Author: Peter
Win a Subscription to “Speed & Smarts”!
If you are attending the “Boat Handling & Sail Trim” seminar on Saturday, June 21, at BCYC you will have a chance to win either a one-year subscription to the online PDF verison of Dave Dellenbaugh’s “Speed & Smarts” newsletter, or a hardcopy of a single issue autograpthed by Dave! If you are not familiar with “Speed & Smarts”, click here. Every sailboat racer should read this superb one-of-a-kind newsletter! Dave, who you may have seen sailing with the team from Yale at this year’s Baldwin Cup, has generously donated these items which will be raffled at the seminar. Everyone gets a ticket at the door!
Not registered? You still can. Might even make a great Father’s Day gift. For information, testtimonials, and registration information, click here. We hope to see you there!
Don’t miss the Leukemia Cup tomorrow, June 8 at BCYC
RAISE MORE THAN A SAIL FOR LEUKEMIA!
As Bob Yates and Emile have expressed so well, the Leukemia Cup is more than just another regatta! Even though this is not a High Point event, it is an important event. A portion of the registration proceeds will go to the Leukemia Society, and you will have an opporunity to make an additional donation. You are also invited to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Auction and Dinner tonight, June 7, at BCYC from 5:50 to 11:00 PM, which will feature live music. Click here for event information and registration.
Boat Handling & Sail Trim – June 21 at BCYC
Skippers, Crew – Up your game! The more everyone aboard understands how the boat works and how to get the most out if it, the more competitive you will be! Register before June 19 for the best price.
We hope to see you there!
Are you Ready to Reef?
Maybe it’s climate change, but whatever the reason, it is WINDY this season! The Harbor 20 was designed to perform well in very light air, and as such can become quite over-powered when the breeze is up if you don’t manage the power by flattening, or ultimately reefing the main. At the last H20 Board Meeting, it was recommeded that everone should know how to reef their Harbor 20. This keeps things both FUN, and SAFE! To that end, it was decided that it would be a good idea to post some instructions on how to reef the Harbor 20 on this website which can now be found here, or by looking under the “SAILING TIPS” category on the Home Page. Try this at the dock, and then make sure you can do it under sail as well. You will find yourself feeling much more confident when the breeze is up when you have this critical skill under your belt.
Reefing the Harbor 20
The following slides are excepts from the Boat Handling & Sail Trim seminar.
Using this technique, the mainsail is reefed by first pulling the boom up towards the leech reef cringle and then lowering the halyard which lowers the boom again. This is a very safe technique when reeefing under sail because the boom stays far from the water, even when heeled. It is also a great technique when the boat does not have a topping lidt to hold the boom up when the halyard is lowered. To use this technique, your boom vang must be long enough to allow the end of the boom to rise until it is about 12 inches from the leech reef cringle.
When a boat is overpowered, it is both slow and hard to handle. Ducking a starboard tack boat can be impossible if the mainsail is not eased WAY OUT. Depending on how much wind there is, reefing might be the right thing to do to get the boat back under control.
There is an eye strap on the port side of the boom between the two turning blocks (not shown above) which the jiffy reef line should also run through…
Register for “Boat Handling & Sail Trim”, Saturday, June 21, 8:45 – 5:00 at BCYC
Gary Jobson Skippers H20 SKIMMER in Annapolis
On February 23, 2014 Gary Jobson took the helm of SKIMMER, an Annapolis based Harbor20, for owner Peter Trogdon. It was a cold sunny day with a 6-8 knot breeze from the North. Seven of the thirteen Frostbite boats came out that day. Peter writes, ”We were very excited to be racing again because racing had been cancelled several times during the frostbite season due to the ice in the river. John Sherwood, my tactician and coach, and I knew we were in for an amazing day of racing with friend and legendary Americans Cup tactician, author, and sailing commentator, Gary Jobson.”
All looking AFT at the competition, left to right, Gary Jobson, John Sherwood, and Peter Trogdon
Gary wrote” After weeks and weeks of enduring unusually cold weather, it was a special treat to sail aboard a Harbor 20 on a mild winter day during the Annapolis Yacht Club Frostbite Series. Lucky me, I got to race with Peter Trogdon and the legendary John Sherwood in two races. I found the Harbor 20 to be a great boat for either two or three people. The boats are remarkably even in speed. In one race, everything went our way and we were happy with a victory. In the second race, the combination of a slow start and a missed wind shift left us deservedly in third. The open cockpit makes trimming and steering easy. The boat is a joy to sail both upwind and downwind. There is a warm camaraderie between the competitors. After the race everybody compared notes. I look forward to my next sail.”
After the races, Gary met and talked with all the Harbor 20 fleet sailors. It was a treat for this relatively new AYC racing fleet to have the opportunity to share their love of the Harbor 20 with a local hero.
Want to have a whole lot of fun?
I am guessing you might not know this: Learning the Racing Rules can be a WHOLE LOT OF FUN! There is no sugar-coating it – the rules are very complex. That’s what makes actually understanding them so much fun. And every person that improves their understanding of the rules helps improve the quality of competition for everyone out on the race course. Please come join us at BCYC on March 15 for the “Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing” seminar. The venue is fantastic, the hospitality excellent, and you will find yourself in the company of like-minded folks spending the day immersed in the inner workings of your favorite sport. Whether you are learning the rules, or refining your knowledge, this experience will be worth your while. So, please join us. You’ll be glad you did!
Click here to register.
Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing, March 15
The only situation in which a boat may make a tactical rounding, i.e. go wide and then cut close to pass the mark on a close hauled course is when she has entered the zone clear ahead. Boats behind often misunderstand this as an opportunity to cut inside, because the space looks very tempting. But, she has no right to do so, and is likely to hear a robust “Don’t go in there!!!”
The rules are not just for skippers. The more knowledge on your boat, the greater your competitive edge. So, whether you are a skipper or crew, if you would like to up your game in 2014, join us at BCYC on March 15 for the “Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing” seminar. Animated PowerPoint slides like that shown above make the rules come to life. The game is a lot more fun, and safe, when you know the rules!
We hope to see you there!