JANUARY 13, 2026
AT LEAST A NICE BEAT
TO WEATHER
Predictions were for 1-9 knot winds but when I arrived at
the harbor at noon, the flags were limp.
As the afternoon progressed, so did the wind and by the time we left the
harbor at 2pm, there was a nice breeze developing across the bay. We determined the wind was coming from 270
but predicted to shift toward 240 so we set a start line that was square to
about 260 as boats streamed out of the harbor for another sunny winter sail.
We called for course W5:
S/F>Schuyler>SF as all
thirteen boats jockeyed for position for the start at 3pm. It was great to be sailing in wind again as
we had up to 15 knots of apparent wind.
As we rounded the windward mark, the wind seemed to decrease as usual
when changing from a beat to downwind sail. In fact, the wind was decreasing as
the last finishing boats drifted very s-l-o-w-l-y toward the finish line. Oh well, at least we had a nice beat to
weather on a sunny day.
The track for this sail can be seen at:
Jennifer Kinsman photo of Sagittarius on a nice beat
PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:
COURSE W5 DISTANCE 2.4NM
PLACE BOAT PHRF ET CORRECTED
1 ABORIGINAL 33 30:40 29:21
2 TRUE LOVE 72 36:29 33:36
3 SAGITTARIUS 120 38:40 33:51
4 ZOOP 144 40:56 35:10
5 MAIN
SQUEEZE 72 39:08 36:15
6 AVATAR 132 42:23 37:06
7 BIG MAC 222 56:14 47:21
8 NIDAROS 118 55:22 50:36
9 WIND II 213 1:00:32 52:00
10 SAILING
PAIR A DICE 180 1:01:50 54:38
11 AQUAVIT 72 1:01:43 58:50
12 ROSIE 162 1:07:47 1:01:18
ZOOP SCOOP
by Paul Tara
DECISIONS
& RUTS
Racing
off Santa Cruz always presents the same conundrum, over and over — inside or
outside. And it always comes up at the same two points in the race, the start
and the weather mark. It’s easy to fall into a rut.
Tuesday’s
start was unusually vexing. The port end was favored. So, the question became,
go for the best start and head outside or, give up distance at the start for an
early tack onto port. True Love made the best start and headed out into
more pressure before tacking. The breeze appeared to have filled to the beach,
so we went for the latter. This gave us a long lane of clear air and we
were able to clear the end of the Wharf and lay Schuyler with only one tack,
rounding just behind Sagittarius and ahead of Main Squeeze. But the
distance given up at the start was too much; True Love was long gone.
After
rounding, we jibed onto the compass course and set our pole to port, as did
Sagittarius. Why? Because that’s what we always do (and what True Love had
done). Meanwhile, Main Squeeze headed further out, jib reaching on starboard.
Out into more breeze. At first, it seemed as though we were holding our
own. But then, fitst Main Squeeze, then followed by Sagittarius, began to
gain — a lot. In retrospect, it wasn’t that they were getting more wind, we
were getting less. The breeze was dying inshore and we were the furthest
in. Force of habit had sent us into less wind.
In
the past I’ve expounded on sailing the shortest course, which usually is the
compass course to the mark. But you can’t be myopic about it. Keep your
eyes out of the boat. If conditions change, be prepared to change your plan.
Don’t get stuck in a rut.
Thank you Paul.
Starting next Tuesday, the club is supposed to be open and offering
food after our races.
I Hope to see you out next Tuesday for a 3pm start.
Barry Keeler
Sailing Pair A Dice
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