MAY 25, 2021

TRANSITIONAL SAILING

Once again, Predict Wind was a little off in its prediction for wind close to the beach.  I was at the harbor around noon and the wind was Easterly at that point.  Watching the flag through the day, the wind seemed to be light from the northwest.  In the harbor, there was even a hint of a Northerly breeze around 5:30.  For this evening I had the pleasure of sailing with the Makani crew.  Thanks to Stuart and the Makani crew for putting up with me. As we left the harbor, we could see a strong Northwesterly breeze out toward mile that even extended as far in as the start mark.  We determined the wind was from the normal 240 degrees and set a line square to the wind (at that time). We called for course Whiskey 3: Start, Schuyler, Blacks Finish and blew the 5 minute horn.

As the clocked ticked down closer to the 6 pm start, the wind was switching around and creating a transitional zone with a battle between the strong Northwest and a robust Northerly blowing from the beach. As is normal with transitions, there is usually an area of no wind between the two battling fronts.  I seem to have the knack of being square in the middle of this no wind area while watching boats sailing off into stronger wind.

All boats tacked their way toward Schuyler.  Sailing from the back of the fleet, you have a lot of indicators (boats) ahead giving information about what the wind is doing around the course.  I could see that the boats that tacked over to port earlier got horribly headed as they moved toward the wharf, so we went further outside enjoying the wonderful northwesterly wind.

At Shuyler, the first around was Sweet Heart followed by Aquavit, New Wave, Kusatka, Pacific Spirit, Zoop, Perfect 36, Kicks, Toad, Makani, Meia Duzia and Nidaros.  On the way to Blacks, some boats sailed further outside and others Rhumb lined their way toward the mark. I saw the boats that were rounding Blacks were suddenly sailing in a northerly wind toward the finish line.  Some boats seemed to be creeping along in a wider transition zone with lighter wind. 

At Blacks, the first around was Sweet Heart, followed by Aquavit, New Wave, Pacific Spirit, Kasatka, Zoop, Perfect 36, Makani, Toad, Kicks, Meia Duzia, Nidaros.

At the finish, it was Sweet Heart 39:58, Aquavit 45:03, New Wave 45:53, Kasatka 49:19, Zoop 49:33, Perfect 36 49:53, Pacific Spirit 50:32, Makani 53:44, Kicks 56:31, Toad 57:29, Nidaros 1:05:36 and Meia Duzia 1:08:27.  All times are elapsed and the course length was 3.55 nautical miles.

With the wind changing direction throughout the evening, it was challenging evening of transition sailing.

Race QS:

Most boats are using this app.  A reminder to mount your phone face up with the top of the phone pointed toward the bow so your boat does not appear to be sailing sideways or stern first.   The track for this evening can be found at:

  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1014272&divisionId=71888&updatedAt=2021-05-26T02:08:51Z&dt=2021-05-25T17:50:01-07:00..2021-05-25T19:08:48-07:00&boat=Nidaros%20II&time=1621994907936&focus=Nidaros%20II&rival=Meia%20D%C3%BAzia&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.951272&lon=-121.994013&tilt=5&range=235&heading=248

DEALING WITH VARIABLE CONDITIONS:

Transition zones can be challenging to deal with.  Wind varying in speed offers another challenge as you negotiate the puffs and lulls.  If dealt with appropriately you can gain an advantage.  While sitting on the rail, one has the perfect perspective to see and call the varying wind on the water.  A crew can call out “more pressure in a certain time”.  This can be used by the helmsperson and mainsheet trimmer.  There is a huge advantage when you can keep the boat sailing at a consistent angle of heel to keep foils working efficiently.  With an indication that more pressure is coming, the skipper can possibly head up a little with a stronger puff watching the telltales, the mainsheet trimmer can prepare to travel down a little.  Both actions will help keep the boat heel consistent.

Transition zones can be dealt with by considering waves.  What little wind there is can be used to propel the boat diagonally across waves.  Any forward movement will be stopped with waves directly on the bow.  Going down waves into a transition try to surf straight down waves to get through the zone. 

WEIGHT JUST A MOMENT:

When going down wind, if you have crew (moveable ballast), have people move to the front of the boat to help catch waves.  Any surfer knows, moving weight to the front of the board increases speed.  It may not seem like much, but if you can stay in each wave for an extra couple of moments per wave, you can gain an advantage.

We will see you next Tuesday!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Makani for this night)

 

MAY 18, 2021 SUDDEN GUST FROM THE NORTH

 

MAY 18, 2021

SUDDEN GUST FROM THE NORTH

The forecast for this evening was for Northwest winds blowing 18 knots at 5pm and slowly decreasing through the evening. I got to the harbor at about 4pm and the Easterly was already starting.  I disagree with many of my fellow sailors that say none of the forecasting systems are correct.  I maintain that they are always correct, it’s just how far out in the bay you need to go to make them correct😉.

For this evening I was sailing with Doug Mahone on Avatar and crew. Thanks to them for putting up with me.  As we left the harbor at about 5:20 and approached the start mark, we were getting multiple readings on the wind direction.  We saw southerly winds and Easterly winds and even a hint of a Northerly.  In confusing situations like this, I just determined the first mark that we would pass and set a line square to the line to that mark.  At first I thought it would be interesting to have a course out to mile to get into the stronger wind outside.  Homer (correctly) pointed out that an inside course would be best so we switched from B3 to B4.  We blew the 5 minute horn for the start and prepared for our start.

At the time of our start, the favored end of the line was the yellow ball and we set up for this approach.  Many of the boats were attempting the same but were too soon to the line and had to run the line.  We achieved our goal and started right at the mark and were to windward of the whole fleet. We all made our way to Blacks and the first around was Geronimo then Avatar, Patricia J, Tusitala, Aquavi, Perfect 36, New Wave, Nidaros, Sagittarius, Pacific Spirit, Kicks, Muffin, Sweet Pea, Sophia, Toad and Meya Duci.  Then it was off going down wind toward Gov in the very light breeze.  Since the Easterly was building, traditional wisdom called for an inside course closer to shore.  There also was a slight current running that way.  The wind seemed to be decreasing and just as I thought we were going to get skunked with no wind, we saw a Northerly wind developing close to the beach.  This Northerly was developing strictly west of the harbor entrance giving a huge advantage to the boats already in the lead and closest to it.  Lord knows its better to be sailing in 15 knot breezes rather than a very mild breeze when in a race.

At Gov, first around was Geronimo, Guenter on his Finn, Patricia J, Avatar, Tusitala, New Wave, Aquavi, Sagittarius and Pacific Spirit simultaneously, Perfect 36, Nidaros, Kicks, Sweet Pea, Toad, and Sophia.  By the time all boats had to head back toward the start mark finish, the Northerly was blowing a consistent 15 knots which made for glorious sailing: broad reaching in 15 knot breezes.

At the finish, it was Geronimo first 44:50,Patricia J 46:21, Guenter on his Finn 46:27, Avatar 47:39, New Wave 48:26, Tusitala 48:17, Aquavi 52:03, Sagittarius 53:52, Pacific Spirit 54:39, Perfect 36 55:37,Nidaros 56:41, Kicks 59:17, Sweet Pea 59:23, Toad 59:34 and Sophia 1:05:28.  All times are elapsed and the length of the course is 2.8 nautical miles. 

It was a glorious evening of sailing with a sudden gust from the North!

Race QS:

Most boats are using this app and the track from tonight can be found at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1066813&divisionId=71663&updatedAt=2021-05-19T02:17:08Z&dt=2021-05-18T17:50:02-07:00..2021-05-18T19:17:01-07:00&boat=Avatar&model=Express27&time=1621389928912&focus=Avatar&rival=Nueva%20Ola&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.951555&lon=-121.996259&tilt=8&range=1034&heading=150

TIME AND DISTANCE:

How much time will it take at your current speed to close the gap to a certain point?   This is something that many sailors don’t think about, but it is critical for starts.   I want to start at a certain end of the line.  If early to that point, I have no choice but to sail the line away from that point to prevent being OCS.  If you can time it precisely, you start right at your preferred end of the line.  How do you develop the ability to judge time and distance?  I believe you can develop this sense by going through an exercise any time you are sailing.  Spot something in the distance (mark,  patch of kelp or anything) and guess how much time it will take to reach that spot.  See how your estimate was and keep practicing.  This is a great skill to help your boat achieve a good start. Of course variable, shifty winds must be taken into consideration.

FIRST TO THE WIND BENEFITS:

Tonight was a great example of how a faster boat can achieve a huge advantage.  It is not unusual for a boat in the lead to benefit from their position.  Frequently when the wind is developing toward the front of the fleet, the boats in the lead extend their lead dramatically.  It is frustrating seeing boats dart off in the distance while you are sailing in much lighter wind.

SCORE RACE:

Remember the Score races are coming up. The next regatta dates are May 23 and June 27.  These are all great racing events and by exercising the skill you are acquiring by racing on Tuesday nights, you may be able to win some hardware (Trophies).  I encourage you to register and to participate.  You just need a valid PHRF certificate to qualify.

I am looking forward to next Tuesday Night Sailing.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Avatar tonight)

 

MAY 11, 2021 LIGHT SOUTHERLY TUESDAY

 

MAY 11, 2021

LIGHT SOUTHERLY TUESDAY

The forecast from Predict Wind was not very encouraging indicating winds decreasing from 9 knots to 3 knots.  As we approached the start mark we determined that the wind was light and coming from 190 degrees almost due south!   For this night I sailed on Natorious to set the mark and call the course.  Thanks to the crew of Natorious for accommodating me!  We set a line square to the wind and called for course M2: start to mile and back to start.  We blew a 5 minute horn at 5:55 and set up for the start.

Though the line was square to the wind, one end of the line was closer to the mark and most boats seemed to set up to start at the red ball end of the line.  Natorious was lucky enough to start right at the mark while some boats that were early ran the line to kill time to not be OCS. There were multiple challenges on this night with shifting winds, pockets with very light wind and the elusive wind lines always ahead and out of reach.

All boats tacked their way to mile and the first around was Geronimo, followed by our newest addition Sweetheart (SC 52), Aquavi, Tusitala, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Avatar, Makani, Perfect 36, Muffin, Kicks, Toad, Sophia and Natorious.

On the way back to start, it was not any easier.  Many of the boats were sailing wing on wing.  We found it was a little more efficient to broad reach toward the mark. I also used Homer’s advice about sailing in light wind: trim the jib and tighten and center the main. It seemed to work! At the finish there was a wide difference with 50 minutes separating the first boat from the last boat.  First across the finish line was Geronimo  42:44, Patricia J (No track=no time) Sweetheart 54:49, Tusitala 57:18, Zoop 58:00, Aquavi 1:00:06, Pacific Spirit 1:04:16, Nidaros 1:06:06, Avatar 1:08:20, Makani 1:08:58, Kicks 1:20:39, Toad 1:23:49, Natorious 1:30:03 and Sophia 1:31:58.  All times are elapsed and the course was 2.07
nautical miles.  

It was amazing that so many boats finished on such a challenging “Light Southerly Tuesday”.

I MISSED THIS, BUT STUART PEARCE ON MAKANI GOT THIS PICTURE

Race QS:

Most boats are running this app, but some tracks are not uploading.  Remember to plug  your phone to a charger while sailing so there is enough charge to complete the course.

The track for this night can be viewed at:  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011074&divisionId=71492&updatedAt=2021-05-12T14:47:51Z&dt=2021-05-11T17:55:06-07:00..2021-05-11T20:39:20-07:00&boat=Tusitala&model=Bavaria40&time=1620787335199&focus=Tusitala&rival=Makani&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.940708&lon=-122.002473&tilt=33&range=1820&heading=177

There are some people that are running tracks but not benefiting by reviewing their boat performance.  I encourage people to watch the many tutorial videos available on the Race QS site to maximize your benefit in using the site.

IS YOUR BOAT AND CREW RACE READY?

Racing requires optimization of every aspect of your boat and crew.  Some equipment is incredibly inexpensive and other parts can cost another BOATing (BREAK Out Another Thousand) unit. You should have plenty of telltales on your sails so you can ascertain whether your sails are in trim (see below).  Sails should have good shape to take advantage of the wind.  Wrinkles and unusual shapes destroy wind contact with the sail and slow the boat down.

You should be able to adjust the fairleads for your jib sheets.  While the boat is hard on the wind, adjust the fairleads so that all telltales are streaming on both tacks. This maximizes your boat speed going to weather.   There are expensive systems to accomplish this, but it can be much less expensive now with non-friction rings that could be mounted on the rail.  A good whisker pole and adjustable backstay are other additions that allow better adjustment of sail shape.

Is your standing rigging adjusted appropriately?  If too loose, the tip of the mast leans away from the wind, cancelling any benefit attained by your crew hiking out.  In addition a loose standing rigging can be dangerous in stronger wind, as the mast slams from side to side while tacking and jibing.

The crew is probably more important than equipment.  Can the skipper keep the boat in the groove (telltales flying appropriately, not backwinding the jib and not excessive steering).  Can your crew quickly trim sails appropriately for all points of sail?  Can the skipper and crew accomplish an efficient tack? This is certainly a team effort which requires practice.  Race QS is a great tool to see how efficient your tacks are.  There are many books and sources to access to improve your expertise in sail trim.

WHAT’S WITH THE TELLTALES?

This is elementary to the accomplished sailors, but for those new to sailing, sailors are always talking about telltales.  How can such a small part of the boat be so important?  Sails are foils like airplane wings. Foils, working efficiently, can have incredible force! I read once that when a boat is sailing hard on the wind that for every pound of force pushing the boat forward there are 5 (FIVE) pounds of force sucking the boat forward. This is the effect of foils working efficiently and indicates the importance of maintaining proper airflow on the outside part of the sail.  Telltales are usually seen along the front edge of the jib along the luff of the sail.  In this position, they are strong indicators of when airflow is not right or beginning to change. Proper airflow is indicated by telltales streaming straight back. If the telltales are not streaming straight back, the helmsperson must point the boat higher to the wind to correct or the sail trimmer should let out on the jib sheet to correct sail trim.

It is amazing how some people just have a feel for this.  My wife was on the helm once when we were leaving Capitola.  She doesn’t even know what a telltale is.  I looked up and all telltales were streaming perfectly.  I asked her later why she was steering the boat that way and she replied “It just felt right”.  I wish I had the same sense.

We will see you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Natorious for this night)

 

May 4, 2021 EAST WIND TUESDAY

 

MAY 4, 2021

EAST WIND TUESDAY

All predictions for the night were for light wind, but as I was driving to the harbor the radio had a “small craft warning” prediction for the night.  Looking at the ocean from the harbor, it looked more like the Predict Wind forecast was more accurate.  For this night, I joined the crew of Nidaros in setting the start line and calling the course.  Thanks to the Nidaros crew for putting up with me!

 

As we left the harbor, the East wind was as good as East winds can be.  Consideration of courses is always a challenge.  If you are overly optimistic and call a long course, the wind seems to die.  I have found it better to not go for the longest course and lean toward a more conservative short course.  I called for course B4:  start to Blacks, Gov and back to finish.  The wind was hovering between 90 and 120 and we set a line that was nearly square to the wind. 

On Nidaros, we wanted to start at the “red ball” end of the line, but were a little early to the line and had to slow the boat down to not be OCS.  As we approached the line, we were too low and had to do a quick 270 to get over the line on port tack. At Blacks, the first around was Geronimo followed by Sagittarius, Perfect 36, Tusitala, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Sweet Pea, Avatar, Kicks and Toad. 

On the way to Gov, most boats went DDW with most sailing wing on wing.  Geronimo sailed way outside and must have found more wind, because they were once more first around Gov.  The rest of the boats sailed straight to Gov, some closer to shore than others taking advantage of a current to help them along.  The second around Gov was Tusitala, then Sagittarius, Makani, Avatar, Perfect 36, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Toad, Sweet Pea and Kicks.  It was quite exciting watching the boats miss the armada of fishing boats anchored by Gov. The boats were complete with their outriggers seemingly trying to snag sails. 

On the way back to the finish line, everyone chose their own path.  Some boats went in closer to shore and had to fight the current that was sweeping to the West.  The wind was not consistent across the water and some boats sailed into holes of less wind.  At the finish line, the first across was Geronimo 41:32, Sagittarius 44:38, Tusitala 50:05, Avatar 55:27, Perfect 36 57:08, Nidaros 57:15, Zoop 59:27, Pacific Spirit 1:06:00, Toad 1:09:45, Sweet Pea 1:11:09, Kicks 1:16:43. All times are elapsed and the course distance was 2.80 nautical miles. 

It was a beautiful evening and the wind stayed for the whole evening.  It was a great East wind Tuesday! 

Race QS:

Tonight we had 12 of the 19 boats run the race QS track.  You must run Race QS in order to be counted!  I suggest presetting the start time at 17:45 so your track can be followed for the start.  The track for this night can be found at: https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011074&divisionId=71346&updatedAt=2021-05-05T03:56:51Z&dt=2021-05-04T17:55:04-07:00..2021-05-04T20:44:57-07:00&boat=Tusitala&model=Bavaria40&time=1620176123852&focus=Tusitala&rival=TOAD&tab=fleet&view=match

  

CURRENT EVENTS:

Currents were definitely a factor for this evening.  There are things to look for that indicate currents are in effect.  I like to look at the kelp.  If the kelp is all streaming one way, you know which way the current is going.  You can also see strands of kelp snagged on buoys and how it is flowing.  Once a current is detected, you can ride it like a conveyer belt for its advantage and keep in mind to not fight it going the other way. 

PINCHING:

Pinching to make a mark can be punishing.  On our start it became apparent that it was going to be difficult to make it around the start line buoy.  We did not pinch and lose speed, fell off and did a 270 degree turn without much of a setback in our standing in the race. 

ROUNDING GOV (LEEWARD MARK)

It got interesting at the Gov rounding with many boats rounding simultaneously.  Another factor was the many fishing boats in the area creating “obstructions”.  There was one hail for room to clear a fishing boat.  The fishing boats with their outriggers were definitely large enough to be considered as an obstruction and room was appropriately given.  With many boats rounding at once, the question was “where do we go?”.   Remember the 3 boat zone and inside overlapping boat (at the zone) have inside rights.  Abiding by this rule, as an outside boat it is generally best to slow down and follow a boat around the mark rather than round the mark with a boat abeam. The reason for doing this is that you have all options open once you round the mark rather than being trapped to leeward of the inside boat.  The object is to sail in clear air after rounding. 

SAILING ON OPBS:

While my boat is getting repowered, I have been sailing on OPBs (other people’s boats).  It has been a joy and an education for me.  Each boat is different: different equipment resulting in different setups.  I find it interesting going through these experiences where I can learn about different ways of doing things and optimizing equipment on my boat.  Another thing I have noticed is the effect of crew displacement on lighter boats.  Three guys on the rail has much more of an effect on a lighter boat than on heavier boats. 

 

We will see you next Tuesday.

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Nidaros for this night).