NOVEMBER 18, 2025 FINALLY, SAILING WITH WIND!

 

NOVEMBER 18, 1925

FINALLY,  SAILING WITH WIND!

As November has been living up to its reputation as the No-winder month, I was not surprised to see limp flags as the afternoon progressed.  Predictions were for better winds to arrive later in the afternoon.  As we left the harbor we saw some gusts up to 16 knots as the wind was filling in.   The direction was from 230 so we called for course W5: Start>Schuyler>S/F.  We blew the 10 minute horn and had two boats in Fleet A, but one boat had no RH track.  B Fleet got off to a clean start as all boats tacked their way to Schuyler as the wind continued to build up to 20 knots.   It was AWESOME to be sailing again with wind! 

JENNIFER KINSMAN PHOTO OF ZOOP ACTUALLY HEELING OVER WITH WIND

  

To  review the tracks for Fleet B:

https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=scyc&passcode=233793&regatta=Tues%20Fleet%20B&race=18.11.2025%2015:00:00&language=en

 

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE                                 BOAT                                   PHRF                   ET         CORRECTED RESULTS

FLEET A      COURSE W5  DISTANCE 2.4nm

1             WATTS MOORE                                             150                       31:56                  25:55

FLEET B:

1             PERFECT 36                                                    144                       30:56                  25:10

2             SAILING PAIR A DICE                                  180                       33:31                  26:18

3             ZOOP                                                               144                       32:10                  26:24

4             BIG MAC                                                         222                       35:32                  26:39

5             AVATAR                                                           132                       33:11                  27:54

6             AQUAVIT                                                        72                          31:09                  28:16

SPINNAKER FLEET:

1             WINDLUST                                                       66                          40:26                  37:47

THE ZOOP SCOOP  BY PAUL TARA

POST-FRONTAL BREEZE MEETS POST-YOUTHFUL FLEET

When I arrived at the Harbor, around 1300, there was a light southerly and the sky was filled with beautiful cumulus clouds left over from the previous day’s cold front.  By the time we exited the Harbor at 1430 the wind had veered to due west, was strengthening considerably (15-20 knots), and the temperature was plummeting. During the race, the wind continued to veer until, when I left the Harbor at 1700, the flag at the Crows Nest  was showing west-northwest, indicating a shift to the right of 130 to 140 degrees over 4 hours — a classic Santa Cruz post-frontal event.  

 

Aboard Zoop, we were late and went right immediately, basically because we didn’t want to get wet. Plus, there was plenty of breeze all the way to the beach and the swim buoys have been pulled. Okay, okay, the shift may have been a factor; it paid a big dividend even though we were unable to capitalize on it due to boat handling issues. Our struggles (judging by the track, we weren’t alone) got me thinking. On the whole, the demographics of the 1500 start insure that a fleet that races primarily in light air is now suddenly sailing in the winter, at the time of day when the most wind is likely, with the least fit crew.   Stamina and ability versus the prevailing conditions is now something to consider more seriously before making the decision to race.

 

BOTTOM UP SELF HELP

‘How to make your boat move faster’ was a recent suggested topic. It’s not like there aren’t thousands of books and videos. But after thinking hard about what, in terms of time invested, would absolutely return the greatest benefit, how about we start at the bottom, say around the seat-of-your-pants? 

 

“Lead is dead.” If your sailing experience involves sailing only on keelboats, you are at a competitive disadvantage. The biofeedback, or ‘feel’ necessary for good helmsmanship and crewing ability has, historically, always come from small boat experience. There are exceptions, but they prove the rule. There’s no substitute for the instant response dinghies offer. This is important because a lot of people today get started in sailing by taking lessons or riding along in keelboats. 

  

I’m a seat-of-the-pants small boat sailor. Most of my racing has been in 5o5’s and El Toros. Zoop has no instruments other than her depth sounder. But she does have telltales, a masthead windex, and a compass. I sail by the feel of the wind, the angle of heel, the telltales/windex, and the sound of the bow wave. If there’s a shift, I glance at the compass.  When we ran the El Toro program at Pinto Lake, I would tell the kids to “feel the wind” and “listen for the chuckle at the knuckle”.  Next time you’re out, close your eyes. Feel. Listen. Try to hold a course. Tack and repeat. You’ll be surprised.

 

Log some dinghy time this winter.  An El Toro, RS Tera, Laser, CFJ, or similar would be some choices. The smaller the better.  A UCSC dinghy class would be another.  Since the Club’s switch to Optis (Yuck!) there are a lot of unused El Toros scattered around the dry storage yard, and a rumor the Club might run some in-harbor winter racing. (Who knows? Anything is possible with enough Advil.) But, hey, it’s winter; personally I say go to Baja and rent a Laser for a week. By the end, you’ll either have decided that racing cruising sailboats is really stupid, you’ll have drowned, or you’ll be a lot better. And, you might even get a tan.

Thank You Paul!

I hope to see you sailing next  Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice