OCTOBER 11, 2022 SAILING ON A FOG WIND LINE

 

OCTOBER 11, 2022

SAILING ON A FOG WIND LINE

With dire wind predictions I was surprised to see some wind on the flags when I got to the harbor. Was it just a "fog wind line"?  We left the harbor around 5 pm and the ocean looked like there was a little wind sporadically displayed across the bay.  We determined the wind was coming from about 200 degrees which is from the South.  This creates quite a dilemma: light wind from the south and the closest mark is Mile buoy with very little time before sunset.  I called for course Sierra 2: Start, Mile and finish at the start mark.  It seemed a little ambitious, but we had the option to shorten course and finish at Mile. We blew our horn at 5:50 for a two-fleet start.  We had 21 boats out for the fun.

Fleet A got off to a good start at 5:55 and B Fleet followed with a start at 6:00.  As it turns out, there were pockets of good but light wind and pockets of even lighter wind.  These areas of lighter wind did not seem to display on the water as glassy areas.  Is this the way fog wind lines work? Several of the A fleet got stuck in wind holes and stalled while some of the B Fleet seemed to get some stronger wind areas.  While this confusion played out, the wind seemed to veer more to the west enabling some boats to nearly lay Mile Buoy. The first to round Mile was Aboriginal, followed by Good Timin', Frisky, Sanctuaire, Perfect 36, Tusitala, Aquavit, Avatar, Pacific Spirit and Big Mac.  The first B Fleet boat around was Simpatico followed by Zoop, Makani, Toad, Pair A Dice, Sweet Pea and Kicks.

The long run back to mile was threatened by impending darkness as the sun was setting and boats were sailing with their running lights on. By this time, the wind had veered enough to the West that whisker poles were not necessary. It was also discouraging that the wind was very light at the start mark which compressed all boats.  At the finish, Aboriginal was the first to cross 39:57 followed by Good Timin' 43:44, Tusitala 48:07, Frisky 48:15, Perfect 36 49:15, Aquavit 49:22, Avatar 49:46, Double Expresso 49:52, Pacific Spirit 51:02, Sanctuaire 51:57 and Big Mac 53:51.  The first B Fleet boat was Simpatico 44:46 (just ahead of a couple of A Fleet boats) Zoop 44:46,  Nidaros 45:30, Toad 47:32, Pair a Dice 47:38 and Makani 49:46.  All times are elapsed and the course length was 2.03 NM.

It was a very challenging evening on the water with such unpredictable wind resulting from the fog line. There was a lot of luck involved in being in the right area at the right time, such is life when you sail on a fog wind line!

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE                   BOAT                     ADJUSTED SECONDS                       HIGHT SCORE

FLEET A:

1              ABORIGINAL                      2330                                                       11

2              GOOD TIMIN'                      2337                                                       10          

3              PERFECT 36                         2662                                                       9

4              TUSITALA                            2704                                                       8

5              AVATAR                                2718                                                       7             

6              PACIFIC SPIRIT                   2727                                                       6

7              FRISKY                                 2730                                                       5

8              BIG MAC                              2780                                                       4

9              DOUBLE EXPRESSO          2791                                                       3             

10           AQUAVIT                               2815                                                       2

11           SANCTUAIRE                       2885                                                       1

FLEET B:

1              SIMPATICO                          2351                                                       6

2              ZOOP                                    2393                                                       5

3              PAIR A DICE                        2492                                                       4

4              NIDAROS                             2510                                                       3

5              TOAD                                    2547                                                       2

6              MAKANI                               2687                                                       1

RACE QS:

It is necessary to run this app to be counted in our series.  Please preset your start time on the app  for a time before your start.  The track for this evening's sail can be found at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=85434&updatedAt=2022-10-12T02:18:08Z&dt=2022-10-11T17:40:04-07:00..2022-10-11T19:08:39-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1665540307133&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Makani&tab=fleet&view=fleet

TUESDAY AFTERNOON SAILING:

There is a request on the table to start races (beginning November 1) at 4pm rather than the earlier announced 3pm.  This will accommodate people that can adjust their work schedules for an afternoon sail.  Any changes about Tuesday afternoon sailing will be posted in the blog and by email to the Tuesday AFTERNOON sail group.

RULES DISCUSSION:

Two boats are sailing dead downwind (DDW), both with their boom on starboard side of boat (port tack).  The boat on the right achieves overlap from behind and attempts to luff up the boat to the left. If two boats are sailing DDW how can there be a leeward boat? This is determined by which side of the boat the boom is on.  With both boats having their boom on the starboard side, this establishes the boat to the right as being the leeward boat. But what are the limitations and rules involved.  The leeward boat established overlap from astern within 2 boat lengths, so Rule 17 comes into play: he can luff the windward boat up to the leeward boat's proper course and no higher.  Since the boats are sailing DDW, it would be easy for the windward boat to jibe the main and become starboard tack boat and luff the (former leeward boat) up as far as head to wind allowing time for course change to prevent collision.

Another scenario is having two boats, both on port tack and a boat establishes overlap to windward of the other boat.  Rule 17 is not invoked but rule 11 (When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat) comes into play.  This means if a boat overtakes you to windward (both on same tack), you can luff the windward boat all the way to head to wind but not further. Going any further than head to wind would break rule 13 because you would be tacking in front of another boat.

This is simply a rules discussion. Always remember, any time you engage with another boat, you may slow the other boat but you are slowing your boat even more.  Are you racing or just messing around with other boats?

See you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice