Round up, in a race this time

[Jackdaw]

Last weekend, windward mark in 18 knots gusting to 25. A poorly timed gust and shift overloaded us during a set and we could not get the boat turned down. But the crew is well trained; no body panics, everyone does their job, and we are back on our feet and are jamming back along in seconds.

Best part is the crew's smiling reaction after we were back underway.

 

[JRT]

Thanks Clay for the education, these type of videos are gold for me to watch and observe. We had our O'Day cooking along nicely wing on wing with our reacher polled out on a run to our turn around marker this weekend. I was feeling very good as the 3 boats in front of us were all flying spins and we had stayed with them for awhile. I should have followed there lead and moved to broad reach before the mark and had my jib ready to replace the drifter. I didn't and though maybe I could come around tighter, ya then I was rewarded with a drifter that could not hold shape in the higher upwind conditions and a lot of floundering around till I could get the jib out, setup and the drifter off. The other 3 boats pulled way ahead and I never caught them. At least I stayed out front of the ones behind me still.

 

[markwbird]

We had similar weather here is SF bay last Friday. 20-25 kts. We get big choppy waves as well. My crew is, shall we say, not quite as seasoned as yours. I was an exasperating evening.

 

[Jackdaw]

Thanks Clay for the education, these type of videos are gold for me to watch and observe. We had our O'Day cooking along nicely wing on win g with our reacher polled out on a run to our turn around marker this weekend. I was feeling very good as the 3 boats in front of us were all flying spins and we had stayed with them for awhile. I should have followed there lead and moved to broad reach before the mark and had my jib ready to replace the drifter. I didn't and though maybe I could come around tighter, ya then I was rewarded with a drifter that could not hold shape in the higher upwind conditions and a lot of floundering around till I could get the jib out, setup and the drifter off. The other 3 boats pulled way ahead and I never caught them. At least I stayed out front of the ones behind me still.

Good postmortem! I always tell people, most keelboat racing basically happens at jogging speed, so you you have time to think about things, IF you are looking ahead. In your mind, sailing should always be happening in the future. Plan what you are going to do before you get there. After the fact, analyze what happened. We use a Facebook crew page to discuss incidents like this. It's how you learn and get better. If you don't learn, you don't get better.

 

[Simon Sexton]

Hahaha, I've had this happen so many times! Last month one of our newer crew let go of the spin guy during a gust like that...wasn't pretty. High winds are my favorite, though, because that's when the adrenaline really gets rushing! I'm "that guy" who will rig up a Sunfish and beat it to death in 25+ winds. XD

 

[JRacer]

Better than a "round down" I always say.

 

[Jackdaw]

Better than a "round down" I always say.

OMG yes.

A round-up is usually just a bunch of noise and some shaking. Once the crew gets used to that, they don't even think twice about what to do. A round-down however......

 

[Jackdaw]

How to avoid a round up? It's hard when the extra pressure also has a big shift. But here's Pip to tell you all about it. Note the difference in USA/UK terminology. I called for 'vang off', she asks for 'kicker off'. I'm pretty sure we both say 'f**k' when its past the point of no return.

 

[JRacer]

That's why the guy on the J24 Texas Circuit was called "Boom Vang John". I think it started out as "Boom Vang, John"

 

[weinie]

what did you say at 0:50 secs? Please get the 'what' of the boat before you break something?

 

[Jackdaw]

what did you say at 0:50 secs? Please get the 'what' of the boat before you break something?

Pretty sure I said ‘ get that thing off the forestay before we break something.’. Of course referring to the pole, which meant the guy needed to come back. I’ve had Spinnaker poles bend around the forestay before. And seen forestays break under the pressure of the pole. Not good!

 

[JRacer]

Yeah, this driver was looking at the pole on the forestay and saying the same thing.

 

[weinie]

Pretty sure I said ‘ get that thing off the forestay before we break something.’. Of course referring to the pole, which meant the guy needed to come back. I’ve had Spinnaker poles bend around the forestay before. And seen forestays break under the pressure of the pole. Not good!

ahhh.. makes sense.
Love downwind spinnaker runs when the wind starts getting 'sporty'. Usually, that's the time I prefer to be on someone else's boat. It's less expensive that way.