MARCH 29, 2022
UNPREDICTABLE WIND
Predictions for the evening were
for 12 knot winds with gusts up to 20 knots.
When I got to the harbor, the flags were showing an Easterly starting to
develop. As we left the harbor, you
could see the Easterly on the water with the Northwesterly still apparent
further out. Another night of battling wind-lines! Which one would prevail? The first reading of wind direction close to
the start mark showed 230 degrees and we set a line mark for that
direction. By the time we were getting
closer to the start, the wind was showing more Easterly and we adjusted the
line for that direction. We called for
an Easterly wind course Echo 5: Start, Blacks, Start, Blacks and back to finish
with the start mark to starboard with the option to shorten course if the wind
started to die. We blew the five minute
horn for the twenty boats that were out for the fun.
The adjustment of the line was
good because the fleet was spread out along the whole line even though there
seemed to be more wind further out closer to the yellow ball. All boats made their way toward Blacks as the
wind changed from an Easterly to a Westerly with many boats deploying their
whisker poles in a situation that was turning the windward mark into a leeward
rounding. The first to round Blacks was
Water Dragon, followed by Sweetheart, Avatar/Pacific Spirit/Watts Moore
together, then New Wave, Kicks, Nidaros.
Frisky/Tusitala/Simpatico together then Aquavit, PAD, Makani, Perfect
36, Geronimo, Tessa and Seaquake.
After rounding Blacks, al boats
made their way back to the new windward mark which was the start mark. Water
Dragon was first followed by New Wave, Watts Moore, Sweetheart, Avatar, Frisky,
Tusitala, Pacific Spirit, Aquavit, Geronimo, Makani, PAD, Perfect 36, Kicks,
Nidaros, Simpatico, Sea Quake then Tessa.
We all rounded blacks again and
started back toward the planned finish at the start mark but the wind suddenly
died and we all were (once again) in a huge bob-fest. Since only New Wave was able to finish the
whole course, I decided to shorten the course to finish at the rounding of
Blacks. Shortening course after everyone
has rounded a mark, may not be standard procedure, but it is more inclusive for
the group. At the “Blacks finish line” New Wave was first 23:39
followed by Watts Moore 24:54, Sweetheart 25:47, Frisky 26:09, Tusitala 26:17,
Avatar 26:30, Aquavit 27:41, Geronimo 27:55, Makani 28:13, Pair A Dice 28:59,
Perfect 36 31:02, Nidaros 31:52, Simpatico 34:37 and Kicks 35:11. All times are elapsed and the course distance was 1.26 NM.
It was a challenging night with
the change in wind direction and the wind finally dying completely. Such is sailing in Santa Cruz in early spring
with its unpredictable wind.
PLACE BOAT ADJ. SECONDS
HIGH SCORE
1 NEW WAVE 1294 15
2 WATTS MOORE 1305 14
3 AVATAR
1423 13
4 TUSITALA
1463 12
5 PACIFIC SPIRIT 1488 11
6 MAKANI
1507 10
7 PAIR A DICE 1512 9
8 SWEETHEART 1554 8
9 GERONIMO 1565 7
10 AQUAVIT 1571 6
11 GOOD TIMIN’ 1646 5
12 PERFECT 36 1680 4
13 NIDAROS
1764 3
14 SIMPATICO 1869 2
15 KICKS 1884 1
In order to be counted in these
races you must register your boat AND run Race QS. Two boats in tonights race were not counted
in the PHRF standings: one was not
registered the other did not complete the course. Remember to monitor channel 69 for
information about races and changes. I
cannot rate your boats PHRF standing without registration and listing of your
PHRF.
RACE QS:
Most boats ran their track and
uploaded. The track for this night can
be found at:
We had a great barbecue at the club. After socializing and eating we had a great
“rules discussion” downstairs at the club.
RULES DISCUSSION:
This was a very interesting incident between 3 boats at
the windward mark 3 weeks ago. My boat
was involved as I tried to shoot the mark and failed, stalling at the mark. Consequently, I hit the mark, re-rounded the
mark and did a 360 exoneration turn. In
the discussion, with Chris Hofmann and Fred Molnar, I found that with the current rules, that hitting a mark only
requires an exoneration of one tack and one jibe and no necessity to round the
mark again.
Rules involved are as follows.
https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/cases/2012?page=11
This web-site is a great explanation with
diagrams.
Rules
31 TOUCHING A MARK
While racing, a boat shall not touch a
starting mark before starting, a
mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she
is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing
44.1 Taking a Penalty
A boat may take a Two-Turns Penalty when she may have broken
one or more rules of Part 2 in an incident while racing. She may
take
a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken rule 31.
Alternatively, sailing instructions may specify the use of the Scoring
Penalty or some other penalty, in which case the specified penalty
shall replace the One-Turn and the Two-Turns Penalty. However,
(a) when a boat may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the
same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule
31;
(b) if the boat caused injury or serious damage or, despite taking a
penalty, gained a significant advantage in the race or series by
her breach her penalty shall be to retire.
22.2 A boat taking a penalty
shall keep clear of one that is not
24.2 If reasonably possible, a boat shall
not interfere with a boat that is
taking a penalty, sailing on another leg or subject to rule 22.1.
However, after the starting signal this rule does not apply when the
boat is sailing her proper course.
Thank you Chris and Fred for your work and
explanation about these rules.
I am looking forward to another sail next
Tuesday.
Barry Keeler
Sailing Pair A Dice
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