IMYC Spring Series Race Day #3, April 18, 2015

Despite the gloom and doom weather forecast we were fortunate that the rain split and went around the lake, leaving us to deal with only a few sprinkles.  And winds were from the east again, but today they were much steadier than for the last races. 

Race 1    Course: BABDB   Wind: E 2-5

The six competitors got off to a relatively good start.  The slight southerly component of the wind angle favored a starboard tack start, and would all day.  Rama ran the line and turned up right at the gun to win the start with Zcat close behind and quickly tacking to port. That apparently did not work as hoped, and Zcat tacked back to find Bogy had pulled ahead.  Rendezvous graciously spotted everyone else a few boat lengths by starting last.

Bunched up at the start with Rama running the line and ready to pounce

 



Bogy enjoying a bit of a lead over Zcat early in race 1

 

Approaching the top mark Rendezvous had made up her starting deficit.  She and No Lizard were almost dead even heading for the mark.  Rama was behind but making very good speed.  Rendezvous rounded first.  No Lizard could not fetch and had to throw in a couple of extra tacks.  That helped Rama catch back up.

No Lizard cruising just to leeward of Rendezvous.  Rama turned out to be closer than she looks.

 

No Lizard and Rama begin to chase Rendezvous downwind

Meanwhile Bogy and Zcat were duking it out on the upwind leg.

Bogy and Zcat head south.  They make a lovely couple.

 

 Communion’s new North 150 made the rest of us look drab.
 



Rendezvous’ favorite view while racing.  Too bad we didn’t actually win.  But it still makes a good photo.

Again Rendezvous led the pack to the top mark.  This time she held a wider wind angle downwind, opting for boat speed over shorter distance. 

On the last downwind leg No Lizard flew a few acres of nylon, while Rama looked for some apparent wind.

No Lizard popped her chute again and accelerated. Here she comes…

 

Fortunately for Rendezvous there were a few windshifts that collapsed No Lizard’s chute, allowing Rendezvous to finish first.  No Lizard finished second and easily corrected over us to win first place.  Rama finished third but Zcat corrected over her to take away third place.  Had she been just six seconds faster, or Rendezvous six seconds slower Zcat would have taken second place.  Those six seconds will be important later…

 

 

Race 2    Course: BAB   Wind: E 1-5

With the radar showing rain approaching this course was set short – a simple up and back.  Another fairly tight start, but still a few gave up too much time.  Rendezvous and Rama ended up on the right side of the course on port tack heading for the top mark.  As Rama was closing the gap on Rendezvous we wondered aloud how a boat that is “supposed” to be slower (at least that’s what the ratings say) could be right next to us and sailing faster.  We checked and re-checked sail trim, but she kept gaining.



Rama in good form, making everyone nervous

 

The fleet works their way upwind as the wind lightens

Rama easily rolled over Rendezvous on the outside as they approached the mark, and turned in clear ahead, rounding a few feet ahead.  She then chose a wide gybe to the south looking for both real and apparent wind.  Rendezvous chose to go wide to the north looking for the same apparent wind.

The view from Rendezvous of No Lizard gaining and Rama making good progress with her southern route
 

 

No Lizard headed right down the middle and proceeded to pop the chute.  Well, it didn’t really pop.  It just kinda filled out and pulled gently.  But it was pulling better that Rendezvous mostly limp sails, letting No Lizard make up time and distance on both Rendezvous and Rama.

Zcat works her magic as she leads Communion and Bogy toward the finish
 

 

As the wind lightened No Lizard kept gaining.  Rendezvous headed up to increase speed and exert her leeward rights, but alas crossed in front of No Lizard.  So Rendezvous just headed straight for the finish line.  Rama had gybed onto starboard from her southerly position and sailed a fairly high wind angle toward the finish.  This gave her relatively good speed as she crossed behind Rendezvous and headed straight for No Lizard, who was on port. 



Rama has some fun at No Lizard’s expense as they finish race 2

 

No Lizard’s chute collapsed and she had to gybe since she did not have sufficient speed to avoid Rama.  Rendezvous somehow finished first with No Lizard and Rama finishing right behind and overlapped. 

No Lizard and Rama both easily corrected over Rendezvous. But to no avail.  The sneaky Zcat had been steadily working her way to the finish, and corrected over all three of them to nab first place.

 

Race 3    Course: BDBDB    Wind: E 3-7

I don’t know how the wind knows, but it does.  It always seems to be the best BETWEEN races.  It had strengthened, but by the time we started the third race it was back down a bit, though still the best of the day.  A short up and back twice course was set for the last race. 

Communion (hull visible under Zcat's boom), Zcat and Rendezvous get great starts in race 3, with No Lizard close behind

 

Again the fleet split between taking the right or left side approach for first upwind leg.




Rama seems to always be fast.  Here she is coming off the start and chomping at Rendezvous heels…. Again.

The shorter course kept the boats grouped a little closer, especially on the downwind legs.  The less-fickle-than-last-race-day winds made trimming and steering so much easier today.

Rendezvous leads the fleet to the first mark.

The first of two downwind leg parades.

 

I believe everyone had the same question – how deep or high do I sail to get the best downwind VMG?  Rendezvous tried winging it dead downwind, sailing so deep that the jib almost collapses, and sailing so high that we were on an apparent beam reach.  It was a good day to experiment.

Rounding the bottom mark, Rendezvous leads No Lizard, Rama and Zcat

 

 

Bogy and Communion ride the shifts to the north side of the course on leg two

 



Rendezvous and Rama on opposite laylines begin converging for the last windward mark rounding of the day

 

Zcat makes it look easy.

 

 

Again Rendezvous finished first.  And again she did not hold on.  After corrections it was ZCAT, then No Lizard, Rendezvous, Rama, Bogy, Communion.  For the day Zcat had a third, first, first - for a total of six points.  No Lizard had a first, second, second - for a total of 5.5 points, making No Lizard the winner for the day.  Congrats Joyce and Ron for a well sailed regatta.

 

Remember those six seconds that separated Zcat and Rendezvous in race 1?  Those six seconds would have given Zcat the victory for the day.  Its not over 'till its over.  So it pays to race hard every second of every race, and never give up time on the start.

Thanks to Carey Jones for contributing a few pics she took from the north launching ramp.
 

 

 Photo of the day



No Lizard looking good



 

 

 

 

 

IMYC Spring Series Race Day #2 April 4, 2015

IMYC Spring Series Race Day #2

The day started out lovely.  For the last 8 years I have had a strain-relief in the form of a rope that runs with my electric and water connections from the dock to the boat.  In the event the boat tries to pull them too far, the rope will take the load and not damage the connections.  And for the last 8 years it has been untested.  I should have known when I finally "tested" it Saturday by attempting to motor out of the slip while still connected that it was not gonna be a my day. 

Well, at least the weather was beautiful, sunny, and warm by the afternoon.  The wind, however, was another story.  Despite the predictions, the wind was the most erratic we have raced in in years.  It ranged from zero (yes, zero) to 12kts and from every conceivable direction, sometimes in completely opposite directions within a few hundred yards.  Frustrating, but providing lots of opportunity.

We had two visitors from Greers Ferry Lake Yacht Club racing with us.  George Yerger is captain of the Catalina 22 fleet 145 there.  He brought his C22 Sirocco.  He had Lee Hoover (ComPac 23) from IMYC as crew.  With him came Dwight Seagraves who brought his experience sailing his 33 footer and crewed with Bob Paxton aboard Pax.  Over the next few hours both George and Dwight would prove themselves to be quite good sailors.  And, maybe now Lee will put his beautiful ComPac through its paces on the race course.

Your intrepid racing blogger was a little busy on this Race day.  With the wind shifts and the seven other boats to dodge my notes were sparse.  Even though we had John Bomar crewing with Barbara and me aboard Rendezvous, the need to trim kept interfering with my photography and note taking.  So I described the circumstances I could recall.

Race 1   Course: BABDB   Wind: all over the map

The starting line was set north/south, positioned just north of island “B”.  The start was fairly good with no one too far off the line.  I think Rendezvous was one of the last to start.  Right off the bat we were all impressed with how well a properly prepared Catalina 22 can move in the right hands.  Sirocco showed amazing speed, and made us all check and recheck our sail trim. 

Nearing the half way point Pax had a comfortable lead.  Rendezvous was in second place leading the pack toward the second mark.  We really had to work to get any decent position. 

Then we encountered the bane of downwind racing.  We've all been there at some point or another – ahead of a group on a downwind leg…  Then the wind dies. Ok...  No big deal... if it dies for every one.  But invariably someone trailing will catch the new breeze and ride it down to you as you sit helpless.  Rama and No Lizard must have made the proper offerings.  

Rama and No Lizard capitalize on the erratic wind, riding it toward the becalmed, helpless leaders



Sirocco makes it look easy.  Note the forward position of both pieces of "ballast" to lift the stern and reduce wetted surface area.

After riding the wind down to the second mark the fickle wind abandons Rama and No Lizard. 

Drifting around the second mark in a group.

Rules Quiz:  In the photo above under what conditions could Sirocco have come up to force No Lizard to the wrong side of the mark? 

The wind filled in for a while on the third leg up to mark "D".



No Lizard and Rama crossing swords

The wind hung in long enough for No Lizard to fly the colorful beast. 

I know Ron was thankful to have Joyce aboard today.

I thought a Cat 22 was supposed to be slower than a Cat 40!!!!  What is she doing on my transom?

After almost two legs of hard sailing Rendezvous finds herself embarrassed by a boat she has to give a lot of time to.

Pax turned an amazing performance, finishing as Bogy, Lil Girl and ZCat round the second mark.

Becalmed Bogy "enjoys" watching Lil Girl , Pax and ZCat ride the wind down to her.  Just another example of how unpredictable the wind was.

However, Pax's speed wasn't enough to hold off Sirocco on corrections.  Thanks Captain Yerger for starting off your visit to IMYC by giving us a sailing lesson.  Pax took second and Rama third.

Race 2   Course: BDFB   Wind: a crap shoot

For the second race we threw in a run down to and around the island at the State Park Lodge.  The start was fairly good again.  Notice in the photo below how Pax is on starboard, Rama just to windward is on port, and Sirocco jus to leeward is also on port, but sailing an angle between the other two.

Another good start

The fleet quickly spread out,  Rendezvous and No Lizard got out ahead briefly.  Lil Girl tried her luck south toward the chute.

Sirocco and Pax charging toward the leaders



Pax is all business as she works her way upwind on the first leg



This is a sight I got tired of seeing - Sirocco chomping at my heels

On the long downwind run No Lizard flew the big red and blue asymmetric.  Once Joyce got Ron to fly it right they took off.



No Lizard glides past Rendezvous, powered by acres of nylon

At the bottom mark Rendezvous had a slight lead with No Lizard, Pax and Sirocco close behind.  She tried to give the lead back with a couple of extra tacks in the island-disturbed air, but the others didn't fare much better.

Julie has Rama in the groove as they drive upwind toward the finish.

Rendezvous sloooowly stretched out her lead.  No Lizard and Pax were duking it out as they played the shifts.





The scene reminds me of a 30 year old Tartan ad - "A gentlemen's choice of dueling weapons"



Rendezvous held on to finish first, with Pax next just 14 seconds ahead of No Lizard.  But to no avail.  On corrections it was ZCat and Sirocco (the two Cat 22s), then No Lizard.

Race 3     Course: BDBDB   Wind: finally started to settle

Thankfully the wind was a little more steady out of the southeast for the third race.  But only a for a while.  The start was tight.  About a minute into the race the wind shifted 100+ degrees to the north.   Yes, 100+ degrees!   Of course Rendezvous (and most of the rest of the fleet) was on the wrong side of the shift.  However.... Sirocco had started on the north end of the line leeward of the seven other boats When the shift hit she caught it first, tacked her sails to the starboard side while hardly changing course, and started pulling away. 

Pax on the layline to the first mark.  Her heavy displacement came in handy when she had to coast up to the mark in a well-timed header.

Pax lead to the first mark with Rendezvous not too far behind.  After Pax rounded Rendezvous and Rama converged on the mark quickly.


The fleet works up the first leg

Toward the end of the second leg Sirocco discovered that she had been dragging a fender the whole day, and no one told her.  After some good-hearted jeering from Rendezvous she threw the fender back in just in case it actually had helped her.

Lee takes it easy working foredeck.  Now we know George's secret weapon - towing a fender

Sirocco stretched out her lead over the last two legs.  Pax finished second with Rendezvous third.

I love a parade.  The last leg of the last race.

After corrections Sirocco did it again.   Another first place, sealing a first place for the day.  Congratulations George and Lee.  We did have a few finish positions determined by just a few seconds.  In Race 1 Rendezvous hung on to fourth by just 28 seconds over No Lizard.   Lil Girl took sixth from Rama by just 4 seconds.  And in race three ZCat took a third place from Rama by just 3 seconds.  God results on a day with such variable winds.

George Yerger showed us that it doesn't take a "fast " boat to win, just one that is well prepared and sailed well.  I hope our GFLYC guests will return and let us try to even the score.

Rules Quiz:
If No Lizard was overlapped inside Sirocco at the time Sirocco reached three of her hull lengths from the mark (the Zone), then per 18.2 (b) "...the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room".  Otherwise Sirocco is free to exercise her rights as leeward boat.  Did you get it right?

For those that want to see the numbers...



 

Notice of Revision of March 21st race results:
A discussion with George Yerger revealed that I had used the wrong PHRF for ZCat for our first race day.  The corrected results are below.  Positions that changed are in BLUE.  Rama still won the day.

Revised results from the first race day on March 21, 2105.