Race Tips were provided by Timm Lessley, 2006 Rear Commodore and Offshore Race Organizer for CYC

Prep Well, Sail Fast

Timm

Race Tip #1
Safety

The Oregon Offshore Race Organizers take the safety of the participants very seriously.

Coast Guard Regulations and the PIYA requirements are a good place to start and skippers will meet these requirements as a minimum.

However, just meeting these requirements, may not be all that is required to keep your vessel and the occupants safe.

To be safe you must prepare your crew and vessel for expected, and unexpected events. This is a huge topic, and there are many different ways to be safe. As a primer, I will cover the preparation of my Cal 9.2 "Freewind". We have owned her since 1979, and have sailed her in numerous coastal races, and the Pacific Cup. She has logged 50,000 fast & safe race miles.

Let me share with you some ideas of preparation on our Offshore Racer.

Crew Training -
Each sailor has their own idea of what is expected. Good teams, after hours of practice together, know what to do with little communication. To get to this point we name the positions, like foredeck, mast man, port and starboard trimmer, sewer rat, afterguards: tactician, naviguesser, and skipper. Then a quick description of the duties and responsibilities are written, organized by upwind tactics, and downwind tactics.

Each position has the duties defined and key words are used to communicate, such as "standby", "made", "ease", "harden", and the like.  Since it is often difficult to hear the foredeck, we have him use handsignals, much like a crane signaler to communicate.

Sailors can have the tendency to "get excited" and "panic". We've not found this to be very productive. Most of the crew gets their signals from the skipper, if he stays calm and methodical, odds are that many difficult situations and events can be managed much more efficient. On our bulkhead, we have a sign: "Panic equals Death" need I say more?

Sailing offshore is very rewarding and beautiful, but Murphy can sometimes intrude.  Each crew member should be trained on the most common at sea emergencies. Training includes the location and use of safety devices, correct radio operation, and taking command of an incident until the skipper is notified and takes charge. Often multiple failures occur at the same time, a broken spar may knock someone overboard, and then puncture the hull. What would you attend to first?

Race Tip #2
Boat Status

It is important that I get the crew together weeks before the race.  During this time we clean the boat meticulously. Okay, I know forced labor has been unpopular, but time spent cleaning familiarizes the crew where everything is stored. Cleaning  provides a detailed inspection of all boat components.  We particularly inspect those places where water can intrude (through hulls), and the main components (rigging/ keel) are attached. Just before the race we do a thorough wiping and shop vacuum of the bilges, to make sure no debris can clog the limber holes or bilge pumps.

On Freewind we've tried to emphasize the concept of Cascading Failure.  The concept means that a very small error dominos into a major failure.  For example, maybe you forgot to tape over a cotter pin on a fitting, during a gybe, the sail snags on the cotter pin and tears, the flailing sail shakes out the cotter, which releases the pin. The line in the fitting releases and a section of rigging collapses.... a simple item as a piece of tape, brings down the rig.

On the chart table we keep a "to do" list... anything found needing attention is written on the list so we can make sure to attend to the item before going to sea. Jobs are assigned, and once completed, inspected and signed off by the skipper. Note if you keep one list, you'll be much happier than if you make little notes on the back of a hardware store receipt.

 I want my crew to be able to find everything on the boat, with their eyes closed. So it is important to mandate that tools, supplies, & kits are always put back in their correct location. Hmmm, now where did that rigging cutter go? Does anyone know where the flare kit is?..

Days before the race, we "duty test" the electrical. This means to run all the electronics just like you were racing, and then recharge using the auxiliary (engine). Be sure to check all the lights, and battery fluids, and make sure that all the good stuff is working. Do a radio test, and make sure all is operating.

A clean and organized boat is the beginning of a safe, fast and happy boat. Safe, fast and happy boats win more races? Of  course!

 

Race Tip #3
33-33

(30-3-30-3)

I run these numbers by my crew often during a race... they mean, what is happening in, 30 seconds, 3 minutes, 30 minutes and 3 hours. I ask this question of the crew, and see what the responses are.. usually I have some issue in mind to discuss...

It is simply a fun way to say be prepared and plan ahead.

 

 

Race Tip #4

Log Calibration

Many boats now have integrated instruments.

If you fall into this category, it is very important that your log transducer is calibrated.

Integrated instruments like Nexus, B&G, Ockham, Raytheon, etc. use this number to calculate wind angles, speeds, and possibly current.

If you are using a laptop, with navigation software like Expedition, MaxSea, RayTech, and Deckman, that uses your polars to do routing calculations, a poorly calibrated log transducer will produce incorrect results.

Okay, maybe we're talking about about a few degrees, or maybe only a knot or so, but in racing, over a few hundred miles, this can be critical. It can be the difference between a pickle dish, or buying drinks for the victor.

We spend many hours prepping the boat, and possibly thousands of dollars getting ready to race, you might consider also calibrating your knot log.

I've included an Excel spreadsheet, given to me by Nick White, winning Naviguesser of the Volvo Around the World Race, and Americas Cup Races. It's simple to use, and requires an hour or two on the water.

This spreadsheet assumes that you are able to enter an adjustment number in your instruments. If you are not able to do this, then consider calibrating a friend's boat that has this feature, and sail alongside, and adjust the trim screw on your knot meter until you read correctly.

Also, you might consider keeping your log (paddle wheel) pulled and replaced with the plug, when not racing. The paddles tend to get scummy and readings are inaccurate if they are always in the water/ dirty. 

 

Race Tip #5
Wind Sheer

When there is wind-speed, there is wind shear!

What is wind shear?

 

The main reason for wind shear is due to the Coriolis force. The wind will rotate counter clockwise on the North Hemisphere around the centre of the low pressure.

Then, there is a friction between the sea surface and the free air above. This friction will slow down the airspeed at sea level and gradually up into the free air above. This friction will also decrease the effect of the Coriolis force, so the wind will shear (to the right) from sea level up to the mast top (and above). The wind transducer will only measure at one altitude, so you need to understand and consider this sheared angle to adjust the sail accordingly down to deck level.

Note! Several meteorological effects will have impact on the size of the sheared wind. When cold and warm air is mixed with faster winds from higher levels, gradients and sheared winds may locally change very fast.

Generally, by applying sail trim according to the size of wind shear, you can get more power out of the wind on starboard by adding more twist to match the shear (on starboard only). This will reduce the top force from the wind, move the pressure centre downwards and allow for a more forward pointing and efficient wind force.

The wind instrument will "show you" that you are sailing lower than port side, but it is only a relative illusion since the reference is from your average attack angle and sail trim including wind shear.

On port side, the sheared wind is "negative", and it requires more flat sail trim. The instruments will tell you that you are sailing high and fast on port tack, but this is also a relative illusion, but opposite from starboard tack. You have less wind force in the top of the sail, so the efficient wind pressure centre is moved downwards. Then, for a given heel angle, you will have a wider wind angle, which mean that you are actually not sailing as high as the instrument says!

At open sea, where wind direction is stabilized, the waves will follow the wind direction that occurs at the surface. Since this wind-speed is reduced by the friction, it will therefore point towards the low pressure. This means that you will hit the waves slightly harder on starboard then port side (on the North hemisphere). This is also a reason for adding more twist and power on starboard tack!

RACE TIP #6
"What should I bring?"

Basic crew gear suggestion:

In one duffle bag - Name on all gear.

Foulies.
Inflatable Harness.
Tether with quick release at harness end.
Personal waterproof flashlight (AA Batteries).
Folding/ LOCKING knife or multi-pliers (Leatherman type).
Whistle on all jackets/ harness'.
Spare Glasses - sun & prescription.
Sailing Gloves.
Night Watch Gloves (easy removable, rubber)
Night Watch Cap.
Night Watch Neckband (like a headband or hanky)
Sun Hat with strap or lanyard. (Hawaii)
Sun Clothing cover-ups. (Hawaii)
Special SPF cream if required. (Hawaii)
Baby powder or Goldbond, for boat butt. (Hawaii)
Prescription, and Spare prescription medicine in separate containers.
Layered Clothing; undies, Poly's, fleece, breaker, foulies. (NO cotton).
Personal Hygiene supplies, antibacterial. (saltwater, close proximity, &
humidity can cause staff infections)

Doctor's Email Address and phone numbers. (Stored in ship manifest)

Family Members email address & phone numbers. (Stored in ship manifest)

List of allergies and sensitivities or other medical conditions, so we
can have info on board before an event. (Stored in First aid kit or
manifest)

Sea Sick medicine, enough for 3 days, if you are prone.
 

 

Race Tip #7
Sailing the Edge

Upwind Tactical Improvement.
an excerpt from Arvel Gentry AIAA Symposium

Most sailors use a yarn telltale located about 12 to 18 inches from the luff on the jib to tell when the sail stalls. However, this only tells you when the sail is stalled.

You have already goofed, and gotten too far off the wind. But what if you put a series of very short tufts starting right
at the luff and continuing to where you would normally put the standard long yarn telltale?

I tried this idea and it turned out to be a tremendous help in keeping the boat at the best angle to the wind for windward sailing. Not only could you tell where you were between the luffing and the stalling condition, but you could also tell how rapidly you were changing from one condition to another.

If you need more drive to regain lost speed, you simply bear off slightly so the first two or three tufts twirl, until the speed is back up.

For more information on this topic, and technical details of sail interaction visit:

http://www.arvelgentry.com/techs/A%20Review%20of%20Modern%20Sail%20Theory.pdf

 

 

Race Tip #8
DIAL-A-BUOY

 

To get Weather info via cell or touchtone Phone

Dial 228-688-1948

Enter 1  at prompt

Then, enter the five-digit (or character) station identifier, followed by the # sign, in response to the prompt. Use touchpad Number instead of letters, reference telephone key pad. I've decoded some of the stations. Listed Southern to northern, path of the race.

36603#    (DMN03 - Cape Dissapointment)

46029#    (46029 - Offshore Columbia River Bar)

86591#    (TOKW1 - Willapa Bay, inland)

46211#    (46211 - Westport Offshore)

46041#    (46041 - Cape Elizabeth Offshore)

33791#   (DESW1 - Destruction Island)

88491#   (TTIW1 - Tatoosh Island)

46087#   (46087 - Neah Bay Traffic Separator)

46088#  (46088 - New Dungeness East of Victoria)

78291#  (PTAW1 - Port Angeles Washington)

There are many other features, like just entering your Lat/Lon, and the station will auto select the nearest weather station. Visit website for more details.

 http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/dial.shtml

 

 

Race TIP #9
Want access to Grib File Computer Generated Weather  Files?

A simple primer is shown below, for complete information visit the www.sailmail.com website(s)!!!!!!!! 

 

Airmail version 3 is now released for general consumption in two editions. Click the following link to go to the  Airmail-3 page for download files and instructions:

Go to:
Airmail 3.0 for SailMail users  - Download Airmail 3.3 SailMail client complete install (ver 3.3.081 about 4.4 MB) 

 

Go To:
http://www.siriuscyber.net/wxfax/ - Download Grib/Fax Viewer:  The Airmail viewer is available to view grib weather-data files as well as most graphics image files (including wefax images). Click here to download (Viewfax cer 4.3.4, installs into the same folder as Airmail). With the latest Airmail release, grib files (and most graphics files) can be opened directly from Airmail’s message window by double-clicking or simply hitting the Enter key when the icon is selected. Viewfax is licensed without charge for non-commercial use, see the included “readme” file (in Airmail’s Inbox folder or in the Airmail/Import folder). 

Once installed

1. Open Airmail 3 program
2. In Menu Bar Open "WINDOW" - "CATALOGS". You should see a "map" of the west coast USA.
3. Drag the blue box to encompass the region you want to get weather for.
4. Click on the small spanner wrench (Left border @ Lat 50n).
5. Set Parameters of the grib file. Grids should be able to go 0.5 x 0.5 for tight weather) Select the hours and days you want forecasts for. Say OK.
6. On the bottom tool bar, "Request" for one grib file day, or "Subscribe" to receive the gribs each say for a number of days.
7. Select Close in the bottom right corner.
8. Look in the Outbox, and find the email message you just made.
9. If you want the email sent to your normal email, you'll have to copy paste the email text into your "default email".
10. Open your normal email and open a new email blank page.
11. Highlight "Sail Docs" <query@saildocs.com> and paste into your email "TO:" line
12. Highlight "Saildocs Request" and paste into subject line
13. Highlight  "send grib:50N,39N,131W,118W|1,1|12,24,36,48,60,96,120|WIND,PRMSL" and paste into message box.
14. IF you want really tightly gridded forecasts, change the |1,1| section of the request to |0.5,0.5| no spaces.
15. If you want MAXIMUM gridded forecasts, change the word "grib" to "coamps" and |1,1| section of the request to |0.2,0.2| no spaces (Undocumented feature)
16. Send off your email. If all went well, you should get an email back in a few minutes.
17.  Save  grib attachment to a location you can find later. I use "My Documents" subfolder "0_Weather"
18. Once saved, open "View Fax" when you installed this program, an icon should have been put on your desktop. Find the "Open file" and select the file. OR
19. Or you can "associate the file suffix" in windows to open grib "*.grb" files with Viewfax.
20. If all went well, now you can do supercomputing weather forcasting!

 

RACE TIP #10

Gas Pedal? - where's the warp drive button?

The genoa is an important sail because it provides a large portion of the driving force of a yacht.

 

There are two reasons for this:

 1.  The genoa has no mast in front of it to create turbulence and spoil clean flow. 
 2.  It sails in the continual lift that is caused by the mainsail's continuous airflow.

In general you should trim your genoa for drive, and your main primarily for helm balance.
 
In strong winds the maximum sail area simply over heels the boat, it's better to reduce water drag by changing down to a smaller jib. This will maintain lift at a maximum while lowering water drag.

The crew who tends the genoa need a methodical approach to cover all variables and maintain the best trim.


The six basic steps of genoa trimming as as follows:

1. Select the correct genoa for the relevant wind conditions
The best way to make good sail selection choices is to keep a record of the headsails you use with wind velocities and boat performance. After a while you'll have an extensive chart as a guide or experience will guide you.

Genoa Wind Ranges
Your genoa determines your ultimate sail power and the total heeling force.  As a general rule, if your heel exceeds about 25 degrees, change down to a smaller genoa.  Helm balance is another consideration. If you have too much helm, changing to a smaller genoa may be the way to solve the problem.  

 

Headsails are generally designed for a maximum wind velocity. It is therefore a good idea to tag your sails with their relevant wind velocities, so you will know when to change the sail.  Advise on the headsail wind velocities can normally be obtained from your sail maker.

2. Determine the efficiency of the genoa with the lead angle.
Many new yachts  today are able to move their jib leads sideways as well as fore and aft. This allows much better control over the lead angle. 

Sheet inboard when you have some or all of the following conditions:

 Medium air 
 Flat water 
 Experienced helmsman 
 You want to point higher. 
 No backwind in the main 

Use a wider sheeting angle when conditions demand that you sacrifice some efficiency for more reliable power:

 Very strong or very light wind 
 Genoa at the top of its range 
 Excessive backwind in the main 
 Heavy chop or sea 
 Inexperienced helmsman 

In general, pull the genoa sheet inboard in ideal conditions and  outboard to play it safe at other times.  If your boat isn't rigged with a side track, use a barber hauler, that pulls the genoa clew outboard or inboard.

3. Set sail depth and twist with the sheet.
The genoa trimmer's primary responsibility is to maintain optimal sail shape as wind velocity and other conditions change Genoa sheet tension must be adjusted to preserve the same basic trim. The trimmer's secondary responsibility is to help the helmsman steer the boat. For example,  the sheet should be let out for big waves or sudden lifts, and pulled in for flat spots. When the helmsman brings the boat back up to speed on the wind, the trimmer should slowly re-trim the sheet. All this requires constant communication, observation and concentration. Pulling in the sheet generally allows you point higher. Easing the sheet has the opposite effect, more speed and less pointing ability.

Sheet tension should be changed with every change in wind velocity and direction. When a puff hits, the genoa sail stretches and gets fuller. To compensate for this change, trim in the sheet. If the  wind velocity decreases, the genoa becomes less pressurised and flatter. Ease out the sheet to make the sail fuller and maintain speed through the water.

Sailing through oncoming waves requires the same kind of sheet tensioning adjustments in order to maintain boat speed. The helmsman should steer up the front of a wave and down the back. The driver must consider the value of having the trimmer adjust the sails constantly to meet these changing apparent wind angles.

Good genoa sheet trimming is a full time job.  The genoa trimmer must continually change the setting and the trim for every change in wind, wave, and steering conditions in order to keep boat speed at the maximum. If you chose not to have a full time trimmer, then set a power based trim, to the conditions, usually mandated by the wind strength, and wave activity.

4. Set depth and twist with the fore-and-aft runner car.
The fore-and-aft position of the genoa has a significant effect on twist and depth in the foot of the genoa.  When sail twist matches wind twist, the genoa will be perfectly trimmed from top to bottom. Now the sail should luff simultaneously up and down the luff when you head up slowly past close-hauled. The lead position is set by luffing up slowly and watching the telltales which should "break" evenly from top to bottom at the same time.

If the top telltales flutter before the bottom, the sail is twisted too much. This is corrected by move the lead forward.  If the bottom telltales luff first (or the top ones stall), The move the lead aft.

5. Set depth and twist with backstay tensioners.
The backstay or running backstay affect depth in the middle and upper genoa sections by controlling sag. To a lesser extent, they affect twist.
When you have sailing conditions that require power in the sail ie; light airs, choppy water – you will need a deep sail. This is achieved by by easing off the backstay tension.

In light airs backstay tension should be about 25% of maximum. It will be too loose if the luff curls like a spinnaker.

Backstay tensioners should be adjusted continuously, in conjunction with the genoa trimmer and helmsman, to keep the boat sailing fast.

6. Set draft position with halyard tension.
You should tension the halyard just enough to remove most of the horizontal wrinkles.
 

 

Other Stuff:

Use the telltales
The leeward telltales should always flow aft. If they hang limp, the sail is stalled, and the genoa trimmer should ease the sheet immediately to re-attach flow. You might consider the tufts (multiple telltails in a row as in Tip #07

Steering the boat in light airs

It's important for the genoa trimmer to help the helmsman respond to changes in the wind. The genoa trimmer can always react faster than the helmsman.  If the helmsman tries to speed up a tack or gybe by jamming the tiller hard over, the rudder will  effectively brake the boat. The genoa trimmer should let the sails turn the boat by easing the sheets. This will help the helmsman head up slowly, and the jib can be re-trimmed. This will maintain the best boat speed.

When your genoa gets old, tired and out of shape.
Sooner or later, all genoa sails get old and their shape starts to change from the optimum.  Ageing is inevitable and a fact of life.

There are a few steps you can take however to counteract the effects of ageing on a sail as follows:

 Trim the foot harder (closer to the chain plates) to bring the upper part of the sail closer to the spreader. 
 Use more halyard tension to pull the draft forward.  This will give you a rounder entry and more power. 
 Increase the lead angle slightly to reduce the main sail backing caused by roundness near the leech. 
 Move the lead back slightly to twist the leech more.
 

Genoa Terms / Concepts

Genoa Sheet:
Affects twist, depth and angle of attack. Adjust to shift gears and help steer the boat.

Genoa Halyard:
Controls draft position. Begin with halyard just tight enough to eliminate horizontal wrinkles. Has more of an effect on sail made with elastic materials.

Backstay Or Runner:
Limits head stay sag. Controls overall depth of genoa, and effects draft position. More sag gives more power and makes steering easier.

Genoa Lead:
Fore-and-aft position alters twist. Athwartship position affects twist and sail efficiency.

Telltales:
Should break evenly from top to bottom. Leeward telltales should (almost) never stall.
 

 

RACE TIP #11