SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 POST LABOR DAY SAILING

 

SEPTEMBER 5, 2023

POST LABOR DAY SAILING

 

Predictions were for great wind through the day but for the wind to die as the evening progressed.  Considering the predictions for a dying breeze, I kept the 155 jib for the evenings sail. As we left the harbor at 5pm, the wind was brisk on the outside with gusts up to 21 knots though the wind was less toward the beach.  We determined the wind was from 130 degrees and set the start line mark.  We called for course Whiskey 2 and blew the 10minute horn.  Both fleets got off to a clean start and tacked their way to the first mark: Schuyler.

At Schuyler, the first A fleet boat to round was Aboriginal followed by Yellow Belly, Tusitala, Aquavit, Watts Moore and Rosie.  Fleet B was led by Makani followed by Pair A Dice, Avatar, Pacific Spirit, Wind Goddess, Simpatico, Sweet Pea, Natorious, Toad, Kicks and Nidaros.  It was a wild reach to Mile as the boats shook out their reefs for the downwind run.  After rounding Mile, many boats set their whisker pole for the straight downwind run trying to catch waves to maximize speed.

The wind was decreasing slightly as B Fleet approached Blacks, but was still strong enough for good sailing.  At the finish, the first A fleet boat was Aboriginal 27:45 followed by Yellow Belly 35:52, Tusitala 37:25, Watts Moore 40:04, Aquavit 45:38 and Rosie 46:58.  Fleet B was led by Makani 52:52 followed by Sailing Pair A Dice 53:39, Avatar 54:19, Wind Goddess 55:03,  Pacific Spirit 55:49, Simpatico 56:45, TOAD 1:00:59, Sweet Pea 1:01:06, Kicks 1:04:54, Natorious 1:05:15 and Nidaros 1:07:41.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was 3.92NM.

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE                   BOAT                                     PHRF     ADJUSTED TIME

FLEET A:

1             ABORIGINAL                                      33           25:35

2             YELLOW BELLY                                 141        26:39

3             WATTS MOORE                                  150        30:16

4             TUSITALA                                            90           31:32

5             ROSIE                                                   162        36:22

6             AQUAVIT                                             72           40:55

FLEET B:

1             SAILING PAIR A DICE                       180        41:53

2             MAKANI                                              147        43:15

3             WIND GODDESS                                168        44:04

4             PACIFIC SPIRIT                                  165        45:02

5             AVATAR                                                132        45:41

6             SIMPATICO                                          165        45:58

7             SWEET PEA                                         165        50:19

8             TOAD                                                    150        51:11

9             NATORIUS                                           189        52:54

10           KICKS                                                   180        53:08

11           NIDAROS                                             108        60:37

 

FLEET A STARTS THE POST LABOR DAY SAIL

RACE QS:

The track for this evening can be reviewed at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=93939&updatedAt=2023-09-06T02:23:45Z&dt=2023-09-05T17:45:02-07:00..2023-09-05T19:20:41-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1693965125420&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Makani&tab=fleet&view=follow&lat=36.952303&lon=-121.996397&tilt=9&range=839&heading=223

RACING IN 20 KNOT GUSTS:

Every boat is different, but for this evening there were several factors that helped us.

SAILS AND SAIL TRIM:

We had the 155 jib which was a little too much sail for upwind sailing, but worked well for the off-wind legs.  We fully deployed the large jib but tucked a reef in the mainsail.  We sailed to weather with the jib fully strapped in and the main travelled down a little to help prevent excessive heel. It was not easy steering the boat in these conditions,  but I just kept the telltales streaming as well as possible. It also helped to have someone travel down on the main when puffs came.  A boat that is “wobbling” back  and forth (from excessive heel to less heel) is not a fast boat!

WEIGHT DISPLACEMENT:

In greater wind it is best to have a large crew for weight on the rail.  You see pictures of large race boats sailing to weather with the whole crew on the windward side of the boat to keep the boat from heeling excessively.  This obviously works.  Getting  your crew out of the cockpit and on the rail going to weather works to keep the boat from heeling excessively.

Going down wind and down waves, having the crew gather midship over the keel stabilizes the boat and makes it much easier to control the boat.

SCYC REGATTAS:

JACK AND JILL REGATTA:

The Jack and Jill regatta will be on September 23.  Sydnie Moore has worked to keep this regatta going over the years and this year has several changes to open the field to more sailors.  This is always a  fun event.  Why not apply some of the skills you have learned on Tuesday Night sailing to a formal race? Check out the SCYC.ORG/Regattas web site for specifics.

 

FALL SCORE RACE:

The Sunday after the Jack and Jill (September 24) will be the Fall Score race.   This is a series of races and specifics can be viewed at the SCYC website.

I hope to see you next Tuesday on the water.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice