On this page we’ll publish the thoughts of those who did well on the race course so that those of us who didn’t do so well can get better!

 

Words of Wisdom
April 25,  2010
Week 7 of spring series @ Barrington Frostbite Assn.
By Bill Brangiforte

Sunday’s racing involved going upwind in a 5-10 knot southerly, against a fairly strong tide. Because the tide was moving in the same direction as the wind, the water was fairly flat. The move , all day, was to go right, to get some relief from the current, and play the shifts along the shore. I basically won the day by getting hard right faster than anyone else. After sailing, there was much talk about sail trim and boats peed in these conditions. Here are some of my thoughts on going upwind in these conditions:

1. I use 2 sets of telltales on the sail. Many top Sunfish sailors insist these are useless, since the mast distorts wind flow, but I may as well sail blindfolded without them. I also have been using a wind indicator on the lower spar in conditions like these.  This combination is especially good for picking up small lifts. First, the indicator shows the lift, then the leeward tale stalls. Once the tale stalls, immediately ease the sail to re-establish flow. Once the tales are flowing again , trim in and head up. When you do this right, the boat responds well and goes fast. If you try to head up, then trim in, the boats stalls and goes sideways.

2. Even in small gusts, ease the sail a little, so the boat doesn’t heel much.

3. In the lighter wind range (5-7) don’t try to trim too hard; but once the breeze gets over 8, you can trim pretty tight, especially on starboard. No matter what, keep the leeward tales flowing. A couple of times , Sunday, when I was trying to work thru some strong tide, I put the bow down hard, while still trimming tight. While doing this, even the windward tales would stream a bit. This would give the boat some grip and seemed to help  fight thru the current. No matter what, don’t try to pinch when bucking the strong current.

4. Keep the boat flatter than you think you should.

5. Sit forward. I’m now trying to sit forward of the ratchet in light air and flat water.

6. Keep your butt inside of your shoulders. Use your upper body to help flatten the boat in small gusts , and keep your butt more towards the middle of the boat. This helps keep the boat from bouncing around and keeps the boat from rolling to windward in lulls.(really slow)

7. I’m still experimenting with keeping the tiller ex. behind me and on the deck (frying eggs style) in these conditions. This locks it in position and limits steering. It seems fast at times , but makes sheeting much harder, because you can’t transfer the sheet to your tiller hand, for a rest.( Maybe I’m just getting old!)

8. Thanks to Race committee for going out Sunday, instead of giving up, when it looked bad. It turned out to be a great day on the water.

9.  Sunday looks great, at this point; lets get everybody out for our final day!

Words of Wisdom
March 28, 2010
Week 4 of spring series @ Barrington Frostbite Assn
By Scott Greenbaum

Sunday we sailed in a SE breeze varing from 5 to 15 knots.  At the start of racing the tide was still ebbing slightly after the tide changed.  As the day went on the tide began to flood.  It never became a dominant factor in the racing.  Where the course was set up you could not get out of the tide except when rounding the leeward mark near the Barrington shore.  I tried to get clean starts and stay in phase going upwind.  The wind direction was varing greatly upwind.  Instead of trying to keep up with the variance in wind direction with steering I worked the main sheet as much as I could to keep boat speed.  This works real well on lifts since you can sheet in as your speed increases.  On headers the rudder is more important and sheeeting in. 

 

Every race I made the same mistake at the windward mark (governement 13).  I tried to round it to close and could not let out the main sheet enough to maintain my monmentum resulting in boats behind catching up.  This really hurt me on the long runs. 

 

The first race I rounded first aned tried to protect my wind and stay in the middle of the course (maybe more current). Two people pasted me by going to leward.  All races after that I protected room at the mark and stayed low.  You have to watch and learn. 

Words of Wisdom
March 7, 2010

Week 1 of spring series @ Barrington Frostbite Assn
By Eric Woodman

Sunday was an unusually beautiful early March Sunday on the river, but to me it was typical of what often see later in the spring at Barrington: A moderate northwesterly was competing with a sea breeze trying to build from the south/southwest.

Sailing out to the course we were entirely in the northwesterly, but as so often happens the mouth of the river by the ferry terminal presented us with something significantly different. For a few minutes the wind went all the way to the southeast. At that point I decided that the key to the day was going to be recognizing which breeze was going to be in control each time upwind.

An incoming tide was a factor in the first few races, but with it running across the course (the windward mark was set almost due west) I decided to all but ignore the tide and play the 30-degree (or more) shifts. That meant getting my head out of the boat and focusing on what was going on upwind.

To my eyes, it seemed like the NWerly was more consistent on the right side of the course, and experience made me believe that the wind was likely to be more from the right at the top of the leg, as it moved across the Barrington shore, than it was farther toward the leeward mark. So for the first few races I set up at the committee boat and got good starts, with speed and the ability to tack out to the right.

Bill Brangiforte and Scott Greenbaum were just below me and opted to sail more toward the left-center of the course, while I worked the right-center. Frankly, it didn’t matter much as we were all quite close in nearly every race, but I think I gained on them consistently at the end of many of the windward legs and was generally in good position as we rounded the windward mark.

As is often the case when two winds are fighting it out in Barrington, the shifts didn’t seem to be moving down the course. Rather they remained mostly stationary. That meant it was super important to sail into the shifts before tacking. In one race I went about  15 feet farther into a shift than Scott Greenbaum before taking onto starboard and benefited by being lifted to the mark while he sailed back out of the righty. At least that’s how I saw it.

Downwind it was more of the same: I kept looking around – especially behind me – and tried to anticipate what was coming next. I felt like I had good speed downwind (for once) and consistently opened space or closed on the person ahead of me. At the leeward mark I made a point of focusing on making a good rounding and not being outside of anyone, even if it meant slowing down as the mark neared (far better to be behind than outside at the leeward mark).

In the final race back to the clubhouse, with the wind dying and the tide ebbing, I got lucky when Bill was called over early and it took him a long time to get back. Bill and I were tied at that point, with Scott three points behind, so I set my sights not on winning that race, but staying ahead of Bill (who was probably 3-4 min behind at the first mark) and not letting too many other boats pass me going up the river. At one point I was in second to last, with only Bill behind me, but was able to find more pressure as we neared the channel mark and managed a second. Phew!

- Eric Woodman

Karen Renzuli and Tim Fallon: Video WOW

WOW From Dec. 6. 2009: Scott Greenbaum
The wind was out of the NW (range 90º west to north) with a strong ebbing current all day.  It was overall windy between 5 and 25.  We sailed up the river in front of the Yacht Club.  The result was long basically one tack beat against the tide.  The first beat you could not get out of the current unless you touched the Barrington shore with no wind. 

The most important thing I keep reminding myself was patience in these conditions.  Puffs would hit you in a big header and five seconds later you would be lifted, therefore, just use the wind velocity to make your way up the river as fast as you can. 

Second do not give up.  Because of the puffs and wind shifts positions change quickly particularly the second windward leg.  One race a rounded the leeward mark in eigth and won the race.  I do not know how I passed everyone but the shifts worked.  During the second windward leg positions changed a great deal.

Third do not pinch you just stop against a strong current.  It is almost impossible to accelerate against the current even in a big puff. 

In conclusion I sailed fat all day and keep the number to tacks to a minimum. – Scott Greenbaum

WOW from Andy David – Video
Nov. 8, 2009“I try to treat each tack like it’s gold.” –  Andy David explains his success in light air and heavy current.

 

WOW from a Successful Summer and Worlds
Eric Woodman, Nov. 2009

It’s been awhile since we’ve had new words of wisdom (WOW), so I thought I’d step up and try to share some things I learned this year that contributed to me sailing better than I ever have. I know I have a long way to go to be consistently competitive with the top guys in the region/class, but after finishing 28^th at the Worlds in the Bahamas, I feel like I’ve improved significantly over the past season. 28^th may not sound that great, but when you consider that my worst race was a 39^th (out of 72) – and that my best overall finish at a Worlds before this year was 39^th– I was pleased with my progress and ability to remain consistent throughout a trying, heavy-air regatta.

The biggest thing for me has been getting in better shape/losing nearly 20 lbs. Besides the obvious benefit of less mass to move around, I’ve found that the increased agility and strength to ease, hike and sheet has made a difference in my pointing ability. When the wind comes up now, I expect to do better.

 This helped at the Worlds, where each day the wind topped around 20 MPH with some BIG gusts. Many sailors were freaked out by the conditions and many simply could not keep the boat moving as the long days and week work on. It was nice consistently passing people who normally beat me.

Nearly everyone sailed with a Jens and/or a reef, including me. Being in better shape meant that I could work hard to keep the boat flat/not stalled out, while remaining mentally sharp enough to still pick up on shifts, notice approaching fronts, and generally keep a clear enough head where I wasn’t just trying to survive. Like most of you, I suspect, in heavy air I tended to just hold on and hope I didn’t end up in the water (or worse). What a difference it makes when you can actually make — and act on–  tactical decisions in a blow. It’s amazing how much you miss when you are exhausted!

Bill Brangiforte, my nephew Mo Lelii, and I did some video interviews at the Worlds with some of the top sailors. You can see those interviews here. One of the things that really stuck with me from those interviews was how even top Sunfish sailors like David Mendelblatt accept that sometimes the boat just needs to be depowered. In his interview you will see that he says that being overpowered is simply not an option if you want to do well. You can be under-powered and sail smarter than everyone else, but if you are overpowered you will not do well – and won’t have as much fun!

Another key thing I learned this summer is the importance of being consistent. This goes hand and hand with confidence, but I tried to stop hoping for the huge gain and instead do more playing of the fleet – essentially minimizing risk and having the confidence that my speed and tactical ability would be good enough to keep me in the top portion of the fleet. I found myself in a lot fewer bad situations with this approach, hit fewer marks, had fewer horrible starts, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my share of mistakes, but I didn’t leave many regattas this summer feeling like I sailed foolishly. That’s good for the confidence.

-          Eric Woodman Nov. 6, 2009

WOW for New England Regionals #1, 6/6-7, 2009, Barrington YC: Bill Brangiforte
Well, we certainly had some interesting conditions this past weekend! While we had mostly light air  we also had two races with some of the best surfing conditions in years! As usual, there were several lessons to be learned. Here are some of my thoughts on dealing with the varying  conditions. 

1. Upwind in light air – I’m trying to keep my weight further forward( next to the board) and steer with the tiller behind me on the deck- The college kids call this frying eggs style, because you hold the tiller ext. like a skillet. This locks the rudder in the middle and you steer with your weight. Its is real fast, but tough on your sheeting arm, because you dont get a rest by grabbing the sheet with your tiller hand. 

2. Upwind in heavy air- I’m also trying to keep my weight more forward. The boat is wider forward ( should help with leverage) and it allows the boat to point higher. You have to be careful with this though. It is necessary to be very aggressive with your upper body to keep the bow out of the waves. As you come into a wave, you must throw your shoulders back and steer up into the wave. I’m trying a new longer tiller ext. (about 42”) to help push the bow up to meet the wave. It is very important to keep your arms up as high as possible in these conditions. You must be able to hold the tiller up high , so you can push it way to leeward to get the boat up to meet the wave. The sheeting arm must be up high as well, so you can ease alot of sheet in a gust, without leaning in. Unfortunately, this is hard on your arms and shoulders. Some upper body strength and flexibility training would help alot with this. 

3. Downwind in light air- two important points- keep looking back to stay in the most pressure and sail angles instead of going dead downwind! Sailing hot angles when the wind got light probably won the regatta for me. 

4. Downwind in heavy air- Sailing angles was also the key! Sailing dead downwind causes the bow to bury( wicked slow).  Many times I never jibed on the runs , but constantly transitioned from a broad reach to by the lee. The key is to make your transitions while going thru waves. For example, if you are on a broad reach and suddenly see a low spot to leeward in the wave in front of you- bear off hard and go by the lee to get thru it. The tell tales will reverse direction and the boat will accelerate, instead of stopping.  Not only is this real fast- it is really  fun when you get it right! 

As always, thanks to everyone at Barrington Y. C. for another weekend of great racing! 

- Bill

 

 

WOW for 4/19/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 6: Bill Brangiforte
The day’s results can be seen here

The windy northerly we had today was a classic oscillating breeze, and had to be played as such. In these conditions, you need to stay on the lifted tack (tack taking you closer to the windward mark) and ignore the other boats as much as possible. Because the breeze was up, clear air was not as important as staying on the lifted tack. Several times today , I tacked immediately when entering a big header, even though it put me in a bad air position. I would not have done this if the breeze was lighter.

The most important role the other boats play in these conditions is helping you stay on the lifted tack . Remember these rules:

1 Tack when you have gained on boats behind but to windward.(this consolidates the gain)

2. Cross boats when you can.

3. Don’t lets boats, previously behind ,cross you(this consolidates their gain). Instead, tack ahead and to leeward. This usually means they are on the favored tack and you are on the headed tack.

With the flat water conditions we had today, it is important to keep your weight forward. I am experimenting with keeping my shoulders forward of the rachet when going upwind. ( I think I may need a longer tiller extension). The only time I threw my shoulders back was when going into a wave set.

After the racing, we were discussing how to trim in quickly, at the leeward mark. The trick is to use both hands. Begin with the forward hand, then switch to the tiller ext. hand. This second motion requires you to hold the tiller ext. at the end , then reach down to grab the sheet right at the ratchet block. Repeat this process until you are sheeted in. It helps if the sail is luffing slightly as you round the mark. You must use big arm movements to get the sheet in quickly. This two hand method takes some time to get used to, but it can be practiced on shore, while the boat is on the dolly. Remind me of this next week, and we can try it before we hit the water.

Thanks to the race committee for running some great races and Barrington Y.C. for the entertainment when we came in.

See you next week!

Bill

 

WOW for 4/5/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 5: Bill Brangiforte
The day’s results can be seen here

With 60 degree weather and a breezy westerly it was a great day to sail! As is typical, on the river, with a Westerly breeze it was shifty and the right was favored, due to the geographic righties. For a change, the current did not play a big role.

With these things in mind, I started at, or near, the boat in every race. As a general rule, on a short course, in shifty conditions, starting at the starboard end is a smart move, unless the left looks really good! By staying to the right of the fleet , you hold the starboard tack advantage when coming back to the middle of the course and have the freedom to go back right in a lefty. If you start at the pin , it is easy to get pushed all the way left and end up on the port layline early. Quite often, you also have to sail thru the first, and sometimes second, shift without being able to tack.

I have 2 things to try to improve on this frostbite season. After the O’day s last year, it became obvious to me that I need to look around more; to look at the big picture – both the fleet and the breeze. Sunday was a great day to work on this. Upwind, you had to decide how big the righties were and how long they would last. Sometimes they were so big , you had to tack right away, but other times they came thru in stages. By carefully reading the puffs, you could see whether you needed to tack immediately, or sail deeper into the shift for a bigger gain. Later in the leg, shift reading helped call the laylines. If you could see that the righty looked real solid; sometimes it went all the way to the shore, you could tack shy of the layline and get lifted up to the mark. Andy called one of these perfectly and went on to win the race.

Downwind, looking behind was crucial. The puffs came in from both sides and if you got caught on the wrong side, you would get rolled. Basically, if boats on one side start gaining, you have to get in front of them. This seems counterproductive, but it puts you in the stronger pressure.

The second thing I want to work on is boat-handling. Because the breeze was up, I decided to work on footwork during tacks. The drill is to take your aft foot out from under the strap as you go into the tack. Now, as you cross the boat, this foot lands first, on the old leeward side. As the foot comes down, you pivot on your heal. Next, as you cross the boat, you land on your new windward hip. The foot that you pivoted on now goes under the strap. You now need to do the behind the back switch of the sheet and tiller extension. Finally, the now aft foot comes under the strap. There is no reason to rush the last step- you can hike off the forward foot for a while. While this seems easier in a Laser, it is effective in a Sunfish.

 

It works particularly well tacking from port to Starboard, where you are dealing with a more powerful sail and need to get the boat flat as fast as possible. I got about 25 percent of my tacks right. For the rest of them, I used my old horrible form. It takes a while to break old bad habits. It would be a good idea to go out and practice this technique when you can think about it clearly and not be thinking about other boats and tactics.

Thanks to Sally, George, Joel and Jimmy for running some great races on this beautiful day. See everyone in two weeks.

Bill

 

WOW for 3/22/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 4: Scott Greenbaum
The day’s results can be found here

What a tricky day.  Wind from the south to the north during the same race.  Since the wind was generally coming over the Barrington Shore (west direction) it was shifty and velocity varied greatly.  Patience is a virtue in these conditions.  You have to use the wind around you to the best advantage.  Try to stay on the lifted tack and go fast for the wind you have, unless you see a great deal of velocity approaching you from where you are going. 

Don’t worry about the boats planeing somewhere else on the course because it will end and you can’t get there anyway.  If you do get there it will have ended and you will sit in another hole getting farther behind. 

In the second race I got greedy and went off on a flyer trying to pick off a couple of more boats that I lost on the windward leg.  Wow that did not work; a second to last.  After that I tried to consolidate on the fleet and stay near the middle.  A little luck resulted in consistent finishes and a good series.

Never give up in these conditions and go fast as you can with the wind you have.  Good things can happen because you will get to the positive condition that is coming sooner and get maximum advantage out of it. 

- Scott

 

WOW for 3/15/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 3: Scott Greenbaum (second for the day)
The day’s results can be found here 

Andy’s WOW last weekend (see below) were great.  It got back to the basic and reminded me of some of the errors I have been making recently.  Just to add one thing.  I am finding that the new sails require upper spare bend even in very light wind to get the proper sail shape.  I have increased my sheeting pressure to achieve this.   

Last weekend we sailed in a southerly breeze with outgoing tide.  The wind went to the sea breeze direction of SE later in the day.  Due to mark placement the current was not a major factor in the racing.  The line was generally favored to the leeward end forcing everyone into the current upwind.  Downwind you could not get close enough to the Barrington Shore to get out of the current after the see breeze kicked in.  I made out up the rumb line most of the day down wind. 

 

During the race to the Yacht club I was so sure of my position out of the current I concentrated only on boat speed.  I missed a header halfway up the river and lost Phil and Andy.  Remember to look around at all times and cover the fleet.  Average scores win regattas not races.  This cost me the day.”

 

- Scott 

WOW for 3/8/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 2: Andy David
The day’s results can be found here
Winds: Northwest, 5 – 15 knots
Temperature: 60 degrees F

 

For the last few Frostbite seasons, I have had some successful results.  You will note, however, that I rarely have dominated a day.  I usually squeak by for the win, though seem to do this consistently.  I have been asked , “Why” am I able to do this?  And why does it seem that I have good boatspeed in light to medium air. 

 

General Rule of Thumb:

Frostbite sailing in Barrington is very much like college sailing, and though it has been many years since I was sailing in college, the number of individual 15 minute races that I sailed back then is staggering.  There are some very basic things that are key to being successful in college sailing (and Frostbite).

1.       There are no throwouts, so do not take risks.   Averaging a 3r place finish will usually win.

2.       The start is VERY important.

3.       Boat-handling can make you look like a genius.

4.       Once again, the start is VERY important.

 

Don’t Take Risks:

This week the wind pattern was difficult to follow, which is why there were so many inconsistent finishes within the fleet.  So, here is where it is so important to play the fleet.  There were a couple of races where I was stuck a bit left, and the few boats on my hip were lifted.  A quick look below, however, showed that I was holding off those even further left, and that was the majority of the fleet.  So, I did not want to lose them.  So, I like to stay with the fleet, when I can.

 

Starts:

This is not the key to every race, but it is surely my key to being consistent.  I have 3 basic starting techniques that are reproducible for me.  They are not high-risk, and will almost always put me in a front row position 15 seconds after the start.  Starts are really difficult to teach, though there are lots of books that have chapters on this.  Start have to be practiced, which is why it is great that we have 5+ races each week.  The more boats there are, the better practice there is.  The key is that I have reproducible starting strategies.  I have a plan of where I want to be at 2 minutes, 1:30, 1:00, :45, :30, :20, :10, go.  Notice I say I need to be someplace specific at 2 minutes.  Especially when it is shifty, and there is a lot of current, the race starts before the sequence gets going.  So, I don’t sail away from the line in between races.  Then, for the 20 seconds after the start, I don’t look around.  I just make the boat go as fast as I can. 

 

Boat Handling:

For me, this is really what has paid the biggest dividends over the past year.  Until 4 years ago, I had a 10 year hiatus from sailing, and 15 years since I sailed Sunfish.  Since, in recent years I have only sailed Frostbite and 2 summer regattas, it was tough to really step up my boat handling.  I never had the chance to practice. 

 

Well, in 2007 I sailed the Sunfish Worlds.  So as not to completely embarrass myself there, I actually spent 3 days practicing the month before.  I spent almost that entire time on practicing light air tacks and mark roundings.  It made all the difference.  I am now very confident with when I have to lee-bow someone, or when I round the leeward mark behind someone.  So, figure out a way to get out and practice a little bit! 

 

Light – Medium Air Upwind Boatspeed

So, let’s get it out right away.  I weigh 145 lbs.  Though that may help my boatspeed a bit, there is much more to it.  The Sunfish is a quirky boat, but there are only a few controls, so we should all be able to be “fast”.

 

Boat Setup

1.       Gooseneck – I used to move my gooseneck a lot.  Now, I put it at 15” for under 10 knots, and at 16” for 10 – 15 knots. 

2.       Cunnigham – No Cunningham (lots of scallops) for under 10 knots.  Pull down 1” for 10 – 15 knots.

3.       Outhaul – No outhaul (allow scallops) in under 10 knots.  Just start taking scallops out in 10-15 knots.

4.       Vang – I always have vang on even in the light stuff.  It should be snug in under 10 knots, then pretty tight up to 15 knots. 

 

Technique

1.       Sail the boat flat.  This is so important as soon as there is more than 5 knots of wind.  It takes practice to get the feel of the boat being flat.  If you sailed this week, have a look at Eric’s pictures.  Unfortunately, this is a challenge for me as the breeze comes up, but I am talking in the 5-12 knot range here.  I know the boat feels better when heeling, but I guarantee you will make more progress upwind when you are flat. 

2.       When I get a puff, I start hiking, heading up, and easing the sheet all at the same time, then trim back in.  It is important to ease the sheet a little to keep you flat as the boat heads up, and then trim in slowly.  If you just trim hard, you will heel, and that will also help you head up, but you will lose height.  You want to head up slowly, and you will really accelerate in the puff as you trim back in.

3.       Pay attention to the tell-tales.  If you are sailing heavy, then ease the sheet as you head up.  Don’t just push the tiller over.  You always want the sail at the optimal angle, so don’t wait for the boat to head up for that.  Let the sail out, and trim as you are heading up.  This takes some getting used to, but I think has huge boat speed advantages in the shifty stuff.  If you are sailing light, head down below where you should be, and then use the technique above.  You want to overshoot down to get your speed up again.

 

Good luck, and ask me any questions!

 

- Andy

 

WOW for 3/1/2009 Frostbiting @ BYC, Spring Series Day 2: Andy David

The day’s results can be found here

It was fun sailing in the river today, aside from my confrontation with an unidentified

underwater object. After I hit the object planing in one of the big puffs, I looked back,

and there was nothing to be found. Must have been a submerged winter stick.

Anybody want to take a try at fixing it?

Standing on the end of the dock before we decided to sail, it was clear that the puffs

all had a lot of East in them. Then, along with the tide flowing out, it was clear to me

to stay as right as possible upwind. Even though the pin looked a little favored, I

started right at the boat each time, and never got more than 5 boatlengths left of the

docks going upwind. This meant that sometimes I tacked to the right in a lift,

especially as we got closer to the mark. It seemed if you kept left at all, even if you

were in good breeze, it would never work out.

 

 

WOW for 12/07/2008 Frostbiting @ BYC, Fall Series Day 6: Andy David
The day’s results can be found here

 

We haven’t had the weather on our side so far this fall, with some of the coldest, wettest weather us frostbiters have ever seen.  Once again, thanks to the Race Committee.  I don’t know how they do it each week. 

 

There were basically 4 things to follow for the day to be successful.

 

1.   Get to the right early and at all costs.

2.   Do not snag the windward mark.

3.   Keep your hands warm.

4.   Be ready for the 25 knot squall for the last few minutes of the ride in!

 

Though I had figured that I wanted to go right even before the first start, it was difficult to get there.  I found that having a good start in the first 2 races was my downfall.  I stayed on starboard leading the fleet to the left, waiting for the lefty to come.  However, they were always short lived, and the big puffs were always on the right side, especially as we got closer to the mark.

 

So, in the 3^rd race I started in the 3^rd row at the boat, and tacked immediately.  That made for a much nicer race.  For the remainder of the races, I tried to have a decent front row start, but tack within 15 seconds of the start, even if it meant a big duck.

 

I can’t help with keeping hands warm.  By the time we hit the big wind on the way in, my hands were blocks of ice.  I could not even reach in to pull on some outhaul and cunningham…the only thing that could have possibly saved me from Peter grinding me down at the finish line.

 

In terms of getting through the squall, the key is to keep the boat moving forward, and not to tack, unless you are surely going to make it through to the other side, and that something is forcing you to tack.  I made way too many tacks through it.

 

See you next week!

 

- Andy
_______________________________
WOW for 11/30/08 Frostbiting @ BYC Fall Series Day 5: Scott Greenbaum 
Day’s results can be found here

We sailed in a light northeasterly wind blowing over Blount Marine (Editor’s note: it was also 35 degrees and raining!).  The current was ebbing all day.  A northeasterly blowing over Blount results in shifty conditions with varying velocity (pressure).   The wind comes in from one side then the other side.   Since the wind was light the course was short windward/leeward’s.  During the first race I noticed that trying to get out of the current did not work because it put you way outside the lay lines and out of the breeze.  Too close to shore.  Therefore it became important to play the real shifts and pressure. 

There where many velocity shifts that caused you to go bow down as the wind died.  Tacking on them resulted in 120 º tacks and lost momentum.  Just bear off and keep your sail full and speed until the pressure tells you that you have a shift.  I played the middle of the course trying to get up river when possible.  It was always an advantage to come into the windward mark with speed and try to tack around it (key to race home).  Beyond that I am not sure how I got to the windward mark first in races two and three.  Being in front makes it easier to extend while every one else is in each others bad air.

 

The race home key for me was the 100 takes up the barring shore within 100 feet of the shore.  I did play it conservatively not to run aground.  But when you got 100 feet offshore the wind always backed the sail telling me to take.  I think the little wind we had was accelerating along the shore and lifting starboard tack.  I went up the shore and way past the lay line for the obstruction buoy we where rounding.  Good thing I did because I got velocity header at the make and used the momentum of the tide to tack around the mark.  Bill and Peter can tell you how Andy got past them by over standing while they wallowed below the mark trying to get up river. 

In light air keep the boat moving because it is hard to get going once you stop.

-Scott
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WOW for 11/23/08 Frostbiting @ BYC Fall Series Day 4: Andy David (from the committee boat)
Day’s results can be found here

It was a beautiful day to sail, with the sun shining, and a 5-15 knot westerly.  However, the temperature, hovering just above freezing, made it a difficult day for the sailors.  Hanging out with the R/C today (since I was nursing my sickness), I saw that it was just another day of fun for them.  They clearly are committed to being extremely professional and give us the best races possible.  I am not sure how they can do it every week.  But on the way in, the comment was “A day on the water is always better than a day off the water.”  They are an amazing bunch.

I observed a few things today.  In the first race of the day, it is always important to make sure to over stand the windward mark by a bit, since the anchor-line length is unknown.  I saw several boats snag it.  We actually tightened it up during the 2^nd race.  I saw the day as somewhat typical.  In as much as it seemed that the puffs were random, that was not quite what was going on.  The breeze always seemed to build from the right, and then go left.  So, the right side would almost always come out the winner.

I noticed lots of different sail trim out there.  I know we always talk about keeping your head out of the boat, as there are big gains and losses to be made in Frostbite.  But I also encourage you to work on sail trim if you feel you are not keeping up with everyone.  In conditions like today, there should be lots of adjusting of the mainsheet.  I saw a few people sailing around with the mainsheet eased way too much.  In a Sunfish, you need to learn the sweet-spot by trying things and looking at other boats.  And remember as the velocity changes, the sweet-spot changes.

Hope this helps!

-Andy
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WOW for 11/16/08 Frostbiting @ BYC Fall Series Day 3: Peter Shope
Day’s results can be found here

The wind was from the west with the lulls near zero and gusts – shifting what must have been 20 or 30 degrees – to 30 knots.  On top of this the current was ebbing at two or three knots.  It was a beautiful day.  The windier it gets the more confidence I have (not so much in the lighter air!).  Knowing that my biggest enemy is myself I sailed out to the course with the plan that I wanted to survive to race.  What I mean by this is not taking myself out of a race by starting prematurely (which I think I’ve done at least four times so far this season), capsizing, hitting a mark, fouling someone, or taking risky strategies (also I problem that I have) – all so that I could stay in the hunt. 

1.  Survive.  Obviously not capsizing was top on the priority list for most.  This means making the rig as manageable as you have to in order to survive to race.  There are several ways to de-power the rig.  1. Tighten the outhaul and Cunningham (I only took the scallops out because I was worried about the lulls), and slide the gooseneck back (varies with your weight, I had it at 17”).  2.  Use a Jens rig which will allow the upper boom to bend more (it can be rigged to varying degrees.)  3.  Reef your sail by tacking the Cunningham grommet to the boom and then re-tightening the upper boom outhaul.  Both of these second suggestions should be rigged on shore (it is possible to rig these out on the water though). 

I sailed with a full rig (no Jens) because this fall I sailed a Sunfish regatta with two races in the 25 – 30 knot range with full rig and had no problems (I’m 5-10, 180).  The Jens is a wonderful invention which allows sailors in a certain weight range (125 to 165lbs?) the ability to stay competitive when it’s windy and yet there seems to be a very small penalty for the rig if it lightens up. 

The reef option seems like it may be the way to go for the very light sailors or those that want more control.  Bill Brangiforte was talking after the racing about these options.  Maybe before sailing next Sunday we could have a quick meeting outside and Bill could show everyone how to set up these two options.

2.  Racing.  Despite the conditions it’s still a race.  The first race the pin was dramatically favored.  I hung around the pin during the count down and watched to see if anyone was going to be a problem for me to start at the pin on port.  No one. Very few boats where on the line and going at the gun.  There was one other boat on port at the pin but he was behind me.  There were very few boats on the line.  That was basically the race.  I concentrated on not taking myself out.  When I was ahead I spent down my lead to stay between the next mark or the next gust and the boat(s) behind me.  I knew that the current would skew the course making us all have to sail on port longer than starboard so I shifted by strategy accordingly.  I gave marks a really wide berth because of the current.

The second race I decided to be even more conservative and stay on starboard at the start.  The pin, having been moved upwind, was still favored but less so than the first race.  Again there were only a handful of boats on the line and going at the start.  The gusts where even harder.  I started on time at the boat with full speed.  Several boats at the pin had better starts.  I saw a huge gust coming down the middle and tacked (even though I was on a lift !) in order to line myself up with it.  I sailed for the gusts all day.  I concentrated really hard on hiking hard in that gust, staying properly trimmed (huge amounts of  trimming in and out, and steering up and down to compensate for the velocity and direction changes), and not capsizing to windward in the headers.  On the last beat I worried too much about the boat catching me and got into irons three times when huge heading gusts slapped me.  I was able to get out of irons by grabbing my boom and pulling to windward as I hiked out.

Downwind.  Before rounding the mark I looked around to see where the next puff was, then rounded and headed up or down for it.  I made sure to compensate for the current to prevent sailing a great circle route to the leeward mark.  You need hard vang to keep control downwind.  Ask someone like Bill how to set it up properly.  Pull your board up six or eight inches.  Not so far that the boom could catch on it in an unexpected jibe.  I think having it up a little is good especially on the windiest days.  Spend at least half your time looking behind to line up with puffs and to prepare for the monsters.  When the monster hits I like to be on a dead run, slightly over trimmed with the sheet through the ratchet and wrapped around my hand so it won’t pull out, and slightly heeled to weather.  If you’re not heeled to weather a bit the boat will want to round up in the gust.  I also like to sail by the lee in the biggest gusts so that I can plane.  I sit towards the front of the cockpit in flat water.  I didn’t bother with loosening my outhaul downwind!

- Peter
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WOW for 11/9/08 Frostbiting @ BYC Fall Series Day 2: Bill Brangiforte.
Day’s results can be found here

What a nice day to sail. The breeze was a shify  (what else) westerly, And the tide was flooding all day.I almost always do better when I make a plan, and today was no exception. Based on these simple observations, I decided on a few things.

1. Starting at the starboard (pin) end of the line allowed more options. It was crucial to stay in pressure and on the lifted tack. I did not want to get pinned out to left layline with these big shifts. On a short course with big shifts, you need the  freedom to tack, and once you hit the port layline your options are gone.

2. As it turned out, the right side of the course was favored due to big geographic righties with lots of extra pressure. Every time I found myself getting left, I would look for any opportunity to work back right. There were brief puffs coming from the left and these had to be used to bounce back towards the right.

3. In the third race I didn’t follow my plan and got into trouble early. I started towards the middle of the line, had a nice lane, and then tunnel vision set in. It looked like there was some pressure coming from the left, so I focused on boatspeed, and kept heading left. What I should have been doing is Looking around! A huge rightie came roaring in, and I lost half the fleet. By simply looking around, I would have seen this coming (it wasn’t hard to see) and tacked to get into it.  Keep your head out of the boat!

4. The current did not play a big factor. The only time I seemed to notice it was at the leeward mark. As it was sleeping across the course, if you jibed close to the mark, it would take you downwind quickly. The drill here, was to jibe upwind of the mark, if possible, and let the tide take you down to the mark.

5. Make sure your control lines work properly. With lots of roundings in the short courses, they need to work easily. This is especially true when you have heavy gloves on. I kept having trouble with my hiking strap control (my favorite control). A thinner line and a little mclube should help.

6. In warmer conditions, such as today, try wearing layers. Most of us over dressed and were hot when the breeze lightened up. I was much more comfortable after taking off my spray top. Those with dry-suits did not have that option. Also, by simply taking off your hat, you can cool yourself down quickly. Keep the hat close by, as you might need it as the sun starts to set.

Thanks to the race committee for running great races on this nice day!

- Bill
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WOW for 11/2/08 Frostbiting @ BYC Fall Series Day 1: Phil Garland.
Day’s results can be found here

Andy David asked me to write the words of wisdom for yesterdays racing even though he won for the day—he doesn’t want us to know all his secrets.  He really schooled the rest of us, finishing 10 points ahead of me in 2^nd.  Bill Shaw and I tied, PJ Schaefer was 1 point back, Peter Shope was another point back and Bill Brangiforte another 2 back so it was very tight racing for 2nd through 6^th.

With the wind from the NNE and a pretty good ebb tide all day, I knew the emphasis would be on upwind performance.  The windward mark was set just off the Warren Beach. There were big fluctuations in wind strength and direction throughout the day with the wind predicted to go right and die out later.  I favored starting at the leeward end wanting to go left off the start to stay out of the stronger current in the center of the river.  Also the pin was slightly up current which was a small advantage.  After a third in the first race I had a good position going upwind in the first beat of the second race but crossed over to the Warren shore too soon with Peter Shope (who bailed out early) and proceeded to lose boats and the wind also, eventually finishing 13^th.  The lesson at that point was not to get out into the current unless you were in good breeze and also to be more up current on the Barrington shore before venturing across.

The third race was the turning point of the day for me, when I passed about 7 boats on the beat to the finish….I rounded the leeward mark on a reasonably lifted port tack and as the group ahead tacked back onto starboard toward the shore I got my head out of the boat and saw a puff developing on the Warren shore and continued toward it, not seeing a lot of breeze on the left (Barrington shore).  I also was looking at the committee boat flags, starting to show the righty with pressure.  I tacked a little early to position myself downwind of the puff which played out perfectly getting lifted almost to the boat and crossed the line just ahead of Andy and Bill Harris who had led most of the race.  I realized then that (1) watching the wind patterns was as important as the current considerations and (2) big gains were just as available as big loses.  And (3) don’t let a bad finish get you down—learn from your mistakes and stay focused.

Sailing up the river in the last race is always a challenge, more so when against the tide and with a light headwind.  The best option usually is tacking up the leeward shore for the best breeze and some current relief.  One has to find the best balance of staying out of the current and not tacking too much, all the while playing the wind shifts and puffs.  PJ Schaefer did a great job, passing me half way up the leg by being just a bit more out in the river around a large stone bulkhead that seemed to have accelerated current closer to shore.  I think also there is sometimes a better breeze being just away from the shore.   PJ went on to win the last race with Bill Brangiforte 2^nd and Bill Shaw 3^rd.

Short term goals:  lose some weight, stretch and warm-up before sailing, and work on boat handling, especially tacking.

Off to the Big Apple next weekend so see you all in two weeks. 

- Phil
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Words of Wisdom – 10/26/08 Frostbite @ BYC Practice Races – Andy David

In very light air days (like today), the wind is most important at the start and first quarter of the leg, and the current is the most important for the last 3-quarters of the first beat.  So, make sure you stay close to the line and be in the breeze at the favored end at go.  If that works, then always be thinking how do I get to the right place based on the current. 

The last race was the perfect example for me.  The breeze was way left before the start, but I knew that I wanted to get right to get out of the current.  So, I got a good start at the pin, and then tacked as soon as I could and took it all the way to the right side.  I then tacked, and ended up exactly on the layline (sorry Bill).

As far as boat setup for the day, I had a loose outhaul and cunningham.  My gooseneck was at about 14 inches. 

It was really great to see new faces out there today, please come on over and ask questions, are drag one of us over to your boat to help you out!

- Andy