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