Question for Newbies / Compiled Advice Materials for Offshore Races?

[NATBF]

Hello-

When buying a new (used) prop from him, Bob J kindly gave me advice worth as much as the prop... what a windfall. The advice boiled down to a proper sequence to consider the SSS races (starting with, the 3BF is a tricky first race to try ... I had thought the sequence was to just start at the beginning of the SSS series). Bob suggested the No Trophy, or just steadily readying for the SHF, as well as pointed me to the YRA which has the Lightshift/Duxship/etc sequence which can help lead into the longer DHF/SHF. I have been lurking for a year or more, and reading a fair bit, yet had missed the YRA options for working up slowly to a Farallones race. He also suggested that it usually took a few years for folks to work their way (and their boat setup) up the chain to the SHF, which was matching my progress but about which I had been feeling rather slow -- it was reassuring that I was roughly on pace for the time it normally takes to lay in the skills and set-up.

I am also slowly working my way out the Gate (quite familiar inside the bay), and have benefited from some very nice threads (among them from George B, whom I think was an SSS member?), including
https://www.sailnet.com/threads/san-francisco-bay-bar-and-currents.243729/#post-3358993 and
https://coastsidefishingclub.com/grey-beard-articles-catch-more-fish/the-san-francisco-bar/
As I am rapidly finding, and the threads always made clear, it's a whole new (and more complex/challenging) world out there.

Then there is a nice (but old) SHF thread with helpful information... but one of the documents (externally linked) is no longer available:
https://www.sfbaysss.org/forum/showthread.php?1063-Farallones-Race-Questions

Which brings me to my question:

It occurs to me that I am probably not the only newbie trying to figure out what sequence to target races, nor to compile the information one might want before starting to venture out past Pt. Bonita. Summaries of "local knowledge" re: the Golden Gate and approaches, best way to build experience there, equipment needs that are different (or important) there, etc.

--> Are there any other newbies here who are also looking? Would any of you be interested in a Google Doc (or something similar; ideally hosted in a way that will remain accessible over time) compiling some of the thread advice in an easy-to-access manner?

If so, perhaps respond here and maybe we can start one. Ideally editable by any member, but with the idea that they remain readable / tractable and as a "way in" -- not intended to be exhaustive or difficult to maintain -- there will always be levels of detail more appropriate for the threads and other documents. I have been compiling my own "advice documents", from threads like the above and kind advice from others, but could (semi-) formalize them as a starting point. Or maybe one of you already has such, or I failed in my search attempts and missed already-existing ones. The threads are great, but so much excellent information gets buried in places that stop being obvious... a document seems like a way to make some of that more easily accessible to those of us new here.

Curious if there is any interest.

Best-

Neil

 

[AlanH]

I'd say...read the equipment requirements for racing outside the Gate.

Spend a lot of money to buy all that stuff. Figure out how to stow it.

Remember that if A.) the mast doesn't fall down, B.) the keel doesn't fall off C.) the rudder doesn't fall off and D.) the boat doesn't go upside down, you'll probably get back in one piece.

Think hard about how you're going to stay on the boat, and implement required systems to do that (harness and jacklines)

And then, just pay the money for a race and go do it. Pick a conservative sail plan, maybe save the spinnaker for the second or third race, and just go sail. You can accumulate information all day long, and that's fine but it doesn't mean a damn thing until you DO it.

 

[Wylieguy]

I think Alan nailed it. Prepare the boat and yourself for safety. Take the SAS training, either in person (best) or online. Go racing. Figure out (ask or go to Jibeset and look at years of results) which boats in your division usually do well and follow them out -- and back if you keep up. You probably won't win or even finish in the top half for awhile, but if you will improve. Consider sailing doublehanded at first, especially if you're using your chute.

I believe it's possible to think too much. Use your basic instruments. Bob J. was right about the Boat Speed and SOG. Ants was right about learning to watch the water. I think I'm right about watching Green Buffalo. Spend your time steering, trimming for speed, and watching the water. Get your head out of the charts and tables; sail the boat.

 

[AlanH]

One thing I did before my first Farallones race was get out a chart and a pair of parallel rules. I mean.... PAPER chart, OK? And real, actual parallel rulers. No kidding. I figured out what magnetic compass course would get me under the Golden Gate in one shot from the Farallones, and then I steered that course, closely on the way back until I could see the bridge. Knowing that number is pretty darned handy on a foggy day.

One thing for sure. There's water and wind out there. Just like in the Bay, there's water and wind. The water is the same as the water in the Bay. Wind is wind. It can be challenging, it can be a snoozer. Just like the Bay. There's not some golden chain slung from Point Bonita over to San Francisco and past that magical line, there be dragons. It's just not that different...boat, you, water, wind... and you shouldn't be intimidated. There's a difference between being intimidated, and being careful and aware.

My first time around the Farallones felt kind of like sailing to the far side of the moon, there's nothing for the next 2,000 miles, to Hawaii. The far side of the Farallones is a lee shore, give it LOTS of room. Other than that, for the first couple, you sail to windward out there for a long time on one tack. Then you go around the islands. Then you reach back. At a basic level, it's just not that complicated. If Race Day comes and the forecast is for 40 knots and 7 foot seas in the Gulf of the Farallones and you're not comfortable with that, then easy peasy. DON'T GO.

 

[NATBF]

Thanks, folks-

The intent of my post was just to see if there was anyone else out there new and putting together information, so we could join efforts. The answer seems to be that folks are either not new, or don't see any benefit (which is fine, and possibly less work).

--> If you see this thread at some later time, and are interested, then PM me (and note that I do not always check that frequently)

As for those who posted advice, many thanks; I'll add your comments to my notes, and they are much appreciated. I do think my post title may have created confusion: I've had the SAS training, understand SOG vs boat speed (which is how I knew there was more current than predicted), read the equipment requirements a couple of years ago (and return to them regularly as I set up the boat), etc. There is other information worth knowing before heading out, though, and as I did that homework it occurred to me there might be others doing the same -- hence the post. The suggestions to focus on plans to stay onboard (especially as I was rigging the jacklines recently and encountering the choices inherent in that) and to have a non-electronic course to steer planned were certainly timely reminders; thanks again.

 

[BobJ]

There are also some nuggets in here:

https://www.sfbaysss.org/main/resources/

 

[Gamayun]

Neil, congrats on your progress. The board recently set up a Google workspace. Let me see if there's a way to start a folder for individuals who want to do this with you. Not sure if that's appropriate or not, but it would be nice to keep the things you're collecting in some perpetuity with the SSS to benefit all newbies. I'll look into this.

 

[Intermission]

There are also some nuggets in here:

More of a jackpot, really.

 

[NATBF]

@Gamayun : That was exactly my intent -- some way to preserve the information for future folks, in a document (ideally editable by any member or something, to keep it a "living" document). The threads are fantastic, but often useful information gets buried in places that slowly become harder to find all at once. If I just did a google doc of my own, the link would depend on me. If you do set up something under the SSS aegis, let me know and I will be happy to write up some of my notes as a "starter" document others can use as boilerplate to improve on. Seems like a way I can give back a little bit.

@BobJ, @Intermission : Yes; thanks for the reminder -- I should absolutely go through these again (though re-checking quickly I don't see an immediate discussion of what I was suggesting (information/local knowledge about going out the Gate). I did read three of those books and hit a number of the other links some time back (should revisit though). Evans' book was extremely helpful in the run-up to buying my boat, and @Grace is mentioned in Philpott's -- he (remarkably kindly) took me out last year and showed me his boat, and I am still in the process of duplicating many useful things I learned seeing his setup. Someone in another thread said going out with someone to see their boat is one of the best ways to figure things out, and I will certainly second that: seeing Steve's setup has been incredibly helpful (as was seeing how he handled a glitch, which involved turning out to have every spare part needed, easily accessible, with the manual printed out and in a binder, not to mention complete calm and good cheer... What a set of object lessons).

 

[BobJ]

To follow up on my initial suggestion to Neil: The NOR for YRA's Offshore Series was just posted. Both singlehanded and doublehanded divisions are available and the first race (Lightship) is on 4/29. As in recent years, the SSS will again combine fleets with YRA for the Drake's Bay races in August - which is always a good time. Unless it's windy and your anchor drags, but I digress... Here's that NOR:

https://jibeset.net/show.php?RR=YRA_T008053350&DOC=nr&TYP=pdf

So far only George with Skye is signed up singlehanded, so get on it:

https://www.jibeset.net/entrylist.p...909e134e90c07940e1497a8b&T=1681237793&SORT=df

This Saturday is IYC's Doublehanded Lightship race, if you have a need for company aboard:

https://jibeset.net/IYC000.php?RG=T009221680

OYRA's Lightship was my first singlehanded ocean race. Over the Winter I'd practiced with the spinnaker in light air, inside the Bay. The ocean was "different." I've told the story before: I was coming back in alongside Erik Schwartz, who was singlehanding his Santa Cruz 40, Rusalka. It had an even bigger masthead kite than that on my J/33 but for Erik it was NBD. We'd had to square off in the breeze and were both headed for Ocean Beach, getting close enough that you could see the waves breaking on the beach. Too close. My kite was still up. I hollered over to Erik that I wasn't sure what to do. He hollered back "Go up and take the kite down." Oh, okay.

We both headed up and reached back to the Gate.
.

 

[NATBF]

For anyone finding this in the future, a very good link I found more recently is:

https://tradewindssailing.com/wordpress/?p=1981
"Exiting Chrysopylae … “The Golden Gate”" , by Don Gilzean

This is from the Pt Richmond Tradewinds sailing school, and has a very nice discussion of how to put together a "Go / No Go" decision matrix, along with a bunch of other relevant advice and additional links. I found it extremely helpful.