AUGUST 13, 2019: LOOP DE LOOP

AUGUST 13, 2019

LOOP DE LOOP

By the time I got to the harbor around 4 pm, there was an easterly already showing on the Crow’s Nest flag. The Easterly seemed to build as we approached 5pm.  We were going to have fun tonight!  We left the harbor around 5:20 and headed out into the ocean where the Easterly was even stronger.  I felt rather ambitious and called for course B1 like last week.  There were several boats a little late for the 6pm start time so we postponed to 6:05 to give them time.  In the 5 minute delay, the wind seemed to be dying a little so I announced our most favorite course for Easterly breeze: B4.  We gave a 5 minute horn and set up for our start.

Everyone was setting up to start right at the Yellow Buoy, trying to get as close to Blacks on their first beat.  Pair a Dice was about 3 rows back from the first boats over the line.  We all tacked our way to Blacks with Avatar opening a healthy lead over all other boats and rounded Blacks first.  I was not sailing my best and ended up “kissing the mark” as we rounded Blacks.  We sailed clear of everyone and took our 360 Loop de Loop then set off for the long run to Gov. 

Once again, there were some boats trying to sail closer to shore to take advantage of any current that would help them.  I thought I saw more wind just outside the kelp line and stayed more on a rhumb line for Gov.  This seemed to help as we seemed to gain on some of the boats sailing closer to the beach in lighter wind. Of course our 155 Jib also helped with this.  Avatar was first around Gov followed by Pacific Spirit, Pair a Dice and Perfect 36.

On our way back to the finish line, everyone seemed to be tacking quite a bit to stay in the wind. If you went too far out, the wind seemed to die a little.  At the finish it was Avatar 38:15, Pacific Spirit 44:21, Pair A Dice 45:12, Perfect 36 45:41, Nidaros 47:10, Aeolian 40:05, and Kicks 53:29.  All times are elapsed and the course length was 2.43 miles.

We had a great group of people dining at the Crow’s Nest with many great conversations.

EAST vs WEST:

One conversation was about Easterly wind and Westerly currents.  When discussing wind direction, you refer to the direction the wind is coming from.  We enjoyed an Easterly wind coming from the East on this night.  When describing currents, you describe the direction the current is flowing.  On this night we also enjoyed a Westerly current (flowing from East to West).  I had never thought about this, but this is one of our topics discussed tonight.

Race QS:

More people seem to be using this app.  It is a great learning tool.  To see tonight’s track, click on:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=61089&updatedAt=2019-08-14T02:30:16Z&dt=2019-08-13T17:45:02-07:00..2019-08-13T19:30:04-07:00&boat=Pair%20a%20dice&time=1565743521787&focus=Pair%20a%20dice&rival=TOAD&tab=fleet&view=auto

TO THE FOR-DECK CREW:

It has been said, to be a great for-deck crew, you need to have the agility of a ballerina and the strength of a linebacker.  I left the safety of the cockpit to help the for-deck crew set the whisker pole and was told I was in the way. I really appreciate a good for-deck crew.  I love watching a competent for-deck crew at work.

PASSING COMPETING BOATS:

When you have a competing boat right in front of you, and you are sailing faster, How do you pass them?  Do you pinch up and try to pass them to windward or fall off to pass them to leeward? Until recently, I have always thought it was best to pinch up to windward.  I am now a convert to falling off quickly and passing to leeward.  If done correctly, you are in the dreaded bad wind shadow for a few seconds before you are in clear air.  After passing the boat you can pinch up to tack ahead of them. To pull this off you must be sailing faster than the boat being passed.  Faster boats are usually: lighter, have better sails, cleaner bottom or several other reason.

KISSING A MARK:

It does not take much; bad judgement, an unusual wave at the wrong time, currents working against you.  It happens to all of us, the boat (or any part of the boat or crew) touches the mark and you must do a 360 penalty turn.  A 360 can be very painful in light breeze. Generally, it is best to start a 360 doing a tack, back-winding the Jib to help pull the bow around, then complete the 360 by Jibing.

I usually will have a visual on the mark and will sit on the rail to see the mark.  This night, I thought we had it made and did not follow this strategy and did not see the mark until it was too late.  Though I am not homophobic, in my opinion kissing a mark is never a good thing!

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice