SEPTEMBER 16,2025
A LATE EASTERLY
My first sighting of the flags at
1400 when I got to the harbor was encouraging with a healthy Westerly
showing. As we left the harbor at 5pm,
there was a heavy fog bank surround the
whole bay. With fog in Aptos, I was
thinking there would be a sudden Easterly shift. What to do? We powered down to set an offset
mark for an Easterly wind course and set a start line that would work for
either an East or West wind. As the
clock ticked down we settled on a Westerly course W5: S/F-SCHUYLER-S/F.
At the start, the Westerly was
dying even more and with a crowded line, boats closer to the line had an
advantage catching the last gasp of wind.
Many of us were caught in the doldrums until finally the Easterly built
in allowing PAD to cross the line some 20 minutes late. We were the last boat to cross the start
line. We made the announcement (by radio
and Regatta Hero) to shorten the course to finish at Schuyler.
The boats remaining in the race
made their way to the finish with multiple boats converging on Schuyler in
close succession. This is how it goes
with a late Easterly. As the fog got
much thicker it was challenging retrieving the start line and offset mark we
has set for the potential Easterly.
Thanks to my crew for an excellent job in challenging fog!
You can review the track for
Fleet A at:
Fleet B at:
PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:
PLACE BOAT PHRF ET CORRECTED
FLEET A: COURSE W5 SHORTENED
DISTANCE 1.2NM
1 TRUE
LOVE 72 28:03 26:36
2 WATTS
MOORE 150 30:51 27:51
3 WIND
II 213 38:57 34:41
4 PEGASUS 150 37:44 34:44
5 DUET 141 42:00 39:11
6 ABORIGINAL 33 40:17 39:37
7 AQUAVIT 72 47:22 45:55
FLEET B: COURSE W5 SHORTENED
DISTANCE 1.2 NM
1 MAKANI 147 39:36 36:39
2 TARA 243 42:06 37:14
3 ABSOLUTE
05 117 39:39 37:18
4 BIG
MAC 222 42:23 37:56
5 HOT
TUNA 243 44:02 39:04
6 TOAD 150 42:14 39:14
7 SAILING
PAIR A DICE 180 43:09 39:33
8 AZOR 243 45:46 40:54
9 NIDAROS 118 43:45 41:23
10 SIMPATICO 165 44:54 41:36
THE ZOOP SCOOP BY PAUL TARA
PROPULSION
Got
a course sheet? Signed up for the series? Good. That means you signed where it
says you agree to abide by the Racing Rules of Sailing.
RRS,
Definitions, states that a yacht begins racing from her
preparatory signal.
Rule
42 states that when racing “a yacht shall compete by only
using the wind and water to increase, maintain, or decrease her speed”.
Rule
42.3.i states that, “the sailing instructions may, in stated circumstances,
permit propulsion using an engine or any other method, provided the
boat does not gain a significant advantage in the race.” Our
Tuesday sailing instructions deem collision avoidance to be one of those
circumstances. But, the second half of that sentence still applies.
Consequently,
on Tuesday, it came as a surprise to see a number of boats all appear to be in
imminent danger of collision, well after the preparatory signal.
Especially since this danger appeared to affect those whose bows were
pointed at the starting line. Use of the engine is permitted right up to the
preparatory signal, but not after. Appeal 69 clearly states that momentum built
up by powering prior to the preparatory signal may be used, provided the engine
is shut down before she begins racing.
In
days of yore, powering and then coasting was a popular tactic on the Bay for
one particular boat in the Corinthian YC Midwinters. But not for the
reasons you might expect. The boat was “Carina”, Cal 30 number 2, built
by Jensen Marine. As only the second boat they had ever built with an
inboard, she was powered by a lightweight air-cooled Onan gas engine. This was
coupled by direct drive to a two-bladed feathering prop. Shifting to reverse
involved reversing the propeller pitch via a linkage through the hollow prop
shaft. Since the engine was air-cooled, all that warm air exited through a vent
on the inside of the cockpit coaming (there was a separate exhaust). Strategic
crew placement allowed everyone to take turns literally inflating their foulies
with nice warm air. The faster she went, the warmer it got. So, it wasn’t
uncommon to see us ripping around in big circles prior to our preparatory, even
when there was enough wind. We always shut down at our prep. But we were
smiling.
Don’t
blow it. Remember Paul Elvtrøm, “You have not won, if you have lost the
respect of your competitors.”
Speaking
of Danes, remember Olaf and his “steer-board”? Well, it didn’t take Norse
shipbuilders long to realize that going alongside in port with your steering
oar next to a quay or wharf was bad seamanship. Rather than spending all their
time repairing steering oars, vessels began trying to always dock with their
left, or “port” sides adjacent to quays and wharves.
Thanks Paul
Mix and Match (AKA Jack & Jill)
The annual, fun and all
inclusive Mix and Match Regatta is coming up on Saturday, September
27th. Many divisions are offered to cover all combinations of family,
friends and people who may not often crew.
Double Handed Jib & Main or
Spinnaker
Foursome Mix
& Match Jib & Main or Spinnaker
Family & Friends (Unlimited crew)
Jib & Main or Spinnaker
Moore 24 DH
Line up your crew
and register now at https://scyc.org/regatta/Bk7xbXYJKu
Need crew? Check out
https://scyc.org/crew-corner---view
Kindly register soon so
that we may plan accordingly for delicious appetizers, trophies and prizes and
end ties.
Barry Keeler
Sailing Pair A Dice
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