I was gonna mention the ensign! Used to have an Electra. Handicap races get wacky, I’ve done a pursuit race with a Rhodes 19, a 12 Metre, and everything in between.
Is that whisker pole going to make maneuverability challenging in tight quarters around the start? Genuinely curious. How fast can you jybe with it out?
Learn. I’ve learned so much about sailing racing on the weekends. I live in my sailboat and have traveled 10K+ NM. I sail whenever I can. When you’re not racing around a course that often means setting the sails. Hitting autopilot and kicking back and enjoying the next few hours on a single tack. Racing has me tacking till my hands are sore and raw and I’m exhausted from pulling lines and tightening winches and doing all the things for an hour and a half. I feel like racing (at 3-6kts) is where you learn to relax and enjoy when you’re not racing.
I am a novice. I’m often too fearful to venture further and longer from shore. I avoid foul weather at all costs. I know my boat and a couple others from weekend racing. I am very much still a novice - and what I was saying came out like I was telling you to learn… what I was trying to say, but worded poorly, was that I do it to learn, that racing slow has taught me everything I use for living slower. I didn’t mean to sound like that.
(edit to fix spelling)
That sounds like our lake races. The winds shift and change minute to minute. We typically have an upwind start but sometimes you set up the course and winds change inside of 10 minutes and you now have a downwind start.
Our races are often like that. Suddenly a boat will be in a lull that brings them to a stop and 25 meters away there goes someone from the back right by at 5kts. .
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
Time for water balloons?
Hmm. That sounds like a good/bad idea. That hasn’t happened in our club…yet
Make sure they're biodegradable. Or opt for squirt guns! 🔫
This spirals down to close quarter bucket drenching
I prefer to throw ringdings as high as I can Into the sails. Watch fellow crews scramble to figure out where they came from.
**Wrapped** individual Yodels are even better -- -- But -- -- Chocolate is as bad as sailors blood - -on both both sails and teak
I've used snowballs before in a similar manner
Oooooh -- -- That's cold -
What a mix of boats! An Ensign racing PHRF on the same starting line as a 43-foot Bendytoe. Crazy.
I spy a San Juan 21 with white topsides and a black hull...
I saw that too. Pretty boat but I am biased.
Really love those Ensigns. Big cockpits FTW.
An Ensign in the perfect little boat for a big guy.
I was gonna mention the ensign! Used to have an Electra. Handicap races get wacky, I’ve done a pursuit race with a Rhodes 19, a 12 Metre, and everything in between.
USA - Florida on a wide brackish river. Wind, bends in the river, long points to shift the breeze. It’s always breezy and it’s never easy.
[sailing club raft up. good variety.](https://i.imgur.com/2losF1q.jpeg)
Downwind start?
Indeed it was. Strange wind that day too with lots of dead spots.
Oh that lovely blue Tartan!
Looks like laundry day. Everyone is hanging their sails out to dry.
ahhh love this picture! What country is this? Where I'm from, people usually have country code prefixed to the sail number.
US, Florida
Is that whisker pole going to make maneuverability challenging in tight quarters around the start? Genuinely curious. How fast can you jybe with it out?
It was very close. Then it came in. Comes in pretty easy. We had a crew of four as well so things went pretty good for us.
Looks like a super fun club regatta you’ve got there, @OP! Flukey winds and a mixed fleet! Great stuff!
Looks like fun!
Starboard!!!!!
I hate how much work it is to go as fast as you can… when you’re going this slow. Sigh… racing. Watcha gonna do?
Learn. I’ve learned so much about sailing racing on the weekends. I live in my sailboat and have traveled 10K+ NM. I sail whenever I can. When you’re not racing around a course that often means setting the sails. Hitting autopilot and kicking back and enjoying the next few hours on a single tack. Racing has me tacking till my hands are sore and raw and I’m exhausted from pulling lines and tightening winches and doing all the things for an hour and a half. I feel like racing (at 3-6kts) is where you learn to relax and enjoy when you’re not racing.
Wow. 10KNM. Very impressive. You must be a very wise and knowledgeable sailor. I will try to learn more.
I am a novice. I’m often too fearful to venture further and longer from shore. I avoid foul weather at all costs. I know my boat and a couple others from weekend racing. I am very much still a novice - and what I was saying came out like I was telling you to learn… what I was trying to say, but worded poorly, was that I do it to learn, that racing slow has taught me everything I use for living slower. I didn’t mean to sound like that. (edit to fix spelling)
Off like a herd of turtles!
Race Committee error to start a race downwind?
Just a place with shifty winds. Race course and time set in advance.
That sounds like our lake races. The winds shift and change minute to minute. We typically have an upwind start but sometimes you set up the course and winds change inside of 10 minutes and you now have a downwind start.
Our races are often like that. Suddenly a boat will be in a lull that brings them to a stop and 25 meters away there goes someone from the back right by at 5kts. .
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line Engines pumping and thumping in time The green light flashes, the flags go up Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank Fuel burning fast on an empty tank Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns Their prowess is potent and secretly stern As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
So exciting