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What's your secret.
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Jul 4, 2016 17:34
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Welcome to GBS posted:I'm a 24 year old amateur sailboat racer, and I just got second place in our Santana 20 class championships, losing out to a boat of professionals by one point. Ask me anything. How long have you been doing this, did you start out racing Optimists/dinghies etc.? What are your goals for sailing or racing, more of same or some other tier of competition?
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Jul 4, 2016 17:35
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withak posted:What's your secret. Always go for clear air. Honestly, it's the simple stuff that makes you go fast. Zwabu posted:How long have you been doing this, did you start out racing Optimists/dinghies etc.? What are your goals for sailing or racing, more of same or some other tier of competition? I started racing about 10 years ago when I moved to this area with my family. My dad raced boats in the 80s, including at this local reservoir. There were still a bunch of guys who raced against him and remembered him (including my skipper for this past regatta), and so we joined the local club and started racing together. It was a great bonding experience for us, and even though I don't race with my dad anymore, he's still a big part of my sailing life. I actually started on this class of boats (Santana 20s, which are very popular on our lake and in a few areas but have mostly died out), but on a much less competitive level. Our club doesn't have a very good youth sailing program, so I just raced with the old guys. My current goals are to break into higher levels of competition, because that's simply the only way to get better. I'm hoping to possibly leverage this success (I was reeeally gunning for 1st because that'd look better on my resume) so I can have more high level crewing opportunities. I'd like to sail on bigger boats and do longer races, I'm young and want to test my mettle. I also want to develop the local sailing community further, maybe help to spread a newer class of boats for this lake or develop the lacking youth programs.
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Jul 4, 2016 18:00
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You should try team racing - it's so much fun.
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Jul 4, 2016 18:55
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tentish klown posted:You should try team racing - it's so much fun. Did some of that in college, I definitely enjoyed it. I think it's a great type of racing, but requires a lot of organization which is something I've found a lot of sailing clubs lack.
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Jul 4, 2016 19:01
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I have an opportunity to buy an older model (1980s) 505 dinghy with two sets of sails (Mylar and Dacron) incl. spinnakers, that's been in regular use and maintenance and is basically ready to rip. Price is under $3k... I haven't sailed dinghies in ages, have done a lot of mileage on larger hull coastal cruising, but I want to learn the boat with my dad (lots of prior sailing experience but hasn't been on the water in over a decade) as a hobby for the two of us. Would you jump on it? And what should I look for in a well-kept boat of this class to make sure it has no significant problems? We won't be looking to race straightaway, obviously - more of a runabout than anything though there is a decent sized 505 fleet where I live should we care to try. strangemusic fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Sep 19, 2016 |
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Sep 19, 2016 19:13
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All I know about with 505s is that they are very complicated boats with complex systems that will inevitably break. That being said, the people I know who sail them all seem to love it and really enjoy the class. Do you have a lot of experience working on technical boat stuff? If you're just looking to get back into things, maybe see what other classes are active in your area? There might be one with a smaller barrier to entry. I can't comment whether this boat is a great deal or not, but see if maybe the person selling it would take you out for a sail and show you how all the systems work. That might show you if it's the boat for you, and you can see that everything is properly functioning.
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Sep 19, 2016 22:01
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Welcome to GBS posted:All I know about with 505s is that they are very complicated boats with complex systems that will inevitably break. That being said, the people I know who sail them all seem to love it and really enjoy the class. Do you have a lot of experience working on technical boat stuff? Thanks for the tip. A high mechanical complexity is kind of a pain in the butt, honestly, especially as we're both not the freshest of hands at dinghy sailing and rigging. Will hopefully get the chance to go for a sail in it!
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Sep 19, 2016 22:58
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Woo, sailing thread! I have been living aboard my current boat (Catalina 30) for almost five years. I've been working as a marine mechanic for the last few years, and crewing on sailing charter boats in the SF Bay for four years. I first sailed about six years ago, I bought a 26' boat on eBay for $400. I had never been on a sailboat before, I figured "how hard can it be?" I'm buying one of these: http://www.fastisfun.com/blboats/sc50brochure/sc50.htm
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Oct 2, 2016 15:26
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drat that's quite the stepup from a 26 foot shitbox! And you could probably buy a cheap catalina 30 for the price of a new set of sails for that badboy.
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Oct 2, 2016 19:58
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Tell me about what kind of 26' boat $400 buys. I thought $10k bought a shitbox, I can't wait to see $400.
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Oct 3, 2016 04:45
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I wish I still had pictures of her, the boat was a 1965 Wayfarer Excalibur 26. http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=474 She strongly resembles a shrunken down Cal 40, which was a legendary boat of its day. Mine was in rough condition when I bought her, she hadn't been touched in at least a few years. Had about a foot think hard growth on her bottom, everything else inside and out was moldy and mossy. We scraped and scrubbed and took her out. Naturally, something critical broke just about every time we left the dock, usually the lovely old Johnson outboard she had for propulsion. But as things broke, I kept fixing her, and eventually she was a serviceable little boat. So I sold her, and bought the Catalina 30. Paid $10k for the Catalina 30, she was in decent shape and had been repowered with a Yanmar diesel, which is a nice upgrade and something you don't want to have to pay for yourself. I've probably put another $25k into her, I've done a ton of work to her to make her sail well and be comfortable for living aboard. The Santa Cruz is certainly putting me in another cost bracket. I bought a new eBay special main sail for the C30 for $1100 this summer. A similar sail for the SC50 would run me $6k. 
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Oct 3, 2016 14:29
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Would love to see pictures of the SC50. How did you decide to go with that one?
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Oct 3, 2016 15:29
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We're doing the sea trial and survey next week, I'll throw some pics up from that after. I do sailing charters on my friend Kirk's SC50 Bay Wolf. http://www.sfbaysail.com/ The Santa Cruz Yachts tagline is "fast is fun," and it just really suits my personal ideal for a racing/cruising boat. Definitely on the racing end of the spectrum, but they were designed to keep a crew of 9-10 happy while ripping from CA to HI at 20kts so it's plenty comfortable for me. I really appreciate the simplicity and speed compared to a similarly-sized cruising boat.
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Oct 3, 2016 18:20
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Big Taint posted:Woo, sailing thread! That is a loving pretty boat. I would love to sail that with you sometime. Any plans to do any racing with her?
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Oct 4, 2016 00:28
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photomikey posted:Tell me about what kind of 26' boat $400 buys. I thought $10k bought a shitbox, I can't wait to see $400. Probably the broken kind.
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Oct 6, 2016 19:01
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I created a thread about the current Vendee Globe race because I think the event is that cool: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3800438
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Dec 4, 2016 02:54
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I put a decent amount of effort into that thread, and there are many cool videos... please go have a look at least... snif
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Dec 5, 2016 03:56
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Zwabu posted:I put a decent amount of effort into that thread, and there are many cool videos... please go have a look at least... snif I'm on my way!
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Dec 5, 2016 18:55
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The Vendee Globe: UFOs and Salty Frenchmen, Ahoy! Also RIP PRB 
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Dec 11, 2016 17:18
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Today's topic is getting visited by ours truly, the US Coast Guard. Naturally each visit will be different but here is how a typical visit or 'safety inspection' goes. The first hint that you are going to get the treatment is when your AIS goes off because their ship is coming towards you. If you do not have a AIS (automatic identification system), then you will hear them paging you on your VHF radio. Now if you still have not realized that they are coming aboard, your hint will be the guardsman on a RIB motoring along side, shouting at you to board your boat. So let us go back to the beginning of your unscheduled visit. Typically.....and I do mean typically because each visit may be different depending on where you are at and how the CG want to run the show. Any cows, you will get a notice that they want to do a Safety Check on your vessel. They will tell you what heading to do, if you need to lower your sails....usually do, and any other information they want you to know. You will get about seven to eight men, some may have guns, who will arrive in a inflatable RIB boat. They will come alongside and about half will climb aboard your boat. You may assist them but if they say 'no', stay back. Now that you have your new crew aboard (guys with guns tend to stay on their own boat), they will ask you for paperwork about the boat and you. If you have crew, they will check them as well. This is done down below because it is more efficient with writing up their report. They will go through your safety items that your MUST have aboard. If you do not, sucks to be you. Things they will check will be: Flares and expiration dates on them Fire extinguishers and their dates PFD (personal flotation device) and their location. (law says that there must be at least one for each crew member and within easy reach, buried under 500' of anchor rode is not within easy reach) Head plumbing....is the Y valve in the correct position? Is it locked? etc, etc, etc They may ask you where you hail from and what ports you are sailing from. Please note that if you tell them that you are sailing from a country whose GDP is mainly in hallucinogenic pharmaceuticals, prepare for a longer stay and more questions. Visits tend not to last more than thirty minutes and if you want, you can ask them if they would care for some water. They usually refrain due to the fact, they do not know how or where the water came from. They mainly want to get back to their big boat. In the end, you will be given a report with what they found and they will be on their way. Some things to do and not do while they are there. Do not come on deck with a gun in your hand. This may be Murica but they will shoot you if they consider you a danger to them.....again sucks to be you if they do. Do not be a smart arse. Answer their questions and leave any complaining for when you get ashore. Do follow their directions, be it how they want you to sail your boat or where to sit. Do tell them that you have a gun aboard. Tell them where it is but make no attempt on reaching for it. They find a gun and you didn't tell them and they get really antsy. And for the love of Christ, do not get in your head that you can out-run them....even if you could out-run their RIB, you will not get away from their cutter, or their helicopter, or their airplane......let alone get away from their deck gun. All in all, such visits may happen once a year at most but they do happen.
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Dec 26, 2016 02:59
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So let's talk about wind. There are two types of wind that you must understand so you can better sail your boat. True wind and apparent wind. True wind: This is exactly what it says, it is true wind. Apparent wind: This is the true wind direction in connection with boat speed or movement. We are going to do a little experiment to better grasp the concept. On a windy day, take a piece of yarn, about 12" long, and hold one end with the tips of your fingers and at arm's length. Notice how the yarn is moving. The loose end is flowing in the same direction as the wind blowing. This is true wind. Now start walking at right angles to the wind direction. Look at the yarn now. It isn't following the true wind direction but is now flowing in a slightly different direction. This is apparent wind. It is the combination of true wind and you moving to create a new vector or wind direction. This tends to create some weird sensations while sailing. While on a beam reach (sailing with wind coming from the side), you get the feeling that the wind is coming more from the front than the side. Now when you running before the wind (sailing with the wind behind you, pushing the boat), you may not sense ANY wind what so ever but there IS wind and the boat is moving and the sails are full. This is just a short post before I do my next topic......self steering.
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Jan 22, 2017 02:02
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RazNation posted:This is just a short post before I do my next topic......self steering. Here's a whole FREE book on the topic, from sheet to tiller steering to windvane steering to modern autopilots: http://www.jesterinfo.org/selfsteeringforsailingcraft.html The author has made it available for free as long as it's for personal use. Example video of one guy's sheet to tiller setup, hooray for three dollar autopilot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQNBlrg0VyI There are numerous other videos on sheet to tiller setups and the windvane setups are very popular as primary steering for long crossings as they do not eat up battery or diesel.
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Jan 22, 2017 17:29
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RazNation posted:This tends to create some weird sensations while sailing. While on a beam reach (sailing with wind coming from the side), you get the feeling that the wind is coming more from the front than the side. Now when you running before the wind (sailing with the wind behind you, pushing the boat), you may not sense ANY wind what so ever but there IS wind and the boat is moving and the sails are full. It's fun to briefly head up and trim for close haul when on a run, just to remind people that the wind is still howling.
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Jan 31, 2017 17:45
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Zwabu posted:Here's a whole FREE book on the topic, from sheet to tiller steering to windvane steering to modern autopilots: Posts like yours make me wish I could upvote individual posts. Thank you for this and your other posts!
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Feb 23, 2017 09:36
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I posted about it in the Vendee thread, but you all should really go to http://www.conradcolman.com and read the last several blog posts. Conrad is the kiwi sailor trying to be the first to complete the Vendee in a zero emissions boat. After enduring several knockdowns, an electrical fire and numerous sail and rigging repairs, he was more or less home free headed back up to the Atlantic towards the finish when his mast came down within a thousand miles of the finish. He spent a few days constructing a jury rig mast and sail setup from his boom and main sail remnants which I must say look quite sweet and is now around 140nm from the finish. His food is rationed out to 700-800 calories a day and he had no radar or AIS since losing the mast. In addition to all this he continues to submit eloquent blog posts and photos taken by his onboard drone. The guy is a goddam hero and we should all watch his triumphant approach to the finish sometime Friday or Saturday.
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Feb 23, 2017 20:44
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What's the best way to get my 7 year-old into sailing?
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Mar 10, 2017 17:07
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photomikey posted:What's the best way to get my 7 year-old into sailing? Child sized life-jacket, pirate hat, foam sword. Worked for my two year old niece. Note: The toddler needs a grown up assigned to watching them FULL TIME when they're on deck. Obviously. Also a stem berth can be converted into a playpen really easily. Her parents have to hide her PFD; if she sees it she'll put it on and throw a tantrum because she wants to go on the boat.
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Mar 10, 2017 17:34
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photomikey posted:What's the best way to get my 7 year-old into sailing? Don't force him. My dad tried to force me into it, and I resisted for years. When he's old enough try to get him and some of his friends into a summer camp together. Let it be about his own experience and eventually you'll be able to do it together.
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Mar 12, 2017 00:20
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FrozenVent posted:Child sized life-jacket, pirate hat, foam sword. Worked for my two year old niece. Would've worked on me. Would still work on me.
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Mar 12, 2017 02:31
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The dangers of a lee shore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdYTGre3fAA After a race, this Martin 242 wound up smashed to pieces against Redondo Beach Pier. Luckily all crew survived with relatively minor injury (considering the circumstances). It's unclear whether the boat was carrying any sort of engine. Unclear whether the plan to reenter the marina was to drop the main first and enter sheltered water under jib alone, and then the jib sheet got hosed on something, winch or whatever, leaving the boat effectively without power or control and drifting into the pier. This is also a good illustration of how quickly a fiberglass boat can get dashed to pieces against hard objects in surf. Even with mild conditions a seawall or rocky shore will take apart a boat like this no problem. Zwabu fucked around with this message at 02:19 on Apr 2, 2017 |
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Apr 2, 2017 02:16
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That's terrifying. Although I wonder what they were doing with both sails down to begin with.
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Apr 4, 2017 06:08
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A miracle none of those guys got KO'd against the pier.
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Apr 4, 2017 06:20
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Kobayashi posted:That's terrifying. Although I wonder what they were doing with both sails down to begin with. Well apparently this skipper and his boat have done the races at this place many times. If you look on Google Maps or Google Earth at this spot, you will see that the entry to the breakwater and marina is just a quick left turn from where they were. Apparently the boats typically either leave the outboards ashore or have them secured amidships below during the race. I suspect during typical Southern California conditions it's very easy to sail into the sheltered area and marina at this time of day, and either mount an outboard then or sail to your spot. This day it was gusting past thirty knots. The race had finished, and it's unclear whether the main was down because of some problem or it was part of the plan for entering the marina, to drop the main and sail in under jib only. Perhaps they felt they would be overpowered with the main, and I believe the standard setup for this boat does not necessarily include reef points. Whatever their plan was, obviously it was complicated by something happening to the jib sheet, it looks like it was caught up in the centerline of the boat, and in the beginning of the video it looks like the jib is wrapped around the headstay. In the early part of the video, the boat still has enough speed to maneuver and they have more distance from the lee shore. So options might include 1. Staying further out from shore, maintaining or increasing distance from the lee shore while attempting to sort out the jib issue 2. Raising the main again if this was possible to have some kind of propulsion 3. Mounting the outboard if indeed there was one aboard 4. Calling for a tow or at least sending out a pan pan message detailing the problem if they had a VHF radio, presumably they had cell phones too 5. If freeing or untangling the jib sheet was impossible, tying another line to the clew of the jib to serve as an improvised jib sheet and cutting the entangled lines loose 6. Tossing an anchor off the bow if they had one. Once they were in the actual surf zone this would probably do little good, but earlier it could stop or at least slow them. 7. Possibly abandoning the boat off the windward side might have been safer than getting unexpectedly hurled into the pier by the wave. They were lucky no one got a fatal head injury or broken neck, or got knocked unconscious and drowned in the surf. Early in the video they are heading off to the left and are clear of the pier. But they turn around and head in. Probably they were pretty sure they'd be able to free up the jib in time and were carried closer to the pier a lot faster than they thought they would be. Just before they get rolled, it doesn't look like anyone is looking in the direction of the pier. It looks like they are tunnel visioned on the task of freeing the jib and situational awareness of the big picture seems low. The unambiguously good part is that they are all wearing flotation. Under the conditions they were in this was probably a no brainer, but still.
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Apr 4, 2017 21:35
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 01:24 |
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The advantage to sailing up to a dock with the jib only, particularly if it's downwind, is you can completely blow the sheet and the jib can fly off and depower. Can't do that with the main. That's a lovely situation to be in, I probably wouldn't have tried to go in there in those conditions, especially if I didn't have an engine. Stand off and wait for the wind to calm down, or hail for a tow, or go to a different dock with an easier approach.
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Apr 5, 2017 16:36
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