This picture would look better without the barge anchored in the middle of the Haverstraw Bay. Waiting for a one-knot current to change is not a good reason to spoil the river.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Barges on the Hudson River
It is a shame to know that the Coast Guard is considering multiple anchoring zones for barges on the river. After many years of cleaning up the river and improving the Hudson Valley, it will be a big step back to allow barges to anchor along the river to save some money on fuel. Besides the detriment to the views, it will also cause boat traffic to have a smaller area to navigate on the river.
This picture would look better without the barge anchored in the middle of the Haverstraw Bay. Waiting for a one-knot current to change is not a good reason to spoil the river.
This picture would look better without the barge anchored in the middle of the Haverstraw Bay. Waiting for a one-knot current to change is not a good reason to spoil the river.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Jazz For Sale
After owning her for 10 years, it is time for me to part with Jazz. She was everything I needed her to be, but the time has come to let her go. It is a tough decision to make, but my family now has other places to be and Jazz was not being used enough.
I will post some blogs about Jazz and hopefully someone that likes to race will soon own her. She is a perfect boat for short handed cruising and racing. She never lost a race in winds over 20 knots. In 2014, she won three races on a 20+ day in the Sutherland regatta. She did it with just me on board. That is short handed sailing at its finest.
She also carried my children for the first 10 years of their life. Knowing her strength and heavy air breeding, I was confident that my family would be safe with her. I have many fond memories of sailing around with the kids and not worrying about anything.
My brother's recent purchase of a J-105 has given me a new place to sail on Wednesday nights. That has made it easier to part with Jazz, but still remain active on the river.
Over the next couple of posts, I will explain how I chose a J-28 sailboat. I'll talk about the early days learning the boat. I'll move into the cruising division races we did. Finally, I will discuss the waning usage over the past few years.
I believe that my path through life is similar to a boat's path through a windy bay. You have to pull the sails in and go hard. You need to be ready for any unexpected changes and adjust the boat to the changing conditions. As you work your way to your next waypoint, you need to be in synergy with the waves around you and not try to bash through everything.
The wind in my life is blowing from a new direction. I am going to ease off for a while and see where it blows me. While I do not know the final destination, I do know that my journey is far from over.
I will post some blogs about Jazz and hopefully someone that likes to race will soon own her. She is a perfect boat for short handed cruising and racing. She never lost a race in winds over 20 knots. In 2014, she won three races on a 20+ day in the Sutherland regatta. She did it with just me on board. That is short handed sailing at its finest.
She also carried my children for the first 10 years of their life. Knowing her strength and heavy air breeding, I was confident that my family would be safe with her. I have many fond memories of sailing around with the kids and not worrying about anything.
My brother's recent purchase of a J-105 has given me a new place to sail on Wednesday nights. That has made it easier to part with Jazz, but still remain active on the river.
Over the next couple of posts, I will explain how I chose a J-28 sailboat. I'll talk about the early days learning the boat. I'll move into the cruising division races we did. Finally, I will discuss the waning usage over the past few years.
I believe that my path through life is similar to a boat's path through a windy bay. You have to pull the sails in and go hard. You need to be ready for any unexpected changes and adjust the boat to the changing conditions. As you work your way to your next waypoint, you need to be in synergy with the waves around you and not try to bash through everything.
The wind in my life is blowing from a new direction. I am going to ease off for a while and see where it blows me. While I do not know the final destination, I do know that my journey is far from over.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Telltales
Telltales Summary
Telltales are an important indicator of sail trim. When going upwind, the telltales on the jib are helpful in steering properly in relation to the wind. Knowing how to read these indicators will help improve your boat speed at all angles of sail.
Mainsail Telltales
The telltales on the mainsail (main) are usually located on the back of the sail. This is called the leech. The leech telltales will fly nicely when the main is properly trimmed. They will also fly when the sail is eased a little too far, so the luff at the front of the sail is important to watch as well. Telltales are most helpful upwind and on reaches. When sailing deep downwind, the main will be out as far as possible and the telltales will not give much information to the trimmer.
Upwind
When sailing upwind, you will have your main trimmed in tight. The telltale that gives us the most information is the topmost telltale. This is the most finicky of the telltales on the main. In light air, the telltales will be tough to read. As the air gets up to 4-6 knots, you can start to use the top tell tale to help trim. In medium air, the telltale is critical to proper trim. As you get into heavy air, the tales will flow and their informational value will be reduced.
Light Air
Medium Air
As the wind pushes above 10 knots, the main will have lots of flow over it. Now it is time to get that top telltale to flow 50-80% the time. If the telltale is not flowing, you have the main trimmed too tight. You will want to ease the main until the top telltale is flowing more than 50% of the time. As the wind increases, this will rise to 100% flow on all telltales. It should not be necessary to have your traveler above center line to keep the main powered up and the telltales flying. Keeping the traveler center line in this wind is a good base position to work from.
If your top telltale is flying consistently, try to sneak in the mainsheet until the telltale starts to flutter a little. Don't go too far. You want the top telltale flying, but a little flutter here and there will help you keep from having the mainsheet out too far and losing the power in the main.
Keep in mind that the leech telltales will fly when the main is out too far. If you are notice a luff in the main that is not a normal luff due to the jib back wind, you need to trim the main in or move the traveler further to windward.
Heavy Air
In heavy air, the telltales on the main will be flowing all the time. If not, you have the sail trimmed in too far and the boat is probably on its side. Over 20 knots, you will have the traveler down and be sheeting the main in and out to keep the heel at an optimal angle. In this wind, the main will be out to keep the boat from heeling too far. When the main is out, the leech telltales flow. The are no longer very helpful to trim the main.
Reaching
Telltales are an important indicator of sail trim. When going upwind, the telltales on the jib are helpful in steering properly in relation to the wind. Knowing how to read these indicators will help improve your boat speed at all angles of sail.
The telltales on the mainsail (main) are usually located on the back of the sail. This is called the leech. The leech telltales will fly nicely when the main is properly trimmed. They will also fly when the sail is eased a little too far, so the luff at the front of the sail is important to watch as well. Telltales are most helpful upwind and on reaches. When sailing deep downwind, the main will be out as far as possible and the telltales will not give much information to the trimmer.
When sailing upwind, you will have your main trimmed in tight. The telltale that gives us the most information is the topmost telltale. This is the most finicky of the telltales on the main. In light air, the telltales will be tough to read. As the air gets up to 4-6 knots, you can start to use the top tell tale to help trim. In medium air, the telltale is critical to proper trim. As you get into heavy air, the tales will flow and their informational value will be reduced.
In light air, the top telltale should be flowing about 20-50% of the time. When the telltale is not flowing at all, you have trimmed the main too tight. This is an indication that you need to let the mainsheet out a bit. Be careful with the traveler. If you are letting the main out, you will probably want to bring the traveler up to keep the main powered up and not allow it to luff. Play with this a little. You will likely find that you have to move the traveler above center line to get the mainsheet out far enough so that the top telltale flows occasionally and the main continues to be powered up. We do this to allow the main to have some twist, yet not be out so far that the boat can not longer point well into the wind.
If the telltale is flowing all the time, you may have the sail out to far to maximize your power from it. Trim in the main until the top telltale begins to waver and even disappear for a second or two. Once you get back to a 20-50% level of flow, you are in the ballpark for optimal trim.
If your top telltale is flying consistently, try to sneak in the mainsheet until the telltale starts to flutter a little. Don't go too far. You want the top telltale flying, but a little flutter here and there will help you keep from having the mainsheet out too far and losing the power in the main.
Keep in mind that the leech telltales will fly when the main is out too far. If you are notice a luff in the main that is not a normal luff due to the jib back wind, you need to trim the main in or move the traveler further to windward.
Heavy Air
When reaching, it is best to have all the telltales flowing off the leech of the main. If the top telltale is not flowing, the main needs to be let out. This is common in our races. People tend to have their main choked in too tight on reaches. Make sure you check your vang too. The vang will remove twist from the main and it can be eased out to get some twist in the main and allow the leech telltales to flow. In general, you want to increase vang tension as the wind approaches 15 knots and then start to ease the vang again as the boat gets overpowered in heavier air. In heavy air, you will have the main luffing to keep the boat heeling over too far, so the top telltale will not be useful.
When reaching all the telltales can help. When no telltales are flowing, you ease the sheet or vang, the telltales will begin to flow from bottom to top. If the top telltale is flowing, but the middle or bottom ones are not flowing well, it could indicate that the jib is in too tight. On a reach, the jib lead is too far inboard and aft. This causes the sail to be trimmed too tight on the bottom and too loose on the top. Some boats use an outboard lead or move the lead forward to help this issue. If you are not moving the jib lead, ease the jib so that the lower two thirds of the sail are trimmed properly and the top is out too far. If the jib is trimmed properly, your main telltales will flow with the top telltale being the indicator of mainsail trim.
Jib Telltales
The telltales on the jib will serve two functions. Upwind, the jib is not trimmed much, so the telltales will help the helmsman know if the boat is heading in the proper direction relative to the wind. When reaching, the telltales will help the trimmer know how the wind is flowing over the bottom, middle, and top of the sail. In this article, we will only talk about three sets of telltales on the luff (front) of the jib. We'll call the sets bottom, middle, and top. We will also refer to the telltales on the inside (windward) of the jib and the outside (leeward) of the jib. Most boats have green telltales on the starboard side and red ones on the port side to allow the helmsman to differentiate between the inside and outside telltales. Depending on the tack of the boat, green or red can be inside or outside.
Upwind
When sailing upwind, the trimmer will use the sets of telltales on the bottom, middle and top of the jib to position the lead properly and trim the sheet for maximum upwind efficiency. The helmsman will reference the bottom set of telltales to steer the boat at the best angle relative to the wind.
Light Air
Let's start with enough wind to get the telltales moving. That happens around 2 knots on race boats and 4 for the cruisers. In light air, the trimmer will be most active relative to higher wind speeds. The trimmer will need to work with the helmsman to keep proper flow over the jib. In general, you will have the sheet out a little bit to get some flow and the fuller shape to generate speed. You want all three sets of telltales to break (waver) at the same time. I would just talk about flow, but in lighter air the telltales are going to break and that is a moment rather than a continuous action. If the inside-top telltales are breaking first, the top of the sail may be out too far and the lead should be moved forward. If the inside-bottom telltales are breaking first, you will want to sheet in a little and drop the lead back. This is common as the wind increases to a medium speed. If the inside-middle telltales are breaking before the top and bottom, you may have too deep a draft. This may be the result of headstay sag. You can try to tighten the backstay or even the halyard if it seems loose. Do not over tighten. You want some wrinkles on the luff of the sail under 10 knots.
For the helmsman in light air, you are only going to watch the bottom set of telltales for steering. You want both the inside and outside telltales streaming back for optimal efficiency. If the inside telltales are wavering, you are steering too high and need to head down a little. If the outside ones are wavering you are either steering too low or you need to ask the trimmer for a little ease on the sheet if you want more boat speed. Do not just "press" the sail in light air and allow the outside telltales to flutter. Ease the jib if you are looking to sail a little lower or you need to get some additional speed.
Medium Air
In medium air, the jib trimmer may not be as active as in light air. It is still important to use the telltales for lead position. If the top inside telltales are breaking before the others, the lead should go forward. If the bottom telltales are breaking first, the lead should be brought aft and the sheet tighten a bit. Keep playing with the lead until all three inside telltales are in sync. We don't talk about the outside telltales here since they should all be flowing. Once the lead is set, the trimmer may head to the high side to reduce the heel.
The helmsman will be looking to keep the outside telltales always flowing in 8-14 knots of breeze. If they are breaking, the boat needs to head higher. If you need more speed, the jib will need to be eased. Do not head down for speed without the jib being eased out at the same time. You will get more speed, but stalling out the front of the jib will hurt any acceleration achieved at the lower angle to the wind.
The helmsman will get his most valuable input from the inside telltales. In medium air, you want these telltales to be flowing most, but not all, of the time. You want them on the edge of breaking with an occasional break every couple of seconds. This means they will be flowing back with an occasional flip up. This is OK. Do not head down when the inside telltales first break, but if they do not immediately head back into a nice flow, you may need to head down a touch until they all flow again. As you get to 14-16 knots, the telltales on the inside will spend more time flowing up than back. This is OK. The boat will be able to maintain a higher angle. Do not allow the jib to luff until you are overpowered by the wind.
Heavy Air
As the breeze gets to 16 knots and above, heeling may be an issue. Some of this can be helped by easing the main. Telltales will be less of a help for the trimmer. The trimmer should drop the lead back to allow the top of the jib to depower. This will lower the center of effort. The inside top telltale should not flow at all.
The helmsman will now have the inside bottom telltales flowing up or totally not flowing. Most boats will be overpowered and even a little luff at the front of the jib will be correct. If speed is an issue due to waves, the helmsman may head the boat a little lower and get the bottom telltales to flow again. Heel and boat speed will be the best indicators for proper trim and heading in these conditions. Do not allow the outside telltales to stall. If you do, you are heading too low and the boat is either heeling too much or making too much leeway.
Reaching
On a reach, the helmsman should be steering to a fixed point. This will depend on many other items, but telltales are not part of the helmsman's input. This means it is up tot he trimmer alone to keep the jib in proper trim. In light to medium conditions, the trimmer will want to move the lead forward and outboard if possible. We do this on Jazz by adding another sheet to the jib that is led to the rail. We ease the tension on the normal jib sheet and trim it using the new outboard jib sheet. Without doing this, you will find the inside top telltales unable to fly unless you sheet the jib in so much that the bottom of the sail stalls. When this happens, the outside bottom telltales will break or droop. If you cannot rig an outboard lead, all the top inside telltales to break, but try to get the middle and bottom telltales to fly as evenly as possible. If you have to choose, stall the bottom a little to keep the middle of the sail flowing.
As the wind goes above 16 knots, the outboard lead becomes less necessary. This is because the boat will become overpowered and having the top of the sail out too far may be beneficial. Over 20 knots, drop the lead back further on a reach and only trim to the bottom telltales. If you are overpowered, it will be fine for the middle inside telltales to be fluttering. Over 25 knots, it may even be necessary to ease the jib to luffing to keep the boat from heeling too much.
Conclusion
Telltales are just one of many inputs to consider when sailing, In light and medium air, they are important tools to understand the trim of the sails, In all wind, the telltales will help you steer the boat at the proper angle upwind. While very important, the telltales are just indicators. Consider them as fine tuning adjustments. Once you have the general principles of sailing down, a clear understanding of what the telltales indicate will help you improve your trim and steering efficiency. Over the course of a race this can add to a minute or two advantage to those who ignore this important input.
Resources
For more information about installing telltales and other info, click here.
You can buy some at your local store or online by clicking here.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Finish a Race on the Course Side of the Line
Background
Boats were finishing tonight's race
from 24 to H. The committee boat's finish line was not perpendicular to
the last leg. It really could not have been since boats in the other
class were finishing from G. It was clear when looking from the committee
boat to 24 that H should be left to starboard by the finishing yachts. It
was also clear when looking at the finish line from 24. The current was
ebbing hard and boats were sliding south as they approached the finish.
Since they had slid so far to the right on their approach, they were not able
to tell which side of the line they needed to cross in order to finish.
Some boats finished from the wrong side and then called on the radio to dispute
that they should be allowed to finish from either side. The following
excerpts of the rules will attempt to show that there was only one side that
they should have finished from and they were wrong to try and finish from the
other side. This has been an issue in two previous races from past years
and I blogged about it both times.
Past
Blogs
This blog from 8/19/2009 used the old set of
rules to discuss a similar situation.
This blog from 6/1/2011 also covered a similar
situation and references the proper case.
My
Own Observations and Race Decisions
Having blogged about finish line issues
in the past, I began to be concerned as to which side to leave H on while we
were on the second to last leg (F to 24). As we approached 24, I
instructed the crew to keep a careful eye on H and the committee boat to see if
it was clear which side we would need to leave H to as we finished. I
talk mostly about H since it was much closer to the last mark than the
committee boat, so we knew that we would be finishing right next to H.
At 24, we took a sight to H and the
committee boat. With H being much closer and to the right of the
committee boat, we saw clearly that H would need to be left to starboard in
order for us to finish from the course side of the line. As we rounded 24,
we sighted H against the bridge in the distance to make sure we did not lose
gauge to it due to the current. In other words, I wanted to have the boat
head straight to H over the ground. To do this, I had to steer a course
10-20 degrees to the left of H since the current was pushing us right.
We were able to maintain a relatively
straight line over the ground and it was clear the entire time that H would be
left to starboard in order to finish properly. Before finishing, I gave
notice to the crew that if there was no horn, we would need to round H to port
and cross the line from the other direction. It seemed clear that we were
finishing properly, but I thought it best to be prepared for any possibility,
especially since we had a five minute advantage on the rest of the fleet.
As we passed H to starboard, I headed
downwind to cross the line immediately. The horn blew and we sailed on
away from the line. We had finished.
Observations
on the Next Boats
The next two boats behind us sailed a
different course. It appeared that they pointed their boats at H for much
of the leg. As such, they were continually swept to the right. As
they got closer to H, they came from an angle that eventually put them on the
wrong side of the finish line. Since they sailed so far from the rhumb
line, they could not tell which side to finish on. They crossed from the
wrong side.
Radio
Misinformation
At least one of the boats instructed
the race committee that they could finish from either side of the line.
This was wrong and should not have been broadcast. They were correct in
asking the race committee to take their time, but they should also record the
time of their own finish. The proper procedure is to request redress if
you believe the race committee made an error.
Rules
Involved
Finish A boat finishes when any part of her hull,
or crew or equipment in normal position, crosses the finishing line from the
course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the
finishing line she
(a) takes a penalty under
rule 44.2,
(b) corrects an error under
rule 28.2 made at the line, or
(c) continues to sail the
course.
The definition of finish mentions that
a boat must cross the finishing line from the course side. Looking from
24 to the finish, it was clear that the pin should be left to starboard.
This was also evident after the race by looking from the committee boat back to
24 and seeing the pin to the left of the line of sight. The difference
was not slight. It was at least 10 degrees from being parallel.
The boats may claim that the finishing
line was laid so nearly in line with the last leg that it cannot be determined
which is the correct way to cross it in order to finish. This
argument is illustrated in Case 82 of the rules.
Case 82
When a
finishing line is laid so nearly in line with the last leg that it cannot be
determined which is the correct way to cross it in order to finish according to
the definition, a boat may cross the line in either direction and her finish is
to be recorded accordingly.
This case would not apply
to the race. The case involved a committee boat that was swinging on anchor
causing the line to swing from one side to the other from the last leg.
The line during our race did not vary in the steady wind and current. It
was clear before, during, and after the race that the pin should be left to
starboard when finishing from 24.
The boats may claim that
from where they were it was not clear. That may be the case, but their
error in allowing the current to sweep them far from the rhumb line does not
mean the line was laid nearly in line with the last leg. There was a clear
way to cross the line and they crossed from the wrong direction.
Rule 28.2 explains that you
would have to go around the end of the line to re-finish.
28.2 A string representing a
boat’s track from the time she begins to approach the starting line from its
pre-start side to start until she finishes shall, when drawn taut,
(a) pass each mark on the
required side and in the correct order,
(b) touch each rounding
mark, and
(c) pass between the marks
of a gate from the direction of the previous mark.
She may correct any errors
to comply with this rule, provided she has not finished.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Summer Race #10
Winds were good from the SW between 4-8 knots. Skies were clear. Full moon rose early in the evening. Current was ebbing. Course for A&B was from H to K to G and back. C sailed H to G and back.
We motored out of the harbor at 17:30 and put up the main and jib. It was a nice tight reach to the starting area. We sailed upwind a bit and it seemed like the right side would be favored. We went to the starting line and found it to be square to the wind with maybe a slight advantage at the port end.
We were surprised when the announcement came over the radio that all divisions would go to G as the first mark, since K was the upwind mark. The original course selection was also odd since boats would be finishing on opposite sides of the same line. After some complaining from the A&B division boats, the course for them was changed and they were given a true upwind leg.
For us in C, the course remained G and back. It was a reach to reach course with very little strategy involved after the start. So we looked over the line again and found the pin end to be much closer to G than the boat. Since the line was mostly square, if not pin favored, we knew we would start at the pin.
As the start approached, we ran the line on port and flipped over to starboard with 45 seconds to go. There was a C2 boat in position to win the pin, so we took an aggressive shot head to wind to slow ourselves and then settled into a reach to get that speed back up for the starting gun. We hit the line on time and held a close-hauled course for the first half of the leg. I wanted to make sure we did not have boats going over the top of us. Once we were on the windward edge of the fleet, we headed down for more of a reach and got to G in a hurry.
We were first around, but had to navigate through the other 15 boats that were headed to G on starboard. Once through them, we had an easy sail to the finish. One boat was close to passing us as we got close to G, but they failed to adjust their sails to the reaching angle we were on close to the mark and slowed down. Other than that, it was a quiet race.
We never tacked during the race. It was a close reach followed by a slightly broader reach. The whole affair took about 30 minutes. We were done by 18:45. The course should have sent us to K for the first mark. Buoy races should always start with an upwind leg if possible. You want the boats to have a chance to separate and use tactics in the race. A reach to reach race is all about the start and then boat-speed.
After the brief race, we sailed around for another hour or so. The wind was nice and the full moon made for a nice evening of sailing. When it finally got really dark around 20:00, we headed in and went over for pizza. This time we made it in time to get some fresh slices.
With the season over, I would like to thank John Nonenmacher and John Edwards for their hard work putting this whole series together. Many boats and their crew also deserve praise for doing their turn as Race Marshall. It was a great season and I look forward to next year.
We motored out of the harbor at 17:30 and put up the main and jib. It was a nice tight reach to the starting area. We sailed upwind a bit and it seemed like the right side would be favored. We went to the starting line and found it to be square to the wind with maybe a slight advantage at the port end.
We were surprised when the announcement came over the radio that all divisions would go to G as the first mark, since K was the upwind mark. The original course selection was also odd since boats would be finishing on opposite sides of the same line. After some complaining from the A&B division boats, the course for them was changed and they were given a true upwind leg.
For us in C, the course remained G and back. It was a reach to reach course with very little strategy involved after the start. So we looked over the line again and found the pin end to be much closer to G than the boat. Since the line was mostly square, if not pin favored, we knew we would start at the pin.
As the start approached, we ran the line on port and flipped over to starboard with 45 seconds to go. There was a C2 boat in position to win the pin, so we took an aggressive shot head to wind to slow ourselves and then settled into a reach to get that speed back up for the starting gun. We hit the line on time and held a close-hauled course for the first half of the leg. I wanted to make sure we did not have boats going over the top of us. Once we were on the windward edge of the fleet, we headed down for more of a reach and got to G in a hurry.
We were first around, but had to navigate through the other 15 boats that were headed to G on starboard. Once through them, we had an easy sail to the finish. One boat was close to passing us as we got close to G, but they failed to adjust their sails to the reaching angle we were on close to the mark and slowed down. Other than that, it was a quiet race.
 |
| Looking back at the fleet on the reach. |
 |
| A&B fleets reaching to G from K. |
After the brief race, we sailed around for another hour or so. The wind was nice and the full moon made for a nice evening of sailing. When it finally got really dark around 20:00, we headed in and went over for pizza. This time we made it in time to get some fresh slices.
With the season over, I would like to thank John Nonenmacher and John Edwards for their hard work putting this whole series together. Many boats and their crew also deserve praise for doing their turn as Race Marshall. It was a great season and I look forward to next year.
 |
| Moon at 19:14, shortly after rising. |
 |
| 19:30, still enough sunlight to see Gusto and the moon is taking over. |
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Summer Race #9
Winds were light from the SSW between 2 and 8 knots. Current was slack, moving to ebb. Skies were partly cloudy. Course for all divisions was from H to K to G and back to H.
Tonight was a east side favored night for the upwind leg. We recognized this before the start. The line was fairly square, so we decided to run the line on starboard and start near the pin. As the start time was approaching, we had a lot of steam and we were early to the pin by at least 10 seconds. With 40 to go, a boat tacked right in front of us, so we headed down to hook them to leeward. At this point, we were going way to fast and came up tight while easing the sails to try and slow down. This worked for our boat speed, but it forced the other boat over the line early.
We dipped back down with 20 seconds to go and began to get some speed. With 8 seconds to go, we headed back up to the line and trimmed in for speed. We got off the line on the end we wanted. Unfortunately, we did not stick with our pre-race plan and found ourselves on the right side of the course. The left was favored with current and possibly with wind too, but we missed it.
After some back and forth up the course, we settled back into the left side and were able to get around K ahead of the fleet. We held off the fleet for the entire leg and then stretched out on the final leg for a win.
Many boats got caught in the time limit. It is important to note that the time limit for the early start races is 20:15, not 20:30. I believe this was a new addition for this year.
After the race, the wind was light, but we kept sailing. Soon a NW wind filled in and we were back to sailing in a decent breeze. This kept us going for another 45 minutes before dying out and then we headed in.
The Half Moon was back on the bay. Here is a rough video.
Tonight was a east side favored night for the upwind leg. We recognized this before the start. The line was fairly square, so we decided to run the line on starboard and start near the pin. As the start time was approaching, we had a lot of steam and we were early to the pin by at least 10 seconds. With 40 to go, a boat tacked right in front of us, so we headed down to hook them to leeward. At this point, we were going way to fast and came up tight while easing the sails to try and slow down. This worked for our boat speed, but it forced the other boat over the line early.
We dipped back down with 20 seconds to go and began to get some speed. With 8 seconds to go, we headed back up to the line and trimmed in for speed. We got off the line on the end we wanted. Unfortunately, we did not stick with our pre-race plan and found ourselves on the right side of the course. The left was favored with current and possibly with wind too, but we missed it.
After some back and forth up the course, we settled back into the left side and were able to get around K ahead of the fleet. We held off the fleet for the entire leg and then stretched out on the final leg for a win.
Many boats got caught in the time limit. It is important to note that the time limit for the early start races is 20:15, not 20:30. I believe this was a new addition for this year.
After the race, the wind was light, but we kept sailing. Soon a NW wind filled in and we were back to sailing in a decent breeze. This kept us going for another 45 minutes before dying out and then we headed in.
The Half Moon was back on the bay. Here is a rough video.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Summer Race #7
Wind was light from the ENE between 2-6 knots. Current was mostly slack. Skies were overcast. Course was from H to C and back. A&B went twice around.
I left the dock early as I was the only person able to sail this night. It is best to do everything early when sailing alone since it can be tough to overcome any issues that come up. In a light northerly, I sailed over to H and then hardened up to sail to C. I figured that would be the course and wanted to see if one side was favored. I preferred the right side on this preview of the race. I then motored back to the starting area and chatted with the RM about the conditions and the line.
The RM did an amazing job tonight. First, they solicited input from some racers about the wind and whether to start or not. They then reset the line and tried to get a start going. The wind crapped out, but the RM made the difficult call to postpone the first start and wait for more breeze. When that breeze came, they made a good course for all divisions and rolled back into the start. It was just a great job to confer with other boats and postpone the start until conditions were better. They were on top of things.
As my start approached, I noticed that I could run the line on starboard, but it would be tough to cross the pin (port) end on starboard. This set up for a port tack start. With over 1 minute to go, I was running the line on port and flipped over to starboard. I was able to stay close to the line, but then turned down to fend off some port tack boats and keep them out of the good lane. With 25 seconds to go, I flipped to port and started on time. I was ahead of the fleet and covered the closest boat all the way up the leg.
With a good lead at C, I turned downwind and got busy. I poled out the jib to one side. By the time that was complete, the wind clocked to the ESE. I then took the pole down and headed up to move along. The wind continued to change and I continued to adjust everything. Eventually with about 300 yards to the finish, I stopped all the work and just floated across the line.
It was a nice race and I was happy to get the bullet. I then sailed around for a bit since the best wind of the night was building from the north. I sailed on until 21:30. At that point it was dark and I was getting tired. Docking alone is the toughest part of sailing alone. Everything has to be done methodically and I did not want to be exhausted in case something went wrong. Around 21:45, I pulled into the slip and relaxed for a beer before heading home. It was a nice quiet night on Jazz.
I left the dock early as I was the only person able to sail this night. It is best to do everything early when sailing alone since it can be tough to overcome any issues that come up. In a light northerly, I sailed over to H and then hardened up to sail to C. I figured that would be the course and wanted to see if one side was favored. I preferred the right side on this preview of the race. I then motored back to the starting area and chatted with the RM about the conditions and the line.
The RM did an amazing job tonight. First, they solicited input from some racers about the wind and whether to start or not. They then reset the line and tried to get a start going. The wind crapped out, but the RM made the difficult call to postpone the first start and wait for more breeze. When that breeze came, they made a good course for all divisions and rolled back into the start. It was just a great job to confer with other boats and postpone the start until conditions were better. They were on top of things.
As my start approached, I noticed that I could run the line on starboard, but it would be tough to cross the pin (port) end on starboard. This set up for a port tack start. With over 1 minute to go, I was running the line on port and flipped over to starboard. I was able to stay close to the line, but then turned down to fend off some port tack boats and keep them out of the good lane. With 25 seconds to go, I flipped to port and started on time. I was ahead of the fleet and covered the closest boat all the way up the leg.
With a good lead at C, I turned downwind and got busy. I poled out the jib to one side. By the time that was complete, the wind clocked to the ESE. I then took the pole down and headed up to move along. The wind continued to change and I continued to adjust everything. Eventually with about 300 yards to the finish, I stopped all the work and just floated across the line.
It was a nice race and I was happy to get the bullet. I then sailed around for a bit since the best wind of the night was building from the north. I sailed on until 21:30. At that point it was dark and I was getting tired. Docking alone is the toughest part of sailing alone. Everything has to be done methodically and I did not want to be exhausted in case something went wrong. Around 21:45, I pulled into the slip and relaxed for a beer before heading home. It was a nice quiet night on Jazz.
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| Fleet on the course |
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Summer Race #6
Winds were light from the NW. Current was ebbing. Course was from H to B and back.
This was an odd race. With a strong ebb and a light breeze, we had to sail all the way up to B and come back to H. For the quicker boats, this was done in a normal 60-90 minute time. For the boats that have a low VMG upwind, they were unable to fight the current and round B.
We had a nice start on the west side of the line. We kept the boat on the west side of the course and eventually sailed into the shallow water by Minniesceongo. This was helpful as we were able to get out of the current and make good headway towards B. After rounding B, we made sure to sail down to the middle of the river to get into the heavier current and make it to H.
We sailed around for a little while after the race and grabbed the last slice of pizza before heading home.
I think a course to 26 for the C division would have allowed more boats to finish.
Before the race, we passed by my brother's boat that was coming home from a long trip along the East coast down to the Caribbean.
This was an odd race. With a strong ebb and a light breeze, we had to sail all the way up to B and come back to H. For the quicker boats, this was done in a normal 60-90 minute time. For the boats that have a low VMG upwind, they were unable to fight the current and round B.
We had a nice start on the west side of the line. We kept the boat on the west side of the course and eventually sailed into the shallow water by Minniesceongo. This was helpful as we were able to get out of the current and make good headway towards B. After rounding B, we made sure to sail down to the middle of the river to get into the heavier current and make it to H.
We sailed around for a little while after the race and grabbed the last slice of pizza before heading home.
I think a course to 26 for the C division would have allowed more boats to finish.
Before the race, we passed by my brother's boat that was coming home from a long trip along the East coast down to the Caribbean.
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| Patronus on their return to Haverstraw |
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Summer Race #5
Winds were between 12 and 18 from the NNW. Course for all divisions was from H to C to 22 to H. Current was flooding early going slack around 20:00. Skies were overcast.
Another nice windy Wednesday night was on tap for this evening. We left the harbor around 17:30 and hoisted the main close to shore in the lee of the land. We then cruised out to the starting area under main only. With the winds up, the current flooding and a presumed course to 26, we decided not to sail around and try the course.
We watched the race committee set a tough line for the fleet. Under main only, we ran the line in 25 seconds. It was short, especially for the light conditions. The boat was on the wrong end of the line (the port end). The port end was heavily favored. I have written about this before in the past and this night the line was dangerous. With the line being short and the port end favored, the RC became a big obstacle for boats running the line on starboard.
The dangerous line was evident in both starts. Boats crossing on starboard were unable to clear the RC and their long scope. Since the port end was favored, boats piled up there and were soon forced to tack onto port and face the other starboard boats coming at them. Because the port end was a boat and not the mark, it was very difficult to get around the boat to either side.
Taking all this into account, we ran the line with 15 seconds to go and tacked onto port right after the start. We were far enough ahead to clear any starboard tackers, but there was chaos on the line behind us. We moved out quickly towards C which was almost a one tack beat. We made sure to protect the left side of the course as it seemed to have better wind and current. By the time we rounded C, we had already passed two boats from the B division.
Rounding C and heading down to 22 was nice. It was a long leg and the wind was strong enough to keep the boat moving above 4 knots the whole time. We got to 22 and hardened up on port. Kohlinar was just ahead of us at this point and we began to slip into their bad air. We tacked to get back to the left a little before settling in to a nice long port tack.
Interesting note on the last leg. Kohlinar was sailing good upwind. They had a small jib, but were moving well enough that we could not escape their bad air. After we split out to the left, we ended up finishing over 7 minutes ahead. Some of this was due to a jib change, but it also showed how favored the left was for both upwind legs.
We finished and sailed around in the fresh breeze. As the sun set, the wind began to settle down to a light 4-8 knots. At this point, we doused the sails and headed in to the Hudson Water Club for food.
Another nice windy Wednesday night was on tap for this evening. We left the harbor around 17:30 and hoisted the main close to shore in the lee of the land. We then cruised out to the starting area under main only. With the winds up, the current flooding and a presumed course to 26, we decided not to sail around and try the course.
We watched the race committee set a tough line for the fleet. Under main only, we ran the line in 25 seconds. It was short, especially for the light conditions. The boat was on the wrong end of the line (the port end). The port end was heavily favored. I have written about this before in the past and this night the line was dangerous. With the line being short and the port end favored, the RC became a big obstacle for boats running the line on starboard.
The dangerous line was evident in both starts. Boats crossing on starboard were unable to clear the RC and their long scope. Since the port end was favored, boats piled up there and were soon forced to tack onto port and face the other starboard boats coming at them. Because the port end was a boat and not the mark, it was very difficult to get around the boat to either side.
Taking all this into account, we ran the line with 15 seconds to go and tacked onto port right after the start. We were far enough ahead to clear any starboard tackers, but there was chaos on the line behind us. We moved out quickly towards C which was almost a one tack beat. We made sure to protect the left side of the course as it seemed to have better wind and current. By the time we rounded C, we had already passed two boats from the B division.
Rounding C and heading down to 22 was nice. It was a long leg and the wind was strong enough to keep the boat moving above 4 knots the whole time. We got to 22 and hardened up on port. Kohlinar was just ahead of us at this point and we began to slip into their bad air. We tacked to get back to the left a little before settling in to a nice long port tack.
Interesting note on the last leg. Kohlinar was sailing good upwind. They had a small jib, but were moving well enough that we could not escape their bad air. After we split out to the left, we ended up finishing over 7 minutes ahead. Some of this was due to a jib change, but it also showed how favored the left was for both upwind legs.
We finished and sailed around in the fresh breeze. As the sun set, the wind began to settle down to a light 4-8 knots. At this point, we doused the sails and headed in to the Hudson Water Club for food.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Summer Race #4
Heavy winds from the south between 12 and 20 knots. Current was ebbing. Skies were cloudy with showers. Course for A&B was H to K to H, twice around. C1 and C2 sailed H to 22 to K to H.
It was our Race Committee night and we were disappointed to have to do it on such a great sailing evening. The heavy winds from the south made for big waves and lots of fun. We motored out to the course area and dropped the hook. Since the ebb was opposite the wind, we had to be careful anchoring as the stern swung into the breeze. This made for an odd motion as the stern was being hit with 2-3 foot waves.
We set the line with the boat end slightly favored. As the start approached, a brief shower came through and brought extra wind. During the puff, the first start went off. One boat was over early and had some trouble getting back. Another quit the race shortly after the start.
After the boats cleared out, we cooked and ate a few racks of ribs and had a few beers. Eventually the current eased up and our bow was now into the wind. This made the anchoring more pleasant.
We chose the above courses in order for boats to finish around the same time. I always like to try and send C on a shorter course, but not too short. I feel a Wednesday night race should be at least an hour long if possible. So we went with A/B going twice around a windward leeward course. This would maximize the strategy for them and they are suited for that course. For C, we sent them to 22 in order for them to have a slightly longer leg. Then they would reach to K before going downwind to H. The timing worked out well as all the racing boats finished within 30 minutes of each other. There was one boat that appeared to have a breakdown and raced without her main. She finished 20 minutes after the fleet, but I cannot plan for boats that do not sail with a main.
We recorded the finishes on three sheets. That way if two disagree we have a tie breaker. We also used the "Rite in the rain" paper I like. This is waterproof paper and for a few bucks makes the whole shower thing irrelevant. I print the score sheets on the water proof paper and we can keep it outside the whole time. It also helps to have a waterproof pen.
After the last finisher, we unfurled the jib and sailed around for a while. We wished we would have been able to race on this fine evening, but the little bit of sailing went a long way to easing that pain.
Some boats withdrew from racing. I thought that this was a good decision on their part. If you and your crew are not up for the conditions, then withdrawal is the proper thing to do. I was happy that there was no radio chatter about it being too windy to race. We are out there for wind and 20 knots is a great sailing breeze. I was happy to be able to allow the rest of the fleet to challenge themselves against these conditions.
In the video below, Mad Hatter and Chi are going upwind. The rest of their fleet is on the left and the C fleets are on the right in the distance.
It was our Race Committee night and we were disappointed to have to do it on such a great sailing evening. The heavy winds from the south made for big waves and lots of fun. We motored out to the course area and dropped the hook. Since the ebb was opposite the wind, we had to be careful anchoring as the stern swung into the breeze. This made for an odd motion as the stern was being hit with 2-3 foot waves.
We set the line with the boat end slightly favored. As the start approached, a brief shower came through and brought extra wind. During the puff, the first start went off. One boat was over early and had some trouble getting back. Another quit the race shortly after the start.
After the boats cleared out, we cooked and ate a few racks of ribs and had a few beers. Eventually the current eased up and our bow was now into the wind. This made the anchoring more pleasant.
We chose the above courses in order for boats to finish around the same time. I always like to try and send C on a shorter course, but not too short. I feel a Wednesday night race should be at least an hour long if possible. So we went with A/B going twice around a windward leeward course. This would maximize the strategy for them and they are suited for that course. For C, we sent them to 22 in order for them to have a slightly longer leg. Then they would reach to K before going downwind to H. The timing worked out well as all the racing boats finished within 30 minutes of each other. There was one boat that appeared to have a breakdown and raced without her main. She finished 20 minutes after the fleet, but I cannot plan for boats that do not sail with a main.
We recorded the finishes on three sheets. That way if two disagree we have a tie breaker. We also used the "Rite in the rain" paper I like. This is waterproof paper and for a few bucks makes the whole shower thing irrelevant. I print the score sheets on the water proof paper and we can keep it outside the whole time. It also helps to have a waterproof pen.
After the last finisher, we unfurled the jib and sailed around for a while. We wished we would have been able to race on this fine evening, but the little bit of sailing went a long way to easing that pain.
Some boats withdrew from racing. I thought that this was a good decision on their part. If you and your crew are not up for the conditions, then withdrawal is the proper thing to do. I was happy that there was no radio chatter about it being too windy to race. We are out there for wind and 20 knots is a great sailing breeze. I was happy to be able to allow the rest of the fleet to challenge themselves against these conditions.
In the video below, Mad Hatter and Chi are going upwind. The rest of their fleet is on the left and the C fleets are on the right in the distance.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Summer Race #3
This was a light air race. We had a bad start and were a minute behind. We should have gone left early in the leg. The current on the right was too heavy for the extra wind to be an advantage.
A boat was motoring within 4 minutes of her start. She should have withdrawn for breaking the rules. No motoring with 4 minutes. You put the engine in gear, you have broken the rules.
A boat was motoring within 4 minutes of her start. She should have withdrawn for breaking the rules. No motoring with 4 minutes. You put the engine in gear, you have broken the rules.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Summer Race #2
Shifty North wind between 6-12 knots. Current was ebbing over 1 knot in the channel. Skies were partly sunny. Course was from H to 26 to K to H. A&B sailed H to 26 to 22 to G to H.
Early in the day, I saw the forecast and the moon rise prediction and thought it was the perfect night for a late night sail. With a northerly gradient, I thought the breeze would hold up well into the night and if we got a break from the clouds, we would get a nice moonrise.
Soon after deciding to skip pizza night and sail longer, I got word that we could take some of the youth sailors out for a ride. I always enjoy this and made arrangements to pick up Joey and Tommy from MYC. By 17:40, we were on the water sailing downwind to the starting area.
We did a test run sailing up the river to 26. The right side was favored in wind and with less current. It was a no-brainer at this point. We crept over to the very favored pin end of the line and waited for A&B to start. During their start, the wind changed at least 60 degrees to the right. The port tack start that we were going to use failed for the A&B boats. The starboard tack boats were coming off the line well and by the time our start was 3 minutes away, the boat end was now clearly favored. We adjusted before the start and got off the line by the RM boat a few seconds after the gun.
This put us in the position of being the right most boat in the fleet as a righty was taking over. We were lifted above the mark and stayed there knowing the current was ripping. By staying to the right, we thought we would have a little less current than the boats below us. We also kept it high since the wind was good and we may need the speed of footing closer to the mark.
Everything worked out well and we rounded 26 a minute ahead of the next boat. We then cruised at 8 knots over the ground to K. This was a short leg, but we were able to gain a little more distance on the fleet. Rounding K, we held port tack for 2 minutes. After tacking back to starboard, the current had shown that the 2 minute lead would not mean much distance on this leg. We let A-Train get above us on starboard tack since we were already making the mark.
I was concerned about this. First, A-Train would be further from the channel and probably in less current. Second, the wind was from the NE now and A-Train was closer to the NE shore. In the end, we got some additional lift and cracked off a bit near the finish. We let the kids drive most of the last leg and across the finish. Although not as talkative as the girls from last year, they seemed to have a great time driving the boat at the end of the race.
Their parents were nice enough to pick the kids up at the Haverstraw fuel dock. This made it easy for us to get back out and enjoy the new freshening breeze. The wind went back to the north and built to a refreshing 12-18 knots. These were the conditions we were hoping for to extend the sail into the night. We sailed down to Croton before tight reaching back and forth.
Finally around 21:30, with clouds blocking the eastern horizon, we sailed in for the evening. It was a great ride after the race. The winds were perfect and the sunset put on a nice show.
The Race Committee did a great job. For the second week in a row, two courses were used and the boats came back close to each other. It was a nice length for the conditions.
Pizza night was tough to miss. We love the event, but I could not turn down this night of sailing after so many weeks of light or no air. Since I don't get out much on the weekends anymore, the night was just the sailing fix I was looking for.
Early in the day, I saw the forecast and the moon rise prediction and thought it was the perfect night for a late night sail. With a northerly gradient, I thought the breeze would hold up well into the night and if we got a break from the clouds, we would get a nice moonrise.
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| Joey and Tommy |
We did a test run sailing up the river to 26. The right side was favored in wind and with less current. It was a no-brainer at this point. We crept over to the very favored pin end of the line and waited for A&B to start. During their start, the wind changed at least 60 degrees to the right. The port tack start that we were going to use failed for the A&B boats. The starboard tack boats were coming off the line well and by the time our start was 3 minutes away, the boat end was now clearly favored. We adjusted before the start and got off the line by the RM boat a few seconds after the gun.
This put us in the position of being the right most boat in the fleet as a righty was taking over. We were lifted above the mark and stayed there knowing the current was ripping. By staying to the right, we thought we would have a little less current than the boats below us. We also kept it high since the wind was good and we may need the speed of footing closer to the mark.
Everything worked out well and we rounded 26 a minute ahead of the next boat. We then cruised at 8 knots over the ground to K. This was a short leg, but we were able to gain a little more distance on the fleet. Rounding K, we held port tack for 2 minutes. After tacking back to starboard, the current had shown that the 2 minute lead would not mean much distance on this leg. We let A-Train get above us on starboard tack since we were already making the mark.
I was concerned about this. First, A-Train would be further from the channel and probably in less current. Second, the wind was from the NE now and A-Train was closer to the NE shore. In the end, we got some additional lift and cracked off a bit near the finish. We let the kids drive most of the last leg and across the finish. Although not as talkative as the girls from last year, they seemed to have a great time driving the boat at the end of the race.
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| Sunset |
Finally around 21:30, with clouds blocking the eastern horizon, we sailed in for the evening. It was a great ride after the race. The winds were perfect and the sunset put on a nice show.
The Race Committee did a great job. For the second week in a row, two courses were used and the boats came back close to each other. It was a nice length for the conditions.
Pizza night was tough to miss. We love the event, but I could not turn down this night of sailing after so many weeks of light or no air. Since I don't get out much on the weekends anymore, the night was just the sailing fix I was looking for.
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| Sun behind flag |
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| Post sunset |
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Summer Race #1
Winds were light from the NW between 4 and 8 knots. Current was flooding hard all night. Skies were clear and the temperature was warm. Course for C was from H to 26 to 24 to H. A&B sailed to K instead of 24.
The area has been blanketed by a heat wave for almost two weeks now. Wednesday was a hot day and the wind forecast predicted southerlies. When we went out of the harbor, winds were light and variable. We motored up current of the starting area and took a swim to swipe the bottom and inspect the speedo which has not worked all year. After some brushing and forced spinning, the speedo was still not reading our speed. At least the water was somewhat cool and it felt nice to swim around a bit.
As the start time approached, an unexpected WNW breeze began to fill in. We sailed over to the line and were surprised at its length. We knew the start would take place near the committee boat since the line was heavily favored to that side. As we got set for the start, most boats were late, so we were able to make our own comfortable approach to the line and start 10 seconds late, but ahead of the competition. Off the line, we footed for speed and raced to the west side of the river. That was the plan all along.
We took starboard tack all the way to the port layline before flipping over. Most boats had already gone back earlier, but a J/24 followed us to the layline. We overstood a bit since the 24 sails higher than our boat and in the light air, their speed was just as good. We thought it best to make sure they had to overstand or sit in our bad air. This worked out as we were able to foot again and keep good speed to 26. Overstanding also helped us stay to windward of all the A&B boats that were coming at us on starboard. With clear air and a nice angle, we rounded the mark a minute ahead.
The next leg was a broad reach. Sometimes the wind swung ahead and we had to tighten the sails. During the leg, our speedo came to life for the first time all year. As we approached 24, I took the initial part of the rounding wide since the current was pushing us into the mark. It was wide enough, but I still had to turn the boat hard at the mark to get the stern to swing out and avoid it. With the current ripping, I did not want to waste any distance against it.
Once around the mark we headed low of the finish as the current was trying to pull us high of it. We got a land mark and made sure we were steady against it. In the puffs we took the opportunity to head down even lower with speed. When the lulls came, we headed up to keep the speed going, but lost some gauge on the mark. We crossed the finish first and sailed around for a while after the race.
It was great seeing all the boats sailing after the race. It was just a nice lazy night on the river and having sailboats outnumber the stink pots was very cool. The sunset was nice, but the harbor was still hot in the twilight of the day.
The race committee did an excellent job tonight. The courses were the perfect length for the fleets. Everyone finished within the time limit and that was not guaranteed in the light conditions. With A&B on the longer course, their finishes were mixed into the C finishes. Unfortunately, the line was set so that the boats finished from opposite sides, but there were no issues from that. Hopefully we can continue to get races in despite the summer doldrums.
The area has been blanketed by a heat wave for almost two weeks now. Wednesday was a hot day and the wind forecast predicted southerlies. When we went out of the harbor, winds were light and variable. We motored up current of the starting area and took a swim to swipe the bottom and inspect the speedo which has not worked all year. After some brushing and forced spinning, the speedo was still not reading our speed. At least the water was somewhat cool and it felt nice to swim around a bit.
As the start time approached, an unexpected WNW breeze began to fill in. We sailed over to the line and were surprised at its length. We knew the start would take place near the committee boat since the line was heavily favored to that side. As we got set for the start, most boats were late, so we were able to make our own comfortable approach to the line and start 10 seconds late, but ahead of the competition. Off the line, we footed for speed and raced to the west side of the river. That was the plan all along.
We took starboard tack all the way to the port layline before flipping over. Most boats had already gone back earlier, but a J/24 followed us to the layline. We overstood a bit since the 24 sails higher than our boat and in the light air, their speed was just as good. We thought it best to make sure they had to overstand or sit in our bad air. This worked out as we were able to foot again and keep good speed to 26. Overstanding also helped us stay to windward of all the A&B boats that were coming at us on starboard. With clear air and a nice angle, we rounded the mark a minute ahead.
The next leg was a broad reach. Sometimes the wind swung ahead and we had to tighten the sails. During the leg, our speedo came to life for the first time all year. As we approached 24, I took the initial part of the rounding wide since the current was pushing us into the mark. It was wide enough, but I still had to turn the boat hard at the mark to get the stern to swing out and avoid it. With the current ripping, I did not want to waste any distance against it.
Once around the mark we headed low of the finish as the current was trying to pull us high of it. We got a land mark and made sure we were steady against it. In the puffs we took the opportunity to head down even lower with speed. When the lulls came, we headed up to keep the speed going, but lost some gauge on the mark. We crossed the finish first and sailed around for a while after the race.
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| Sunset over Haverstraw |
The race committee did an excellent job tonight. The courses were the perfect length for the fleets. Everyone finished within the time limit and that was not guaranteed in the light conditions. With A&B on the longer course, their finishes were mixed into the C finishes. Unfortunately, the line was set so that the boats finished from opposite sides, but there were no issues from that. Hopefully we can continue to get races in despite the summer doldrums.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Spring Race #9
Decent winds from the south around 4-8 knots.
Current was flooding. Course was from H to K and back. Skies were
overcast with a chance of showers.
For this July 3rd race, I decided to take the kids with me. Haverstraw was supposed to have fireworks that night, so it seemed like a great way to combine a race and some fireworks. Unfortunately, on the drive down, we saw a sign that the fireworks had been postponed, probably due to the forecast. This was disappointing, but we got ready for a long night on the water regardless.
With the grill on the stern, we sailed out to the start. The kids had a great time on the boat before the race. At 5 and 7, they are now able to move about the boat freely and enjoyed being on the bow as I tacked the jib a few times. As the start approached, I had the kids sit in the back with Tara while I moved into the middle to do everything.
We approached the start line in a decent position with about 80 seconds to go. The wind let up and we were a bit late to cross the line, but everyone was later, so it was a good start. There was not much strategy on the first leg. Everyone went to the left side and tacked close to lay-line. We were able to maintain a lead all the way to K and then turned to go downhill.
On the downwind leg, I poled out the jib while the kids and Tara helped with lines and steering. It was fun to see the kids get involved for the first time in their lives. Up to this point, they have just been spectators on races. We have come a long way from the times when Tara was breastfeeding Rowan on the reaching legs. The kids are eager to help with the race and enjoy taking part in it.
After the finish, we sailed around a bit and headed up to Croton to anchor and eat. After dinner we sailed out of Croton and saw the Ossining fireworks at a distance. Around 21:30, we headed back towards Haverstraw in a light southerly. The river was wavy as all the motor boats were going home from the fireworks display. By 22:30, we had enough and motored into Haverstraw for an end to the night.
For this July 3rd race, I decided to take the kids with me. Haverstraw was supposed to have fireworks that night, so it seemed like a great way to combine a race and some fireworks. Unfortunately, on the drive down, we saw a sign that the fireworks had been postponed, probably due to the forecast. This was disappointing, but we got ready for a long night on the water regardless.
With the grill on the stern, we sailed out to the start. The kids had a great time on the boat before the race. At 5 and 7, they are now able to move about the boat freely and enjoyed being on the bow as I tacked the jib a few times. As the start approached, I had the kids sit in the back with Tara while I moved into the middle to do everything.
We approached the start line in a decent position with about 80 seconds to go. The wind let up and we were a bit late to cross the line, but everyone was later, so it was a good start. There was not much strategy on the first leg. Everyone went to the left side and tacked close to lay-line. We were able to maintain a lead all the way to K and then turned to go downhill.
On the downwind leg, I poled out the jib while the kids and Tara helped with lines and steering. It was fun to see the kids get involved for the first time in their lives. Up to this point, they have just been spectators on races. We have come a long way from the times when Tara was breastfeeding Rowan on the reaching legs. The kids are eager to help with the race and enjoy taking part in it.
After the finish, we sailed around a bit and headed up to Croton to anchor and eat. After dinner we sailed out of Croton and saw the Ossining fireworks at a distance. Around 21:30, we headed back towards Haverstraw in a light southerly. The river was wavy as all the motor boats were going home from the fireworks display. By 22:30, we had enough and motored into Haverstraw for an end to the night.
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| Hazel steering with help |
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| The whole gang |
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| Rowan Driving downwind in the race |
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| Hazel likes to grind the winch |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Spring Race #8
Winds were light and variable. Current ebbing. Race Cancelled.
Another light and variable night on the river. There was little hope of getting a race off this evening. It is one of the rare times where we did not put up our main.
As the race was in postponement, a racer called in to say that he was counting on the race committee to make the right decision. A few moments later, the race was cancelled. While the thunderstorms that the anonymous radio caller was concerned about never materialized, neither did any breeze and no race would have been held.
With little else to comment on, it is worth noting that the anonymous caller was incorrect. He should not have been relying on the race committee to cancel the race to be safe. He could have gone in on his own. If the clap of thunder was deemed to be a safety issue by any captain, then they should take their boat in. Any responsible captain should have the discretion to make that decision on the water regardless of the race status.
4 DECISION TO RACE
The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.
In one of our first years on the river, we withdrew from a race 5 minutes from the finish. We saw a squall line coming in on the radar and I decided it was no longer prudent to stay on the river. We were winning the race, but we still withdrew and headed straight into harbor. We got there just as the skies opened up. As captain, I made the decision that the conditions were going to become too risky for a Wednesday Night race and we withdrew.
That is what boats should do, rather than try to encourage a cancellation with the race committee. I think the best thing to do is a simple hail such as "we are withdrawing from tonight's race due to the lightning that appears to be moving in."
Don't rely on the race committee to keep your boat safe. Make your decision as captain and stick to it. What may be safe to some boats may not be safe for yours. The race committee should not be responsible for the safety of all the boats out there.
Another light and variable night on the river. There was little hope of getting a race off this evening. It is one of the rare times where we did not put up our main.
As the race was in postponement, a racer called in to say that he was counting on the race committee to make the right decision. A few moments later, the race was cancelled. While the thunderstorms that the anonymous radio caller was concerned about never materialized, neither did any breeze and no race would have been held.
With little else to comment on, it is worth noting that the anonymous caller was incorrect. He should not have been relying on the race committee to cancel the race to be safe. He could have gone in on his own. If the clap of thunder was deemed to be a safety issue by any captain, then they should take their boat in. Any responsible captain should have the discretion to make that decision on the water regardless of the race status.
4 DECISION TO RACE
The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.
In one of our first years on the river, we withdrew from a race 5 minutes from the finish. We saw a squall line coming in on the radar and I decided it was no longer prudent to stay on the river. We were winning the race, but we still withdrew and headed straight into harbor. We got there just as the skies opened up. As captain, I made the decision that the conditions were going to become too risky for a Wednesday Night race and we withdrew.
That is what boats should do, rather than try to encourage a cancellation with the race committee. I think the best thing to do is a simple hail such as "we are withdrawing from tonight's race due to the lightning that appears to be moving in."
Don't rely on the race committee to keep your boat safe. Make your decision as captain and stick to it. What may be safe to some boats may not be safe for yours. The race committee should not be responsible for the safety of all the boats out there.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Spring Race #7
Winds were light and variable. Current flooding. Race Cancelled.
Early in day there were some good northerlies. They quickly died down when we went on the water around 17:40. We motored over to the start area and found the wind light and variable.
After the postponement, we motored up to Croton and sailed in a nice 4-6 knots from the south. As we made our way back to the starting area, the breeze shifted to the west and died. Looking back at Croton, the wind we saw there also died.
Finally, around 18:45, we motored to the west thinking we saw something near the marina. As we got closer, we saw nothing and finally took the main in. The races were then cancelled for the evening and we were in the harbor a few minutes later.
We then had dinner at the Hudson Water Club. Looking out on the river, we never saw any improvement before we left the restaurant a little after 21:00. The night was pleasant, but no sailing was possible.
Early in day there were some good northerlies. They quickly died down when we went on the water around 17:40. We motored over to the start area and found the wind light and variable.
After the postponement, we motored up to Croton and sailed in a nice 4-6 knots from the south. As we made our way back to the starting area, the breeze shifted to the west and died. Looking back at Croton, the wind we saw there also died.
Finally, around 18:45, we motored to the west thinking we saw something near the marina. As we got closer, we saw nothing and finally took the main in. The races were then cancelled for the evening and we were in the harbor a few minutes later.
We then had dinner at the Hudson Water Club. Looking out on the river, we never saw any improvement before we left the restaurant a little after 21:00. The night was pleasant, but no sailing was possible.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Spring Race #6
Winds were light from the North around 6-10, quickly dropping to light and variable. Current was full ebb. Course for C was from H to C to 26 to 24 to H. A & B sailed to F in place of 26.
Tonight started off rough for me. I usually leave the office by 16:00, but got held up until 17:00. I rushed to the boat and we got to the line with 10 minutes to spare before the first signal. We quickly surmised that the line was square with a slight starboard end advantage. We thought the right side of the course would be favored due to less current and a possible NE bend in the wind there.
As the start approached, I was coming in on port and A-Train was setup well on starboard. We went to tack behind them with 45 second to go, but the jib got caught on the rigging during the tack and we stopped. Due to the light breeze and being 40 seconds from the line, this put us about 20 seconds late at the start. A-Train was much closer to the line at the start and had better speed.
Clearing the line, we both tacked and A-Train continued to maintain a loose cover for the leg. As the breeze died down, A-Train continued to stretch out on us. This is typical for Jazz. In light air, we have to win the start and cover our competition to have any chance of staying ahead for the first mark. With A-Train out ahead, they just stretched and stretched until they were ahead by 5 minutes at the mark.
We finally made it around C and stayed very high to make sure we did not lose bearing on 26. The GPS can be very helpful here as can a sight of the mark against land. We had to head 15-20 degrees high of 26 to make a course over ground (COG) straight at it. We managed to make the mark before the wind died. Only three C boats made it to 26.
Getting to 24 was easy thanks to the current. We pointed the boat straight at it and the current carried us there. A-Train again rounded well ahead and they reached out to the East side looking to catch a light easterly that had filled in. We tried to do the same, but the easterly was gone by the time we reached the spot where it had been.
After floating away from the finish, we finally dropped anchor. This improved our boat speed, but the COG was zero. We stayed on anchor for about 10 minutes before a light SW breeze filled in. This was enough to get us moving again, but with an ETA at the finish of 20:43, we knew that we would miss the time limit.
The time limit expired and we motored in to the finish. It was a disappointing night. I blew the start as I left no wiggle room should something go wrong and of course something did go wrong. In light air, I really need to focus on staying on top of the competition and making sure we get a lead right away. Once A-Train was ahead, we needed a mistake and they did not oblige. Even when they were ahead, I went a bit nuts trying to get to one side of the course while they sailed to the other, but that meant that I was not playing the shifts properly. Next time I will accept being behind and try to keep it close. We can close distance on A-Train in light air when the boats are sailing downwind. We ended up so far behind that there was no chance of catching up.
The weather was at least nice so that anchoring was enjoyable. We got to watch the sunset. Blah, blah, blah. We had a bad race, so everything else was bullshit. See you next week.
Tonight started off rough for me. I usually leave the office by 16:00, but got held up until 17:00. I rushed to the boat and we got to the line with 10 minutes to spare before the first signal. We quickly surmised that the line was square with a slight starboard end advantage. We thought the right side of the course would be favored due to less current and a possible NE bend in the wind there.
As the start approached, I was coming in on port and A-Train was setup well on starboard. We went to tack behind them with 45 second to go, but the jib got caught on the rigging during the tack and we stopped. Due to the light breeze and being 40 seconds from the line, this put us about 20 seconds late at the start. A-Train was much closer to the line at the start and had better speed.
Clearing the line, we both tacked and A-Train continued to maintain a loose cover for the leg. As the breeze died down, A-Train continued to stretch out on us. This is typical for Jazz. In light air, we have to win the start and cover our competition to have any chance of staying ahead for the first mark. With A-Train out ahead, they just stretched and stretched until they were ahead by 5 minutes at the mark.
We finally made it around C and stayed very high to make sure we did not lose bearing on 26. The GPS can be very helpful here as can a sight of the mark against land. We had to head 15-20 degrees high of 26 to make a course over ground (COG) straight at it. We managed to make the mark before the wind died. Only three C boats made it to 26.
Getting to 24 was easy thanks to the current. We pointed the boat straight at it and the current carried us there. A-Train again rounded well ahead and they reached out to the East side looking to catch a light easterly that had filled in. We tried to do the same, but the easterly was gone by the time we reached the spot where it had been.
After floating away from the finish, we finally dropped anchor. This improved our boat speed, but the COG was zero. We stayed on anchor for about 10 minutes before a light SW breeze filled in. This was enough to get us moving again, but with an ETA at the finish of 20:43, we knew that we would miss the time limit.
The time limit expired and we motored in to the finish. It was a disappointing night. I blew the start as I left no wiggle room should something go wrong and of course something did go wrong. In light air, I really need to focus on staying on top of the competition and making sure we get a lead right away. Once A-Train was ahead, we needed a mistake and they did not oblige. Even when they were ahead, I went a bit nuts trying to get to one side of the course while they sailed to the other, but that meant that I was not playing the shifts properly. Next time I will accept being behind and try to keep it close. We can close distance on A-Train in light air when the boats are sailing downwind. We ended up so far behind that there was no chance of catching up.
The weather was at least nice so that anchoring was enjoyable. We got to watch the sunset. Blah, blah, blah. We had a bad race, so everything else was bullshit. See you next week.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Spring Race #5
Clear skies. Wind was from the southwest between 10 and 15 knots. Current was beginning to flood as the race started. Course for C was from H to 22 to K to H. A & B substituted G for K.
When I got to the marina at 17:00, the river was beginning to come to life with a southerly filling in. By the time we left the harbor at 17:35, the wind was a nice 10-12 knots and we sailed around to check out the current. Nothing was unusual, so we went back to the start and prepared for our start.
The line was nice and square, but a little shorter than usual, but it still took 35 seconds to run the line. We decided to get out to he right for better breeze and therefor to start on the right end of the line. As the start was approaching, I was relieved to not see a bunch of bargers setup on the starboard end. There was one or two boats reaching in, but they responded to our hails of leeward and we got off the line nicely. We soon tacked to port and headed to the western side of the course.
We were very close to Dream Chaser and traded the lead on the upwind leg towards the mark. We made a bit of a gain on them when my crew executed some nice tacks. It was just enough to hold a 30 second lead as we began the reach to G. We had to stay high on the reach as the current was pulling hard to leeward. We rounded G and stayed high to get back into the fresh breeze and more current. This worked out, but we did not stretch out from Dream Chaser who was threatening to take our wind. When it was time to wing it out, the crew once again executed it well and we made a little gain before finishing.
We then sailed around for a little while and headed into the Hudson Water Club for pizza and beer. It was a nice night on the river and we were happy to sit out on the deck and continue to take it in, despite the annoying line dancing that was going on.
Something worth noting is how bad the west side of the course can be near 22. We lost a few boat-lengths on the windward leg when we were west of the competition. We saw other boats get hurt even worse on the west side. It is a predictable pattern. When going up to 22, it is best to stay a few hundred yards to the east and then take a port tack into the mark. If you get up into that channel, the wind will not cooperate and you can lose some serious time. At least when the flood is going and the wind is from 180-200.
When I got to the marina at 17:00, the river was beginning to come to life with a southerly filling in. By the time we left the harbor at 17:35, the wind was a nice 10-12 knots and we sailed around to check out the current. Nothing was unusual, so we went back to the start and prepared for our start.
The line was nice and square, but a little shorter than usual, but it still took 35 seconds to run the line. We decided to get out to he right for better breeze and therefor to start on the right end of the line. As the start was approaching, I was relieved to not see a bunch of bargers setup on the starboard end. There was one or two boats reaching in, but they responded to our hails of leeward and we got off the line nicely. We soon tacked to port and headed to the western side of the course.
We were very close to Dream Chaser and traded the lead on the upwind leg towards the mark. We made a bit of a gain on them when my crew executed some nice tacks. It was just enough to hold a 30 second lead as we began the reach to G. We had to stay high on the reach as the current was pulling hard to leeward. We rounded G and stayed high to get back into the fresh breeze and more current. This worked out, but we did not stretch out from Dream Chaser who was threatening to take our wind. When it was time to wing it out, the crew once again executed it well and we made a little gain before finishing.
We then sailed around for a little while and headed into the Hudson Water Club for pizza and beer. It was a nice night on the river and we were happy to sit out on the deck and continue to take it in, despite the annoying line dancing that was going on.
Something worth noting is how bad the west side of the course can be near 22. We lost a few boat-lengths on the windward leg when we were west of the competition. We saw other boats get hurt even worse on the west side. It is a predictable pattern. When going up to 22, it is best to stay a few hundred yards to the east and then take a port tack into the mark. If you get up into that channel, the wind will not cooperate and you can lose some serious time. At least when the flood is going and the wind is from 180-200.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Spring Race #4
Wind was light and shifty from the SW between 5 and 10 knots. Current was starting to ebb around the start time. Skies were clear. Course was from H to 24 to D to H.
For the fourth time in a row, the early forecast called for bad weather. Continuing the streak, the weather turned out to be great. When we left the harbor, we put the sails up and immediately noticed the 30-40 degree shifts happening on the west side of the river. The wind was from the southwest and the puffs would roll in from a west direction.
We checked out the current on 26 and were surprised to still see a flood at 17:30. The current table we usually use said the current would change at 17:15. Around 17:50, we sailed by 24 and still saw a light flood. I will have to remember that the channel does not change current for at least 40 minutes after the table says it will. By the time the race started and we got back to 24 around 18:40, the current was in a good ebb by then.
The start was crazy. The starboard end was heavily favored. This made the fleet converge up there. In the A&B start, a C boat was crossing the line with 30 second to go on port. Not sure why they were there, but when I saw them tack onto starboard my heart sank. Then I saw the jib was not released, so the jib back-winded and the boat spun to leeward and hit another boat. This incident made me very cautious going into our start.
When our start was approaching, I saw the typical barging boats coming in. This time there were at least four boats barging into the start. We were set to start inside A-Train, but sailed to leeward at the last second since the bargers were unaware of how to start and I knew they would not move for anyone. We then reached down the line and let A-Train get screwed by all the bargers that were not aware of their lack of rights. One of the bargers was sailing down onto us and I hailed for him to change course higher. This hail was not welcome, but I was still reaching and wanted to sail higher, but the closing gap was not enough for me to make a good course alteration. In the end, we were able to maintain clear air while A-Train got caught up with the barging boats and lost 6-7 boat-lengths through no fault of her own. These types of starts are crazy and it is why I wrote a long blog on barging.
Once clear of the mess, we sailed up the course nicely. We then hit a really bad wind change during a tack near 24. This put us back to the next boat in the fleet. As we approached 24, we were on port fetching the mark. A-Train was approaching the mark on starboard. I originally thought it best to duck A-Train's stern at the mark and be the inside boat. I then decided that the rules with tacking near the mark may not be clear and I did not want to put myself between A-Train and a government mark.
As we got closer, I made sure A-Train had enough room to tack at the mark inside of us. We were on a collision course, but I knew his proper course was to round the mark. What I did not put together in this moment was that rule 18 did not apply. Yes, we are rounding a mark that we are fetching, but rule 18.1 turns off if boats are on opposite tacks heading to windward. Here are the rules that applied.
10 ON OPPOSITE TACKS
When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
18 MARK-ROOM
18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone.
However, it does not apply
(a) between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward,
(b) between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,
(c) between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it, or
(d) if the mark is a continuing obstruction, in which case rule 19 applies.
While I was thinking of 18.2 and 18.3, I forgot that 18.1(a) turns off 18. We were two boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward. Even if I were no longer beating, 18.1(b) clearly means the rule is turned off. We broke rule 10, so we fouled.
I did not realize this on the course. I continued to sail and made no penalty turns. Once we got to pizza night, I talked to Bert and still was not clear on the rules. I downloaded a racing rules app (very cool) and was able to quickly realize that 18.1(a) meant that we were wrong. Luckily the sailing instructions allow a penalty even after racing is done, so I emailed the RM the next day to accept a penalty. The only other option would have been to withdraw.
I only accepted the penalty because I write this blog about rules. It would be hypocritical to break the rules, no matter how little other people follow them. This is the rule I could not get around:
BASIC PRINCIPLES
SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.
As soon as I realized I had broken a rule, I took my penalty. End of story on that. There was a lot of confusion at the mark in both divisions, so I will try to add a special section on starboard windward roundings in the future. Don't hold your breath. The one on barging took about a year to write.
Our downwind leg was tense. We had two boats threatening to take our breeze and one off to the south that seemed to be in a better breeze. Luckily we stayed ahead into D and rounded to finish ahead of the other boats. We ended up with a first on the water which got knocked down to a second after the penalty was applied.
The RM did a good job. Pizza night was nice and we still got to catch the sunset.
For the fourth time in a row, the early forecast called for bad weather. Continuing the streak, the weather turned out to be great. When we left the harbor, we put the sails up and immediately noticed the 30-40 degree shifts happening on the west side of the river. The wind was from the southwest and the puffs would roll in from a west direction.
We checked out the current on 26 and were surprised to still see a flood at 17:30. The current table we usually use said the current would change at 17:15. Around 17:50, we sailed by 24 and still saw a light flood. I will have to remember that the channel does not change current for at least 40 minutes after the table says it will. By the time the race started and we got back to 24 around 18:40, the current was in a good ebb by then.
The start was crazy. The starboard end was heavily favored. This made the fleet converge up there. In the A&B start, a C boat was crossing the line with 30 second to go on port. Not sure why they were there, but when I saw them tack onto starboard my heart sank. Then I saw the jib was not released, so the jib back-winded and the boat spun to leeward and hit another boat. This incident made me very cautious going into our start.
When our start was approaching, I saw the typical barging boats coming in. This time there were at least four boats barging into the start. We were set to start inside A-Train, but sailed to leeward at the last second since the bargers were unaware of how to start and I knew they would not move for anyone. We then reached down the line and let A-Train get screwed by all the bargers that were not aware of their lack of rights. One of the bargers was sailing down onto us and I hailed for him to change course higher. This hail was not welcome, but I was still reaching and wanted to sail higher, but the closing gap was not enough for me to make a good course alteration. In the end, we were able to maintain clear air while A-Train got caught up with the barging boats and lost 6-7 boat-lengths through no fault of her own. These types of starts are crazy and it is why I wrote a long blog on barging.
Once clear of the mess, we sailed up the course nicely. We then hit a really bad wind change during a tack near 24. This put us back to the next boat in the fleet. As we approached 24, we were on port fetching the mark. A-Train was approaching the mark on starboard. I originally thought it best to duck A-Train's stern at the mark and be the inside boat. I then decided that the rules with tacking near the mark may not be clear and I did not want to put myself between A-Train and a government mark.
As we got closer, I made sure A-Train had enough room to tack at the mark inside of us. We were on a collision course, but I knew his proper course was to round the mark. What I did not put together in this moment was that rule 18 did not apply. Yes, we are rounding a mark that we are fetching, but rule 18.1 turns off if boats are on opposite tacks heading to windward. Here are the rules that applied.
10 ON OPPOSITE TACKS
When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
18 MARK-ROOM
18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone.
However, it does not apply
(a) between boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward,
(b) between boats on opposite tacks when the proper course at the mark for one but not both of them is to tack,
(c) between a boat approaching a mark and one leaving it, or
(d) if the mark is a continuing obstruction, in which case rule 19 applies.
While I was thinking of 18.2 and 18.3, I forgot that 18.1(a) turns off 18. We were two boats on opposite tacks on a beat to windward. Even if I were no longer beating, 18.1(b) clearly means the rule is turned off. We broke rule 10, so we fouled.
I did not realize this on the course. I continued to sail and made no penalty turns. Once we got to pizza night, I talked to Bert and still was not clear on the rules. I downloaded a racing rules app (very cool) and was able to quickly realize that 18.1(a) meant that we were wrong. Luckily the sailing instructions allow a penalty even after racing is done, so I emailed the RM the next day to accept a penalty. The only other option would have been to withdraw.
I only accepted the penalty because I write this blog about rules. It would be hypocritical to break the rules, no matter how little other people follow them. This is the rule I could not get around:
BASIC PRINCIPLES
SPORTSMANSHIP AND THE RULES
Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.
As soon as I realized I had broken a rule, I took my penalty. End of story on that. There was a lot of confusion at the mark in both divisions, so I will try to add a special section on starboard windward roundings in the future. Don't hold your breath. The one on barging took about a year to write.
Our downwind leg was tense. We had two boats threatening to take our breeze and one off to the south that seemed to be in a better breeze. Luckily we stayed ahead into D and rounded to finish ahead of the other boats. We ended up with a first on the water which got knocked down to a second after the penalty was applied.
The RM did a good job. Pizza night was nice and we still got to catch the sunset.
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