Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Race B1 and B2



It was another dubious forecast for last Saturdays racing, and lots of people were wondering if we'd continue the trend of cancelled sailing, but Saturday turned out to be a pretty nice day! We got in 2 races in about 4-8kts of breeze. 88 didn't do so great, but it was very good racing.

We had me, Jacob, Katie Niki and new guy Andy. The initial forecast was for more breeze, but once on the water it looked pretty light. We tried 1/2" of shims behind the mast, plus a headstay at around 49". All this was to get the 08 main flat enough, as it's got an ugly looking knuckle otherwise. I think we got it pretty flat, but may have overdone it, as our acceleration was bit pokey, although final speed was fine.

The first race was pretty much decided at the start, as I gave us one of the worst starts ever, as we were at the boat (good) but about 30 seconds late (bad) and dead astern of 150 (worse!) Two tacks to clear and we were back into it, until we got leebowed by 63 and had to go all the way right. Pressure was nice right, and we seemed to go pretty well, but rounded behind 150 and never got close enough to attack. Our strategy this year is based on some tough assumptions: 196 is gunning for the season, and will do whatever they can to get points on us, 150's not going to make all the races, so they're out to win every race, and pretty much everyone else likes tacking on us, so it's kind of a multi front battle.

Race 2 both 150 and 88 wanted the pin end, with 150 trying the old port tack approach, and we tried to reach at the pin. We did win the pin, but 150 made out lots better ducking people (and pretty incredibly getting ducked by stbd boats) and going right. We got pinned by 130, and when we ducked to get back right we got both tacked on and pinched off by 196 and 249. Ouch! Another clearing tack put us past port tack layline, in about 5th. We got by 130 and 249 on the way to the mark, and then rounded behind 196 and 150. Stayed that way with only small gains on the downwind and rounding, and pretty much got covered upwind. The final downwind saw us 3rd, watching 196 and 150 joust up ahead. 150 went left and lost a spot to us, and we tried to chase down 196, and almost got them by the finish (big almost). The big mistake of the day was when we were finishing, we were inside boat with 150 just outside and behind. I told Kevin we'd need room, but then he reached up over our transom, and coasted in front of us at the boat when our spin collapsed. Definitely a shut-the-door moment if there ever was one, or (less desirable) a protest, as we definitely didn't owe him room. Brainfade on my part gave that one away. D'oh!

No racing for 2 weeks, but will have at leasat one beercan race coming up. In the meantime enjoy some of Dave Sincox's (130) photos. He seems to take these every weekend, and at this point I look forward to the Monday morning email of photos. Keep up the good work Dave!

Race B1 and B2



It was another dubious forecast for last Saturdays racing, and lots of people were wondering if we'd continue the trend of cancelled sailing, but Saturday turned out to be a pretty nice day! We got in 2 races in about 4-8kts of breeze. 88 didn't do so great, but it was very good racing.

We had me, Jacob, Katie Niki and new guy Andy. The initial forecast was for more breeze, but once on the water it looked pretty light. We tried 1/2" of shims behind the mast, plus a headstay at around 49". All this was to get the 08 main flat enough, as it's got an ugly looking knuckle otherwise. I think we got it pretty flat, but may have overdone it, as our acceleration was bit pokey, although final speed was fine.

The first race was pretty much decided at the start, as I gave us one of the worst starts ever, as we were at the boat (good) but about 30 seconds late (bad) and dead astern of 150 (worse!) Two tacks to clear and we were back into it, until we got leebowed by 63 and had to go all the way right. Pressure was nice right, and we seemed to go pretty well, but rounded behind 150 and never got close enough to attack.

Race 2 both 150 and 88 wanted the pin end, with 150 trying the old port tack approach, and we tried to reach at the pin. We did win the pin, but 150 made out lots better ducking people (and pretty incredibly getting ducked by stbd boats) and going right. We got pinned by 130, and when we ducked to get back right we got both tacked on and pinched off by 196 and 249. Ouch! Another clearing tack put us past port tack layline, in about 5th. We got by 130 and 249 on the way to the mark, and then rounded behind 196 and 150. Stayed that way with only small gains on the downwind and rounding, and pretty much got covered upwind. The final downwind saw us 3rd, watching 196 and 150 joust up ahead. 150 went left and lost a spot to us, and we tried to chase down 196, and almost got them by the finish (big almost). The big mistake of the day was when we were finishing, we were inside boat with 150 just outside and behind. I told Kevin we'd need room, but then he reached up over our transom, and coasted in front of us at the boat when our spin collapsed. Definitely a shut-the-door moment if there ever was one, or (less desirable) a protest, as we definitely didn't owe him room. Brainfade on my part gave that one away. D'oh!

No racing for 2 weeks, but will have at leasat one beercan race coming up. In the meantime enjoy some of Dave Sincox's (130) photos. He seems to take these every weekend, and at this point I look forward to the Monday morning email of photos. Keep up the good work Dave!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Finally!l

Dave Sincox photo
Shields fleet 3 actually had a race Saturday! Well, about 3/4 of one, but it was still pretty sweet.

Conditions started at around 10 kts, but built to the 20's, all out of the west with some good puffs. I recall us, 196, 130, 45, 67, 249 and 39

We wanted to start to windward of the pack, but as close to the pin as possible, and mostly pulled it off. Upwind speed was only ok, as we weighed around 550lbs (me, Niki, Katie and Jen W) and had the old sails on, but we were looking ok, leading the pack right and waiting for a rightie. It never really happened, and as the breeze built it went left. We looked like crossing 196, our nearest competitor who was on our windward hip, but after we tacked he leebowed us, and our tack was a bit off so we had to tack away. Next time we came back it was in front, but we overstood a bit and 196 made it to the mark before we did. We figured out later that we were tacking through about 75 degrees, which is higher than I'd expect, but I guess it was breezy and flat, and since we were light I was feathering early.

On the downwind we initially looked great, as we sailed lower and got a nice spot even and 6 lengths to leeward of 196, but then a very strange puff came down, and both 196 and 130 shot past in it, while we were light. It was a tough one, as the breeze was about 100' away, but never made it to us! Setting up for the rounding I wanted to round behind 130, as we can usually make bottom turns well, and this time worked out pretty good as me had a nice rounding and ended up to ww of Mike. Both he and 196 were in pinch mode, so we tacked out and went left. Overstood (again!) and started following 196 in on port lay. Once we made enough forward on them, I started to lay down so they couldn't tack and force us further out. As we approached the windward mark, we asked for room, and rounded first, only to find that the RC had finished us at the top mark! We were looking forward to the run, and were a bit bummed to only get that 1 race in, but still had a good time. We had no idea who crossed the line first, as we didn't even know there was a line, but 196 was sure they got it. The RC apparently, called us first, and last thing we heard 196 was asking for redress, so no idea how that turned out! It was great racing any way it shakes, and it sure felt like summer started for me that day!

Setup and lessons learned: we were at 48" on the headstay, which was good for the lulls but a bit much helm on the way in (crib reports 33kts, but I think we probably were in 25) uppers were at 850ish, lowers around 400. The mast was straight as a die, so that seemed like a good setting. Sailing with 3 girls, while fun, is not the fastest way around the course, and I wish we'd found a 5th for the day. We're working on getting a decent way to tack the jib in that much breeze with Katie, and are going to try cross sheeting next time, with the handle in the top of the winch, as the 2:1 is not enough for a 120lber! On the way back in, we tried supertwist in the main, with the trav way above center, and to my surprise it worked a lot better than I recalled from my days trimming. Guess Jen knows a thing or two about that sort of thing!

Great day to be sailing!

Finally!l


Shields fleet 3 actually had a race Saturday! Well, about 3/4 of one, but it was still pretty sweet.

Conditions started at around 10 kts, but built to the 20's, all out of the west with some good puffs.

We wanted to start to windward of the pack, but as close to the pin as possible, and mostly pulled it off. Upwind speed was only ok, as we weighed around 550lbs (me, Niki, Katie and Jen W) and had the old sails on, but we were looking ok, leading the pack right and waiting for a rightie. It never really happened, and as the breeze built it went left. We looked like crossing 196, our nearest competitor who was on our windward hip, but after we tacked he leebowed us, and our tack was a bit off so we had to tack away. Next time we came back it was in front, but we overstood a bit and 196 made it to the mark before we did. We figured out later that we were tacking through about 75 degrees, which is higher than I'd expect, but I guess it was breezy and flat, and since we were light I was feathering early.

On the downwind we initially looked great, as we sailed lower and got a nice spot even and 6 lengths to leeward of 196, but then a very strange puff came down, and both 196 and 130 shot past in it, while we were light. It was a tough one, as the breeze was about 100' away, but never made it to us! Setting up for the rounding I wanted to round behind 130, as we can usually make bottom turns well, and this time worked out pretty good as me had a nice rounding and ended up to ww of Mike. Both he and 196 were in pinch mode, so we tacked out and went left. Overstood (again!) and started following 196 in on port lay. Once we made enough forward on them, I started to lay down so they couldn't tack and force us further out. As we approached the windward mark, we asked for room, and rounded first, only to find that the RC had finished us at the top mark! We were looking forward to the run, and were a bit bummed to only get that 1 race in, but still had a good time. We had no idea who crossed the line first, as we didn't even know there was a line, but 196 was sure they got it. The RC apparently, called us first, and last thing we heard 196 was asking for redress, so no idea how that turned out! It was great racing any way it shakes, and it sure felt like summer started for me that day!

Setup and lessons learned: we were at 48" on the headstay, which was good for the lulls but a bit much helm on the way in (crib reports 33kts, but I think we probably were in 25) uppers were at 850ish, lowers around 400. The mast was straight as a die, so that seemed like a good setting. Sailing with 3 girls, while fun, is not the fastest way around the course, and I wish we'd found a 5th for the day. We're working on getting a decent way to tack the jib in that much breeze with Katie, and are going to try cross sheeting next time, with the handle in the top of the winch, as the 2:1 is not enough for a 120lber! On the way back in, we tried supertwist in the main, with the trav way above center, and to my surprise it worked a lot better than I recalled from my days trimming. Guess Jen knows a thing or two about that sort of thing!

Great day to be sailing!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Arghh!


Another cancelled day of racing today, so still no Shields series racing in Chicago. Very bummed about that, but at least we went out this wednesday. Here are some photos.