MAY 18, 2021 SUDDEN GUST FROM THE NORTH

 

MAY 18, 2021

SUDDEN GUST FROM THE NORTH

The forecast for this evening was for Northwest winds blowing 18 knots at 5pm and slowly decreasing through the evening. I got to the harbor at about 4pm and the Easterly was already starting.  I disagree with many of my fellow sailors that say none of the forecasting systems are correct.  I maintain that they are always correct, it’s just how far out in the bay you need to go to make them correct😉.

For this evening I was sailing with Doug Mahone on Avatar and crew. Thanks to them for putting up with me.  As we left the harbor at about 5:20 and approached the start mark, we were getting multiple readings on the wind direction.  We saw southerly winds and Easterly winds and even a hint of a Northerly.  In confusing situations like this, I just determined the first mark that we would pass and set a line square to the line to that mark.  At first I thought it would be interesting to have a course out to mile to get into the stronger wind outside.  Homer (correctly) pointed out that an inside course would be best so we switched from B3 to B4.  We blew the 5 minute horn for the start and prepared for our start.

At the time of our start, the favored end of the line was the yellow ball and we set up for this approach.  Many of the boats were attempting the same but were too soon to the line and had to run the line.  We achieved our goal and started right at the mark and were to windward of the whole fleet. We all made our way to Blacks and the first around was Geronimo then Avatar, Patricia J, Tusitala, Aquavi, Perfect 36, New Wave, Nidaros, Sagittarius, Pacific Spirit, Kicks, Muffin, Sweet Pea, Sophia, Toad and Meya Duci.  Then it was off going down wind toward Gov in the very light breeze.  Since the Easterly was building, traditional wisdom called for an inside course closer to shore.  There also was a slight current running that way.  The wind seemed to be decreasing and just as I thought we were going to get skunked with no wind, we saw a Northerly wind developing close to the beach.  This Northerly was developing strictly west of the harbor entrance giving a huge advantage to the boats already in the lead and closest to it.  Lord knows its better to be sailing in 15 knot breezes rather than a very mild breeze when in a race.

At Gov, first around was Geronimo, Guenter on his Finn, Patricia J, Avatar, Tusitala, New Wave, Aquavi, Sagittarius and Pacific Spirit simultaneously, Perfect 36, Nidaros, Kicks, Sweet Pea, Toad, and Sophia.  By the time all boats had to head back toward the start mark finish, the Northerly was blowing a consistent 15 knots which made for glorious sailing: broad reaching in 15 knot breezes.

At the finish, it was Geronimo first 44:50,Patricia J 46:21, Guenter on his Finn 46:27, Avatar 47:39, New Wave 48:26, Tusitala 48:17, Aquavi 52:03, Sagittarius 53:52, Pacific Spirit 54:39, Perfect 36 55:37,Nidaros 56:41, Kicks 59:17, Sweet Pea 59:23, Toad 59:34 and Sophia 1:05:28.  All times are elapsed and the length of the course is 2.8 nautical miles. 

It was a glorious evening of sailing with a sudden gust from the North!

Race QS:

Most boats are using this app and the track from tonight can be found at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1066813&divisionId=71663&updatedAt=2021-05-19T02:17:08Z&dt=2021-05-18T17:50:02-07:00..2021-05-18T19:17:01-07:00&boat=Avatar&model=Express27&time=1621389928912&focus=Avatar&rival=Nueva%20Ola&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.951555&lon=-121.996259&tilt=8&range=1034&heading=150

TIME AND DISTANCE:

How much time will it take at your current speed to close the gap to a certain point?   This is something that many sailors don’t think about, but it is critical for starts.   I want to start at a certain end of the line.  If early to that point, I have no choice but to sail the line away from that point to prevent being OCS.  If you can time it precisely, you start right at your preferred end of the line.  How do you develop the ability to judge time and distance?  I believe you can develop this sense by going through an exercise any time you are sailing.  Spot something in the distance (mark,  patch of kelp or anything) and guess how much time it will take to reach that spot.  See how your estimate was and keep practicing.  This is a great skill to help your boat achieve a good start. Of course variable, shifty winds must be taken into consideration.

FIRST TO THE WIND BENEFITS:

Tonight was a great example of how a faster boat can achieve a huge advantage.  It is not unusual for a boat in the lead to benefit from their position.  Frequently when the wind is developing toward the front of the fleet, the boats in the lead extend their lead dramatically.  It is frustrating seeing boats dart off in the distance while you are sailing in much lighter wind.

SCORE RACE:

Remember the Score races are coming up. The next regatta dates are May 23 and June 27.  These are all great racing events and by exercising the skill you are acquiring by racing on Tuesday nights, you may be able to win some hardware (Trophies).  I encourage you to register and to participate.  You just need a valid PHRF certificate to qualify.

I am looking forward to next Tuesday Night Sailing.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Avatar tonight)

 

MAY 11, 2021 LIGHT SOUTHERLY TUESDAY

 

MAY 11, 2021

LIGHT SOUTHERLY TUESDAY

The forecast from Predict Wind was not very encouraging indicating winds decreasing from 9 knots to 3 knots.  As we approached the start mark we determined that the wind was light and coming from 190 degrees almost due south!   For this night I sailed on Natorious to set the mark and call the course.  Thanks to the crew of Natorious for accommodating me!  We set a line square to the wind and called for course M2: start to mile and back to start.  We blew a 5 minute horn at 5:55 and set up for the start.

Though the line was square to the wind, one end of the line was closer to the mark and most boats seemed to set up to start at the red ball end of the line.  Natorious was lucky enough to start right at the mark while some boats that were early ran the line to kill time to not be OCS. There were multiple challenges on this night with shifting winds, pockets with very light wind and the elusive wind lines always ahead and out of reach.

All boats tacked their way to mile and the first around was Geronimo, followed by our newest addition Sweetheart (SC 52), Aquavi, Tusitala, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Avatar, Makani, Perfect 36, Muffin, Kicks, Toad, Sophia and Natorious.

On the way back to start, it was not any easier.  Many of the boats were sailing wing on wing.  We found it was a little more efficient to broad reach toward the mark. I also used Homer’s advice about sailing in light wind: trim the jib and tighten and center the main. It seemed to work! At the finish there was a wide difference with 50 minutes separating the first boat from the last boat.  First across the finish line was Geronimo  42:44, Patricia J (No track=no time) Sweetheart 54:49, Tusitala 57:18, Zoop 58:00, Aquavi 1:00:06, Pacific Spirit 1:04:16, Nidaros 1:06:06, Avatar 1:08:20, Makani 1:08:58, Kicks 1:20:39, Toad 1:23:49, Natorious 1:30:03 and Sophia 1:31:58.  All times are elapsed and the course was 2.07
nautical miles.  

It was amazing that so many boats finished on such a challenging “Light Southerly Tuesday”.

I MISSED THIS, BUT STUART PEARCE ON MAKANI GOT THIS PICTURE

Race QS:

Most boats are running this app, but some tracks are not uploading.  Remember to plug  your phone to a charger while sailing so there is enough charge to complete the course.

The track for this night can be viewed at:  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011074&divisionId=71492&updatedAt=2021-05-12T14:47:51Z&dt=2021-05-11T17:55:06-07:00..2021-05-11T20:39:20-07:00&boat=Tusitala&model=Bavaria40&time=1620787335199&focus=Tusitala&rival=Makani&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.940708&lon=-122.002473&tilt=33&range=1820&heading=177

There are some people that are running tracks but not benefiting by reviewing their boat performance.  I encourage people to watch the many tutorial videos available on the Race QS site to maximize your benefit in using the site.

IS YOUR BOAT AND CREW RACE READY?

Racing requires optimization of every aspect of your boat and crew.  Some equipment is incredibly inexpensive and other parts can cost another BOATing (BREAK Out Another Thousand) unit. You should have plenty of telltales on your sails so you can ascertain whether your sails are in trim (see below).  Sails should have good shape to take advantage of the wind.  Wrinkles and unusual shapes destroy wind contact with the sail and slow the boat down.

You should be able to adjust the fairleads for your jib sheets.  While the boat is hard on the wind, adjust the fairleads so that all telltales are streaming on both tacks. This maximizes your boat speed going to weather.   There are expensive systems to accomplish this, but it can be much less expensive now with non-friction rings that could be mounted on the rail.  A good whisker pole and adjustable backstay are other additions that allow better adjustment of sail shape.

Is your standing rigging adjusted appropriately?  If too loose, the tip of the mast leans away from the wind, cancelling any benefit attained by your crew hiking out.  In addition a loose standing rigging can be dangerous in stronger wind, as the mast slams from side to side while tacking and jibing.

The crew is probably more important than equipment.  Can the skipper keep the boat in the groove (telltales flying appropriately, not backwinding the jib and not excessive steering).  Can your crew quickly trim sails appropriately for all points of sail?  Can the skipper and crew accomplish an efficient tack? This is certainly a team effort which requires practice.  Race QS is a great tool to see how efficient your tacks are.  There are many books and sources to access to improve your expertise in sail trim.

WHAT’S WITH THE TELLTALES?

This is elementary to the accomplished sailors, but for those new to sailing, sailors are always talking about telltales.  How can such a small part of the boat be so important?  Sails are foils like airplane wings. Foils, working efficiently, can have incredible force! I read once that when a boat is sailing hard on the wind that for every pound of force pushing the boat forward there are 5 (FIVE) pounds of force sucking the boat forward. This is the effect of foils working efficiently and indicates the importance of maintaining proper airflow on the outside part of the sail.  Telltales are usually seen along the front edge of the jib along the luff of the sail.  In this position, they are strong indicators of when airflow is not right or beginning to change. Proper airflow is indicated by telltales streaming straight back. If the telltales are not streaming straight back, the helmsperson must point the boat higher to the wind to correct or the sail trimmer should let out on the jib sheet to correct sail trim.

It is amazing how some people just have a feel for this.  My wife was on the helm once when we were leaving Capitola.  She doesn’t even know what a telltale is.  I looked up and all telltales were streaming perfectly.  I asked her later why she was steering the boat that way and she replied “It just felt right”.  I wish I had the same sense.

We will see you next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Natorious for this night)

 

May 4, 2021 EAST WIND TUESDAY

 

MAY 4, 2021

EAST WIND TUESDAY

All predictions for the night were for light wind, but as I was driving to the harbor the radio had a “small craft warning” prediction for the night.  Looking at the ocean from the harbor, it looked more like the Predict Wind forecast was more accurate.  For this night, I joined the crew of Nidaros in setting the start line and calling the course.  Thanks to the Nidaros crew for putting up with me!

 

As we left the harbor, the East wind was as good as East winds can be.  Consideration of courses is always a challenge.  If you are overly optimistic and call a long course, the wind seems to die.  I have found it better to not go for the longest course and lean toward a more conservative short course.  I called for course B4:  start to Blacks, Gov and back to finish.  The wind was hovering between 90 and 120 and we set a line that was nearly square to the wind. 

On Nidaros, we wanted to start at the “red ball” end of the line, but were a little early to the line and had to slow the boat down to not be OCS.  As we approached the line, we were too low and had to do a quick 270 to get over the line on port tack. At Blacks, the first around was Geronimo followed by Sagittarius, Perfect 36, Tusitala, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Sweet Pea, Avatar, Kicks and Toad. 

On the way to Gov, most boats went DDW with most sailing wing on wing.  Geronimo sailed way outside and must have found more wind, because they were once more first around Gov.  The rest of the boats sailed straight to Gov, some closer to shore than others taking advantage of a current to help them along.  The second around Gov was Tusitala, then Sagittarius, Makani, Avatar, Perfect 36, Zoop, Pacific Spirit, Nidaros, Toad, Sweet Pea and Kicks.  It was quite exciting watching the boats miss the armada of fishing boats anchored by Gov. The boats were complete with their outriggers seemingly trying to snag sails. 

On the way back to the finish line, everyone chose their own path.  Some boats went in closer to shore and had to fight the current that was sweeping to the West.  The wind was not consistent across the water and some boats sailed into holes of less wind.  At the finish line, the first across was Geronimo 41:32, Sagittarius 44:38, Tusitala 50:05, Avatar 55:27, Perfect 36 57:08, Nidaros 57:15, Zoop 59:27, Pacific Spirit 1:06:00, Toad 1:09:45, Sweet Pea 1:11:09, Kicks 1:16:43. All times are elapsed and the course distance was 2.80 nautical miles. 

It was a beautiful evening and the wind stayed for the whole evening.  It was a great East wind Tuesday! 

Race QS:

Tonight we had 12 of the 19 boats run the race QS track.  You must run Race QS in order to be counted!  I suggest presetting the start time at 17:45 so your track can be followed for the start.  The track for this night can be found at: https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011074&divisionId=71346&updatedAt=2021-05-05T03:56:51Z&dt=2021-05-04T17:55:04-07:00..2021-05-04T20:44:57-07:00&boat=Tusitala&model=Bavaria40&time=1620176123852&focus=Tusitala&rival=TOAD&tab=fleet&view=match

  

CURRENT EVENTS:

Currents were definitely a factor for this evening.  There are things to look for that indicate currents are in effect.  I like to look at the kelp.  If the kelp is all streaming one way, you know which way the current is going.  You can also see strands of kelp snagged on buoys and how it is flowing.  Once a current is detected, you can ride it like a conveyer belt for its advantage and keep in mind to not fight it going the other way. 

PINCHING:

Pinching to make a mark can be punishing.  On our start it became apparent that it was going to be difficult to make it around the start line buoy.  We did not pinch and lose speed, fell off and did a 270 degree turn without much of a setback in our standing in the race. 

ROUNDING GOV (LEEWARD MARK)

It got interesting at the Gov rounding with many boats rounding simultaneously.  Another factor was the many fishing boats in the area creating “obstructions”.  There was one hail for room to clear a fishing boat.  The fishing boats with their outriggers were definitely large enough to be considered as an obstruction and room was appropriately given.  With many boats rounding at once, the question was “where do we go?”.   Remember the 3 boat zone and inside overlapping boat (at the zone) have inside rights.  Abiding by this rule, as an outside boat it is generally best to slow down and follow a boat around the mark rather than round the mark with a boat abeam. The reason for doing this is that you have all options open once you round the mark rather than being trapped to leeward of the inside boat.  The object is to sail in clear air after rounding. 

SAILING ON OPBS:

While my boat is getting repowered, I have been sailing on OPBs (other people’s boats).  It has been a joy and an education for me.  Each boat is different: different equipment resulting in different setups.  I find it interesting going through these experiences where I can learn about different ways of doing things and optimizing equipment on my boat.  Another thing I have noticed is the effect of crew displacement on lighter boats.  Three guys on the rail has much more of an effect on a lighter boat than on heavier boats. 

 

We will see you next Tuesday.

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (Nidaros for this night).

APRIL 27, 2021 FLUKEY WIND

 

APRIL 27, 2021

FLUKEY WIND

Since Pair A Dice is temporarily  out of commission, I sailed on Kicks tonight.  Thanks to Todd and the crew for accommodating me in handling the line mark.  As we left the harbor at 5:30, the Easterly was blowing strong enough to consider a moderate course.  We got to the start mark and determined the wind was from 130.  Normally we like to set the mark square to the wind, but at this wind direction, doing this would have had one end of the line closer to Blacks so we split the difference with a line not square to the wind.  I considered course B4, but as we got closer to the 6pm start the wind was dropping quickly and I changed course to B6 (twice around Blacks) with the option to shorten course.  We gave a 5 minute horn over the radio.

On Kicks, setting up for the start was not an option.  We were stuck in a transition zone with the boat not moving at all.  We couldn’t even use the waves to our advantage.  We were over 5 minutes late to the start line along with some other boats.  This creates problems with Race QS because when boats are over 5 minutes late, it does not record as a race with the software.  We watched with envy as we saw several boats charging toward Black in the stronger Easterly between start and Blacks.  Just before the first boats rounded Blacks, I shortened the course to once around Blacks.  Several boats retired and headed for the harbor.

At the finish line, New Wave was first 34:05, followed by Guenther on his Finn 41:00, Avatar 45:01, Pacific Spirit 50:50, Nidaros 51:41, Aquavit 51:56, Makani 54:25 and Tusitala 54:37.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was 0.9 nautical miles.

We had about 20 boats out for the fun(?) and according to the Race QS track only 7 boats finished.  The rest of the boats retired or did not record on Race QS.  I guess this could be expected on a Flukey wind night.

RACE QS:

For the new boats joining the group: WELCOME!  We appreciate all boats that participate.  Just remember to use the free Race QS to record your track so we can recognize your efforts!

The track for tonight can be found at:  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011074&divisionId=71193&updatedAt=2021-04-28T02:06:45Z&dt=2021-04-27T17:17:59-07:00..2021-04-27T19:06:41-07:00&boat=Tusitala&model=Bavaria40&time=1619575276865&focus=Tusitala&rival=Aquavit&tab=match&view=manual&lat=36.950953&lon=-121.986761&tilt=7&range=466&heading=113

DEALING WITH LIGHT VARIABLE WIND:

Like many people sailing on this night, I was mystified on how to make progress out of a situation where you look up at the wind vane and it is spinning showing no consistent wind direction.  I talked to Homer and he gave me a tip on how to handle these conditions.  He said to stabilize the boat by centering the traveler and tightening the main sheet to steady the boat.  Thinking about it, if there is not enough wind to keep the windex in a steady direction, the windex is spinning as the boat is rocked by each wave.  Stabilizing the boat by adjusting the main in this way, you can get the boat moving under power generated by the jib.  Once the boat gets moving you can trim the main for more power.

OTHER RACING EVENTS:

The spring score series has started.  These are very fun events where you can apply your skills learned on Tuesday Night Sailing.  There is a Jib and Main division and you could even come away with some hardware (trophy). The dates of the regattas are 4/25 (last Saturday), 5/23 and 6/27.  You can register for the regatta at SCYC.org > Regattas and click on spring score to enter you boat.  You will need a current PHRF certificate and a “club affiliation”.  Before I was a SCYC member, I would list my affiliation as US Sail since I was a member of that group.

I am looking forward to next Tuesday.  Hopefully, the Wind Gods will treat us better.

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (But Kicks for this sail)

 

 

APRIL 20, 2021

CHILLY WIND

Checking the predictions for wind on predict wind gave a misleading forecast.  They were calling for 13 to 15 knot winds at 6 o’clock, but when I got to the harbor at about 3, there were white caps all over the ocean.   Would it decrease like is so often does in the evening?  I decided to keep the 135 on rather than the 155.  I think it is better to be underpowered in light wind than to be overpowered in heavy wind!  As we left the harbor, it was apparent this was the right call.

The wind was ranging from 15 knots on the light end up to 23 knots on the high end.  We determined the wind was coming from 270 degrees and set a mark square to the line. It was amazing, as chilly as it was there were 10 boats out for the fun.   With the northerly direction of the wind, we called for course G2.  On PAD I wanted to start at the red ball end of the line so I would be free to tack over on port tack early.  We ended up on the other end of the line, but all boats seemed to tack over early anyway.

At Gov, first around was Patricia J then Pacific Spirit, New Wave, Geronimo, Avatar, Tusitala, PAD and Kicks.  On the way to Blacks, we used a few sail setting from broad reaching to wing on wing to head more directly to the mark.  At Blacks, Patricia J was first around followed by Pacific Spirit, Avatar, New Wave, Geronimo, Tusitala, Pair A Dice and Kicks.

All boats made their way back to the finish line.  At the finish line, it was Patricia J 33:40, Pacific Spirit 34:47, New Wave 35:30, Geronimo, 36:20, Avatar 36:40, PAD 45:04 and Kicks 46:19. All times are elapsed and the course length was 2.8 nautical miles.

We had plenty of wind to finish this race.  Even when we were picking up the red ball, we were dealing with 20 knot winds!   It was definitely a chilly wind evening.

RACE QS:

The track for tonight can be found at:  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&updatedAt=2021-04-21T05:28:50Z&dt=2021-04-20T17:45:04-07:00..2021-04-20T19:50:52-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1618969579683&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Kicks&tab=match&view=manual&lat=36.951790&lon=-121.995359&tilt=5&range=2446&heading=250

IMPROVING YOUR SAILING:

Every top sailor I have talked to recalls how they started racing and were frequently DFL.  Slowly they started improving and started finishing first.  How can you accelerate this process of improving your standings?  Tuesday night sailing is a great way to learn and improve.

   CREW:  Years ago, I was talking to Rob Schuyler who was a top sailor in the club.  I asked him what the secret was to winning in regattas.  He said the most important factor was a crew that works well together.  My interpretation is a crew that can get sails set efficiently and with correct trim.  The helmsperson must know how to “sail in the groove” and tack efficiently.   Sailing in the groove means steering a straight line so all of the foils are working. I was in a national Catalina 30 regatta once and was talking to the winner.  I asked him if he saw something that happened on the course.  He said he saw nothing except telltales on the jib for the whole race.  A complete crew has a tactician calling the shots so the helmsperson can focus on keeping the boat in the groove. 

There should also be enough crew to employ “rail meat” to keep the boat as flat as possible in big winds. My compliments  to the Pacific Spirit Crew: Consistent crew, great helmsperson a tactician and enough crew to flatten the boat.

 

      EQUIPMENT:  In my opinion the most important equipment to focus on is correct sails that can be trimmed and shaped correctly.   Trimming sails, whether main or jib or spinnaker, is an art and there are multiples books and sources to study to learn this important skill.

      IMPROVING: In my opinion, one of the best tools to learn about your sailing and boat handling is Race QS.  Study your tracks after the race.  How is your steering for the helmsperson? Are you steering a straight line so the boat is in the groove?  How efficient are your tacks and jibes?  This is an indication of how well the helmsman and crew are working together.

REPOWERING PAIR A DICE:

I am in the process of replacing the engine in Pair A Dice.  My new engine is on the way and I am currently removing the old engine.  This means I need to hitch a ride on another boat for the next few weeks.  The only thing necessary is room for me and the equipment (mainly the red ball for the line and bucket for the rode).  Also, to set the line, we should be exiting the harbor by 5:30.  Please text me (831-234-0322) if you are interested in being the “Mark Set” boat for one or multiple times.

See you next Tuesday!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

APRIL 13, 2021 BLUSTERY NIGHT

 

APRIL 13, 2021

BLUSTERY NIGHT

Predictions for the night showed 20 knot winds at 6pm.  I got to the harbor around 3:30 and while working on the boat kept an eye on the flags at the Crow’s Nest.  The wind seemed to gust and lighten off and on.  Reports that there was a lot of wind showing outside, we swapped the jib to the 135. Sure enough, as we left the harbor, the 135 was the right decision as white caps were everywhere.

We checked the wind at the start mark and saw that the wind was from 245 degrees and set a line square to the wind. At one point, further out we saw 27 knots of wind and decided to reef the main.  This was more wind that I have seen for some time. We called for course whiskey 3, and blew a 5 minute horn. As it turned out, we were 1 minute late blowing the horn making the start at 6:01.

On PAD, after last week starting further out on the line, I wanted to start close to the “red ball” end of the line.  We accomplished this, but heard a lot of shouting behind us as a couple of boats were trying to barge.  Another exciting start. On PAD, we had reefed the main and had the jib partially unfurled to deal with the excessive wind. Everyone tacked their way to Schuyler mark and the first around Schuyler was Tusitala followed by Aquavie, New wave and Geronimo at the same time, Pacific Spirit, Avatar, Perfect 36, Pair a Dice, Kicks and Nidaros.

On the way to Blacks, everyone jibed their way to the mark.  At Blacks, first around was Aquavie followed by Tusitala, Geronimo, Pacific Spirit, New Wave, Perfect 36, Avatar and Pair a Dice.

On the way back to the start mark finish line, the wind seemed to be getting light again and many boats (including PAD) seemed to overstand the mark.  At the finish, the first boat across the line was Aquavie 42:43, Geronimo 44:59, Tusitala 45:37, Pacific Spirit 46:37, Perfect 36 50:56 and Avatar 50:57. PAD 52:34 Nidaros 55:36, Kicks 56:58 and Natorius at 1:14:43. The finish with Perfect 36 and Avatar was too close to accurately call from the Race QS tracks. The length of the course was 3.55 nautical miles.

It was an interesting evening with many boats reefed at the start to deal with the Blustery Evening.

RACE QS:

Interesting, when reviewing the track, it was apparent that I blew the 5 minute horn at 5:56 which made the start at 6:01 rather than 6:00.  It was a crazy night on the water! Most boats are using this app and the track for this night can be found at: https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=70907&updatedAt=2021-04-14T02:43:25Z&dt=2021-04-13T17:45:01-07:00..2021-04-13T19:38:47-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1618366543956&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Nueva%20Ola&tab=match&view=manual&lat=36.946979&lon=-121.996962&tilt=9&range=1002&heading=249 

REEFING:

A frequent thought by some sailors is that reefing will slow the boat down.  This is not right, as reefing allows your boat to heel less and point higher. Indeed, reefing in higher winds will allow you to sail faster than without a reef.  The real trick is how aggressive to reef. I believe the natural inclination is to reef too much to keep the boat under control in gusts.

BARGING:

There was a barging situation at the start.  In my opinion, the best way to handle the situation when you are caught barging is to slow your boat down.  I usually will tell the mainsheet trimmer to “blow the main”.  Much better to slow down and take a second row start than pealing off and doing a 360 at the start.

Avatar and Perfect 36 in a battle to the finish

KEEPING THE CREW DRY:

When dealing with wild seas like on this night, it is not easy to keep the crew dry.  The crew gets splashed when a larger white cap wave slams against the side of the hull.  I try to anticipate the larger waves and steer up into them and down the back of the wave at an angle.  This is a difficult task while trying to race and all you can do is minimize the splashes.  

We will see you next Tuesday.

Barry
Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (PAD)

APRIL 6, 2021 A GREAT SAIL SCREECHES TO A HALT

 

APRIL 6, 2021

A GREAT SAIL SCREECHES TO A HALT

As much wind as we have had through the weekend and Monday, I thought  we were in for an exciting sail for Tuesday Night Sailing. The prediction seemed to come to fruition at least for the start.  With this much wind, I called for an ambitious course Whiskey 3,  blew the 5 minute horn and set up for our start. While sailing around and setting up the line, I noticed that the wind was a lot stronger outside with 19 knots outside and 13 knots inside.

While setting up for our start, we thought it would be best to start as close to the Start mark as possible: slightly favored end of line and closer to stronger wind.  We accomplished this goal with several faster boats starting further down the line from us.  These faster boats soon overtook us and blocked our wind. All of the boats ultimately tacked over toward Schuyler mark.  On Pair A dice, we sailed a little further in than most boats since we had good speed in the smoother water even as the wind was decreasing.

At Schuyler mark, Patricia J was first around followed by Tusitala, Perfect 36, Avatar, Aquavie, Pacific Spirit, Pair A Dice, Kicks and Nidaros.  On the run toward Blacks, some boats sailed directly for the mark, but on Pair A Dice, we stayed outside as long as possible to take advantage of the greater wind outside.

Though we did not call for a shortened course, since the wind died and not one boat made it back to the start mark, the course finish was taken at Blacks with a line square to the wind.    At the finish, Patricia J and Perfect 36 crossed the line simultaneously 48:57 elapsed time. Three seconds later Pacific Spirit crossed at 49:00.  Avatar crossed at 51:27, Tusitala 52:36, Aquavie 53:27, Pair A Dice 57:25, Kicks 1:02:08 and Nidaros 1:06:46.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was approximately 2.91 miles.

Though it was a beautiful night for a sail and a lot of excitement, it was a great sail that screeched  to a halt!

RACE QS:

We have a little more than half of the boats using this app.  In order to be counted, you must run this free app on your smart phone to be counted.  The track for this night can be found at:  https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=70765&updatedAt=2021-04-07T03:21:27Z&dt=2021-04-06T17:45:02-07:00..2021-04-06T20:21:20-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1617761793232&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Kicks&tab=match&view=manual&lat=36.953824&lon=-121.996507&tilt=4&range=629&heading=246

It appears that some crew are switching around to other boats which is a great way to broaden your sailing experience.   Please make certain that if you run Race QS, that your track indicates that boat that you are currently sailing on.  I am seeing two completely different tracks for the same boat which is confusing.  Thank you.

THE START:

Though we accomplished our goal for the start: on the line at the outside end of the line, I learned another aspect to consider.  Who is starting further down the line to windward of you?  If you have a larger boat that is slightly faster that you are, they will overtake you and shadow you for a long time.  Obviously when caught in this situation, you would tack over to clear air, but right off the start line it is not possible to do this without ducking multiple boats

SAILING FURTHER INSIDE:

Another thing to consider, was our move to sail further inside.  Though our speed was good in the smoother water (with waves on our beam) even as the wind was decreasing, when we tacked over we had to slog through the waves that were now on our bow with less power (wind) to progress until we got outside to greater wind.  It may have been better to tack out sooner rather than later.

I am looking forward to next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice (PAD)