SJRYC preliminary calendar

I just received the preliminary calendar of St. Joseph River YC racing events.  It's linked in the Schedule page and reflected in the master schedule for Mercedes sailing/racing, which is the top link on that page.  You can rely on the current version of that document for the latest and greatest lake-wide sailing schedule info for Mercedes.

The winter is just about halfway over!  On the other hand, the winter boat projects do not seem to be halfway completed!  :)  

Personal safety gear

I'd like to adopt the requirements for personal safety gear on board Mercedes that the race committee specifies for the Race to Mackinac.  We may not need to wear every bit of gear for every race or cruise, but it's important to be prepared.  Here's a summary of what the requirements are:

1. Life jacket - Over the shoulders PFD with at least 33.7 lbs. buoyancy (inflatable), or inherently buoyant (non-inflatable) offshore life jacket with at least 22 lbs. buoyancy, both meeting U.S. Coast Guard or ISO specifications.  It should contain marine grade retro-reflective patches; have crotch or leg straps, whistle, and waterproof light; and be marked with your name.  Note that the inflating type does not need to be water immersion auto-inflating.
2. Safety harness - Integral built-in to the PFD or compatible with it (that is, wearing one doesn't interfere with the other). 
3. Safety tether - Not longer than 2 m. (6' 7"), minimum 4500 lbs. tensile strength, with snap hook on one end and quick release shackle on the other end that is releasable under load.
4. Knife - Must have a fixed blade or, if retractable, the blade can be opened with one hand. 

I know it's a bit of an investment to buy this gear if you don't have it, but it's for safety of your life, and pretty easy to justify that way!  I have recommendations for easy-to-use and comfortable products that comply with these specs (I've tried a lot of different brands) and where to shop for the best prices.  Let me know!

What do you want to be?

Forgive me, but I came across this while browsing for sailing videos and thought it was so cute! ;)

Strictly Sail 2017

Well, it was a lot more big fat motor boats and RVs than "strictly sail"ing, but the show was pretty good.  We got the most out of the seminars, and especially one on knot tying of all kinds, one from a meteorologist on interpreting weather, one from a Quantum sailmaker on tactics, one from Crowley mechanics on diesel engine maintenance.  These definitely made the show worthwhile.

Here are some highlights of our experience at the show:

• Karen and I attended the Level 35 meeting.  Mostly J/35 drivers, with one other Thomas 35 skipper.  We talked about extremely low participation in regattas last year, a crew and skipper list, and prospects for a level fleet for the Chicago/Mac this year.
• Seminar on rigging was interesting, but I didn't learn an awful lot.
• Seminar on Chicago/Mac safety regulations was good.  The regs were just posted and there are a few changes: only 2 parachute flares instead of 4 (these are really pricey!), no second anchor required, no spec for reefing the main or carrying a main trysail.  That's about it - very few changes from 2016.  I had a debate with the presenters about what constitutes a quick release safety tether.  I believe that a quick release on the harness connection is dangerous for unintended release, but this is what is required.     
• Seminar on tactics by Andy Camarda, a young Quantum Sails sailmaker in Chicago, was outstanding.  I have pages of notes based on Andy's practical and valuable experience to share with you.  Great stuff.  
• Seminar on diesel engine maintenance by two "down home good ol' boys" at Crowleys taught me some things about the Yanmar 3-cylinder diesel engine in Mercedes.  Working on these engines is pretty easy, though access is hard!
• The various vendors' product offerings were pretty lame.  "Show special" prices were actually higher than Defender and APS charges online.  Buyer beware.  I am looking for a few more necessary equipment items, but I'll go back to Defender for most of them. 

LMSuRF January 2017 newsletter

The January issue of the Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation eNewsmagazine has been published.  Lots of information about Lake Michigan sailing in it.  The current newsletter is not available anywhere from the LMSuRF website for some reason, but, from the website, you can subscribe to receive a link to the monthly newsletter by email.  We are in the area of Lake Michigan that they designate Area III, but I see some discussion underway about reorganization of the area. 
    

A little philosophy

If you will allow, I want to share some thoughts on sailing and racing.  Jerry Maguire got into a lot of trouble with his ethical high-road "mission statement" in the movie.  But I'll take the risk; I think it's worth it!

I believe in honor, integrity, and respect in every aspect of work, sport, friendship, and love.  I say this so you know you can count on me to uphold personal ethics with you and with competitors in sailboat racing.  Another area without compromise is my responsibility for crewmate personal safety.  Consciousness about and promoting safety must always be the highest priority on board, no matter what the action or how much adrenaline is involved!  After those two preconditions, the other desiderata apply: experience fun, enjoy camaraderie, sail well and fast, compete to win, keep the "stick" up, avoid losing expensive stuff overboard, sample excellent adult beverages, witness stunning sunsets and sunrises, visit exotic ports :)

I was proud to campaign my CS-30 "Aria" in Lake Ontario for 9 racing seasons.  We started out modestly.  But after 3 years of equipment upgrades to reach boat speed potential, learning tactics, and cross-training a steady crew who absolutely loved to sail, "Aria" came to be a consistent, regular winner.  Her name is engraved on many of the trophies at Genesee Yacht Club, Rochester Yacht Club, and other yacht clubs around the lake.  On race nights, we were often the first out to the course to study the conditions, and, after the race, enjoying all the extra sailing time we could and a gourmet 3-course dinner aboard, we were always the last to pull in! 

I miss that feeling of pride in collaborative accomplishment, and I'd love to recapture it sailing our Thomas 35 "Mercedes"!  How to get there?  To me, sailboat racing achievement and success depends on three elements: boat speed, strategy and tactics, and teamwork. 

Boat speed is affected by shape of the hull, faired foils, smooth clean bottom, rigging, equipment and its condition, sails and sail trim, accurate instruments, weight on board and its placement, and lots of other small things that add up.  I am very pleased with the Thomas 35 so far.  She's a thoroughbred, and born to race.  I commit to the outfitting and preparation that it takes to make the boat as fast as she can be, right out of the gate.  We will have no excuses for boat speed necessary to sail to her rating! 

Strategy and tactics involves being in the right place and time, knowing the race course and planning, knowing and applying the racing rules, keenly observing and acting on conditions in the environment, exploiting the competition's weaknesses, and focusing on our goals.  We all have a role in this, and I have a lot of confidence in our mastering this element.

Finally, there is teamwork in sailboat racing, and this is the true differentiator, in my opinion.  A competent, efficient, confident crew is a powerful tactical weapon.  It involves dedication to learning (my lifelong goal!), knowing how to execute the maneuvers, practice, proactive recognition for what the other crewmates need to do their job (and help you do yours), adaptive creative troubleshooting to recover from the inevitable surprises, more practice, and, truly important - commitment to reliably show up and participate.

So... thanks for reading this far!  What now?  At this point in my life, I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience to mature a 3-year skill growth campaign before realizing success racing "Mercedes".  My goal is to find a way to be competitive at the highest level before the time the first season wraps up.  With some shared dedication, commitment, focus, and effort, we can do this!  Let's go for a ride! 

Chris

Ethics notwithstanding, show me the money! :)

Offshore Safety at Sea Seminar curriculum

A published copy of the curriculum for the Offshore Safety at Sea Seminar, sponsored by U.S. Sailing, seems to be hard to find, but these are the topics they outline for the professionally-taught 8-hour course.  Good information for anyone to know when sailing offshore...

TOPICS:  Personal safety gear, Person overboard, Emergency communications, Search and rescue, Heavy weather, Storm sails, Crew health, Hypothermia, Jury rigging and repair, Fire precautions, Lending assistance, Life rafts, Signals.

The two-day Offshore Safety at Sea Seminar adds 6 hours of hands-on skills training in a swimming pool.  There was an online offering of the one-day course, but it is not available at this time.

If you register for this seminar when it's offered this winter/spring at Strictly Sail, Chicago Yacht Club, Columbia Yacht Club, Muskegon Yacht Club, or elsewhere, make sure you select the Offshore seminar, not the Coastal seminar.  Here's a list and registration info for all the scheduled 2017 seminars.   

Nautical knots

I don't know if you have an obsession about good knots, like I do (though I truly hope you are not afflicted!).  There is generally only one knot that is the best application for each various purpose around a sailboat, and I like to know what it is!

I see lists touting the "best 3 knots", or "essential 5 knots", or "top 10 knots".  I compiled my own list of most useful knots, and it ended up at 16 somehow, although the cleat hitch and flemish flake are not really knots.  Note: I added 2 more, so it's up to 18 now!  Nother note: Added 2 more, to make 20!

Here is my list of favorites, along with their best applications for sailing...

1. Bowline - Non-slip loop for person overboard retrieval; lots of other uses 
2. Round turn and 2 half hitches - Dock line to piling, securely; fender line to lifeline 
3. Clove hitch - Dock line to piling, temporarily; fender line to lifeline 
4. Half hitch slip knot - Stow mainsail to boom with nylon sail ties  
5. Reef knot - Secure loose sailcloth of mainsail after reef 
6. Rolling hitch - Take tension off a loaded line, e.g., to clear winch override 
7. Figure 8 stopper - Prevent line from pulling through block or clutch, easy untie 
8. Triple overhand stopper - Prevent line from pulling through block or clutch, semi-permanently 
9. Halyard hitch - Line to shackle, semi-permanently 
10. Scaffold knot - Line to shackle, instead of eye splice, especially with thimble 
11. Sheet bend - Attach 2 dissimilar lines together, temporarily 
12. Constrictor knot - Field bind loose end of a line instead of whipping; replace broken hose clamp 
13. Anchor hitch - Rode or lanyard to fixed object, e.g., anchor or bucket handle 
14. Ossel hitch - Attach webbing to fixed object, e.g., lee cloth strap to hand rail 
15. Cleat hitch - Dock line to cleat 
16. Flemish flake - Dress end of dockline neatly
17. Double fisherman's knot - Connect 2 ends of line for a secure loop
18. Prusik knot - Bind a line to another line or shroud, e.g. attach flag to backstay
19. Perfection loop - Secure, non-slip loop in shock elastics, e.g., bungee cord
20. Overhand loop - Secure, non-slip loop in webbing

If you want to check out these and other knots, a good place to start is the School of Sailing, Sailing Knots page.  There is a good iTunes App named "Knots 3D" by Nynix LLC, with animation.  The definitive book on knots is the "Ashley Book of Knots", written by Clifford Ashley in 1944, and you can learn 3900 knots there!  I have a decent small book - "Guide to Knots" by Geoffrey Budworth - if you want to borrow it.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, sailing friends!  Looking forward to a good year!

Is anyone thinking of attending Strictly Sail in Chicago?  It runs between Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 15.  I'm thinking of signing up for the safety at sea seminar on Saturday, the 14th, and maybe do the show on Sunday.