Late Pacs

[dhusselman]

A little taste of the great sailing last Saturday. I hope to go that fast at the next SSS Farallones race..
This is a great little ocean boat.

https://youtu.be/KnKrFjDSYYk

Dirk "TIJD" First 30JK

 

[Philpott]

A little taste of the great sailing last Saturday. I hope to go that fast at the next SSS Farallones race.. This is a great little ocean boat. https://youtu.be/KnKrFjDSYYk Dirk "TIJD" First 30JK

"There was a lot of wind and big seas. It was a great ride winds between 25 and 32 knots. Boat handled really well with 2 reefs and a #3 jib. Seas were big but not many breakers."

Aaaaaaahhh. Um. Yes, I look forward to it, too.

I just watched the video. Aaaaaaahhhh. Um, Sure, I look forward to it, too. Ummmmmm....

 

[BobJ]

That looked really smooth - 8,300# displacement will do that for you. It's hoppier on a 5,500# boat: In those conditions I get a big bruise on the inside of my right arm from wrapping it around the stanchion. I can hardly wait for the SH Farallones...

 

[ronnie simpson]

you want "hoppy", BobJ? the little 2,000 lb Moore 24 - while solid as a rock - would fit that description in lumpy, breeze-on Gulf of Farallones conditions ...

looks like a great ocean boat, Dirk!

 

[Wylieguy]

For me, a cockpit sitter and a lefty, it's bruises on the inside of my right elbow hooked around the starboard winch. Like Bob's 5500#, a Wyliecat can bounce right out of the water or fall off the backside of a square swell. Sort of like being inside a big, hollow, no bulkhead bass drum. Yessir, I'm looking forward to May 14.

 

[BobJ]

The only thing missing here is the disco music.

 

[Harrier]

Some of us have a different view as to what's called "fun". That isn't "survival mode" yet, but it's closer to that than "fun' to me!

 

[Lightspeed]

Epiphany.
I enjoy the racing The Farallones, Half Moon bay, Spinnaker Cup, and LongPac are the races that fit me well. Dirk "TIJD" First 30JK

Dirk - I respect your call, and FYI, one of my best racing memories was dueling with you in the 2013 LongPac, which I was ahead at the Farallones coming home but you out smarted me overnight in the ebb and came from behind to kicked my butt. "Any day sailing is better than working"

 

[BobJ]

What's the word on Doug (Foxxfyre)? An SSS FacePlant post showed him on his way out Thursday afternoon, and MarineTraffic has him back in the slip yesterday.

 

[The Smokester]

What's the word on Doug (Foxxfyre)? An SSS FacePlant post showed him on his way out Thursday afternoon, and MarineTraffic has him back in the slip yesterday.

He was out about 30+ hours and made it to about Noonday Rock. Very little wind and he had an appointment he couldn't blow off so had to return. Lots of whales, Orcas and mysterious-looking fishing boats.

 

[pbryant]

I'm waiting for conditions offshore of San Francisco to be better than "the worst anywhere in the North Pacific" for four consecutive days. My diminutive vessel doesn't do well (nor do I) in 15 foot swells at 9 seconds. I'm a commercial pilot, and if I've learned anything from aviation, it's to not let "pressure" compromise sanity.

Just to clarify the rules: as long as I sail at least 100 miles (nautical - I assume) offshore, then I can sail around in circles closer ashore if I want after that, as long as the total distance traveled non-stop is 400 miles, correct? Conditions closer to shore might make the voyage more doable in the short time remaining.

 

[JohnS]

Not to kick the hornet's nest (and I recall a few posts related to this issue elsewhere this year) but...The rules do not state nautical miles. The RRC's simply say "miles." If I had to make an argument I'd go with common usage for miles, which would be statute. So, 100 miles off shore and 400 miles under sail. Nothing says you can't go out 100 miles, turn around and come back and sail laps around the bay until you reach the required number. Although I think traffic in the bay might be a bit of an issue.

Personally, also being in the "latest-possible-pac" group (where was the wind last year during Long-pac??) I'm looking at a possible start on Saturday the 28th and I'll likely check the 100 mile box and find a comfortable point of sail and do a few laps until the return makes the distance. At least that's what the plan looks like now. And we all know things always go as planned off shore...

Also, I just noticed while looking at the RRC's to confirm the qual cruise details that there is a minor "navigational" error in the document. 2.04 [a] indicates that the qual cruise details can be found in Rule 9. In fact, it is Rule 8 that describes the required qual cruise details. (I seriously doubt this is worth correcting at this point.)

 

[BobJ]

As the skippers' meeting ended, the day before the start in 2010, the General made the comment "It looks like we're going to get our asses kicked."

You won't get to pick your conditions for the "windy reach" and you won't be able to stay close to shore. You need to see how you and your boat will do out there. It's not about checking a box.

 

[pbryant]

As the skippers' meeting ended, the day before the start in 2010, the General made the comment "It looks like we're going to get our asses kicked."

You won't get to pick your conditions for the "windy reach" and you won't be able to stay close to shore. You need to see how you and your boat will do out there. It's not about checking a box.

It's one thing to find yourself in perilous seas, despite your efforts to avoid them. That's bad luck. Everyone has to be prepared for that contingency. It's another thing altogether to intentionally sail into peril. That's imprudent seamanship (stupidity).

It's all about knowing your limitations and having a strategy. I won't intentionally set out in the 14 foot seas at 10 seconds that we have right now offshore. My strategy for surviving those conditions in my 26 foot boat is to throw out the sea anchor and hunker down. I don't make much progress that way (based on past experience - about 0.4 knots).

I've had enough sea survival experiences and don't need to prove myself or my vessel. I'll leave it to others to demonstrate that racing is antithetical to prudent seamanship and a major consumer of helicopter aviation fuel.

There are old sailors, and there are bold sailors. But there are no old bold sailors.

 

[dhusselman]

The RCC states miles, not specifying nautical miles. However this is about an ocean race and sailing. In this context it will always be nautical miles.

If you don't want to sail 400nm offshore, why would you want to sail 2100 nm this summer (as I concluded for myself)

Not to kick the hornet's nest (and I recall a few posts related to this issue elsewhere this year) but...The rules do not state nautical miles. The RRC's simply say "miles." If I had to make an argument I'd go with common usage for miles, which would be statute. So, 100 miles off shore and 400 miles under sail. Nothing says you can't go out 100 miles, turn around and come back and sail laps around the bay until you reach the required number. Although I think traffic in the bay might be a bit of an issue.

Personally, also being in the "latest-possible-pac" group (where was the wind last year during Long-pac??) I'm looking at a possible start on Saturday the 28th and I'll likely check the 100 mile box and find a comfortable point of sail and do a few laps until the return makes the distance. At least that's what the plan looks like now. And we all know things always go as planned off shore...

Also, I just noticed while looking at the RRC's to confirm the qual cruise details that there is a minor "navigational" error in the document. 2.04 [a] indicates that the qual cruise details can be found in Rule 9. In fact, it is Rule 8 that describes the required qual cruise details. (I seriously doubt this is worth correcting at this point.)

 

[JohnS]

Despite what BobJ says, it is precisely about checking a box, meeting the requirement etc. If it wasn't there would be no need to specify requirements. The RC would then have the much more difficult task of assessing participant capabilities and qualifications based on individual evaluations of experience. But the point is valid about testing your boat and yourself. (Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how a number of modifications work out there.) And, while any time we venture more than a few hours offshore (or even then) we must be prepared to deal with what finds us, I have to agree with the prudence expressed by pbryant. However, for me the need to fit all this fun in with work and other commitments leaves limited schedule flexibility along the lines of moving things up or back a day or two at best.

As for not wanting to sail 200 (400 is the total required distance) miles off shore, if that turns out to be practical, I'm good with that. On the other hand, it seems sensible to me to try to minimize fatigue before making my return and entrance to the bay. So, yes, I will be looking to make things as comfortable as possible at that distance offshore to get some rest before the return. I feel much better about sleeping with the boat a good distance from a landmass and not pointed at said landmass.

With regard to nautical vs. statute miles I would refer to posts 61 through 67 of this thread. If statute miles are good enough for one qualifier they should be acceptable for all.

 

[BobJ]

Well, you guys are running out of time to pick your ideal weather window. BTW, Gregory is going out Saturday to qualify (on the smallest boat in the fleet).

 

[pbryant]

I'm still watching the forecast, but if it holds, I too plan on going out this weekend. https://share.delorme.com/AdAstra

 

[Philpott]

Well, you guys are running out of time to pick your ideal weather window. BTW, Gregory is going out Saturday to qualify (on the smallest boat in the fleet).

I look forward to watching Ad Astra, Crazy Rhythm and Libra on Delorme.

 

[The Smokester]

Not to kick the hornet's nest (and I recall a few posts related to this issue elsewhere this year) but...The rules do not state nautical miles. The RRC's simply say "miles." If I had to make an argument I'd go with common usage for miles, which would be statute. So, 100 miles off shore and 400 miles under sail. Nothing says you can't go out 100 miles, turn around and come back and sail laps around the bay until you reach the required number. Although I think traffic in the bay might be a bit of an issue...

I am an SSS newbie. I also am about to set out on my 400 qualifier. I participated a few posts back about the meaning of "400 miles" in the context of a recent qualifier who had set his Delorme to 400 statute rather than nautical miles. Since the discussion happened after his return, and since to a newbie it is ambiguous, his 400 miles is good (apparently). However, most of the long-time SSSers, who have made this club the respected organization it is, that I have talked to, are pretty clear that it is 400 nautical miles and there is a difference.

Also, the original qualifier is the LongPac and it is my understanding the LatePac is designed to simulate it on the off years. Talking to some fellow SSSers, one of whom clearly missed his calling as a lawyer, we have discussed the idea of circling the Bay to accumulate miles, trucking the boat to Lake Tahoe or Southern CA part way through and any number of schemes not specifically excluded by the RRC's.

The main consensus is, nobody is interested in nitpicking the rules into the ground even though it's fun to think about it. There is a context, a tradition, from which this race is derived.

Again, as a newbie, my 0.02 bhat.