APRIL 9, 2024 REMEMBER TO LOOK EAST FOR THE WIND

 

APRIL 9, 2024

REMEMBER TO LOOK EAST FOR THE WIND

As I was hanging out on my boat early in the afternoon, I was encouraged to see the flags indicating a good breeze.  BUT,  predictions were for the wind to decrease through the evening and sure enough, by 4:30 the flags were going limp.   We left the harbor at about 5pm and I was encouraged to see good wind across the bay, increasing as we went further out.  It was apparent that the wind was receding.  It’s bad enough to have a receding hairline, but a receding wind line when trying to run a race is even worse.  I was in a quandary.  How could I have a race as the wind was rapidly dissipating?    As I expressed my consternation on the VHF, someone noted that an Easterly was building.  We quickly moved the start line ball for a 90 degree wind  direction rather than a 240 and set an offset mark.  I called for a course: start>Blacks>offset mark>S/F twice around course finishing with the S/F to starboard (Finish line an extension of Lighthouse through S/F).  We blew the 10 minute till 6 horn.

Both A fleet and B fleet got off to a good start as the Easterly filled in nicely. The first rounding of the S/F mark for Fleet  A was Flexi Flyer followed by Sagittarius, Watts Moore, Aquavit, Duet, Rosie, Interlude and Sophie.  B Fleet was led by Avatar, Big Mac, Makani,  Zoop,  Perfect  36, New Perspective, Pair a Dice and Simpatico.  There was definitely close quarter sailing when B fleet rounded the offset mark and S/F.  As the northwest wind died completely the Easterly continued to build up to 15 knots!

At the finish, Fleet A was led by Aboriginal 24:03, then Flexi Flyer 25:39,  Sagittarius 27:48, Watts Moore 28:35, Aquavit 28:44, Duet 30:08, Interlude 30:50, Rosie 31:02 and Sophie 32:16.  B Fleet was led by Avatar 28:58 then Zoop 30:37,  Makani 30:57, Big Mac 31:07, The Perfect 36 32:32, Sailing Pair A Dice 33:47, New Perspective 33:56 and Simpatico 35:29.   All times are elapsed and the course distance was 2.02 NM.

The evening started with extreme frustration over a dying breeze, but ended with exhilaration when the Easterly filled in so well.   All through the winter, we had northwesterly breezes, but now that spring and summer are coming we must remember to look East for the wind!

 

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS

PLACE                 BOAT                                   PHRF                   CORRECTED TIME

FLEET A:

1             FLEXI FLYER                                    96                          22:45

2             ABORIGINAL                                   33                          22:56

3             WATTS MOORE                               150                       23:32

4             SAGITTARIUS                                  120                       23:45

5             DUET                                                 141                       25:23

6             ROSIE                                                162                       31:02

7             INTERLUDE                                     141                       26:05

8             AQUAVIT                                          72                          26:18

9             SOPHIE                                              141                       27:31

FLEET B:

1             BIG MAC                                            222                       23:38

2             AVATAR                                              132                       24:31

3             ZOOP                                                  144                       25:46

4             MAKANI                                            147                       26:00

5             SAILING PAIR A DICE                     180                       26:28

6             THE PERFECT 36                              144                       27:41

7             NEW PERSPECTIVE                        144                       29:05

8             SIMPATICO                                        165                       29:55

A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A SAIL

               RACE QS:

The track for this evening can be viewed at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=97796&updatedAt=2024-04-10T02:15:08Z&dt=2024-04-09T17:45:22-07:00..2024-04-09T19:11:18-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1712711214678&focus=Interlude&rival=Flexi%20Flyer&tab=match&view=auto

Most tracks are uploading well, but it is important to record your finish time just in case Race QS drops the ball.

Lets all hope for favorable conditions next Tuesday!

 

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

APRIL 2, 2024 CHILLY BREEZE EVENING

 

APRIL 2, 2024

CHILLY BREEZE EVENING

Finally, all conditions came together so most boats could get out of the harbor.  Predictions were for 16 knot winds that were to decrease through the evening.  We left the harbor earlier than normal and saw 18-20 knot breeze coming from 235 degrees and set a line square to this direction.  We watched as boats filed out of the harbor and finally achieved 21 boats out for the fun.  With the crowd back out again, it felt like summer, despite the chilled breeze. We called for course Whiskey 3 and blew the “10 minute horn”.  Both fleets got off to a clean start and made their way toward Schuyler.  Many boats took the inside course closer to the beach while some stayed outside where there was a little more wind.

The first A Fleet boat to round Schuyler was Flexi Flyer then,  Perigon, Aquavit, Interlude, Watts Moore, Good Timin’, Odonata, Rosie and  Sophie.  B Fleet was led by Zoop then Avatar, Makani, Perfect 36,  Pacific Spirit, Pair A Dice,  Big Mac, Simpatico and Kicks. All boats sailed the dead downwind course to Blacks, taking advantage of the waves occasionally increasing boat speed. 

After rounding Blacks, all boats made their way to the finish line which was an extension of the line from Blacks point through S/F. The first of A fleet to finish was Flexi Flyer  46:08 followed by Aquavit 48:31, Interlude 48:38, Perigon 48:44, Watts Moore 50:22, Good Timin’ 52:53, Rosie 55:22, Odonata 55:42 and Sophie 58:01.  B Fleet was led by Zoop 46:51, Avatar 48:25, Perfect 36 50:53, Makani 51:08, Pacific Spirit 52:32, Pair A Dice 53:36, Big Mac 55:42, Simpatico 56:31 and  Kicks 1:05:06.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was 3.23NM.

It was a beautiful evening on the water and while the sun was shining and it was warm on land, on the water it was a chilly breeze evening.

 

AFTER  A CHILLY, WET BASH TO WINDWARD, THE LONG DOWNWIND LEG TO BLACKS WAS A JUST REWARD.

 Race QS:

The track for this evening can be viewed at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=97701&updatedAt=2024-04-03T02:21:16Z&dt=2024-04-02T17:45:00-07:00..2024-04-02T19:13:31-07:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1712110411000&focus=Interlude&rival=PERIGON&tab=match&view=match

PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE                 BOAT                                   PHRF                   CORRECTED TIME

FLEET A:

1             FLEXI FLYER                                    96                          40:57

2             INTERLUDE                                       141                       41:02

3             WATTS MOORE                                 140                       42:17

4             ODONATA                                          243                       42:36

5             PERIGON                                          81                          44:22

6             AQUAVIT                                          72                          44:38

7             GOOD TIMIN’                                   141                       45:17

8             ROSIE                                                 162                       46:38

9             SOPHIE                                              141                       50:25

FLEET B

1             ZOOP                                                  144                       39:05

2             AVATAR                                              132                       41:18

3             PERFECT 36                                      144                       43:07

4             MAKANI                                            147                       43:13

5             PACIFIC SPIRIT                                165                       43:39

6             BIG MAC                                            222                       43:44

7             SAILING PAIR A DICE                     180                       43:54

8             SIMPATICO                                        165                       47:38

9             KICKS                                                 180                       55:24 

 

“SHOULD I GO OR SHOULD I STAY”

This song, released by the group Clash in 1982 was about a relationship, but every skipper is confronted with this dilemma when they prepare for a sail in Santa Cruz. Each skipper is responsible for making the decision to risk shoaling and other dangers before leaving the harbor. There are several things to consider.

 The harbor shoaling and position of the channel is critical to know.  The deepest part of the harbor entrance has been shifting a lot recently.  Is it deep enough for the draft of your boat in this deepest part of the entrance?

What are the tides doing?  You want a rising tide as you are leaving the harbor.  A tide that is going lower will increase the force of any waves that must be  dealt with on both leaving and entering the harbor.  I believe the “wave state” is the most critical thing to watch.  On both leaving and entering the harbor while shoaled, it is critical to avoid big waves.  Dangers consist of crashing down the back or front of a sizable wave and bouncing off the bottom.  A hard enough hit can necessitate an emergency haul out to keep your boat from sinking. Another danger is following a boat into the harbor too close.  With a narrow channel, sometimes boats need to go “single file” through the channel and if you are close behind another boat, the force of a wave can push you into the boat ahead.  When dealing with surf, it is always good to have a surfer on board to advise about waves that are approaching as you are leaving and entering the harbor.

I encourage each skipper to consider the risks before leaving the harbor.  We all want to sail but please consider the risks and feel no “pressure from the group” to join if conditions do not warrant the risk.

We are approaching the time of the year where “soon” we will not need to worry about shoaling for this sailing season.

Hopefully we can all go out next Tuesday.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

MARCH 26, 2024 AWESOME START FOR THE SEASON

 

MARCH 26, 2024

AWESOME START FOR THE SEASON

With the problems concerning harbor shoaling, we have all been anxious to get out for a sail.  For this Tuesday, the harbor entrance was barely deep enough, and then only if you could find the narrow channel created by the dredge crew.  As usual I witnessed the harbor entrance and there was no surf to speak of.  I always say it is the skipper’s decision whether to go or not.  Special recognition goes to Mike Hutchison on Aquavit (42 ft Jeanneau) who got his boat ready with an crew anxious to sail, but did not like the depth and returned to the slip. Better safe than sorry!

The wind was brisk through the afternoon with predictions for it to decrease later in the evening.  As we were leaving the harbor, the wind seemed to already be decreasing close to the beach, with more wind further out. As we approached the start mark area, we determined that the wind was coming from 255 and set a line square to that direction.   We watched as boats exited the harbor to join the party!  I called for course Whiskey 5: Start>Schuyler>finish at S/F.  We blew the “10 minute til 6pm horn” as a five minute horn for A fleet and a10 minute horn for B Fleet. Both fleets got off to a clean start with at least one boat in B fleet thinking they were OCS and circled to restart. I LOVE the Corinthian spirit!  This is a “self-regulating” sport.

All boats tacked their way to Schuyler attempting to find the stronger gusts of wind.  The first of A fleet to round was Double Espresso then Watts Moore, Good Timin’ and Wind II.  B fleet had Zoop rounding first followed by Perfect 36, Avatar, Pair A Dice, Pacific Spirit, Sweet Pea, Simpatico, Big Mac and Skip Jack.

On the long run back to the finish line most boats set their whisker poles as the wind was slowly decreasing.  The first A Fleet boat to finish was Double Espresso 40:45 followed by Watts Moore 42:55, Good Timin 43:01 and Wind II 48:51.  B Fleet was finished first by Zoop 38:14 then Perfect 36 43:12, Avatar 43:44, Pair A Dice 44:00, Pacific Spirit 44:21, Sweet Pea 45:06, Simpatico 46:26, Big Mac 47:50 and Skip Jack 51:28.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was 2.62 NM.

It was special to be able to get back out on the water as the sky cleared for a beautiful sunset. Conditions were so splendid; it was an awesome start for the season!   To top it off, we had a barbecue with many people enjoying excellent food.  Special thanks to Mike Gross for keeping the barbecue in order and bringing special meat to grill!

 

 PHRF ADJUSTED RESULTS:

PLACE          BOAT                     PHRF            ADJUSTED TIME

FLEET A:

1        WATTS MOORE                 150             36:22

2        DOUBLE ESPRESSO         99              36:25

3        GOOD TIMIN                      141             36:51

4        WIND II                                213             39:32         

FLEET B:

1        ZOOP                                 144             31:56

2        SAILING PAIR A DICE    180             36:08

3        PERFECT 36                     144             36:54

4        PACIFIC SPIRIT                165             37:08

5        SWEET PEA                      165            37:53

6        AVATAR                             132             37:58

7        BIG MAC                           222             38:08

8        SIMPATICO                       165             39:13

9        SKIP JACK                        243             40:51

Race QS: 

The track for this evening can be reviewed at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1017739&divisionId=97619&updatedAt=2024-03-27T02:03:07Z&dt=2024-03-26T17:48:02-07:00..2024-03-26T19:03:07-07:00&boat=Perf36&time=1711500563077&focus=Perf36&rival=Sailing%20Pair%20A%20Dice&tab=fleet&view=auto

ARE WE SAILING OR RACING?

Obviously, the cockpit of a boat is the most comfortable place to be when sailing.  But if you are serious about your performance, you should use your weight to improve the boats performance.  Rail meat to flatten the boat is important when beating, but when going downwind and down waves, getting out of the cockpit is critical to improve boat speed.  On my boat, when sailing for pleasure everyone congregates in the cockpit.  When racing, we distribute the weight for the best performance.

I hope we can get out next Tuesday!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

MARCH 19, 2024 WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

 

MARCH 19, 2024

WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

On Monday the harbor published the most recent soundings taken on Sunday.  I was encouraged to see a 7-foot deep “channel” just in front of the East jetty.  As the tide was rising during the afternoon, it should have been deep enough for most boats to get out. The prediction for the swell was not very large either.  As is customary when there is any question about the conditions, I take advantage of my retirement, and took the time to observe the entrance from above the gas dock for over an hour at around 3PM.

 I was not encouraged by what I saw.  About every 10 minutes a two-wave set would roll through and break all the way across the entrance.  If there was a channel, the wave would have backed off in the deeper water.  Adding to the conundrum, the wind seemed to be decreasing, creating a hazard for the boats that sail out with no motor.  Most sailors in the area know to stay close to the East jetty when the harbor is shoaled.  Light wind, with waves crashing into the East jetty and boats sailing out of the harbor in front of the jetty frightened me.

I needed to cancel the race for the evening.  Normally I would post an email to the group, but I did not have my computer and could not send an email to the whole group.  I called some of the more consistent participants to inform them that I was not putting a race on for the evening.  I went back to my boat and observed as boats were leaving the harbor and informed them that we were not racing.

To me, sailing is about learning.  I have found that the largest errors lead to the best learning experiences.  Sounding of the harbor taken within the last 48 hours can normally be relied upon for accurate information, especially with no big swell and the dredge working for  both Monday and Tuesday.  So, what went wrong?

Sailors in Santa Cruz are aware of the idiosyncrasies of the harbor entrance.  During the winter, large swells coming from the north sweep sand down the coast.  Adding to this is the excess rainwater flowing out of the San Lorenzo river adding to this sand.  The position of the harbor is perfect for receiving and catching this excess sand which  blocks  the harbor entrance.   This excess rain and large surf creates one saving grace for the harbor entrance.  The waves sweeping into the harbor adds to the rainwater we all see draining into the harbor through the drainpipes creating a stream of water exiting the harbor.  This water drains by the East Jetty and creates a channel that we can use to get out of the harbor, regardless of how bad the shoaling is by the West jetty.  The sounding showed a small 7-foot deep (at 0 tide) area just in front of the East jetty.  As it turns out, this was the last remnant of the channel.  What was different was that we have had no rain for over a week.  Also there was no large swell pushing water into the harbor.  There was no water exiting the harbor, so the “East jetty channel” was in the process of closing.

Yes, but they were still dredging!  The dredge operates inside the harbor and cannot venture very far out of the harbor when there is a swell.  The sandbar where waves break is just outside the harbor entrance.  The dredge creates a deeper hole just inside the west jetty with the thought that sand sweeping down the coast will fall into this hole, opening the harbor entrance.  This normally works, but when it doesn’t, what could go wrong?

Wouldn’t it be nice to develop a system that uses the rainwater and the energy of the large surf to prevent the harbor from being the receptacle for the sand moving across the harbor entrance?

I hope to see you out sailing next Tuesday: conditions permitting.

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

2024 NEW SEASON DOCUMENTS: EXPLANATION OF CHANGES, NOR, SIs AND COURSE CARD

 

NEW SEASON COMING SOON

Daylight savings occurs on March 10 so we will change our start time to 6pm on March 12.  This is a new season with new course cards, sailing instructions and registration.  The registration fees for this year remain the same as last year: $40 for members and $55 for nonmembers for the whole year.

As  the races have become more popular we have seen some issues that need to be addressed.  The goal that I strive for is for everyone to have fun and develop their sailing skill.  Everyone that races should be recognized for their efforts if they want recognition.  Race QS is an awesome app that has been a huge asset to Tuesday sailing.  As good as Race QS is, it is not always dependable.  Sometimes it goes down completely and other times tracks just cannot be uploaded.  It is a bummer to do well in a race and not get recognition because your track did not upload.  It’s not the America’s Cup, but if you do well, you should be recognized.  We have a way to resolve this issue.

We have a very simple and inexpensive race organization, resulting in our very low entry fee.  We set the start line buoy and temporary buoy if necessary.  We need to retrieve these buoys before we return to the harbor.  Since we use semi permanent marks such as S/F or Gov, we need to use extensions of lines for the finish.  It is normal in racing to have the finish line perpendicular to the wind direction.  On Tuesdays we have always used  “rounding of a mark”  to finish.  This can be confusing to the many proficient racers who are accustomed to finishing  on the same line they started on. This can result in boats not crossing our finish line and, once again, boats not being recognized for their efforts.

To resolve these issues, we have initiated a new procedure for finishing a race.  Every course on the  new course card is  finished using an extension of a mark and a designated point on land. We have used points on land before: JLH= Jetty lighthouse and Wharf end=end of municipal pier.  To these points on land, we are adding several more to accommodate finishing on a line nearly square to the wind direction as is normal in racing.  Wharf end is now designated as  WE and we are adding SL=East side of San Lorenzo river and BP=Blacks point. Blacks point is the rocky point at the end of Twin Lakes beach.  You can also use a bearing of 15 M degrees from S/F for Blacks point.  All of  these points and abbreviations are listed at the top of the course card.

An additional advantage with using extensions for finish lines allows someone on the boat to record the finish time as a backup in case Race QS does not function for your boat.  Each boat should run Race QS, but as a backup, each boat should designate a person to record the moment the boat passes the finish line extension and relationship to other boats that are finishing.  One critical exercise when using extensions to finish: ALWAYS pass the finish mark on the side (pt or stb) designated on the course card. 

One other problem we have had to deal with is the pile-up of boats at Blacks on an Easterly wind night.  Using an offset mark has helped with this issue, but a longer distance from start to Blacks is needed.  To resolve this issue, there are times that it would be better to start from Gov rather than S/F.  During the summer we have traditionally started every race from S/F.  With this option to start at Gov, it is necessary to communicate the alternate start area.  We will obviously communicate on VHS channel 69, but when exiting the  harbor, if Sailing Pair A Dice or other committee boat is flying an American flag from the stern, the start area will be at Gov.

I am looking forward to another awesome year of Tuesday Night Sailing!

Barry Keeler

Sailing PAIR A Dice

Following are the 2024 race documents: NOR, Sailing Instructions and a crude  copy of the course card. When you register a laminated course card will be left on your boat.

2024 Tuesday Night Developmental Race Series

Each Tuesday Night of 2024 during Daylight Savings Time

Santa Cruz Yacht Club, Santa Cruz, CA

 

Notice of Race

 

Invitation: The Santa Cruz Yacht Club invites interested boats and their crews to participate in

a developmental racing skills series.

Rules

The Regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing.

The Sailing Instructions will change RRS 40 so that flotation devices are worn regardless

of the display of Flag Y.

Eligibility and Entry: 

Racing is open to all registered boats. Boats may self-select to a designated fleet each Tuesday evening. “A fleet” is designated for more experienced crews and higher performance boats. “B Fleet” is designated to accommodate new racers and lower performance boats. Eligibility is established by completing the on-line registration for your boat at  SCYC.org/regattas.  Scroll down to “Tuesday night race” and click  on “register” to complete the process. Entry fee is $40 for members and $55 for nonmembers for the whole year.  Registration fee can be charged to your account for members and charged to  your credit card for nonmembers

Schedule: 

Each Tuesday Night of 2024 during Daylight Savings Time, first signal will be sounded with a 1750 horn. First signal change may be announced on VHF channel 69.  Following the racing on the last Tuesday of each month a post-race debriefing may be held, and potluck barbecue will be held at the SCYC Clubhouse.

Racing may continue during the winter starting in the afternoon. Monitor e-mail and channel 69 for updates.

Scoring:

The racing will be scored applying handicaps to finish times from their recorded .gpx tracks on RaceQs https://raceqs.com/ ). Race QS is a free app used on your phone.  This app MUST BE USED to be counted in this series. If Race QS  does  not function, finish  times may be submitted  to the site noted in the SIs. However, being a developmental regatta, the races may also not be scored.  

 

 

 

 

Each Tuesday Night during Daylight Savings Time 2024

Santa Cruz Yacht Club

Sailing Instructions

 

Rules:   The Regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of

Sailing unless otherwise indicated in these sailing instructions.  The first sentence of RRS 40                                          

is changed to: Competitors shall wear personal floatation devices, except briefly while changing or     adjusting clothing or personal equipment                                                              

Notices to Competitors: Notice to competitors may be announced by e-mail sent by noon on each Tuesday if that day’s race is postponed or canceled. Cancelation may also be announced on VHF channel 69.

Schedule: 

Racing is scheduled for each Tuesday Night of 2024 during Daylight Savings Time.

Post-race social activities, dinner, racing debriefs, and rules discussions are planned at SCYC clubhouse after racing each Tuesday.

Racing Area: The racing area will be within 3 miles of Walton Lighthouse.

Communications:  Boats should Monitor VHF channel 69 before start time for course location, start time, and designated course. 

Marks: Marks are described in the attached Tuesday Night Course Card.

The Start: The start line shall be a line containing S/F BUOY, MILE or GOV. A red ball will establish the other end of the line unless starting at MILE.  An American flag flown from committee boat stern shall indicate a start from Gov. This flag will be stowed at start time.  Boats should monitor Channel 69 for course announcements.

RRS 26, and 27 shall be replaced with the following simplified starting procedure. Scheduled start times are 1755 (Fleet A) and 1800 (Fleet B).  A single signal horn shall be sounded at 1750 which is a 5 minute horn for fleet A and a 10 minute horn for fleet B. Monitor VHF 69 for changes in this schedule. Fleets may be combined to a single start.

Recalls: RRS 29 will be changed to the following:  A designated boat may sight the line to identify On Course Side (OCS) boats.  OCS Boats may be announced on VHF Channel 69. Not having a designated boat that hails OCS boats via VHF 69 does not absolve a boat of its obligation to start correctly.

Courses:  Attached Tuesday Night Course Card indicates courses to be used. Courses will be communicated from the organizing race boat to the racing fleet over VHF channel 69 prior to the 1750 signal.  This changes Rule 27.1

The Finish:The finish line will be listed on course card and will be an extension of a line, so pass the finish mark as indicated (pt/stb).  Finish mark should be passed within 200 feet. Each boat shall record their own finish time and relationship to boats around them. Finish times may be emailed to:  SCYC.race.results@gmail.com if Race QS malfunctions.

PENALTY SYSTEM:

RRS 44.1 is changed so that the Two-Turns Penalty is replaced by the One-Turn Penalty.

 

PROTESTS AND TIME LIMITS:

Protests in this series are for educational purposes and may be shared among all participants.   Protests may be filed within 24 hours following the race by sending an email to:

SCYC.race.results@gmail.com  Protest forms may be obtained at: https://www.ussailing.org/resource-library/us-sailing-hearing-request-form/

Protest  decisions will be documented on the race blog.

 

 

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 REACH UNTIL YOU FINISH

 

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

REACH UNTIL YOU FINISH

We have been very fortunate this winter being able to sail on most Tuesdays despite dodging storm fronts, storm surf and shoaled harbor entrance.  For this pre-valentine day sail, all systems came together for a perfect sail.  Rain was due for Wednesday, but clear for Tuesday and a nice  16 knot breeze was predicted.  As we left the harbor, it was apparent that the Predict Wind forecast was spot on!  The only problem was the presence of only one mark to use: MILE.   From Gov to Mile, with a 235 degree wind is a reach both ways.  That’s ok, there is nothing wrong with drag racing!  We set the start line not square to the wind so that there was not a predominant favored end of the line.  We called for a course: Start>Mile>Gov>Mile>finish at Gov. We had ten boats out for the fun and blew a 5 minute at 3:55 for a single fleet start.

All boats got off for a clean start as the drag race to Mile began. The only tactic to employ was trying to get clear unobstructed wind as all boats sailed straight for Mile.  The first boat to round Mile was Flexi Flyer followed closely by Perfect 36, Watts Moore, Avatar, Pair A Dice, Simpatico and Nidaros. As boats rounded Mile they all reached (once again) back toward Gov then reached back to Mile and yet another reach back to finish at Gov.

The first across the finish line was Flexi Flyer 39:37 then Perfect 36 39:42,  Watts Moore 40:54, Avatar 41:22, Simpatico 42:10, Pair A Dice 43:22 and  Nidaros 44:28.  All times are elapsed and the course distance was 4.52NM.

It was awesome getting back out on the water with such great wind  and sailing conditions.  With all legs of the course being reaching legs, all you needed to do was reach until you finished.

PHRF CORRECTED RESULTS:

PLACE   BOAT                                     PHRF                     CORRECTED TIME

1             PERFECT 36                        144                        28:51

2             WATTS MOORE                  150                        29:36

3             SIMPATICO                          165                        29:44

4             SAILING PAIR A DICE       180                        29:48

5             AVATAR                                132                        31:26

6             FLEXY FLYER                      96                         32:23

7             NIDAROS                             108                        36:20

 

 RACE QS:

We had several boats that did not upload tracks.  If you want to be certain that you have a track shown on Race QS, it may be good to have two phones record the track, so if one fails the other can be used. The track for this evening can be found at:

https://raceqs.com/tv-beta/tv.htm#userId=1011017&divisionId=96923&updatedAt=2024-02-14T01:16:48Z&dt=2024-02-13T15:50:11-08:00..2024-02-13T17:04:13-08:00&boat=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&time=1707871468334&focus=SAILING%20PAIR%20A%20DICE&rival=Perf36&tab=match&view=follow&lat=36.958293&lon=-122.012386&tilt=8&range=239&heading=232

COMMENTS ON REACH SAILING:

It seems like there is nothing to learn when there are no tactics involved with all legs of a 4.5 mile race being a reaching point of sail.  Waterline becomes a distinct advantage, but there are other things to consider.  While racing normally is windward- leeward (upwind-downwind), reaching all the way has a few different considerations.    Clear air is one consideration, but studying the Race QS tracks reveals another important consideration. Click the arrow on the left of the screen and select “compare two boats”. Select two boats to consider and after boats have finished the race in Race QS, check the results. One of the factors to consider is average angle of heel for the whole race.  Angle of heel is always an important consideration, but when no tactics are involved, it becomes critical.  The angle of heel between all boats sailing this afternoon ranged from 1 degree to 14 degrees.  The boats that did best on this evening had low heeling angles.  Getting weight up on the rail is one consideration, but twisting the top of the sail  (travel  up,  sheet out) can help to decrease the angle of heel.

These are my observations. We have many excellent sailors in our group. I would be interested in other sailors’ perspective on this subject.

It looks like rain is forecast for next Tuesday.  We will see what develops.  I will email a cancellation by noon on Tuesday if the race will be cancelled.

******************************

This excellent perspective was presented by John Robison who was  sailing on Perfect 36. 

RE: your blog comments I can add a few thoughts (some discussed on P36 during the race)

I think in general reaching has slightly fewer tactics (no tack/jibe considerations), but everything else still holds, keeping things just as interesting from my perspective...

• Lots of tactics on mark rounding (as always), and clean tack/jibe even more important since it happens infrequently.
• Waterline is a part of the equation, but if you look at finishing order, its not everything, even when reaching...
• You noted clean air - which is always a consideration, but even more so on a long reach without any chance to "tack away" for clearer air.
• Heel (or maybe more generally, proper heel as a result of proper sail trim) is ALWAYS important, regardless of wind angle. ;)
• More generally on sail trim - trimming to "maximize gusts" was really important for us in this race, anticipating the wind and constantly adjusting sails to match, as opposed to close-hauled where we typically adjust the boat angle more than the sail angle. Reaching is a good workout/training for the trimmers!

In addition to clean air, we were so close to FF in this race, we also tried to ride their stern wave. Though the swells were pretty small, being inside the (water) wake, but high enough to avoid bad air, kept us very close despite FF having a much better PHRF rating. 

Thank you John!

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice

 

JANUARY 30, 2024 YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT

 

JANUARY 30, 2024

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT

Once again, the predictions were for light and variable winds, but as we prepped the boat we were encouraged by the fluttering of the flags indicating at least some wind.  Even as we left the harbor at 3pm, we saw a light breeze across the water, so we set a mark about a quarter of a mile toward the point and set a start line.  We were getting excited, the harbor was clear, the waves were present but not too large and  we had nine other boats out for the fun!   As the boats milled around, mostly powered by their iron gennies, a large, dark cloud filled the whole area above us.  While this cloud cover stifled any wind we were experiencing, it also was not moving at all.  I was studying the windex  on several boats and saw that  they were all spinning slowly indicating a directionless 1-2 knot wind.  With the clouds not moving, there was no hope of clear sky to entice wind so at 4:10 I cancelled the race.

As the “Stones” song  said: “You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you’ll find, you get what you need”.   Though I desperately WANTED to sail this evening, I got what I NEEDED:  The socialism and the barbecue at the club!  Once again, thanks to  Mike Gross who came through with some excellent barbecue food to add to the potluck.

Let's all hope for better conditions next  Tuesday with a 4PM start.  

Barry Keeler

Sailing Pair A Dice