So big Saturday was followed up with even bigger Sunday! Sailing out managed to poke my mast through the top of sail but made it back quickly and some awesome help from Zack got it re rigged in a few minutes. Once out of channel it was apparent just how windy it was, probably 20s at that stage. Head back in
the game after a good nights sleep, nailed the start and tacked over for the Long Beach port tack. Our course was between the 2 oil islands and once in the squeeze it was
howlin! At one point everyone was capsized and
this was only 1st windward work. Came around the mark with Zack and Chris and couldn't bear off without
pitch poling. Several capsizes latter and finally had worked out how to do it. So
here's my guide for survival down wind big winds and big swell with difficult chop on top:
- At windward mark wind off bow down, pin mid point
- Slide back as you bear off
- Steer carefully but firmly and quickly till your way down range, not too far as boat will roll in one you
- Stay thee and steer around the worst, just don't come up too much as you'll power up massively
- Kind of feels like sitting on rudder foil and bounce down wind!
Doesn't look great, but seems to be fast and safe.
Last race managed a 2nd with this technique. Zack took bullets today to draw with Chris and won the turkey on count back! Awesome display of power sailing..
So that's it for the season, roll on 2011.
Richard,
ReplyDeleteYou write, "Stay thee and steer around the worst...". Is this scripture or did the Angel of Attack pass this along in a dream?
You further advise, " Steer carefully but firmly...". I've been making the mistake of steering carefully in all conditions ( well except that time when I gybed twice and still foiled into Toby as he was capsized). I really want to improve so if its blowing bacteria off the heads of bald men its careful steering, in everything else its WFO babe. Shall I also hold the tiller extension as one might a captive bird unless its blowing really hard?
You write, "Kind of feels like sitting on rudder foil and bounce downwind!". Do you imagine that as we read this we're recalling, from our last sail in heavy wind, the vivid sensation of "... sitting on rudder foil and bounce downwind" as if this is a foiling apriori? Or, is this veiled reference to a southern Cal. Moth hazing ritual?
I totally get, ", just don't come up too fast or you'll power up massively" as metaphor. I too see U.S. growth and 21st century hegemony as a poor justification for our voracious consumption of the worlds oil.
I love the blog and I'm learning tons!
PK
Thanks Paul
ReplyDeleteAfter about 20 pitch poles in 300m, I learnt that its the nose dive that will get you every time. I think in more moderate winds you can sit forward and drive the boat bow down using rudder foil lift to keep bow down and going fast, but its this that as the wind rises and chop gets worse forces you into the pitch pole. So tried sitting mid wing bar, rudder pin about central...seemed to work!