Surprise training: Rounding the leeward mark

This weekend, Michal K organized the first Surprise race training. The idea is to give us the chance to improve our skills in racing and so make us more competitive in next year's external regattas. This Saturday, we spent a couple of hours on the water practising how to round the leeward mark. The wind took its time arriving but by 3pm was Bft3 - perfect conditions.

More time for reflection - waiting for the wind to arrive (pic: AK)

There are two main issues to think about: the approach and how to douse the spi.

The approach: According the RYA's Tactics, one should round the mark smoothly, like a U rather than a V. This gives you the "best chance of sailing out of the leebow of the boats ahead, while slowing the boats behind and leaves you free to tack at will." What we couldn't practice was how to approach the mark with respect to the other boats. Where you have many boats, it may be better to take the outside route, particularly in light winds (to avoid queues) or very strong winds (avoid struggling boats ahead).

Smooth and wide rounding of the mark

Dousing the spi: ideally you want to drop the spi on the windward (port) side so that it is on the correct side for rounding the upwind mark, where you round the mark to the port. To do this you, adjust your course near the mark to a dead run (from the broad reach you were on), remove the pole, unfurl the jib, drop the spi. Not forgetting to tighten the vang before the mark (easy to forget once you are round).

At a recent regatta, I saw boats coming to the mark on the starboard tack, dropping the pole, early, unfurling the jib (i think), flying the spi without the pole, dropping it and rounding the mark with a jibe. The theory being that you have priority over the boats on the port tack - I still have a question - what would happen if boats are approaching on opposite tacks - would the port tack boats have to let the starboard ones go first? 

If you are interested in training and committed to attending regularly, you can sign up under the External Regatta section of the YCC page.

Rules 17 & 11 - when you can luff up

During the week, I received useful feedback from Michal, Rob and Luca about what I had written on Rules 11 and 17 - these two rules govern when you are allowed to luff up, particularly important in the pre-start and downwind legs of Match Racing. So some clarification/correction needed.

Rule 17: I said that the opposing boat did not luff us up because we had pointed out to them (loudly) that they had approached from astern for the overlap. Michal K commented that RRS 17 says that the boat which establishes overlap from clear astern cannot luff above its proper course - however, there is no proper course before the starting signal - so they could have luffed us up all the way to head to wind.

If that is the case, the starboard reach along the line before the start of a reach is a weak strategy as you can be luffed head to wind (and lose control of the start).

Rule 11: I had described how we luffed up the opposing boat on a downwind leg and gained a big advantage. Rob V sent me a clarification by email. 

Figure: Overlap established more than 2 boat lengths distance so A is allowed to luff up

“Beware in situation 4: the way you've drawn it, overlap was probably established from clear astern within 2 boat lengths lateral distance. In that case, red (Alex's boat) would be subject to RRS 17 and would not be allowed to sail above its proper course.” 

“In the actual situation, you weren't overlapped just after the mark. The boats diverged and an overlap was established at a distance that I judged to be larger than 2 boat lengths… Hence, you were not subject to RRS 17 and were allowed to luff. You did so and forced the other boat to follow your luff (RRS 11). At every change of your course, you had to be careful to give the other boat room to keep clear (RRS 16.1). This you did… The other boat should of course have gybed or taken its spinnaker down much earlier because it was fairly obvious you would luff.”

Links I Like:

Handy intro to the physics of sailing explained by a NASA engineer 

Match Race YCC Surprise

In a conversation between the Guardian and champion sailor Anne Lush, Match Racing is described as "a big game of chicken", "a game of chess with decisions of risk versus reward". Other descriptors include "uncivilised", "devious", "aggressive".

This Saturday was my first attempt at Match Racing (YCC). I would agree with all of the above but would add "mastery of sailing rules".

The competition was made up of four boats skippered by Thierry, Andrea, David P. and myself. Our boat, Les Loups du Lac was crewed by Ariane M, Ricardo G, and Ben W.  Many thanks to Sanja and Rob for organizing and umpiring the event.

Thierry had generously allowed me to take Ben on board to equal out the numbers on the boats. His knowledge of the rules and how to use them was brilliant.

The morning was spent sitting on the boat drinking tea and looking at our reflections in the glass like water. The Round Robin started at 12 and by 6 pm we had made it to the final and beat David's boat 2-0 in a best of three.

Downwind leg, flying the spi - where else is a better place to be?

Four key moments

The key factor on Saturday was a team that worked well together, knowing the rules and a disposition to apply them aggressively against the other boat.

Here are four moments that allowed us to gain an advantage through using the rules (apologies for incomplete treatment of the subject).

1. Using starboard tack advantage at the start line

During the two minutes start period prior to the gun, the two boats jostle for position. One tactic is to "hunt" or follow another boat. (see Alinghi being chased by Team New Zealand) 

The hunted boat can only escape (ie turn and return to the start line) if the boat behind leaves enough room. If the hunted boat jibes and causes the boat behind to divert them he breaks a rule and will get a penalty. In two of our races we (Red Boat) were given sufficient room to jibe (see Fig 1) and could come back on a starboard beam reach and then fly into a start.

2. Knowing when you can be luffed

What if your are on the beam reach and the overlapping leeward competitor tries to luff you up (Rule 11). This happen to us in one race, but because they have overlapped us from astern (and not tacking into an overlap), they had no luffing rights. As the boat tried to luff us, Ben reminded them loudly that they had no luffing rights (understatement). 

Their next option was to hope that we over ran the port starting buoy and to screw up our start (see Fig.2). We slowed down and got to the line with a couple of seconds to spare before the gun.

If we had mistimed it we would have had to jibe and then start - game over. We had priority over the other boat, forcing it to to jibe and so giving us a 2-3 boat length advantage.

A case of Annie Lush's "risk versus reward" working in our favour.

3. Overlapping 2 boat lengths from the mark (Rule 18.2a)

In the next race, David was ahead at the upwind mark. Two boat lengths from the mark, we were overlapping (just). Again Ben fired off a broadside of the ISAF rule book and David gave us room. We were near straight into the wind having tack a boat length too early, but Ariane let out the jib with perfect timing and our momentum was enough to get us around. Again risk involved as we narrowly avoided touching the mark.

 

4. Going downwind, overtake leeward or you can be luffed.

If you are trailing in the downwind leg, the race is by no means over. You can use the spi to take out all the wind from the leading boat and then pass with your superior speed.

However, one rule worth knowing is the right to luff up a windward boat (Rule 11). As one competitor began his overlap whilst raising the spi, we luffed him up, again with aggressive reminders of the rule. If they had passed us to leeward we could not have luffed him (but maybe there wasn't room). So if you are the leading boat, make sure there is no room leeward to him to pass.

Happy sailors with a well earned beer! (pic: Haude)

Regate des Pirates

The Regate des Pirates is the last race of the Petit Lac championship, which is a 10 regatta affair over the season including the Bol d’Or. In order to maintain YCC’s favourable ranking, I was instructed as skipper to “just make sure you just finish”. I completed this mission albeit in last place (plus 4 DNF behind). Crew were Helen M and Mattia C (and who take no responsibility for this finish!). Sailing on Lake Geneva (and in general) is a lesson in humility. What can I learn from this experience?

Anyone for sailing?
Source: smichels (Flickr)

The start

The race runs from Yvoire to Hermance – a 25 km round trip. It was a mixed of classes with 15 Surprises and another 20 or so bigger boats. The start involved just a four-minute gun with no start gun. No surprise then that there was a general recall. The SUs’ strategy for the start appeared to be let the big boats take the pin end, and either come in a second wave behind them, or take the middle of the line. The favoured end in terms of wind was also the pin end.

Lesson 1: Read the Instructions: When it only mentions a 4 minute gun, don’t assume there will be other guns and flags afterwards.

Lesson 2: Follow what the book says and seek clear wind at the start. This is probably more valuable than trying to get the pin end, especially when there are bigger boats around

The first leg

The first leg was upwind for 1 km and then round the buoy and head downwind for Yvoire. Starting half way down the line, we tacked early to port to head for the windier side of the course. We witnessed a clash of 2 boats - inexplicable as no traffic around them. At the mark we had starboard tack advantage and could cause a boat to steer out of the way. Round the mark we got the spi up in good time and headed for Yvoire. We had around 10 boats behind us.

At Yvoire it went horribly wrong. The wind turned 180 degrees and dropped - we spent 20 mins not moving. The boats behind us, passed us.

Lesson 3: As the wind drops avoid dirty wind of other slowing boats - keep momentum for as long as possible - don't move on the boat

The return leg

By the time we turned the mark, we were the two last boats. They headed for the middle of the lake. We tried the edge of the lake for thermal winds. The three of us finished 2 hours behind the rest of the fleet, despite having all been together at the mark. I can only assume that there was a sudden drop in wind that created this gap.

Lesson 4: Don’t make plans for the evening if you are sailing with me in a regatta.