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Thinking About 2018 SHTP
- Thread starter AZ Sailor
- Start date
Is 15.9 knots slow? That was a peak speed (and off a big wave, and it was very very very dark), but when winds were in the high 20s....would see a steady 10 knots.... yes it rolled....but the boat would not crash and I could sleep.
It's helpful to get a sense of what your Velocity made good to the islands is as you enter the last part of the race. When the wind was lighter 15 knots ish I could sit back DDW poled out jib and do 7 knots at the islands. WIth the asym up I could go a lot faster and work a lot harder.....and make 8.5 knots at the islands.....this is the advantage of a kite you can pole back and sail deeper and fast.... the trade offs are fun.....enjoy!
Chris (J/88)
It's helpful to get a sense of what your Velocity made good to the islands is as you enter the last part of the race. When the wind was lighter 15 knots ish I could sit back DDW poled out jib and do 7 knots at the islands. WIth the asym up I could go a lot faster and work a lot harder.....and make 8.5 knots at the islands.....this is the advantage of a kite you can pole back and sail deeper and fast.... the trade offs are fun.....enjoy!
Chris (J/88)
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Isn't "rolliness" determined by the shape of the hull? Ventus, for instance, is a J Boat, and seems to me likely to be less rolly than a Cal. For instance, DM is very rolly in certain conditions, like mixed swell offshore, especially downwind [bleeeegggghhh!]. Maybe Harrier is, too? I think our boats' shapes are similar? That's why sail combinations/determinations are boat specific, and what worked for one skipper won't necessarily work for another. Not to mention the level of risk aversion in each person. 15.9 knots in the "dark dark dark"? While sleeping? That's another whole 'nother skill set, Chris!!!!
WBChristie
New member
You have a boat very similar to mine, and very different than the j88. Comfort will not be a problem. Listen to what Harrier says, his setup works very very well as evidenced by his many top finishes.
Also, consider sailing back. Its not really a complete experience until you have done this single-handed as well.
http://sfbaysss.net/archive-shtp-websites/SHTPCombinedResultsThru2012.pdf
Also, consider sailing back. Its not really a complete experience until you have done this single-handed as well.
http://sfbaysss.net/archive-shtp-websites/SHTPCombinedResultsThru2012.pdf
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What's your boat? And yes, I am planning to sail back.
WBChristie
New member
My boat is Elizabeth Ann, a Westsail 32
Well, my "Learn to Race in 2017" campaign is underway. Joined USSA, got a sail number, got a 180 PHRF rating from PHRF San Diego, and entered an ocean race last Saturday. Had two "autopilots with eyes" as Sled put it, as the race required minimum of 3 persons aboard. Course was from SD bay, North Coronado Island to port, Middle Coronado to port, finish -- 32.7 nm. Did a solid 5.5 kts average on a close reach down; wind died after we rounded the first island and I acceded to the wishes of my crew to abandon. Of the 27 boats entered, only 10 finished. Oh well. Still had a fantastic time.
And, as the sole entrant in PHRF 5, I get only 2 points. This was the first of Southwestern Yacht Club's 4-race "Cabrillo Series" -- all off shore. Calendar conflicts won't let me enter the next, but I'm eager to enter the remaining two. Would not have expected to be in the hunt for a pickle dish, but it looks like I might be.
The other excitement came in refusing the Mexican Navy's request to board and inspect the vessel. A fairly lengthy chat on VHF as the patrol boat steamed along side us in the dark; all very cordial and professional, as I politely but firmly insisted I could not stop, as I had an elderly crew member (true: 80 something) who urgently needed to get back to SD (sort of: he was over due for a sun downer with his wife). The SI contained a link to the UN Convention on Law of the Sea, and the concept of "innocent passage," which I had read, so I knew I was within my rights to refuse. He asked for my name and doc no, which I gave, then wished us on our way, saying they would be available on 16 if we needed assistance. Its always something out there, eh?
And in the category of "if it ain't broke . . . " A couple of weeks ago I had a racer from my club help measure the A-sym for the PHRF application, and he noted that SLE was longer than SLU (47.1' vs. 37.2) which he said was very unusual. He then noticed that the sail maker's logo patch was at the clew, when you'd expect it to be at the tack. So, like an idiot, I switched it around "the right way" the day before the race, without testing. I thought "geez, this sail was great backwards, it'll be positively awesome if I turn it around the right way." Well, conditions were so light by the time we made the turn downwind that it's hard to say for sure, but I thought it was a bad move. Couldn't trim it to keep it filled, and seldom got any real pull from it. Sea state was rolly, so that didn't help, but I know I had previously done 2 -3 kts in air so light the genoa would not have worked at all. So, back out on the water to experiment.
All good so far.
And, as the sole entrant in PHRF 5, I get only 2 points. This was the first of Southwestern Yacht Club's 4-race "Cabrillo Series" -- all off shore. Calendar conflicts won't let me enter the next, but I'm eager to enter the remaining two. Would not have expected to be in the hunt for a pickle dish, but it looks like I might be.
The other excitement came in refusing the Mexican Navy's request to board and inspect the vessel. A fairly lengthy chat on VHF as the patrol boat steamed along side us in the dark; all very cordial and professional, as I politely but firmly insisted I could not stop, as I had an elderly crew member (true: 80 something) who urgently needed to get back to SD (sort of: he was over due for a sun downer with his wife). The SI contained a link to the UN Convention on Law of the Sea, and the concept of "innocent passage," which I had read, so I knew I was within my rights to refuse. He asked for my name and doc no, which I gave, then wished us on our way, saying they would be available on 16 if we needed assistance. Its always something out there, eh?
And in the category of "if it ain't broke . . . " A couple of weeks ago I had a racer from my club help measure the A-sym for the PHRF application, and he noted that SLE was longer than SLU (47.1' vs. 37.2) which he said was very unusual. He then noticed that the sail maker's logo patch was at the clew, when you'd expect it to be at the tack. So, like an idiot, I switched it around "the right way" the day before the race, without testing. I thought "geez, this sail was great backwards, it'll be positively awesome if I turn it around the right way." Well, conditions were so light by the time we made the turn downwind that it's hard to say for sure, but I thought it was a bad move. Couldn't trim it to keep it filled, and seldom got any real pull from it. Sea state was rolly, so that didn't help, but I know I had previously done 2 -3 kts in air so light the genoa would not have worked at all. So, back out on the water to experiment.
All good so far.
Baby steps continue. I entered my third Coronado Islands race of the year Saturday, April 8. Eleven boats started, 2 DNF’d, and I finished 9th – on both corrected and elapsed time. BUT I FINISHED! I had confirmed ahead of time that I was entered in a ‘cruising class’ for which self-steering gear can be used, so I did the race single handed. It was big fun.
Prior attempts at races around these islands (including the two this year) were thwarted by lack of wind. This time, we had plenty – mid 20s gusting to high 20s by the afternoon. Here is a short clip of the ride back: https://www.facebook.com/lee.johnson.167527/videos/1273133136110492/
But for a spectacular blunder after the start, I might have been in contention for something other than DFL. At the start the wind was very light, from SSW, while the only turning mark, North Coronado Island, lies almost due S. Started with the rest of the fleet on stb tack, very slowly, then we all went over to port tack. I’m in the back third of the fleet, we’re all pretty close together, but all doing barely one knot, back across the entranced channel to SD Bay.
I had checked the tide before the race and saw that we would be starting on an ebb tide. I thought, well, that’s good, and gave no thought to what that would mean if one was heading more or less orthogonal to the channel. And then suddenly there was a channel buoy heading for my port bow faster than I was moving forward. The tide was taking me sideways to weather faster than I was moving forward! By that time all I could do was watch and wonder how this would play out. (I find this very ironic, as I am always preaching the importance of situational awareness.)
The buoy kissed the port beam, 1/3 of the way aft of the bow, and our forward motion ceased. The tide, of course, is unrelenting and indifferent to us. It caught the stern, rotating us clockwise, sweeping us off the buoy, and sending us out to sea stern first. By the time I recovered, I was no longer near the rest of the fleet.
All I can do is laugh. While that stunt put me out of the competition, I was determined to try and finish before the 20:00 deadline. I did so with nearly half an hour to spare. It was a rough ride to weather all the way back, but we did mostly 6 kts under double reef, and felt very comfortable with the conditions. (The video clip was taken after things had settled down a bit.) It never felt like the boat was over matched, and nothing broke. It was very satisfying to go out, and not only endure but enjoy the race, and finish before deadline.
This sail boat racing thing is very different than other kinds of sailing. You can all say, no s**t, Sherlock. But I might be starting to get it. Various lessons learned (besides “Beware the ebb”) and eager for more.
Prior attempts at races around these islands (including the two this year) were thwarted by lack of wind. This time, we had plenty – mid 20s gusting to high 20s by the afternoon. Here is a short clip of the ride back: https://www.facebook.com/lee.johnson.167527/videos/1273133136110492/
But for a spectacular blunder after the start, I might have been in contention for something other than DFL. At the start the wind was very light, from SSW, while the only turning mark, North Coronado Island, lies almost due S. Started with the rest of the fleet on stb tack, very slowly, then we all went over to port tack. I’m in the back third of the fleet, we’re all pretty close together, but all doing barely one knot, back across the entranced channel to SD Bay.
I had checked the tide before the race and saw that we would be starting on an ebb tide. I thought, well, that’s good, and gave no thought to what that would mean if one was heading more or less orthogonal to the channel. And then suddenly there was a channel buoy heading for my port bow faster than I was moving forward. The tide was taking me sideways to weather faster than I was moving forward! By that time all I could do was watch and wonder how this would play out. (I find this very ironic, as I am always preaching the importance of situational awareness.)
The buoy kissed the port beam, 1/3 of the way aft of the bow, and our forward motion ceased. The tide, of course, is unrelenting and indifferent to us. It caught the stern, rotating us clockwise, sweeping us off the buoy, and sending us out to sea stern first. By the time I recovered, I was no longer near the rest of the fleet.
All I can do is laugh. While that stunt put me out of the competition, I was determined to try and finish before the 20:00 deadline. I did so with nearly half an hour to spare. It was a rough ride to weather all the way back, but we did mostly 6 kts under double reef, and felt very comfortable with the conditions. (The video clip was taken after things had settled down a bit.) It never felt like the boat was over matched, and nothing broke. It was very satisfying to go out, and not only endure but enjoy the race, and finish before deadline.
This sail boat racing thing is very different than other kinds of sailing. You can all say, no s**t, Sherlock. But I might be starting to get it. Various lessons learned (besides “Beware the ebb”) and eager for more.
Thanks for letting me know, Philippe. I wasn't sure that would work, never having tried to post video on line. This might work:
https://youtu.be/0P4W5U9nQ98
https://youtu.be/0P4W5U9nQ98
Yep that worked ... looking great! Thanks for sharing.