOTCHKISS OF AVITAR FOR THIS PHOTO

The season is getting short. I am looking forward to sailing with you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

OCTOBER 9, 2018: LURKING IN THE SHADOW

OCTOBER 9, 2018

LURKING IN THE SHADOW

I was encouraged to see a good northwest breeze blowing when I approached the harbor.  As we left the harbor at around 5:30 there were already some boats out and several more following us out.  With such limited time before sunset, we called a rather modest course Whiskey 5: Start, Wharf, finish. And set up for the start.  We came off the line on starboard tack and with the wind blowing from 240 degrees we made our way toward wharf mark with several close crosses with other boats.  On Pair A Dice we were trying to take advantage of the shifting winds. When we sailed into headers, we would continue into the header for a bit, then tack to take advantage of the lifts.

Once again Avatar was first around wharf mark followed by Pair A Dice, Nidaros II and Pacific Spirit.  On the long run back to finish line, we were all struggling with the waning breeze which was shifting all over the place. My favorite indicator, the windex, seemed to be spinning like a slowly spinning top.  To make matters worse, we seemed to be trapped just leeward of Nidaros lurking in the shadow of their breeze.  It seemed like the windex on Nidaros was honing in on us like a magnet attracted to steel. The only thing that saved us was the variability of the wind direction and we finally broke free from their shadow.

 

At the finish, it was Pair a Dice (1:06:43), Pacific Spirit (1:06:45), Avatar (1:07:04) and Nidaros (1:10:48). This was one of the closest finishes we have had all season! All times are elapsed and the length of the course was 2.68 miles.

     

                                                 A VERY CLOSE FINISH!

SAILING IN THE SHADOW:

When caught in this situation, you must do everything you can to keep the back of the windex on the other boat from pointing at you.  Make certain you are trimming sails a well as you can in the disturbed air.  It often helps to take a course further away to lessen the effects of the shadow.

PAIR A DICE LURKING IN THE SHADOW OF NIDAROSII

EARLIER START?

There has been a lot of talk about starting earlier for the last two Tuesdays.  I am cognizant of many people that work and some that travel from over the hill, so I resist this.  I do not want to exclude those that have other obligations.  This being said, let us try next week for a 5:45 start and a little shorter course so more boats can finish!  We will see how it turns out.

I will see you next Tuesday.

Barry L Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

OCTOBER 2, 2018: WAVES TRUMP A LIFT

OCTOBER 2, 2018

WAVES TRUMP A LIFT

With predictions of rain and a heavy fog hanging over the harbor until after 4pm, it was no surprise that it seemed like turnout for the night seemed to be light.  We had a good 10-15 knot breeze coming from about 250 degrees and a south swell mixing the ocean up for us.  With the sun setting so soon, we decided on a rather short course Whiskey 3. We set the line and gave a 5 minute horn for the start.

On Pair A Dice, we were lucky to be about half way up the line at the start on starboard tack.  Pacific Spirit and Avatar started behind us on the line and I could feel the angst as Pacific Spirit was getting some bad air from Mistress Quickly (SC27).  Finally Pacific Spirit tacked over for clear air.  Pair A Dice and Avatar continued further out on starboard.  On Pair A Dice, we saw that the further out we went we were getting lifted more and more toward the first mark (Wharf).  At the start, the waves seemed to be right on our bow slowing us down, but as we got lifted more and more, we were taking waves more on the Beam than on our bow.  About halfway out, Avatar tacked over to avoid the waves slowing them down.  When they tacked over to go inside, I thought it was certainly a mistake since we were getting lifted so much.  This meant we were taking advantage of a lift, while they were getting headed on the opposite tack.

To prove how wrong I was in my theory, Avatar rounded wharf with a substantial lead followed by Pacific Spirit and Pair a Dice right behind.  On the long run to Blacks, we thought we saw more wind outside so we set a pole to stay outside, then heat it up with a beam reach on the way to Blacks.  This tactic worked pretty well because we rounded Blacks right behind Pacific Spirit who had sailed inside toward Blacks

At the finish, Avatar had a healthy lead (50:17), Pacific Spirit (53:48), Pair A Dice (54:04), Nidaros (59:50), Sandpiper (1:02:34) and Kicks (1:06:35).  All times are elapsed and the course was 3.23 miles.

WAVES VS LIFTS:

All racing sailors know it is “always” best to sail in a lift rather than a header.  The very experienced sailors play this game efficiently to their advantage.   The thought is that a 5 degree header, if tacked on appropriately can yield a 10 degree lift.  This is normally a huge advantage if played correctly.  This is why I thought Avatar was not going to fair well going inside sailing into a header.  In our discussion later, Doug said he was very frustrated with the waves slowing him down, so tacked inside riding and surfing the waves toward the pier. When he finally tacked back out there were less waves because of the shield of the point and beat all of us to wharf and ultimately the finish!  On this particular evening, Waves trumped a lift.

I will see you next Tuesday.

Barry L. Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

SEPTEMBER 25, 2018: WHAT INDIAN SUMMER?

SEPTEMBER 25, 2108

WHAT INDIAN SUMMER?

There was a chill in the air and a heavy fog bank hanging offshore.  And this is supposed to be our Indian summer?  At least we had a 10 knot northwest wind to sail in.  We set the mark and called for course Whiskey 5: Start, Wharf, Finish.  After all we had a barbecue to go to tonight!  We blew a 5 minute horn and set up for our start.

On Pair a Dice, we wanted to start on starboard at the red ball end of the line. We achieved this objective and may have been 10 seconds late to the line. We went out a short distance and were one of the first boats to tack over to port.   Nidaros pulled a great move starting at the red ball on port tack and had zero boats to deal with in a crossing situation.  This paid off for them because on our first crossing with them, they crossed in front of us.  We continued all the way to the end of the wharf before tacking toward the wharf mark.  Time to pray for a lift!  Prayers were unanswered and we had to throw a tack in just outside of the zone. The first to round wharf was Yellow Belly followed by Tusitala (nice to be sailing with them again!).  We rounded with several boats behind us. 

On the long slog back to start mark, we thought we saw more wind outside but I observed as Pacific Spirit was steadily moving ahead on us until we jibed over sailing directly for the mark.  At the finish Yellow Belly was about 3 minutes(? No RaceQS L) ahead of us followed by Tusitala (Race QS malfunction).  Pacific Spirit was quickly closing the gap on us at the finish.  We thought we sited the finish line with PAD ½ boatlength ahead, but Race QS showed Pacifica Spirit ½ boatlength ahead of us.  Times were Pacific Spirit (47:49), PAD (47:54), Nidaros (48:43) Aeolian (52:52) Kicks (54:04). All times are elapsed and the course length was 2.68 miles.

RACE QS:

This is a great program, but has it’s glitches.  We have all had our tracks stop halfway through a race.  It is not user error!  Rest assured though, when it works right, there is valuable information you can learn AND it is the only way we can recognize you on the course. Please download this FREE app to your smart phone and remember to use it.  Despite it’s glitches, it is the only thing we have to document results.  As Fred says “It is not a perfect system, but you can’t beat the price!”

THE WONDERFUL WINDEX:

This little device, at the tip of the mast, is probably one of the least expensive tools on the boat.  If you know how to use it, it can be one of the most valuable.  It is obviously the best indicator to look at to determine your point of sail.  I like to use it while tacking to gauge how far off the wind I am steering to get speed up after tacking.  When determining the layline for making a mark, crew will ask “are we hard on the wind”?  We check the windex to confirm.

These are the most elementary uses of the windex, but there are many more uses.  When sailing downwind, most boat do best “keeping it in the box”.  Again looking at the windex, we try to keep the point if the arrow within the angles created by the two arms of the windex (keeping it in the box).

Once again, going downwind, the arrow will be pointing toward the back of the boat.  If you need to jibe to the same (efficient) point of sail on the opposite side, use the windex to determine where you will be going.  The tail of the windex will be indicating what your new point of sail will be once you have jibed.

One more way to use the windex is to determine where your wind shadow is cast while going down wind.  If you are trying to pass a boat going down wind and trying to steal their wind, look at your windex: the tail of your windex is indicating where your shadow is.  You can also use the windex on an overtaking boat to see if they are affecting your wind.  If the tail of the other boat’s windex is pointing at your boat, you are being shadowed and can expect to slow down.

Looking forward to next Tuesday.  Hopefully our Indian Summer will materialize.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018: COULD IT GET ANY BETTER?

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

COULD IT GET ANY BETTER?

Predict wind was calling for a light wind for the evening.  Predict wind obviously does not know about the Santa Cruz Eddy which gives us our evening Easterly Breeze.  Sure enough, when I got to the harbor the Easterly breeze was showing on the Crow’s Nest flag.  As we left the harbor there were over 12 boats out for the fun.

We set the mark for the end of the line, called for course B4 and gave a five minute horn.  The start line presented an unusual dilemma.  You could start at the start buoy end of the line and nearly fetch the mark, or start at the red buoy and be much closer to the first mark.  On Pair A Dice, we decided to start at the yellow start mark end.  We had an excellent start, but still had to tack to make Blacks.  Zoop was right in front of us at the rounding and we all set our whisker poles for the long downwind run to Gov. 

We picked our way through the kelp field thinking it best to rhumb line it to Gov.  Our thought was that staying a little ways out from the beach kept us in the favorable current.  We rounded Gov behind Homer on Yellow Belly and just ahead of Zoop.  On the long beat back to start mark Zoop passed us and finished just ahead of us.  Yellow Belly was a couple of minutes ahead of us. Pair A Dice crossed the line at 41:30, Avatar (43:18), Perfect 36 (45:50), Pacific Spirit (46:20) and Nidaros (49:13) Higher Power (1:01:00).  All times elapsed and course length is 2.43 miles.  I know we had 15 boats out tonight, but only a few were running Race QS. Remember: to be counted you must download and use this app.

With the wind we had, the beautiful weather and sunset we all experienced, it really emphasized the feelings we all had: Could it get any better?

WHEN APPROACHING THE KETCHUP BOTTLE:

As usual, we had a great time at the Crows Nest after the race.  We got into a big discussion on tactics and rules.  For lack of better props, we use utensil napkins as boats and a ketchup bottle representing the mark.  Though  future rule books will not state “when approaching the ketchup bottle”, it was very interesting and educational.  I encourage everyone to come to the Crow’s nest, the food is good and the company is fantastic. You might even learn a little more about sailing and racing.

PROPER ATTITUDE:

Who among us has never fouled another boat on the race course?  As careful as we try to be, mistakes and fouls will happens.  When a rule has been broken and you have been fouled the proper thing to do is to point out the infraction and state ‘PROTEST!’.  It is not the time to impugn the other sailor or denigrate their skill as a sailor or racer. Most of us know the rules well enough to know what we have done and will take our turn to exonerate.  Remember ‘PROTEST!’ is all that is necessary to say.

OTHER REGATTAS:

Tis Saturday is the annual Jack and Jill regatta.  If you have a boat and a willing partner of the opposite sex, this is a very fun regatta.

This Sunday (9/23) is the second day of the score series.  At this point, Sailing Pair A Dice is the only jib and main boat registered.  It would be great to see some of our Tuesday night boats in this regatta.  You only need a PHRF certificate and pay the registration

 NEXT TUESDAY IS THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AND IS BARBECUE NIGHT AT THE CLUB.

BRING YOUR FAVORITE GRILLING FOOD AND GET TO KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS.

Barry L. Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

SEPTEMBER 11, 2018; WORTH WAITING FOR

SEPTEMBER 11, 2018

WORTH WAITING FOR

 My first glimpse of the flag on the Crows Nest was sobering.  The flag hung limp with no hint of wind.  We got the boat ready and left the harbor with an easterly wind seeming to build out on the water and about a dozen boats out for the fun.  We called for course B4 and set the line, gave a 5 minute horn and set up for the start.

 

All boats converged on Blacks and rounded without incident and set up for the long slow sail to Gov.  It is difficult to keep boats moving downwind in 5-6 knot winds. Almost all boats stayed on the inside sailing straight for Gov.  On Pair A Dice, I thought I saw more wind outside and took the chance sailing away from the fleet trying to get to the elusive wind outside.  It seemed that as I approached the wind line, it was receding away from me.  As I watched from a distance, it appeared everyone was struggling in the light breeze and radioed the idea to shorten course and finish at Gov.  Many boats agreed and headed to the harbor after rounding Gov.  At Gov, Avatar was the first around (54:04), Pacific Spirit (54:49), Kicks (55:48), Nidaros (1:00:38). All times are elapsed.

It must have been 10 minutes after all of the boats had rounded before Pair A Dice rounded Gov. It was hard to tell since my Race QS track froze.  As we rounded Gov, I noticed a substantial current flowing to the west along shore with the kelp streaming westward.  All of the boats that stayed close to shore enjoyed this current, making my “flyer” searching for wind outside doubly wrong: less wind and less favorable current.

As we rounded Gov, it was great to be back hard on the wind which was building as the sun dipped over the horizon.  As it turned out there were about 5 boats that had not had enough sailing and wanted to continue to finish the whole course.  In the last bits of twilight, we were able to finish and collect our Mark.  The delightful sail back to start mark in the building Easterly was worth all of the light wind sailing we had endured. Some things are worth waiting for! At the Start mark It was Avatar first, Kicks, Nidaris and Sailing Pair A Dice.

TAKING A FLYER:

It is usually not wise to take a flyer.  Pair A Dice’s performance on this night exemplified this. The wind did not materialize like I thought it would and we did not fare well. Taking a Flyer can work well or fail miserably.  It is always a gamble, sometimes you just have to roll the dice!

COORDINATING CREW:

Some of us are having difficulty getting crew for our Tuesday night sails.  If we can all turn on our radios to 69 when we get to the boats in the harbor, boats that need crew can communicate their needs. It is always fun and educating to sail on other boats.

I am looking forward to next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018: SKUNKED!

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

SKUNKED!

My first sight of the harbor looked rather ominous.  The flag on the Crows Nest was showing a strong wind and the marine layer hanging over the water looked less than inviting.  We sorted out crew issues and exited the harbor with close to a dozen boats out already. With the wind blowing from 250 degrees (when we checked it), we set a buoy for the other end of the line and called for course W3.  We gave a 5-minute horn for a 6pm start and set up for our start.

On Pair a Dice we wanted to start on starboard tack start a little up the line from the pin end in pretty clear air.  Right after the start, as soon as we had clear air, we tacked over for the inside.  Many of the boats thought there was more wind outside and sailed outside and got stuck in very little wind.  On our inside tack, we noticed many headers and lifts and played them as well as we could.  Many of the boats sailed outside while we kept sailing further inside.  Finally we tacked over just below the lay line for wharf mark. As we approached the mark, the wind got very light and variable with headers and lifts making it difficult to round the mark.  Zoof (Islander 36) with PauL Tara was the first to make it around the mark with Pair A Dice hot on their heels.  Avatar rounded Wharf after us and was trying to close the gap with us.

As we got about halfway to Blacks, the wind started dying and one by one boats started retiring.  Usually wind will develop to get us out of this predicament, but with the heavy marine layer it did not happen tonight!  Finally we could see the hopelessness of completing the course and retired along with the other boats.  We got skunked with no wind!

WHERE IS THE WIND?

Right at the start, someone on Pair A Dice said there was more wind inside.  It sure looked that way from the appearance of the water.  The prediction was that there would be more westerly current inside.  We did not properly anticipate the shiftiness of the wind.  We were getting 20-30 degree shifts inside, but continued on inside as far as we could.  Gauging by the angle the outside boats were sailing versus our angle inside, we were generally getting lifted  in comparison.

  Why was there more wind inside?  We all know that fog and marine layers have more wind at the edges.  As it turns out on this night, the marine layer ended just offshore and was creating the wind that we enjoyed.

PLAYING HEADERS AND LIFTS:

We certainly had our share of headers and lifts on this night.  If the wind is oscillating back and forth and you are getting ready for a tack, wait for the next header.  Sail into it a little, then tack. A header on one tack is a lift on the other tack.  If you are even lifted 5 degrees, you can create a tremendous lead over someone that sails on in the header.

 

By observing  other boats courses and how it relates to YOUR course, you can tell who is getting headed and who is getting lifted.  If your angles are at right angles to each other, you are equal.  Watch for angles that are not right angles to each other to see who is being lifted and who is being headed.

Hopefully, next Tuesday will have enough wind to finish the course.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

AUGUST 28, 2018: STEADY BREEZE

August 28, 2018

STEADY BREEZE

Checking Predict Wind in the morning, I was not encouraged since it predicted very light winds from about 7pm into the evening.  When I got to the harbor just after 5, the northwesterly was still blowing steadily.  We left the harbor and there were over 12 boats out, we set the line and called for course W3.  We gave a 5 minute horn for a 6pm start in the steady 10 knot breeze.

On Pair A Dice, we set up for a starboard tack start, anywhere on the line that would give us free air.  We accomplished this, but had about 5 boats following us a little to windward.  We slowly pinched up and eventually forced all boats to tack over.  We all know that it is best to tack over to port tack earlier, but on this night the waves were not impeding our progress and since the wind was a little more south (220 degrees) than normal, we did not think the boats inside would get as much lift as usual. 

We finally tacked over toward Wharf mark and found we were a little above the layline for the mark.  At the wharf mark rounding it was Avatar, followed by Patricia J, Perfect 36 with Pair a Dice right on 36’s stern.  On the long run to Blacks, Pair A Dice pulled to windward of Perfect 36 and closed a little of the gap that Avatar and Patricia J had created ahead of us.

 

At the finish, Avatar was first with Patricia J following.  Perfect 36 (49:05), Pair A Dice (50:10), Kicks (52:50), Aeolian (55:18) and Pacific Spirit (56:21).  All times are elapsed and the course was 3.23 miles.  For some reason the track for Avatar and Patricia J stopped so I could not record the time.  It should also be noted that Pacific Spirit went out of their way to help a Hobie sailor that had capsized. I need to emphasize that you must have Race QS operating to be counted.  If phone batteries run low, you can get an adapter to keep your phone charged through your cigarette lighter plug.

IMPEDING A FOLLOWING BOAT:

There is a trick that all match racers and team racers know.  When a boat is following close behind, either to windward or leeward with the possibility of passing you, you can pretty much stop them by travelling up on the main.  While this will slow your boat down a little, the disturbed wind you give the other boat will slow them dramatically and they will have to tack rather than pass you.

ASSISTING OTHER BOATERS:

Kudos to Pacific Spirit for helping the Hobie that had flipped.  In my many years of Hobie catting I have been flipped many time.  Righting a Hobie 16 single handed is not difficult with enough wind.  This Hobie was an 18, which is a little larger making it very difficult to right especially with wind lightening.  Thanks to Pacific Spirit for helping him out.

ASSISTING A PERSON IN THE WATER:

We had a person fall into the water while docking their boat on Q dock.  This presents a problem.  What is the best way to get a person out of the water and onto a dock or an inflatable?   We were fortunate to have Mike Gross show us the way.  I had always heard that you should have the person cross their arms or the rescuer cross their arms so that with the “swimmer” facing the dock, as you pull them out, their body rotates and they end up sitting on the dock.  This may work for a child in the water, but when you consider that any adult is going to weigh in excess of 200 pound when drenched, most of us would not be able to pull them onto the dock.  The proper technique is to give the person in the water something to hold onto with their hands to keep their head above water and to assist in lifting their weight, then reach down and grab them by the belt or knee to get the rest of their body on deck.  Once you get them high enough, you can roll them onto the dock.

Looking forward to next Tuesday!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

AUGUST 21, 2018 COLD AUGUST NIGHT

August 21, 2018

COLD AUGUST NIGHT

I was at the harbor all day working on my boat and as the afternoon progressed, the wind seemed to be increasing.  I was really thinking that we would have to change the jib from 155 to 135 with this much wind.  As 5pm arrived, the wind seemed to dissipate and we opted to stay with the 155.  As we left the harbor, there seemed to be 10-12 knot winds steadily from the Northwest.   There were already 6-7 boats out and 3 other boats following us.  We set the mark relatively square to the wind, called course W2 and gave a 5 minute horn.

After calling such a long, ambitious course, my heart sank as the 5 minute countdown started and the wind seemed to dissipate from 10 knots down to 7.5 knots.  Pair a Dice set up for a starboard tack start at the red buoy end of the line and was a little late for the start.  One by one, each boat found they were not making much headway against the waves which were right on our bow.  With these waves we just weren’t able to build up speed.  We all tacked over to take the waves on the beam rather than the bow.  Avatar, Patricia J and Pacific Spirit were the first around Wharf, then off to Mile.  On the way to Mile Pair A Dice closed much of the gap between Pacific Spirit and Patricia J.  Pair A Dice camped right on the stern corner of Pacific Spirit on the way to Gov and the run to the finish mark.

 

At the finish, it was Avatar (55:20), Patricia J (56:25), Pacific Spirit (57:42, Pair A Dice (58:00), Perfect 36 (59:44), Kicks (1:01:29), Aeolian (1:02:20) and Rosie (1:04:11). All times are elapsed and course length was 3.93 miles.

ROUNDING MARKS:

In the last several weeks, some of us have had trouble rounding some marks.  The problems can involve such issues as claiming inside overlap, taking advantage of it, getting headed at the last moment and not being able to round the mark.  We have all been in these predicaments.  Getting into a predicament is one thing, knowing how to efficiently get out of it is another thing completely. 

Always keep in mind that you MUST be on your layline to the mark.  If you must pinch to make the mark, this will be compounded by other boats rounding ahead of you.  There may be headers and even currents working against your efforts to round the mark.  If in claiming inside overlap, you must pinch to make the mark, keep in mind if your jib gets back-winded, it will not only slow you even more but may make it impossible to control your boat.  Once your boat goes through the eye of the wind and your jib is back-winded, you no longer have inside overlap rights and must yield to other boats.  In order to avoid losing control when sailing in close quarters in situations like this, your crew must loosen the jib the moment you pass through the eye of the wind to prevent sideways movement.

What about that nasty header that stops you dead in your tracks with the mark right on your bow?  This is very frustrating and we have all been there!  The problem often is caused by trying to estimate the layline from too far away and hoping, praying and willing a lift to get you around the mark. The collective willing of everyone on the boat will not allow you to sail directly into the wind!  To compound this issue, there are often boats close at hand to prevent you from doing what you want to do: tack, jibe or anything to get out of your predicament.  In these situations, quick, decisive action can frequently help your situation.  It is no time for analysis paralysis.

One thing that I like to do is always tack over on the lay-line just outside the 3 boat length zone.  This allows a close approximation of the lay-line.   Keep in mind if you enter the zone and must tack within the zone, you must yield to other boats (you have given up your rights claimed by being the first in the zone with inside overlap).  In these situations, Starboard versus tack rules prevail for right of way.  Tacking outside of the 3 boat zone prevents this predicament.

OTHER REGATTAS:

The first of the fall score series is this Sunday.  These are always fun regattas with several days to compete and improve your sailing and racing skills even more.

NEXT TUESDAY IS THE LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AND BARBECUE AT SCYC.  ALWAYS A FUN EVENT.  PLEASE BRING YOUR FAVORITE GRILLING FOOD.  THE BAR WILL BE OPEN!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice  

AUGUST 14, 2018: TORTURED BY LIGHT WIND

August 14, 2108

TORTURED BY LIGHT WIND

As usual I checked Predict wind in the morning and the forecast was for light northwesterly winds in the evening.  I was surprised to see the Crow’s Nest flag showing an Easterly when I came to the harbor.  It was not until we were leaving the harbor that the northwest wind was apparent on the outside.  We set the red mark on the outside of the start mark to keep everyone in the northwest wind.  We called for W5: Start, Wharf, Start and gave a 5minute horn.

In the 5 minute countdown, I was horrified to see the northwest wind die as all of the boats did their best to cross the line with light wind and waves on the bow.  On Pair A Dice, I doggedly thought the Northwest wind was the place to be until well into the race.   Finally, it dawned on us that the boats that were doing well were sailing inside using the building Easterly.  We inched the boat around and used the waves to the best of our ability to get inside where the wind was.  Finally we got to the wind and sailed up toward Wharf.  It seemed too good to be true.  We went from last to first place in one slick move, but the race was not over BY A LONG SHOT!  Just as we approached wharf mark, the wind died and all of the other boats rounded ahead of us.  Ah the vagaries of fickle, inconsistent wind!

All of the boats that rounded ahead of us made a rhumb line run straight back to Start mark.  We thought there was more wind outside and sailed deeper into the wind before tacking over toward the start mark.  We passed several boats on our way, but at the finish it was KICKS! (1:40:46), Pacific Spirit (1:44:55), Avatar (1:45:25) Pair A Dice (1:46;22) and Rosie (1:49:45).  All times were elapsed and  the length of the course was 2.68 miles.  Congratulations to KICKS for another excellent night of sailing!

VIEW FROM THE WINNER KICKS! THANKS DAN  FOR THE PIC!

It was a night that we were tortured by light winds, but it was a beautiful night on the water.  Would you rather be bobbing on the water or sitting at home watching TV?

USING SAILS TO STEER THE BOAT:

This night was a real test of seamanship with the light variable winds.  Often we did not have enough movement to steer the boat, so we had to use the sails to steer the boat.  Think of the mast as a fulcrum.  On one side you have the main sail and the other side of the fulcrum you have the Jib.

 With light wind blowing from the port side of the boat, if you want to turn the boat to starboard, tighten up the jib and release the main and the boat will turn that way.  If you want to turn the boat to port, tighten the mainsheet and loosen the jib.  I have a 155 jib on my boat so in light winds if I needed to turn to port (in this situation), I need to furl the headsail at least partially to accomplish this.  

LEARNING IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS:

Imagine that every time you go sailing, there was perfect 10-15 knot breeze from a consistent direction with no shifts in wind. It sounds like sailing heaven!  If conditions were always perfect, what would you learn?  Probably not much!  Kudos to all of the boats that stuck it out to the end.  These challenging nights are the most educational and will invariably improve your sailing skills.

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A DIce

AUGUST 7, 2018: SHOW UP AND PAY ATTENTION

August 7, 2018

SHOW UP AND PAY ATTENTION

The prediction for the evening from Predict Wind was that the wind would decrease through the evening.   It seems Predict Wind does not know about the Santa Cruz Eddie that generates our Easterly breezes.  When I got to the harbor, the wind was from the East; but would it hold?  As we left the harbor, there were almost a dozen boats out with more following us out.  It seemed that the wind was from the East with more wind outside so I called for Bravo 3: Start, Blacks, Mile, finish.  We set a line that was square with the wind to the start mark.

On Pair A Dice, we decided to start at the Start mark for an easy rounding of Blacks.  With the light breeze that was blowing, making this decision early and sticking with it seemed to be the thing to do.  We had a fairly good start right at the pin right behind Perfect 36.  We did not notice all of the boats spread out along the start line with some starting right at the red buoy end of the line.  As all 16 boats marched toward Blacks, we could see that some boats had quite a lead on us rounding the mark.

We all rounded Blacks and started reaching toward Mile.  We were all taking the swell on the nose which slowed all of us down.  Sailing through light and heavier areas of wind seemed to compress the fleet as we approached mile. Once we all rounded Mile it was another reach back to the start mark, this time with all boats trying to surf the meager swell to our advantage.

NICE SHOT OF PAD AND PERFECT 36 (THANK YOU TODD)

At the finish, Patricia J (32:40), Nidaros II (35:55), Pacific Spirit (36:31), Kicks (36:45), Pair a Dice (37:53), Perfect 36 (37:56), Avatar (39:15) and Aeolian (39:42).  The distance of the course was 2.72 miles.

THE TUESDAY NIGHT CREW AT THE CROWS NEST

PAYING ATTENTION TO CONDITIONS:

It did not occur to me till after the race, that boats that payed attention to changing conditions garnered a significant advantage. After the 5 minute horn was blown, the wind actually shifted 30 degrees giving the red ball end of the line a significant advantage.  When you are astute enough to recognize changes in conditions that you can take advantage of, by all means take it!

To determine which end of the line is the favored end, turn your boat head to wind on the line.  At this point, the end of the line your boat is pointing toward is the favored end.  The degree that your boat is pointed away from square to the line in this test indicates how much advantage you will have at the end of the line your boat is pointing.  With a 30 degree shift from square to the line, and a lengthy line, starting at the favored end is like starting with a huge, yet fair head start.

WAVES:

Tonight was a big lesson also on how to take waves on both the bow (on the way to Mile) and on the stern (on the way to start/finish).  Waves on the bow can be fresh, wind chop waves which can stop the boat repeatedly or gentle ocean swells like tonight.  I find that it is best to experiment with different tactics to see which works best in current conditions.  Whether taking the swells straight on the bow or cracking off to taking them at a slight angle are options.  Also, you should never come off the top of a wave and crash straight down the back of a wave.  I find hitting the trough off the back of the wave can also slow your boat down.  It is best to come off the top and take the back of the wave at an angle to prevent slamming into the trough.  Find what works best for your boat and follow that tactic. 

With waves on the stern, every boat has different polars.  This means every boat has a different optimal wind angle when sailing down wind.  If you can find the right angle of wind to catch more waves, it can yield a significant advantage.

When thinking of waves, keep in mind how many you are dealing with.  I am sure that in the distance between Blacks and Mile there were probably over 1000 waves we all went through.  Learning how to lessen their impedance or accentuating their assistance, depending on direction traveled can yield huge advantages.  When you mix the different wave types and different wind speeds and angles, the combined variability is as diverse as different snowflakes.  No two days or conditions are ever the same!

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTER:

My favorite regatta of the whole year is coming up this Sunday August 12.  This is a very fun event that benefits this worthwhile cause.  It is a reverse PHRF start, meaning the slow boats start first.  Every boat has their own start so there is no crowded line to deal with.  After the short race, there is a party with trophies, meal and a band playing.  The band is Island Breeze and they are AWESOME.  There is also a silent auction and raffle ticket prizes awarded.  It is not too late to sign up for this fun event.

If I don’t see you at the regatta, I will see you next Tuesday!

Barry L Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

JULY 31, 2018; THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

JULY 31, 2018

THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

Predict wind was indicating the wind was going to die as the evening progressed.  There was a fine Easterly breeze blowing as we left the harbor. As usual for a barbecue night, we had close to 20 boats out for the fun.   We quickly set the mark for the line and called course B4.  Thanks to Doug on Avatar for pointing out that there was a Coastguard cutter hanging on Gov.  We took his suggestion and called the course as B4 but substituting Wharf for Gov.  We blew the 5 minute horn and set up for the start.

On Pair A Dice, we decided to try to start at the start buoy on starboard.  A risky move considering that it would be a popular start.  As was expected, many boats had the same idea and we got off to a bad start in second row with several boats in front feeding us bad air.  As the season progresses it is amazing, as everyone’s abilities improve, how all boats seem to merge at marks at the same time.  This night was a good example as we had 4 boats rounding Blacks at the same time.  It seems everyone was screaming “ROOM AT THE MARK!”.

After rounding Blacks, we had a long slog to Wharf mark. Would the wind hold or die on us?  I observed all of the SC27s sail way inside with their Spinnakers and wondered how they would fair at the Wharf rounding.  It did not take long as, once again, we all seemed to be rounding Wharf at the same time with many calls for “ROOM AT THE MARK”.

The wind held through the long beat back to start.  Fred was the helmsman on Pair A Dice and he did an excellent job calling the headers and lifts as we passed several boats on the way to the start mark.

At the finish the first over the line was Tusitala (56:45), Avatar (59:30), Patricia J (1:00:57), Pair A Dice (1:05:39) Pacific Spirit (1:06:25), Perfect 36 (1:08:30) and Makani (1:16:00).  All times are elapsed. The course length was 3.20 miles.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

I have always tried to do all I can to improve everyone’s sailing ability.  If I learn something, I will always share it through this blog.  If everyone becomes a better sailor, I must improve also to win races.

I was talking to an experienced sailor once and told him how our fleet has grown.  He stated: “it never fails, when you try to improve everyone’s abilities, you build fleets and participation.  EXCESSIVE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT KILLS FLEETS!”.  What is excessive competitive spirit? Certainly bragging about a win is one example of excessive competitive spirit.  We all enjoy winning but winning graciously is a trait we all should try to employ.

  Another example of excessive competitive spirit is not abiding by the rules of sailing.  We have many novice sailors in our group that are trying to learn (and follow) the rules of sailing for our races.    As our abilities improve and more boats round marks at the same time, we MUST follow the rules.  If a boat has inside overlap at the 3 boat zone, give them ROOM.  If multiple boats are overlapped, you may need to give a LOT of room for all of the overlapped boats to get around the mark.  In order to prevent miss-haps, it is good for the boat that is achieving inside overlap to announce (loudly) at the 3 boat zone that you have overlap and will need mark room.

  

We have many in our group that play by the rules, taking turns if they bump a mark and giving appropriate room at the mark.  Can we all please play by the rules for our Tuesday night “fun sails”?  Nothing discourages participation more than the sound and feel of crunching fiberglass.  Many of us are having a blast and learning more about sailing, THIS is the intent of Tuesday Night sailing.  My greatest fear is that excessive competitive spirit in our group will crush our fleet.  By some of our actions, are we actually causing the beginning of the end?

Please use race QS in order to be counted for the race.  If you are not running this app, you are not being counted.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

JULY 24, 2018 VICARIOUS SAILING

JULY 24, 2018

VICARIOUS SAILING

Hi Barry,

Enough crew showed for us to go out. Don and Mike were on board and we picked up a hitchhiker at Aldo’s. Gunter waved us over and jumped on board. There was a big South swell and Tusitalia was parked at the harbor mouth but decided to turn back. We waited until the set passed and motored out without problem. Nidaros 2, Avatar and Kicks joined us. A 27 came out to play as well. We had a little trouble setting the mark. As Don was streaming it, he caught a huge kelp patty and had to let go. There were kelp patties all over the place torn up by the swells. We called a delay and came back to pick it up. Of course the kelp fouled our prop and we had to back down to free it. Finally got the mark set for a good East breeze. We called Bravo 2; Start, SC3, Black’s, finish. We had the Start buoy end and the other boats were spread out down the line toward the pin. Avatar and Nidaros tacked ahead of us, Mike thought we had better wind inside and we actually went a little way into the kelp before tacking out. The current kept us from picking any kelp up. When we tacked out, we tacked back as soon as we could clear the kelp field. The wind was better inside as predicted for an Easterly, but the combined South swell, left over NW wind waves and a building Easterly chop slowed us down. It was like being in a jeweler’s cleaning tank. We twisted the sails off a bit and “powered up.” When we tacked near the lay line, Avatar passed clear ahead and we almost had to duck Nidaros. After rounding, Mike took us in just a little way. Again, it was to get better breeze. We set the pole and soon passed Nidaros. Mike asked if we could see the mark. I took a look and we were dead on it! Avatar got there first and we hardened up and headed straight for the Finish. With the wind at about 120 all the usual angles were changed. The course was much easier. Avatar was ahead of us. Have to see the RaceQ track to find out if we got them on corrected. We were lucky and got in between sets without having to wait. I put the boat in bow first again as there was a lot of surge. It was a beautiful evening. Gunter said he had a lot of fun. We did, however, have to explain what a winch was and how to use it. Thanks for the opportunity to sail your boat.

Stefan

Thanks Stefan for the excellent report and for taking care of my boat.

Race QS shows Avatar finishing at 46:05, Pair a Dice 47.52, Nidaros II 49:22 and Kicks 56:33.  All times are elapsed time and the length of the course was 3.04 miles.

WAVES:

With the harbor office issuing warnings about large swells at the harbor entrance, I think it is good to discuss waves.  After years of surfing, I have had a lot of experience in dealing with waves. 

Most waves we deal with are storm generated.  The size of the swell is determined by the strength of the wind and the amount of area the storm covers.  During our summer months, a lot of our waves are generated by storms in the Southern ocean since it is winter in the south.  What is so important for us in the Santa Cruz Harbor is that our harbor faces due south so all of the swell energy is directed straight up the harbor.

The storm generated swells travel away from the storm and as they travel over a large distance, will organize their energy into sets.  If the storm is a long distance away, like New Zealand the characteristics of the sets will be well defined.  Characteristics to watch for are time between sets and which waves are the biggest in the set. A swell coming from New Zealand often will have 20-30 minutes between sets, allowing easy exit from the harbor and easy entry into the harbor. I compare it to crossing a street: you don’t step off the curb with cars speeding toward you and it is better to not transit the harbor entrance with big waves breaking. Always wait for “traffic” to clear. The trained eye can definitely see sets approaching from off shore.   Winter waves are a lot different, with sets a lot closer together with the surfers dream: corduroy to the horizon!

One other consideration is what causes a wave to break.  Obviously, it is the shallower water near shore. As waves travel toward shore, the bottom part of the wave slows down due to friction with the bottom and the upper part of the wave continues at a faster pace causing the top of the wave to cascade down the face and “break”. Waves will break in 1.3 times their wave height.  This is a convenient way to see how deep it is where waves are breaking.  Granted a 3 foot wave breaking in 4 feet of water will just crumble down the face in what surfers would call a “mushburger” without much energy. 

When you get a wave with a lot of energy, travelling over long distances in very deep water that suddenly meets a very shallow bottom, you get a very powerful wave where the crest pitches out and forms a tube.  Surfers describe these waves as breaking “Top to Bottom”.  The top of the wave pitches over clear to the bottom of the wave in a “totally tubular” way. These waves are very powerful and are the types of waves that accomplished surfers crave.

To summarize:

·    >   RESPECT THE SURF, NEVER LEAVE OR ENTER THE HARBOR WITHOUT PAYING ATTENTION. SURFERS SAY "NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE OCEAN".

·       > CHECK THE HARBOR WEBSITE FOR THE LATEST SOUNDING MAP OF THE HARBOR

·         >THOUGH THE WATER MAY BE DEEP ENOUGH FOR YOUR KEEL, YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLAM DOWN THE FACE OR OVER THE BACK OF A WAVE AND BOUNCE OFF THE BOTTOM

·         >IF CATCHING A WAVE IN THE HARBOR, STEER STRAIGHT DOWN THE FACE OF THE WAVE IF POSSIBLE (SET UP FOR THIS IN ADVANCE).

·         >TIME THE SETS FOR SAFE EXIT AND RETURN TO THE HARBOR.
>     >ALWAYS CONSIDER THE STATE OF THE TIDE.  A SWELL CAN BREAK WITH LITTLE POWER ON A HIGH TIDE AND TURN INTO A GRINDING FREIGHT TRAIN AT LOW TIDE.

·        >MY PERSONAL RULE: IF THERE IS A 5% CHANCE OF CRASHING IN THE HARBOR ENTRANCE (EVEN WITH TIMING THE SETS PROPERLY) WAIT FOR A BETTER DAY. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES I HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT GO OUT.

I will see you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair a Dice