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Farallones Race Questions
- Thread starter Philpott
- Start date
JAMcDonald
New member
This was my first SSS race, first off shore race, in fact first race ever. Although I withdrew about half-way to the islands, I learned a great deal. I want to thank the race committee for their hard work and for relaying my VHF message to my wife when my phone died. It was much appreciated. She had been reading stories about past Farallones races and was relieved to hear from the race committee. Second, the pre-race advice from Bob and others was excellent. Third, the Moore 24 is a very well-behaved boat and I never felt concerned about its abilities. My issues were: The boat was new to me and although Ruben Gabriel had done an excellent job preparing for the transpac last year, I had made some gear changes (reefing led to cockpit, which worked perfectly), and was kept busy doing last minute preparations. I thought I'd make it easier if I spent the night at SFYC, but didn't get there from Alameda until almost midnight after a choppy motor across the bay with a mess below. Second, I hadn't plotted courses but relied on iNavX. Big mistake. Hard to read the iPhone in daylight, and cold fingers don't work on the screen (I couldn't find my gloves in the mess below). I'm much more comfortable with compasses and courses. I didn't have enough experience to know what the appropriate sail choices were for the wind and sea conditions. Started with main and #3, then one reef in main with #3 sheeted to rail (probably the best combination), then tried a double reef as I thought I was overpowered (I wasn't in retrospect, just need to get used to lee rail in the water). I found it tricky to drive to windward with such a light boat and you have to keep it powered up. Finally I took out the second reef in the main and did a headsail change to a number 4 and the jib halyard jammed half way up the mast (I later discovered at Svendsen's that the wire-rope splice had jammed at the mast base). At that point I had lost a lot of time and realized it wasn't prudent to continue, so turned back. Great ride back just north of the ship channel with lots of long beam reach surfs up to 14k and above. I'm ready to go again, especially when I saw that Andrew Hamilton just missed first place in his Moore 24. I appreciate all the sage advice here helping me get this far. John
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
To offer a historical perspective, and not to take anything away from his achievement, Andrew Hamilton won his division in the Singlehanded Farallones in 2007. Although he's clearly a fine sailor, the fact that he is so familiar with his boat, BarBaLoot, surely has something to do with his comfort level and confidence in high winds and short waves.
Tchoupitoulas
New member
Max, I'm amazed that you did a head sail change. So did some others I saw. I started with the #3 but the outhaul line on the main parted shortly after the start so I rigged the first reef line as the outhaul. But when it came time to reef the main I was happy to go to the second reef. It was very nice to get lifted to the island at the end and had a big bearing on my decision to continue. I shook out the reef in the lee of the island and all was good. But there was a slot there past the channel where the wind started to really go off and maybe went a little forward? No anemometer on Starbuck so it's interesting to hear other boats reports. I was wishing I had left the reef in. But I saw 17 knots on the gps coming down a wave!
Keep this stuff coming, guys & gal! Excellent info for a future Fara-loner.
I normally don't bother removing the heavy 5hp outboard from my Tuna's transom when I'm sailing because (a) I'm lazy (2) I'm not racing or trying to impress anyone during a solo daysail in the confines of the bay.
I suspect it would be a bad idea to leave the motor on the transom when I start playing around "out there" in conditions as messy as everyone is describing. But the part of me that spent too much childhood in powerboats says "screw your inner old-salt sails-only wannabe--leave it on! You might want it in an emergency to motor away from the south tower so you don't end up like that guy who cartwheeled his tuna!"
What say ye?
I normally don't bother removing the heavy 5hp outboard from my Tuna's transom when I'm sailing because (a) I'm lazy (2) I'm not racing or trying to impress anyone during a solo daysail in the confines of the bay.
I suspect it would be a bad idea to leave the motor on the transom when I start playing around "out there" in conditions as messy as everyone is describing. But the part of me that spent too much childhood in powerboats says "screw your inner old-salt sails-only wannabe--leave it on! You might want it in an emergency to motor away from the south tower so you don't end up like that guy who cartwheeled his tuna!"
What say ye?
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Stephen, Greg beat the crap out of us one year by sailing STARBUCK out to the Farallones with a 125% genoa and NO main.
I don't remember what sailplan he used on the return.
Lanikai, if the OB is a long shaft and doesn't materially affect the boat's pitching moment, I'd probably leave it on the transom.
I don't remember what sailplan he used on the return.
Lanikai, if the OB is a long shaft and doesn't materially affect the boat's pitching moment, I'd probably leave it on the transom.
As to the recommendations about jack lines, those are great. I particularly like wrapping the tether around the winch. I have a padeye in the cockpit that I clip into. That way stretch of jack lines is not an issue at least while in the cockpit which will be 90% plus of the time. But taking the extra length of the tether around the winch is a great way to limit the length of a fall in the event of a big wave.
Also I run my jack lines INSIDE my shrouds. This means stepping up onto cabin top to pass forward. My thinking is it will help support jacklines if a fall out-board happens as it will physically limit the jacklines moving out-board. I have experimented with a couple of attachment points. At the bow end they attach to a padeye about 3 feet back from bow. At their aft end I have tied them off to the pushpit at the stern of the boat. This makes it an easy reach over the coaming to attach the tether. The other place I have attached is to cleats on the cabin top near the cabin top winches. This too is fairly easy to connect to while still in the cockpit. It shortens the lines by about 6 or 7 feet, decreasing the amount of stretch and sidewards movement. It moves the rear most end of attachement about 7-8 feet from the stern of the boat (can't fall off the back of the boat). It also moves the placement inboard about 1 foot. This all seems preferred to me. Any thoughts on jackline 'routing'? What do others do?
Tony
Tony
Although it may be unconventional, I rarely used my jacklines. I prefer a length of line half the length of the boat, tied to a padeye amidships, and snap shackled to my harness. This allows full visitation to the bow, stern, cabin, and points between without unhooking, or dragging the heavy, noisy, carabiner along the deck.
About jackline attachment. The BAMA Harvey Shlasky Trophy is named for SSS Treasurer Harvey who died on a BAMA Doublehanded Farallones Race when he and his crew were tossed overboard. Both were hooked onto jackines that terminated at the stern pulpit. The crew member's tether hung up on a stanchion and he stayed alongside the boat. Harvey's tether didn't and his tether ran to the stern resulting in his being dragged 6 feet behind the boat. He could not release the carabiner hook tethers came with at that time and his crew couldn't release him nor cut him off. Harvey did not survive.
Harvey's dead demonstrated two important things about jacklines and tethers.
1. Since that time, most of us in the SSS have urged that the aft end of the jacklines be terminated at the foreward end of the cockpit, usually at the cabin bulkhead. The thinking is that if you're tossed overboard you'll be brought up alongside the cockpit and have a better chance of getting back on board.
I also hook a rolled up boarding ladder at the base of the stanchions on both sides of the boat at the forward end of the cockpit so I can unroll it and use it as a boost for getting back into the cockpit. In the berth, I can get a foot into the ladder and manage to get back into the boat; I hope the same might be true in a real situation.
2. It's important (required now) to have a quick release shackle on your tether. Getting a knife out to cut the tether is probably impossible when being towed at 6 or 7 knots. (This is why I keep my PLB & a handheld VHF attached to my PFD; if I'm separated from the boat, I want someone to know.
In addition, if I'm using the autohelm rather than hand steering, I rig two light lines under the shaft, one end tied off inside the cockpit and the other dangling over the lifelines port and starboard. My thought is that I if I'm alongside the boat in the water, I can pull on this line and jerk the autohelm off the tiller, resulting in the boat rounding up and stopping.
Harvey's dead demonstrated two important things about jacklines and tethers.
1. Since that time, most of us in the SSS have urged that the aft end of the jacklines be terminated at the foreward end of the cockpit, usually at the cabin bulkhead. The thinking is that if you're tossed overboard you'll be brought up alongside the cockpit and have a better chance of getting back on board.
I also hook a rolled up boarding ladder at the base of the stanchions on both sides of the boat at the forward end of the cockpit so I can unroll it and use it as a boost for getting back into the cockpit. In the berth, I can get a foot into the ladder and manage to get back into the boat; I hope the same might be true in a real situation.
2. It's important (required now) to have a quick release shackle on your tether. Getting a knife out to cut the tether is probably impossible when being towed at 6 or 7 knots. (This is why I keep my PLB & a handheld VHF attached to my PFD; if I'm separated from the boat, I want someone to know.
In addition, if I'm using the autohelm rather than hand steering, I rig two light lines under the shaft, one end tied off inside the cockpit and the other dangling over the lifelines port and starboard. My thought is that I if I'm alongside the boat in the water, I can pull on this line and jerk the autohelm off the tiller, resulting in the boat rounding up and stopping.
standardhuman
Dana 24 "Maris"
Thanks all for a great race and an excellent debriefing here on the forums. Thank you Jackie in particular for serving as an inquisitive and courageous role model for new SSS recruits like myself.
This year was notably different from last year in so many ways. Wooshing along on the ebb and getting lifted with ease past Pt. Bonita was a distinct thrill compared to '12 when I turned back after a long day spent just reaching the Lightbucket. This year my fun juice ran out 3nm shy of the islands.
Like John, I had also had a late night making last minute preparations. I ended up running my lower lifelines, installing padeyes on the hatchboards, and a dozen other little jobs while motoring to the start. If it wasn't for that fortuitous postponement, I would have been quite late. My take home lesson, in addition to the new list of items to improve and install, is that I spent too much time taking care of the boat and too little taking care of myself. Lack of sleep set me up for a day of increasingly difficult decision making. The first one was skipping breakfast in lieu of rushing to ready the boat. Hungry, tired, and hurried, small tasks throughout the day became increasingly challenging.
I can't recall the last time I had an overriding turn on a winch, but it happened three times during this race. Tying a bowline took multiple attempts. I would gaze for long periods at my buried rail, then at my full main, repeating the mantra over and over in my head "if you are thinking about reefing, then it's time to reef", but lacking the initiative to move. 3 miles from the island the seas had become larger and steeper and, when I realized yet another long tack to starboard would be required to lay the island, I finally made the call at about 5pm and bore off for home. Once she was self steering well enough, I went below and cooked dinner. One tempeh rueben down the hatch and eureka! I felt like a million bucks. I hadn't had more than a couple handfuls of nuts all day. I suddenly wanted to turn back and complete the race, but I wouldn't have traded the dolphin escort past the headlands with the sunset glow on the GGB for anything. Next year, I plan to load BRE's (Burritos, Ready to Eat) on board, and hope to turn around AFTER the islands. Poco y poco.
Oh, and did anyone else see whales out there? I was lucky to spot two distinct spouts and shiny grey backs on the surface just north of the channel on the way out.
On the topic of jacklines, one technique I picked up somewhere is to soak them in a bucket for 30 minutes before installing them. This allows them to pre-stretch and should only tighten during the race.
Thanks again, everyone. It's good to be involved with you lot.
Brian
Maris
This year was notably different from last year in so many ways. Wooshing along on the ebb and getting lifted with ease past Pt. Bonita was a distinct thrill compared to '12 when I turned back after a long day spent just reaching the Lightbucket. This year my fun juice ran out 3nm shy of the islands.
Like John, I had also had a late night making last minute preparations. I ended up running my lower lifelines, installing padeyes on the hatchboards, and a dozen other little jobs while motoring to the start. If it wasn't for that fortuitous postponement, I would have been quite late. My take home lesson, in addition to the new list of items to improve and install, is that I spent too much time taking care of the boat and too little taking care of myself. Lack of sleep set me up for a day of increasingly difficult decision making. The first one was skipping breakfast in lieu of rushing to ready the boat. Hungry, tired, and hurried, small tasks throughout the day became increasingly challenging.
I can't recall the last time I had an overriding turn on a winch, but it happened three times during this race. Tying a bowline took multiple attempts. I would gaze for long periods at my buried rail, then at my full main, repeating the mantra over and over in my head "if you are thinking about reefing, then it's time to reef", but lacking the initiative to move. 3 miles from the island the seas had become larger and steeper and, when I realized yet another long tack to starboard would be required to lay the island, I finally made the call at about 5pm and bore off for home. Once she was self steering well enough, I went below and cooked dinner. One tempeh rueben down the hatch and eureka! I felt like a million bucks. I hadn't had more than a couple handfuls of nuts all day. I suddenly wanted to turn back and complete the race, but I wouldn't have traded the dolphin escort past the headlands with the sunset glow on the GGB for anything. Next year, I plan to load BRE's (Burritos, Ready to Eat) on board, and hope to turn around AFTER the islands. Poco y poco.
Oh, and did anyone else see whales out there? I was lucky to spot two distinct spouts and shiny grey backs on the surface just north of the channel on the way out.
On the topic of jacklines, one technique I picked up somewhere is to soak them in a bucket for 30 minutes before installing them. This allows them to pre-stretch and should only tighten during the race.
Thanks again, everyone. It's good to be involved with you lot.
Brian
Maris
standardhuman
Dana 24 "Maris"
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
"Been there, done that, get the shirt" (next Wednesday). Now . . .
LongPac sign-ups are open!
https://www.jibeset.net/JACKY000.php?RG=T009193816
LongPac sign-ups are open!
https://www.jibeset.net/JACKY000.php?RG=T009193816
tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
Hi Bob - my impression is that LongPac requires paper except the boat photo and NOAA EPIRB registration form. I mailed mine this morning, complete with check. What role does JibeSet have for LongPac?
- rob/beetle
Brian, I think you've learned the same lesson all of us who have sailed multiple singlehanded ocean races had to learn,too. Starting off exhausted can only lead to becoming more exhausted and can be dangerous since decisions must be made in a timely way - like reefing or changing down to a smaller headsail. Being bone tired is not the way to start any singlehanded race.
Keeping the energy supply going into your mouth is important,too. Energy/granola/breakfast bars come individually wrapped, can be eaten with one hand; apples, pears, peaches can be eaten without peeling with one hand; yogurt drinks and other healthy drinks can hydrate and provide more calories.
Staying warm and dry is critical, too. Being cold slows down your thinking and responses. Getting wet leads to being cold.
Most of all, however, I applaud your decision to turn back when you decided it was time do do so. Seeing whales is okay, but I don't want to hear or smell them. Close encounters with several tons of blubber isn't something I look forward to.
Keeping the energy supply going into your mouth is important,too. Energy/granola/breakfast bars come individually wrapped, can be eaten with one hand; apples, pears, peaches can be eaten without peeling with one hand; yogurt drinks and other healthy drinks can hydrate and provide more calories.
Staying warm and dry is critical, too. Being cold slows down your thinking and responses. Getting wet leads to being cold.
Most of all, however, I applaud your decision to turn back when you decided it was time do do so. Seeing whales is okay, but I don't want to hear or smell them. Close encounters with several tons of blubber isn't something I look forward to.
Matt
Tinker - Wilderness 21
With the Wilderness 21, I left the 2HP Honda Longshaft outboard motor on the transom motor mount for the race and it was fine even with the choppy conditions and a few waves lapping up (not breaking) from behind. The end of the motor prop drags in the water when the waves come up from behind and it does make me a little nervous. The little catch that keeps the motor tilted gets worked when this happens. I have sometimes pulled the motor off when expecting to be in really choppy conditions. I considered stowing before the race started since it was going to be a windy and wave crashing day. I don't expect to ever be motoring in really choppy conditions since it's better to sail in the chop.
One time, I dropped a running outboard in the water at the dock when I turned the motor to the side and gave it gas without first tightening the thumbscrews holding it onto the boat. Ever had to use a fishing lure to catch an outboard in 20' of water? Make the decision to stow the motor or not before going out and before conditions get choppy. It's one of those decisions based on your own personal experience and boat type. I'm on the third Honda 2HP outboard in 7 years with Tinker. One got stolen when I didn't lock it or take it off at the Marina and the one that got dropped in the water was running all the way to the bottom. It didn't work very well after that.
I did need the motor for motoring over and for anchoring before the start of the race. I had to reset the anchor a couple times due to the current, lack of wind, changing start line location and race postponement. The Honda 2HP is a great little motor that can run for 8 hours or more continuously motoring back from Vallejo to Alameda with flat conditions in the morning. I wouldn't bother with anything bigger, heavier or with more horse power for Tinker.
Matt
One time, I dropped a running outboard in the water at the dock when I turned the motor to the side and gave it gas without first tightening the thumbscrews holding it onto the boat. Ever had to use a fishing lure to catch an outboard in 20' of water? Make the decision to stow the motor or not before going out and before conditions get choppy. It's one of those decisions based on your own personal experience and boat type. I'm on the third Honda 2HP outboard in 7 years with Tinker. One got stolen when I didn't lock it or take it off at the Marina and the one that got dropped in the water was running all the way to the bottom. It didn't work very well after that.
I did need the motor for motoring over and for anchoring before the start of the race. I had to reset the anchor a couple times due to the current, lack of wind, changing start line location and race postponement. The Honda 2HP is a great little motor that can run for 8 hours or more continuously motoring back from Vallejo to Alameda with flat conditions in the morning. I wouldn't bother with anything bigger, heavier or with more horse power for Tinker.
Matt
JAMcDonald
New member
Thought I'd follow up on some observations after completing my qualifier for the LongPac on the 27th and 28th. Left Alameda 8am on 27th, and motored to the start point of the Farallons race, then set sail. A little late, so got caught in the flood. There were light winds, low lying clouds and drizzle. Spent several hours tacking to get past Pt. Bonita, and then worked my way west waiting for predicted SW winds. Instead had about three hours-four hours of calm. Wind finally filled in from WSW and I was able to sail to SE Farallon. By then it was completely dark and raining more heavily. Thus, although I saw no real issues in rounding the island, decided that the low wind and poor visibility made that not a logical decision and turned for home. After a nice broad reach back to the gate, caught a good flood and passed the gate at 9 knots and spent another two hours sailing back to Alameda. I had trouble with the iPhone and iNavX on the SH Farallons; in contrast, they worked great on this trip. I could sit on the companionway and plot courses from my current location to next way point, steering with my autopilot. Quite a difference from the dead reckoning with bearings and charts in the dark in the old days. Highly recommended. iPhone visibility in daylight is the major shortcoming. The LifeProof case, while way too expensive (you'd think they were supplying sailors), is in fact water tight.
Another great tool, AIS. I installed an EmTrak transponder, which is plug and play with their antenna splitter and simply routes through the Standard Horizon 2150. At one point, in pretty dense fog, crossing the outbound shipping lane an alert came from a large commercial vessel. I was only making 3 knots, so selected their target, pushed call, and channel 6 and the VHF automatically placed an MMSI call to the ship. They answered in 30 sec, and I alerted them to the fact that I had limited maneuverability. The skipper confirmed that he had me on radar and AIS, and that he would increase speed and alter course to port to pass ahead of me. About 10 min later, he passed approximately 1/4 mile ahead, the limit of visibility. That this technology all worked was very reassuring as I continued into the dark and fog, and turned for home. Collectively the SH Farallon, even though I didn't finish, and this qualifier were a great combination of learning experiences and confidence building exercises. Finally, I pulled the mast today and discovered the problem with the halyard jamming, and will remedy this prior to the LongPac. By the way, I too had two failed bowlines come loose during the SH race resulting in a clew trying to kill me, so somewhat reassured to know I'm not alone in this loss of basic muscle memory. Fair winds, John
Another great tool, AIS. I installed an EmTrak transponder, which is plug and play with their antenna splitter and simply routes through the Standard Horizon 2150. At one point, in pretty dense fog, crossing the outbound shipping lane an alert came from a large commercial vessel. I was only making 3 knots, so selected their target, pushed call, and channel 6 and the VHF automatically placed an MMSI call to the ship. They answered in 30 sec, and I alerted them to the fact that I had limited maneuverability. The skipper confirmed that he had me on radar and AIS, and that he would increase speed and alter course to port to pass ahead of me. About 10 min later, he passed approximately 1/4 mile ahead, the limit of visibility. That this technology all worked was very reassuring as I continued into the dark and fog, and turned for home. Collectively the SH Farallon, even though I didn't finish, and this qualifier were a great combination of learning experiences and confidence building exercises. Finally, I pulled the mast today and discovered the problem with the halyard jamming, and will remedy this prior to the LongPac. By the way, I too had two failed bowlines come loose during the SH race resulting in a clew trying to kill me, so somewhat reassured to know I'm not alone in this loss of basic muscle memory. Fair winds, John
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