Man created the slowest form of transportation – the sailboat –then decided to race them Objectives • Racing is not scary. • Cover the basics. • Get safely around the course. – Not a detailed study of the racing rules. • You do not have to win to have fun Types of Racing Boats • One-design – boats of the same design compete against each other e.g.,Flying Scots, Scows, Optimist Prams and many others. • Handicap – to allow boats of different design to compete against each other. Most often used for local cruising type boats. Handicap Systems • Not like golf, handicap boat, not skipper. – Assumes boat driven to max potential • We use Performance Handicap Rating Fleet, • All systems are imperfect. PHRF Performance Handicap Racing Fleet • Numerical rating assigned based on formula with empirical modifications. • Boats with lower rating are expected to be faster than boats with higher ratings. – waterline length - theoretical hull speed – Displacement • A Catalina 36 rated 219 will sail faster than a Catalina 22 rated 305 • Mostly uses a system where 1 point difference in rating = 1 second per nautical mile of race. How to Get a Rating • West Florida PHRF is the organizing body on Florida’s west coast. – http://wfphrf.org • Can be done on-line. • Cost $50.00. • Just fill out form. – We can help you if you have questions. • Get rating for accuracy, else we use our best guess. – Some regattas require a rating certificate, otherwise sail in a “fun fleet” The Fleet Spreads Out For a 1 NM First Leg Seconds Behind Boat Rating At First Mark Olson 30 119 -------------- J-24 171 52 Holder 20 209 90 S2 6.9 244 125 Precision 23 260 141 Pearson Ensign 278 159 At The Finish For a 6 NM Race Time Behind Boat Rating At Finish Olson 30 119 -------------- J-24 171 5 minutes, 12 seconds Holder 20 209 9 minutes S2 6.9 244 12 minutes, 30 seconds Precision 23 260 14 minutes, 6 seconds Pearson Ensign 297 15 minutes, 54 seconds Classes • Typical cruiser: generally over 30 feet l.o.a. • Pocket cruiser: generally under 30 feet l.o.a. • Racer Cruiser: often modified interior or equipment. • Spinnaker: utilizes a spinnaker while racing. • Non-spinnaker: can not use spinnaker while racing. • Multi-hull: catamarans and trimarans. Don’t sweat the details. We will help you figure out where you belong. Around the Course • Start. • Mark rounding. • Finish. Race Courses on Sarasota Bay • Fixed channel marks: ICW markers. • SSS Circle Course: a series of cylinders placed by SSS. • Race Committee boat: provided by SSS. – Red ball: placed by SSS to mark start & finish line. Note: A course may use a combination of marks. SSS Race Courses Basic Rules • Overall rule – do not have a collision! • Mostly usual right-of-way. • Important exceptions: – mark rounding – start/finish – Passing another boat. Types of Starts • Fleet start – all boats start together. – finish times recorded. – Handicap applied = corrected time. • Pursuit start or Reverse handicap – handicap applied at start, slow boats start first. – First over the finish line wins! Start Committee Wind Boat (starboard) Pin (on port) Note: starboard tack! Start Sequence • Start at a fixed time. – Sunday Series usually 13:00 GPS • At 5 minutes before start class flag goes up and horn sounds. • At 4 minutes before start P flag goes up and horn sounds. • At 1 minute before start P flag goes down and horn sounds. • At start class flag goes down and horn sounds. – DON’T BE OVER START LINE UNTIL THEN ! – Or have to restart by sailing around one end of the “Rule 26” Start Sequence Minutes Horn Before • 6 2 blips raise 5 Long horn Class flag raise 4 Long horn Prep lower 1 Long horn lower 0 Long horn Long horn Individual recall 2 long horns General recall Special Start Rules • Leeward boat does not have to give a windward boat room to clear RC boat (Barging). • When you can luff up to force another boat off course is beyond this seminar. Barging Committee Wind Boat (starboard) Pin (on port) Leeward boat Out of Luck! Marks • Lat and Lon position of all marks are on SSS website. – Use of GPS is legal. • Physical marks can be difficult to find, GPS makes it easier – blend into shore, particularly on west side. – that’s part of the fun! Windward Mark Rounding • Usually marks are taken (left to) to port. The leeward (inside) boat has rights over the windward (outside)boat • Avoid tacking inside of three boat lengths of mark. – this one is beyond this seminar Leeward Mark Rounding • Usual rules do not apply. • If the inside boat is overlapped with the outside boat at the time the first boat enters a circle three boat lengths from the mark, it is entitled to room at the mark. – regardless of port/starboard or windward/leeward • Applies even if the overlap is broken within the three boat length circle. Finish Committee boat (starboard) Pin (port) Finish Rules • Both the RC boat and pin are marks and the mark rounding rules apply. • Usual right-of-way applies in middle of line. Finish Time • Recorded by Race Committee if a boat is on station. • Sunday Series – honor system record your own time. – Use GPS time. – report finish time as instructed at skippers’ meeting. Results 2016 Snowbird Regatta Race #1 on 09 Jan 2016 2016 Snowbird Regatta: Race #1 on 09 Jan 2016 Div Sail Finish Elapsed Corrected Seconds Boat Name Skipper Boat Type Rating Rank No. Time Time Time Behind PHRF_ToD RLC Start Time: 13:25 Dist: 5.10 nm Spinnaker Course: M-->NPNP-->NP19-->L-->IC15-->C-->Ls-->M 1 Zephyr 104 Chad Weiss 87 14:35:50 01:10:50 01:03:26 2 Raptor 155 Chuck Clack 90 14:38:35 01:13:35 01:05:56 29 PHRF_ToD RLC Start Time: 13:25 Dist: 5.10 nm Non-Spinnaker Course: M-->NP-NP-->NP-19-->L--IC-15-->C-->Ls-->M 1 In Tune 26 Doug Dearden 159 14:42:50 01:17:50 01:04:19 2 Stormy 26 Ted Weihe 210 14:47:24 01:22:24 01:04:33 3 3 Double Trouble 3490 Steve Schwark 194 14:50:12 01:25:12 01:08:43 52 4 Runaway 127 Mike Halliday 186 14:55:29 01:30:29 01:14:40 122 PHRF_ToD RLC Start Time: 13:25 Dist: 5.10 nm Pocket Cruising Course: M-->NP-NP-->NP-19-->L--IC-15-->C-->Ls-->M 1 Elixir 24290 Shahe Momjian 291 15:08:25 01:43:25 01:18:41 2 Silver Girl(n) 1260 Walter Frank 198 15:03:10 01:38:10 01:21:20 31 PHRF_ToD RLC Start Time: 13:25 Dist: 7.12 nm Multi-Hull Course: M-->NP-NP-->NP-19-->IC-16-->C-->Ls-->M 1 Overdo 118 John Novak 21 15:03:37 01:38:37 01:36:07 One_Design RLC Start Time: 13:30 E-Scows Course: M-->NP-NP-->L-->NP-NP-->L-->M 1 E-Scow Z-3 Z-3 Jim Barr 1 DNF 3 E-Ticket 111 Bill Misenheimer Printed on: 11 Jan 2016 15:14 UTC Number of boats: scored: 11 webQS Scoring Program Version: v6_05 n = Boat will not appear in Series Summary because of no current WFPHRF certificate Sarasota Sailing Squadron Page 1 of 1 How to Win • Go Fast! • Course selection • Steering • Wind shifts and tactics How to Go Fast • Clean bottom • Sail trim – angle the sail makes with the apparent wind • Sail shape – Generally deep draft in light air, flat in heavy – Draft fore or aft – Control by: • Downhaul • Outhaul • Jib sheet lead placement Course Selection • Upwind – How many tacks – Lose time on every tack • Downwind – Run or broad reach – Longer or faster • Wind obstructions near shore Steering • Smooth and slow • Chop, waves and wakes Header Lifter Key Rule Headers and Lifters are opposites, so… When you’re headed, tack! More Tactics • The layline is the shortest distance to the mark • Somewhat counter-intuitively, it is usually best not to sail the layline • Harder to play the shifts • Steal the other boat’s wind, don’t let them steal yours Further Reading • Getting Started in Sailboat Racing – Cort and Stearns Uncomfortable? • We usually have a small fleet. • Gets spread out. • Scary situations are not common. – and can be avoided Still Uncomfortable? Let us know, we’ll have an experienced racer sail with you so you can get the hang of it. Final Thoughts • Never let the frustrations of racing interfere with the joy of sailing. So what if everything went wrong, or you finish last? The fact that you’re out there playing the game is pretty cool. There are a ton of people on shore who wish they were you. .