JANUARY 14, 2025 A GREAT DAY FOR A SAIL

 

JANUARY 14, 2025

A GREAT DAY FOR A SAIL

Predictions were for 7 knot winds and the forecast seemed to be accurate.  There was very light breeze showing in the harbor.  It was encouraging talking to sailors returning to the harbor with reports of 13 knot winds out by mile. We left the harbor at 2:30 and could see a steady wind across the bay, but would it decrease as the afternoon progressed?  We determined the wind direction was from 230 degrees and set a start line very close to the normal starting area.  We called for a course: start to Mile (to port) and finish at the Eastern end of the start line, taking the mark at the end of the line to port.  We blew the 5 minute horn for one start at 3:30.  We had 10 boats out for the fun and all boats had a clean start.

The first boat to round Mile was Rosie followed by Aquavit, True Love, Avatar, Big Mac, Sailing pair a dice, Nidaros and  Kicks. All boats did their best going down wind in  the lightening breeze and the first boat to cross the finish line was Aquavit 30:49 then Avatar 31:25, Inspiration 31:35, True Love 31:45, Rosie 32:16, Sailing Pair A Dice 32:38, Big Mac 33:02, Nidaros 34:14, and Kicks 39:01.  All times are elapsed, and the course distance was 2.30 NM.

It was a beautiful sunny day with a little chill in the air but still a great day for a sail.

SURFERS GO "TOES TO THE NOSE" TO INCREASE SPEED
WHEN SAILING DOWNWIND I GO "BUTTS ON THE BOW"

 

 Race QS:

The track for this day can be reviewed at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=104694&updatedAt=2025-01-15T00:35:37Z&dt=2025-01-14T15:15:00-08:00..2025-01-14T16:35:28-08:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1736898118887&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Nidaros%20II&tab=fleet&view=follow&lat=36.942767&lon=-122.000198&tilt=1&range=3572&heading=230

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE                 BOAT                                                   PHRF                   CORRECTED TIME

1             BIG MAC                                                            222                       24:31

2             SAILING PAIR A DICE                                     180                       25:45

3             INSPIRATION                                                    147                       25:56

4             ROSIE                                                                 162                       26:03

5             AVATAR                                                              132                       26:22

6             AQUAVIT                                                            72                          28:03

7             TRUE LOVE                                                       72                          28:59

8             NIDAROS                                                           118                       29:42

9             AND KICKS                                                          180                       32:07

 

READING WAVES:

Many of us surf or have surfed in the past, so we know how to read waves.  Exiting and entering the harbor safely requires some knowledge about reading waves. By reading waves, I mean being able to see how a wave is acting to determine roughly how deep the water is under the wave.

We all know that whitecaps start at about 15 knot winds. These whitecaps are formed because the wind is blowing the top of the wave forward.  Waves and swells approaching the beach experience drag from the bottom of the land underwater.  This drag from the bottom slows the forward motion of the lower section of the wave, while the top of the wave continues ahead not slowing down. This is why waves break as the top of the wave cascades forward over the lower and slower part of the wave. 

This is all simple physics: together the size of the wave and depth of the water determine how and whether a wave will break.  A good rule of thumb is that the size of the wave (from trough to crest) will break (form whitewater) in the same depth of water.  A 3 foot wave will break in 3 feet of water.  A one-foot wave will break in one foot of water.  Surfers who sail will watch waves break across the harbor entrance looking for the section where the wave backs off and doesn’t break indicating the deeper part of the entrance.  If the wave breaks all the way across the entrance, there is no channel. It is important to realize  that waves will start to break creating whitewater at these parameters. When large waves enter very shallow water, you get the barreling (totally tubular) waves that surfers crave.

 While it is easier to determine breaking waves from the beach, you can also see the whitewater of a breaking wave from the ocean.  In Santa Cruz, we have the entrance depth soundings on the harbor office website. These soundings are usually updated once a week through the winter.

One other important consideration when entering a harbor is to not follow a boat too closely.  You can catch a wave which will propel your boat into the boat in front.  Also, it is important, In shallow conditions to not catch a wave and hit the bottom as you come down the face.  This scenario can require an emergency haul-out to repair the boat and prevent your boat from sinking. The key is to watch the ocean to avoid entering on larger swells and to stay in the deeper part of the channel.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice