Chester Race Week
August 11, 2009
Rules Question: What is a Mark?
July 25, 2009
Some Thursday night sailors in the Annapolis area seem to be struggling with what is and isn’t a mark, what they have to do if they hit a mark and what they should do if they are compelled by another boat to hit a mark.
For that matter, some Thursday night sailors in Annapolis seem to be lacking the basic respect that we all owe race committees. It is wrong and we should all remember that the RC is volunteer, hard working and capable of making our lives more difficult. A little deference and appreciation makes for better races. I hope we all remember that, and when I forget it – remind me too.
This past Thursday night there was some confusion over what is and isn’t a mark – or part of the mark. Is the anchor line (rode) that holds the mark, or committee boat down a part of the mark? And when you it the mark what should you do? What if the Race Committee (RC) sees you hit the mark, can they protest you? IF you are forced into the mark by another boat – what then?
So, first let’s get clear on what a mark is. As usual, the rule writers have made this crystal clear for us. Turn to the DEFINITIONS section of your ISAF rules or US Sailing (BLUE) Rules Book and you will find the definition of what is a mark.
It goes like this:
Mark An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, and a race committee boat surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends. An anchor line or an object attached temporarily or accidentally to a mark is not part of it.
OK, that’s pretty clear. In other words it is the mark. Not the anchor rode. It should be pointed out though that the Sailing Instructions can declare a limiting ball attached to the committee boat to be part of the mark. As usual it pays to read, re-read, and carry a laminated copy of the sailing instructions with you.
Now if you hit a mark, what should you do? Well the rules are pretty clear on this too. If you hit a mark, you get clear of the competition and do a one turn (that’s one tack and one gybe in the same direction) penalty. Easy cheesy. Practice your turns and it ain’t no thang but a chicken wing.
Here is the real rule:
31 TOUCHING A MARK
While racing, a boat shall not touch a starting mark before starting, a mark that begins, bounds or ends the leg of the course on which she is sailing, or a finishing mark after finishing.
OK, so touching a MARK (see definition above) is against the rules. Now what?
44.1 Taking a Penalty
A boat may take a Two-Turns Penalty when she may have broken a rule of Part 2 while racing or a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken rule 31. Sailing instructions may specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty. However,
(a) when a boat may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31;
(b) if the boat caused injury or serious damage or gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach her penalty shall be to retire.
But what happens if you are compelled to hit a mark by another boat not giving your room or mark room? What then?
Well if you are forced into the mark by a boat that owes you room or mark room then you MUST protest that other boat – and hope to god they agree that they forced you into the mark. If the offending boat takes their penalty on the water or you win the protest you will be exonerated for hitting the mark. IF you win the protest. Most protests are 50/50 chances. So, I’d recommend you do your turn for hitting the mark and protest the other boat for forcing you into the mark, because if you loose the protest and didn’t turn then you will be tossed for breaking Rule 31 – Hitting a Mark. The turn is simply insurance. Cheap insurance.
An important thing to point out here is that not only can your fellow competitiors claim that you hit the mark, but so can the race committee. If the mark boat see’s you hit the mark – then can protest you. They don’t have to fly a flag, hail protest or do anything else. IF they do come over and say that they think you hit the mark… well, I’d spin. But if you really don’t think you did – then I’d start gathering evidence and witnesses to back you up. The RC is generally a neutral party – so if they say you hit something… I bet you did.
Good luck and good racing.
Thick as a brick
July 14, 2009
Training update!
Today I did my second brick workout. According to the training website this should have occurred about week 16 of training. Let’s just for the sake of conversation say that I have not been training for 16 weeks. Anyway – did it. Loved it. Felt pretty good.
Today was a ride/run brick. Oh yeah, “What the heck is a brick?” Well besides what I feel like, it is a workout that consists of doing two of the three disciplines back to back in the same workout. So today I rode (1 hour about 18 miles) and then ran 40 minutes (don’t ask… it wasn’t fast).
I get by with a little help from my friends
July 14, 2009
Hey there! Happy Summer. I hope this note finds you tan, happy and well. I have found a few days of catch up time, so I apologize for the several blog blasts that I will be sending along in the next few days – but I might as well get it all out there.
I thought I’d start with a little appeal first as the news about summer sailing in Nova Scotia, racing events in Key West, and the rest might overshadow my little request.
As you probably already know (I never shut up about it) I am the commodore of the Ocean Conservation Yacht Club. The OCYC (rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?) is a partnership with Oceana – the biggest baddest Ocean Conservation group in the world, and me. The goal is simply to engage more sailors with the truth about the health of our oceans and what sailors (or anyone for that matter) can do about it.
OK, so start with that. Now jump ahead (Tarrentino style) to Sunday July 26th. I will be running the New York City Triathlon as part of the Oceana/OCYC/Nautica Team. Swim the Hudson. Bike the West Side Highway. Run Central Park. Now you might ask out loud – I didn’t think kb was a triathlete. And compared to the competition, I might not be. But I’m swimming and biking and running and finishing this one. And I’m going to do it faster than the last one (Chicago) that I did more or less off the couch.
OK, now come on back to today. Come on back. Never one to let an opportunity slide by, I am raising some funds for ocean conservation via this event. Oceana has helped me to set up a really slick website so that kind, giving, ocean loving folks like you can make a tax deductible charitable donation to the cause. The funds I raise go directly to help protect species, improve fish stocks, reduce pollution, and fight bad guys.
Here is the link to my Oceana Fundraising Page. As you will see when you check it out, someone already made a $100 dollar contribution. I am only asking for $10 at a time – but there’s nothing stopping you from giving more. Thanks in advance for your support. If everyone gave just $10 I would make my goal of $1000.00 a reality. So please check it out, give a little, and I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
Keep you eyes on the Gale Force and OCYC blogs. I’ll be squawking about my training and the event between now and the 26th!
Thanks, I look forward to catching up with you soon –
kb
OCEANA CAMPAIGNS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THE WORLD’S OCEANS.
Our team of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope, Oceana has campaigners based in North America (Washington, DC; Juneau and Anchorage, AK; Portland, OR; Monterey, CA; St. Petersburg, FL; Boston, MA; New York City, NY), Europe (Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium) and South America (Santiago, Chile). More than 300,000 members and e-activists in over 150 countries have already joined Oceana.
Oceana’s major campaigns and projects include dirty fishing, destructive trawling, sharks, seafood contamination, sea turtles, fishing subsidies, and global warming.
The dirty fishing campaign works to stop wasteful bycatch, which is the massive quantity of fish and other ocean life that is thrown back, dead or dying, by commercial fisheries. In a nutshell, Oceana’s approach to the problem is the three C’s: Count, Cap, and Control. We are calling on the federal government to address dirty fishing as is required under existing law and immediately implement these three critical measures to end wasteful fishing practices.
The destructive trawling campaign works with scientists, lawyers, commercial and recreational fishermen, U.S. ocean policy managers at the regional and federal levels, the White House, U.S. Congressional members, state public officials, and other interested private organizations to protect deep sea coral communities and other critical ocean environment from destructive fishing gear including bottom trawlers and dredgers.
The sharks campaign is working worldwide to protect sharks, increase awareness on the need for shark conservation, and promote international cooperation on these highly migratory animals. To protect sharks in U.S. waters, Oceana is pushing for better management of shark fisheries, encouraging the government to address shark bycatch problems, and reducing the demand for shark products, such as squalene. In South America, Oceana is pressing for a shark finning ban in Chile, and in Europe, we are working as part of the Shark Alliance to close loopholes in European policy regarding shark finning.
The seafood contamination campaign works to protect children, adults and marine life from mercury poisoning. Our campaign targets grocery stores and chlorine plants. Our campaigners call on the major grocery chains to post warning signs in the stores where the fish of concern are sold, and working to phase out mercury-emitting chlorine production in the United States.
The sea turtles campaign works to protect sea turtles from commercial fishing gear, including dredges, gillnets, longlines and trawls, which are the greatest threat to sea turtles. We have also petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Interior to uplist the loggerhead sea turtle population from “threatened” to “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.
The fishing subsidies campaign works to curb overfishing by stopping global fishing subsidies, in which governments essentially pay fishermen to overfish. Working with the World Trade Organization, our campaigners are working to “cut the bait.”
The climate change project works on Capitol Hill, advocating for reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the planning and mitigation of the effects of climate change on our oceans, and funding for climate change research, including research on ocean acidification.
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Greetings From Chester, Nova Scotia
July 7, 2009
Chester Taxi
Well it has been far too long since I last posted. I have been running around chasing all manner of new opportunities and have (not that this is particularly new) neglected this site and this blog.
I am in Chester, Nova Scotia. A sailors’ paradise. The Canadian Maritime Provinces are one of the most beautiful places on earth, and the little harbor that I am sailing in here is unparalleled. On top of all that there are great sailors and kind people, a great sailing heritage, a warm and open yacht club, and a class of little one design sailboats that are more fun than just about anything I have ever sailed. If I sound smitten – it is because I am.
I am here providing private coaching for sailing fundamentals and racing clients who race Bluenoses, International One Designs (IOD’s), and other vessels. I am putting on several sail trim and balance, strategy and tactics, and racing rules lectures for the Chester Yacht Club and others.
I am also training for the New York City Triathlon that I am doing on behalf of Oceana and the Ocean Conservation Yacht Club. I am trying to raise awareness and funding for ocean conservation and encourage you to go to my Oceana fundraising site to make a tax deductible charitable donation.
The Nautica New York City Triathlon is so unique. It’s thrilling to think that I’ll be swimming in the Hudson River, biking on the West Side Highway and then making a dash for the finish line through Central Park. What’s just as exciting is the work Oceana is doing to help protect the world’s oceans. As the largest international NGO working exclusively on ocean issues, Oceana’s advocates, lawyers and scientists are spread out around the world, working towards the conservation and recovery of this amazing BLUE planet. I hope that you will support me in this cause and help me reach my fundraising goal.
My swim training pool
There are lots of great things on the Gale Force Sailing calendar. Private coaching, racing events, clinics and more. If you are looking do some sailing onboard your boat, learn new skills, or would like to schedule a clinic for your fleet or you club please don’t hesiate to contact me. I am always available via cell phone and email. Yes, even when I am in special places like Nova Scotia.
Speaking of which, I still have a few open days on the calendar up here. If you are interested in getting away from the heat and the hassle, let me know. I’ve got a room at the world’s best B & B and a georgeous little wooden sailboat just waiting for you. If racing is your thing, then get up here for the oldest regatta in North America, Chester Race Week. As always if there is anything Gale Force Sailing can do for you and your sailing goals. Please let me know. Until next time (which will be sooner than later since I found internet access) – Fair winds and good sailing!
Wednesday Night Racing Update
April 30, 2009
I’m not afraid to say it – it feels pretty darn good. Tonight Team Dakota Girl went out and won their class in the weekly Annapolis Yacht Club Wednesday Night Racing series. The win has put us in first place for at least the next week. This team earned it and they deserved it.
Tonight’s race was punctuated for me, by how important thinking ahead is for successful racing. The J35 class starts with the BIG boats (Farr 40′s, B44.7′s, Farr 395′s, etc.) and can really get punished coming off the starting line if they try and mix it up.
The wind direction made the pin end of the start line quite a bit favored, so it was clear with minutes to go that it would be crowded on that end of the line. With that in mind we opted to let the big boats have that end, look for clear air and a good lane in the middle of the line and escape to fight our fight on the course.
Additionally we identified that all the boats would flop to port tack shortly after the starting gun, and that shortly after that we’d be looking for a lane to come back on starboard (avoiding the Horn Point Shoal) tack and looking for clear air to get out to the rest of the course. So what sets this race apart from most others is that is EXACTLY what happened.
As expected the big boats fought hard for the pin end of the line, and fortunately so did most of our J35 competition. We escaped the starting line with great speed and good position as the majority of our fleet suffered in disturbed air and restricted maneuverability.
At that point we extended to the windward mark (Hackett’s Point) and set ourselves up to execute a jibe set. We pulled it of with aplomb and sped for home and our first Wednesday Night Racing win of the season.
That was fun.
I’d like to give special thanks to Grady Byus (pictured above) for sailing with us tonight. It is always a pleasure to sail with you my friend.
The Whisker Pole
April 30, 2009
I am so excited to announce that the Dangerfield Island Sailing Club has started sending in their racing and rules questions and have dedicated a bit of space on their site in order to share my answers. Sort of a “stump the chump” segment, that I think will make for some great blog material. Here is an example of the sort of question I am looking forward to fielding:
“As a general question, are whisker poles permitted in the non-spin fleet? This is typically not permitted, but if DISC allows it, are there any specifications on the pole that can be used, ie. does it need to be a whisker pole vice a spinnaker pole being used as a whisker pole?
What is the rule on “human whisker poles”. Can a crew member hold the clew of a genoa out away from the boat at arms length?”
Whisker Poles – a pole of some kind used to hold the clew of a the genoa or jib in position when sailing wing-on-wing – are often used on boats that race non-spinnaker. It can dramatically improve your downwind speed by allowing you to gain maximum projection of the headsail and “vang” the sail and reduce twist.
To my knowledge there are rarely restrictions on their use except during winter time Frostbite races, when crew is restricted to the cockpit. PHRF assumes that the maximum length of the whisker pole is equal to the boat’s “J” length (“J” is the base of the foretriangle measured along the deck from the headstay pin to the front of the mast.)
So a whisker pole and spinnaker pole could be the same thing – but more often than not whisker poles are more lightly constructed. The only restriction is that that whisker pole cannot be longer than the J length of the boat – and if it is longer, that must be reported to the PHRF rating committee.
Sailors who are sailing out of the Washington Sailing Marina are in luck, because you’d be hard pressed to find a group of sailors who know more about whisker poles than the local Albacore Fleet. But for anyone who is curious to know more about whisker poles I’d suggest reading what Forespar (a whisker pole maker) has to say about it. If you are interested in adding a whisker pole to your boat…contact me!
As far as being a “human whisker pole” the only restriction on holding the sail is found in the rulebook. In the case of the crew position it is addressed in Part 4 – Other Requirements When Racing, Rule 49 of the rules. Rule 49 states:
49 CREW POSITION
49.1 Competitors shall use no device designed to position their bodies outboard, other than hiking straps and stiffeners worn under the thighs.
49.2 When lifelines are required by the class rules or the sailing instructions they shall be taut, and competitors shall not position any part of their torsos outside them, except briefly to perform a necessary task. On boats equipped with upper and lower lifelines of wire, a competitor sitting on the deck facing outboard with his waist inside the lower lifeline may have the upper part of his body outside the upper lifeline.
So if you are going to “wing out” the headsail, I would suggest that you keep most of your body inside the lifeline most of the time, but holding the sheet at arm’s length seems legal – and is probably fast!
RULES QUESTIONS
April 29, 2009
This week I have been running through a bunch of rules conversations with folks who were racing last weekend or already this week. While the rules always seem to elicit discussions – with the so-called new rules in place there are all sorts of great questions popping up. Sadly, one of the things that I’ve been discussing quite a bit is how often people are not doing their penalty turns for their fouls. I guess some things never change. Remember: the most important thing you have in your sailing bag is your reputation.
This morning I fielded a question about a common rules scenario that happened yesterday on the Potomac River. Here is what the email said:
Boat A overlaps Boat B – A is westward and behind of B.
As both boats approach the downwind mark, Boat A’s boom is over to starboard, Boat B’s boom is over to port.
The wind is from 200 degrees, while the course is 360.
Boat A requests room from Boat B as they approach within 3 boat lengths for the downwind mark. Boat B informs Boat A that Boat A has no rights, because A is port while B is on starboard.
Boat A gibes about to avoid hitting the mark.
Question: Was Boat B correct?
First and foremost it is really important to frame any rules situation using the racing rules definitions. They can be found in the back of your rules book. Often times the definition will clarify a situation simply through the words themselves. Moreover, if you are going to file a protest it is imperative that your description be clear and concise, with out contradiction.
Based on the description I had a few follow up questions for the writer. I wrote:
Thanks for sending this along – I need to ask a few clarifying questions before I answer.
Boat A is or is not overlapped with Boat B? The first line is contradictory – a boat is either overlapped or it is ahead/behind.
Are the boats in the zone or not? As they approach and within are contradictory.
After boat A gybes – where does she go? Does she hit B? Does she go astern of B and then round?
Based on my questions here is what the author wrote back:
Boat A is overlapped with B.
Boats are in the zone.
Boat A didn’t hit B.
B turns to port and goes around and doesn’t hit A in this maneuver (see above). Oh … B tacks, doesn’t gybe (just noticed that, looking at the diagram).
They included the following diagram:
The diagram helps to clarify a lot in this situation. I suggest before you file a protest you make a diagram, make sure you have consensus with your crew and then read the rule that you think pertains to the situation.
In this instance the author realized that they had not gybed – but rather tacked at the mark. This sort of disagreement would lead some protests committee members to be more than dubious of the fact being presented.
The other important thing that is missing here is where – if ever – the boat that tacked away protested by saying protest and immediately flying a red flag. I would diagram the situation like this:
Ok, working with what we have I think the situation is fairly clear. Two boats enter the zone. STOP! Right there we know we are working with Rule 18 MARK ROOM. Rule 18.1 states that Rule 18 applies between boats when they are required to leave a mark on the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. That seems to be the case here.
The boats are overlapped. STOP! Here is where a definition is pretty darn important. Boats that are not on the same tack cannot be overlapped according to the definition of Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlapped. The DEFINITION reads:
One boat is clear astern of another when her hull and equipment in normal position are behind a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other boats hull and equipment in normal position. The other boat is clear ahead.
They overlap when neither is clear clear astern. However they also overlap when a boat between them overlaps both.
These terms always apply to boats on the same tack. They do not apply to boats on opposite tacks UNLESS rule 18 applies or both boats are sailing more than ninety degrees from the TRUE wind.
It is that last part that is the kicker, eh? They are clearly on opposite tacks, but because they are sailing downwind they are overlapped. Because Rule 18 applies – they are overlapped.
So they are overlapped – big deal. Well it is a big deal, because reading a little more into Rule 18 we find that Rule 18.2 states:
18.2 Giving Mark-Room
(a) When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room, unless rule 18.2(b) applies.
(b) If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone,the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room.
(c) When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b), she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins. However, if either boat passes head to wind or if the boat entitled to mark-room leaves the zone, rule 18.2(b) ceases to apply.
(d) If there is reasonable doubt that a boat obtained or broke an overlap in time, it shall be presumed that she did not.
(e) If a boat obtained an inside overlap from clear astern and, from the time the overlap began, the outside boat has been unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.
So the bottom line here is that the OUTSIDE boat (regardless of what tack she is on) is required to give the INSIDE boat mark-room if they were overlapped at the zone. In this case the outside, starboard tack boat (Boat B in the original discussion, the yellow boat in the first diagram, and the green in the second – sorry for the confusion) needed to give the inside boat (PORT TACK) Mark-Room. She fouled and should have taken a penalty.
Tactically what this means is that the downwind race isn’t to the mark… it is to the ZONE! If you are behind, but can get an inside overalp at the Zone… then you get to go on the INSIDE of the track. What a cool way to pass!
Of course…what is mark-room? Leave a comment with your thoughts and keep the questions coming!
SAILING FINALLY HAS A HOME
April 29, 2009
by Gary Jobson
In 1998 I emceed a skipper’s forum on the Annapolis (Md.) City Dock, hosting
the skippers of the Whitbread Round the World Race. Paul Cayard, skipper of
the victorious EF Language syndicate, was on the panel, explaining to more
than 1,000 people in the audience what it was like to sail in the Southern
Ocean. Dennis Conner, whose Volvo 60 Toshiba sat nearby, was another panelist,
and as he compared the Whitbread to the America’s Cup, the crowd hung on his
every word. It was at this moment I realized the sport of sailing needed a
Hall of Fame to celebrate the accomplishments of these great sailors and many
others.
I had no idea then that in 10 years time the very place where the forum was
taking place would soon be sailing’s permanent home. It’s long overdue.
Many of our sport’s greatest moments are chronicled on film, on plaques and
trophies, and in logs, yearbooks, magazines, and websites. But sailing has
never had its own unified “place,” a physical space bearing the history that
reminds us what sailing, in its many forms, is about. Sailing needs a home
that trumpets its achievements and inspires generations to excel on the water,
and to serve the sport.
The desire for such a home was the easy part; finding the best place to hang a
shingle, however, was a challenge. There are many cities and towns worthy of
the National Sailing Hall of Fame, but Annapolis, Md., emerged for many
reasons. — taken from Sailing World, read on.
Sailing in the NOOD Equals High Pressure
April 24, 2009
Sailing in the nude is dangerous, but sailing in the NOOD is really fun. The Annapolis National Offshore One Design (NOOD) regatta kicks off tomorrow. This annual event is the first big event on the Annapolis racing calendar and attracts a huge number of one design racers. I am sailing the event with the venerable Dakota Girl Team and look forward to some great big boat one design racing.
I am a firm believer that most races are won on sound strategy (sailing to the expected shift, sailing in better pressure, avoiding adverse current) and therefore it pays to start collecting data early so that an initial game plan can be developed.
Last night, shortly before the start of the first Annapolis Yacht Club Wednesday Night Race, high pressure arrived on the Chesapeake. It signaled its arrival with a brief squall, big Northwesterly breezes, bright clear skies and cooler temperatures.
Now that High has established itself as the major influence this weekend, will move offshore and bring light southerly breezes which should be reinforced by the sea breeze – if the temps kick up.
Atmospheric or Barometric pressure is the pressure exerted by the atmosphere at a given point. Its measurement can be expressed in several ways. One is in millibars. Another is in inches or millimeters of mercury (Hg). It is a good indicator of the weather to come. The pressure is on the rise – so I am optimistic.
Here is what the NOAA Marine Forecast has to say about the next few days:
ANZ532-231945- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SANDY POINT TO NORTH BEACH- 351 AM EDT THU APR 23 2009 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING TODAY NW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. GUSTS UP TO 25 KT... INCREASING TO 30 KT THIS AFTERNOON. WAVES 2 TO 3 FT. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS THIS MORNING. TONIGHT NW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT... BECOMING W 5 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WAVES 1 FT. FRI S WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 1 FT. FRI NIGHT S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. WAVES 2 FT. SAT S WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. SAT NIGHT SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. SUN SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. WAVES 1 FT. MON SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 1 FT.
About me
I am the owner of Gale Force Sailing and write about all things related to coaching, instruction and team building. contact me>>
