These were the guys we rented the dinghies from...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
November sailing - Med 2003
Med sailing - November 2003
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A rare treat on the open sea - or at least the Bay
By Rich -
I love the water. Being in, around, on, under I just love it. Perhaps it is because I am a Cancer, but I have always been drawn to it. Getting the chance to sail with a small crew on a fast, fun, sports car of a boat like elise was just indulgent. With some incredible and unusual winter weather the stage was set for a perfect day of sailing around the bay.
The BATS Improv-centric crew was Nat, Jonathan, and Rich. We met up at 12:30 just as the directions said "near the green cranes"! This was easier to spot than I feared, but even though I spend a great deal of time between Marina and Chrissy Field - but I had never seen them in my recollection. It was quite obvious.
The first order of business was of course lunch. And of course prepping the boat and getting her in the water. The whole process was far shorter than I would have imagined if it had been described to me - but with it being my first time helping and only a crew of three - we didn't set any speed records. However - there were some mitigating factors too.
First, the crane was working - but had some unusual constraints. Apparently maintenance has been called to fix it - but had not made it out there yet. So the crane had to move full swing in one direction before the direction could be reversed. that's all fine and well, but the boat on a trailer with shrouds and back and forestays holding the mast in place that can present a problem.
So it took a few more adjustments to get things in place, but she was in the water about time the lunch was prepared so we could pick it up just in time. With all three of us splitting up the tasks it all went quite easily from my perspective. We got the sails and gear on board, rigged everything and stowed the gear. Then a few maintenance tasks (washing out and pumping the bilge) and we were under way.
The day was amazing. November in San Francisco is usually fairly crisp by California standards, and good wind is hardly a good expectation. But this weekend was two days of nearly perfect weather. Clear as a bell from dawn to dusk and on Sunday, the day of our sail, seventy five degrees and had good wind - perfect for training according to our captain.
We set sail, eating lunch as we made our way out of the harbor. Nat took care of everything so we could eat while the water was calm. There was also a surprise desert of french toast for us - which made a delicious end to our prep. We stowed the remains of lunch below and set about with the work for the day.
Natalie gave a good overall briefing of the nautical terms we would use like deck lines, halyards, sheets, and sail names. My description of it all would pale in comparison to hers - but I drank in all I could. One theme that struck me particularly was that everything was arranged for efficiency and conservation of work. This reminded me of hiking the PCT and how refined everyone's pack was by the end.
Soon I was at the helm and Jonathan was manning the jib sheets. We set course across the bay sailing close [to the] wind. We trimmed the sails to sail as much up wind as we were capable, flirting with edge of the wind and noting the luff in the sails when we steered too much into the wind and how they filled and how much we heeled when we fell off too much.
After mastering that (with much guidance) Jonathan got a lesson in trimming the jib from the tell-tails on the jib without me moving the helm. Well as much as I could. It was harder to do nothing that I thought. As we discussed later, there are lots of forces at play on the boat and one major one is the force of the water against the rudder.
We practiced some tacking with the call and response "Ready to Tack", "High OK", Low "Ok", and then a good ol "Helm's alee". The first attempt was sloppy on the part of the help, but the second and third attempts were much improved. By the time we had a few under our belts we turned to run downwind and out the Golden Gate!
We trimmed out on beam reach, with the wind perpendicular to the boat and set our course under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was amazing how quickly we traveled, yet moving with the wind it felt in many ways much slower - that is until you got a good reference in the water or on land. The relative wind was so much reduced and the boat was flying along! Under the bridge there are lots of strange wind pockets and interference. It's amazing the chaos in the invisible river that is flowing through the sails.
Once we cleared the bridge we turned about and tried to make progress against the ebbing tide current and sail slightly up wind also. It was slow going and after not making any real progress forward, Nat showed us what some experience and skill can do for you. Under her hand, Elise made slow but steady progress toward our goal and we made our way toward the clearly visible current line where the heavy chop in the water turned smooth. Even as we moved so much slower than downwind Nat was proud to point out how much faster we were than the boats we were passing. It wasn't a race, but the racing sprit and rigging were certainly in place and I must admit I did get some devilish pleasure from the fact that I knew we were in a fast boat with her true captain at the helm.
We turned downwind and made our run back to the harbor as the sun was coming down and started painting the city and landscape with beautiful light. It changed slightly every few seconds, and every time I turned my head or looked up I was struck by how beautiful it all was. The water in the harbor was like glass and as we sailed slowly past the rows of boats we sailed straight into the setting sun.
There were plenty of chores to do when we got back, but in true sailor fashion we opened a beer and drank it as we worked. So many small tasks happened in a short part of time. I can see where a racing crew could get to feel each other in the same way an improv ensemble works together. They act in concert without thinking. While we were not living that out as we still got instructions, there were glimpses of it that happened even with this first voyage of that particular crew.
After more fun with the green cranes and some amazing trailer guiding and parking, Elise sat again in her resting spot. Cover on top, lines carefully coiled and stowed, and salt water freshly washed off she waits for another perfect winter day.
The BATS Improv-centric crew was Nat, Jonathan, and Rich. We met up at 12:30 just as the directions said "near the green cranes"! This was easier to spot than I feared, but even though I spend a great deal of time between Marina and Chrissy Field - but I had never seen them in my recollection. It was quite obvious.
The first order of business was of course lunch. And of course prepping the boat and getting her in the water. The whole process was far shorter than I would have imagined if it had been described to me - but with it being my first time helping and only a crew of three - we didn't set any speed records. However - there were some mitigating factors too.
First, the crane was working - but had some unusual constraints. Apparently maintenance has been called to fix it - but had not made it out there yet. So the crane had to move full swing in one direction before the direction could be reversed. that's all fine and well, but the boat on a trailer with shrouds and back and forestays holding the mast in place that can present a problem.
So it took a few more adjustments to get things in place, but she was in the water about time the lunch was prepared so we could pick it up just in time. With all three of us splitting up the tasks it all went quite easily from my perspective. We got the sails and gear on board, rigged everything and stowed the gear. Then a few maintenance tasks (washing out and pumping the bilge) and we were under way.
The day was amazing. November in San Francisco is usually fairly crisp by California standards, and good wind is hardly a good expectation. But this weekend was two days of nearly perfect weather. Clear as a bell from dawn to dusk and on Sunday, the day of our sail, seventy five degrees and had good wind - perfect for training according to our captain.
We set sail, eating lunch as we made our way out of the harbor. Nat took care of everything so we could eat while the water was calm. There was also a surprise desert of french toast for us - which made a delicious end to our prep. We stowed the remains of lunch below and set about with the work for the day.
Natalie gave a good overall briefing of the nautical terms we would use like deck lines, halyards, sheets, and sail names. My description of it all would pale in comparison to hers - but I drank in all I could. One theme that struck me particularly was that everything was arranged for efficiency and conservation of work. This reminded me of hiking the PCT and how refined everyone's pack was by the end.
Soon I was at the helm and Jonathan was manning the jib sheets. We set course across the bay sailing close [to the] wind. We trimmed the sails to sail as much up wind as we were capable, flirting with edge of the wind and noting the luff in the sails when we steered too much into the wind and how they filled and how much we heeled when we fell off too much.
After mastering that (with much guidance) Jonathan got a lesson in trimming the jib from the tell-tails on the jib without me moving the helm. Well as much as I could. It was harder to do nothing that I thought. As we discussed later, there are lots of forces at play on the boat and one major one is the force of the water against the rudder.
We practiced some tacking with the call and response "Ready to Tack", "High OK", Low "Ok", and then a good ol "Helm's alee". The first attempt was sloppy on the part of the help, but the second and third attempts were much improved. By the time we had a few under our belts we turned to run downwind and out the Golden Gate!
We trimmed out on beam reach, with the wind perpendicular to the boat and set our course under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was amazing how quickly we traveled, yet moving with the wind it felt in many ways much slower - that is until you got a good reference in the water or on land. The relative wind was so much reduced and the boat was flying along! Under the bridge there are lots of strange wind pockets and interference. It's amazing the chaos in the invisible river that is flowing through the sails.
Once we cleared the bridge we turned about and tried to make progress against the ebbing tide current and sail slightly up wind also. It was slow going and after not making any real progress forward, Nat showed us what some experience and skill can do for you. Under her hand, Elise made slow but steady progress toward our goal and we made our way toward the clearly visible current line where the heavy chop in the water turned smooth. Even as we moved so much slower than downwind Nat was proud to point out how much faster we were than the boats we were passing. It wasn't a race, but the racing sprit and rigging were certainly in place and I must admit I did get some devilish pleasure from the fact that I knew we were in a fast boat with her true captain at the helm.
We turned downwind and made our run back to the harbor as the sun was coming down and started painting the city and landscape with beautiful light. It changed slightly every few seconds, and every time I turned my head or looked up I was struck by how beautiful it all was. The water in the harbor was like glass and as we sailed slowly past the rows of boats we sailed straight into the setting sun.
There were plenty of chores to do when we got back, but in true sailor fashion we opened a beer and drank it as we worked. So many small tasks happened in a short part of time. I can see where a racing crew could get to feel each other in the same way an improv ensemble works together. They act in concert without thinking. While we were not living that out as we still got instructions, there were glimpses of it that happened even with this first voyage of that particular crew.
After more fun with the green cranes and some amazing trailer guiding and parking, Elise sat again in her resting spot. Cover on top, lines carefully coiled and stowed, and salt water freshly washed off she waits for another perfect winter day.
Monday, November 17, 2008
midwinters
We raced in the midwinters a couple of weeks ago - midwinters are usually good training for light air sailing skills. I actually find sailing in light air just as tiring mentally as sailing in heavy air. perhaps a little less so physically...It is also an area where some of the best sailors come out and one where I need plenty of practice.
It requires a lot of patience: things will move slowly but rushing them will slow down the boat. Paying a lot of attention to details: the sail, feeling the tiniest bit of pressure in the sheets, the surface of the water to pick up on places with a bit more wind, the other boats on the course to see if one side seems to be better than the other. Getting clean air, trying not to move the tiller so fast - constantly shifting weight around. and it doesn't come with the natural thrill of a downwind leg surfing ocean swell.
I used to really dislike light air sailing. I have come to like it, although it is not my preferred set of wind conditions...Primarily because if you want to get it right, you really have to be in phase with the elements - spot the wind and follow it. Pay careful attention to current and be one with your boat - look and feel the tiniest signal or change that might require a little optimization. There is a very direct and intimate relationship with the sails in light air since they will require constant trimming. But delicate trimming. subtle touch.
Elise is light so it doesn't take a lot of wind to power her up. But she is also a small boat thus slower than some bigger light(ish) racing boats.
For this particular race, Elise had 4 guests: Heather (foredeck or pit), Rom (foredeck or pit), Nathan (trim, driving) and Nat (driving, trim). We decided to use this as a practice ground since I think that by now, I have accepted the fact that the program needs to be slowly resurrected. So we asked what people wanted to focus on and we all got a shot at trying this out.
Nathan wanted to do some driving. Heather wanted to do anything but driving. Rom wanted to try foredeck (he does foredeck on another boat usually) and some pit/trim. and Nat wanted to do primarily upwind driving, and if truth be said, also enjoyed a couple of downwinds, but less required from a practice standpoint. I now find it 10 times easier to drive Elise downwind than I do upwind. I can also sense changes and anticipate her reaction much quicker downwind. Strange ;-)
Well, it definitely was practice for all. I wasn't too disappointed with my upwind driving. I had to focus a lot and refrain from just randomly moving the tiller as we got stuck in two 'no air' moments. The rest of the time we had really nice wind and were sailing in moderate air. the first few maneuvres took some time but there was no major hiccup and with practice, they will become much much faster. the most interesting point was our second start - as there was some confusion about the countdown. We thought we were getting onto our last minute before the start when it actually was the start...so we were some 30 seconds behind the first boats right from the start. not good...
Nice work Tuyye on beating us by a few feet at the finish!
This season, there are two things I want to focus on. 1) upwind driving and 2) starts. We'll see what happens!
Photos from midwinters
I will post some notes/comments later.
Photos from Lyons Imaging (www.lyonsimaging.com)
Friday, November 14, 2008
Patagonia Population
'Les Eclaireurs'
And this was the ONLY day in my entire time in Patagonia with NO wind (and I mean it went from 35+ knots every day to zero...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)