The Tell Tale

Boat Use Stats 2009-2011

2012-01-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

John Courter has generated some boat use statistics for all of us to ponder. Check these out:

I am most disappointed by the weather-correlated use stats. I guess we really are a bunch of fair-weather sailors. However, the overall use is up quite a bit since 2010, which is great. I wish we could correlate each month with average windspeeds and see what the result is.

A Christmas Day Rescue

2011-12-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

The following is a tale of Alexia Fischer and Ken Inoue's rescue of a windsurfer on Lake Washington:

Hello Sailors,

Ken and I have a story to tell all of you. I was at home hanging out with my family and watching the wind pick up. I was debating whether or not to take a Laser out today but talked myself out of it. Ken called me and said he was interested in going sailing to get some practice for his Cat Skipper. I talked with my family, then decided, "Let's go for it." We both rushed to the WAC and I changed while Ken rigged a Hobie 16. The sails we picked were torn at the battens, so we tried different sails, which were also torn. All the cat sails ended up having tears at the battens. We decided that it was not a good idea to take a cat out with bad sails in winds around 30 knots.

But we were at the WAC, all dressed in our wetsuits... we were going to go sailing! We decided to take an FJ out, we knew we could find a decent one and it would still be a lot of fun with this much wind. We also knew that *when* we capsized it would be easier to handle. I turned my radio on, turned the volume up, and stuffed it in my life-jacket. There was a Pon Pon for a paddle boarder lost at Point Fauntleroy. We stopped to listen but it was no where near us so we continued to rig. Another Pon Pon came on the radio. At first we thought it was the same one, but then we hear "Lake Washington," "lost windsurfer," followed by the GPS coordinates. Ken doused the sails of the FJ as I sprinted up to the sail locker to grab a whaler key. Ken jumped into the whaler, turned the radio on, checked the gas, and the systems. I ran down with the key, Ken started the whaler as I contacted the Coast Guard and let them know we're on our way. At first the Coast Guard gave us GPS coordinates, but we quickly told them we didn't have a GPS. They then told us the windsurfer is lost between "Magnusun Park and Kirkland..."

We race to the scene, coordinating with the Coast Guard about who we were, where we we coming from, and more of a description. The windsurfer description was "Male, white sail, black wetsuit." That is basically no help since the lake was covered in white caps. Ken has watched the windsurfers sail around the lake so he knew a bit about their preferred sailing pattern. With such a big search area we decide to start at Magnusun Park, cross the lake towards Juanita (since they sail out of a park North of Kirkland usually), head further North downwind (because he's been drifting a while and will be further downwind than the usual sailing pattern), then cut back across toward Sand Point.

We were the first on the scene and finally saw Harbor Patrol arrive when we were almost to Kirkland on out first leg of our search pattern. We turn back early to Sand Point, realizing that two boats in the same location wasn't particularly helpful. Ken heads further North and downwind as we quickly discovered it was easier to see things upwind than down. It was so hard to see anything. The wind sprayed the waves in your face. Ken looked starboard and ahead, while I looked port and aft.

We were over half way across the lake when I saw a black object crest a wave about 50 yards off to port (to the South and upwind). I informed Ken (whose been driving the whaler) and a figure crests a wave again. It's the windsurfer!!! He waves to us. He's alive!!! We quickly alter course and come along side. He's hugging his board, the sail is gone and he looks cold. He immediately starts to grab at the whaler (he was clearly scared and relived we were there). We grab him and pull him aboard, and then his board. We ask him if he is OK, and if he is cold. He says "I'm OK, a little cold." We call the coastguard. We tell them we have him, he is on-board, he's OK, and we are going to head to Magnusun Park (where we were closest and the armada of rescue vehicles was awaiting). The Coast Guard informs us that we need to transfer him to the other rescue boat, Harbor Patrol. Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard were not communicating well. We had to visually flag down the other boat. All this time, the windsurfer was laying on his side along the binnacle. He was pretty motionless and kept closing his eyes. I saw him doing this and shaking and kept checking on him every minute or so. I would ask him if he was OK and he would open his eyes and respond. I was worried he was very hypothermic and was trying to sleep. I wasn't going to let him go to sleep. He was wearing a dry suit with a neoprene head piece, no life-jacket, and he was probably out there for over an hour.

We pull along side Harbor Patrol. They take him and we take his board. The Coast Guard still has not communicated with Harbor Patrol as they ask me for their phone number and that I should tell them to monitor 22 A. Harbor Patrol is long gone as they took the guy and drove off. They can go upwind much faster than us. In the high seas and high winds we barley made 1.5 knots to Magnusun Park.

When we arrive at Magnusun Park the windsurfer's friends greet us. The man was transported to an ambulance and away before we arrived. His friends thank us for the help and said "He really needed it." They said they were windsurfing back and forth from Kirkland when they lost sight of him and he didn't come back. They called 911 and the Coast Guard sent the radio call. They say he is a very good windsurfer, and he must have gotten into trouble or the rig broke. He must have then jettisoned the rig because we only returned with the board.. We give them the board, but the bowline comes undone from the boat sending us adrift and we decide to head back to the WAC.

It's a cold and long beat back (1.5 knots at almost full throttle). I was telling Ken, "Can't we go ANY faster?" (but looking back saw that the throttle was down). We were both so tired and cold (thankful to have been in full winter dinghy sailing gear though) that we decided not to sail. We were met by Goran and Evan. Goran was puzzled by why an FJ was left at the dock partially rigged, with the sails strewn across the dock and a whaler missing. He told us that he heard the rescue operation over the radio, then checked the canoe house for any missing boards, but there were none. Looking back we realized that we were out there and found the man within 45mins of hearing the call. The man was in the water for over an hour. We were glad we were able to help and that he made it back to shore alive. We were also a bit irritated that the Coast Guard and Harbor Patrol didn't communicate better. We really shouldn't have been the first on the scene and where was the helicopter?

In the end though, we were happy to to have found him and gotten him back to his friends and family alive. If it weren't for Ken, motivating me to sail, the cat sails in disrepair hindering us for a good 20 mins and me turning on my radio at the dock just cause, it may have turned our differently. I do want to say THANK YOU because the whaler had a full tank of gas and was working beautifully and we were able to get out so quickly. Ken did an amazing job driving the whaler.

Today was hazardous weather. Ken and I were only planning on sailing on the Bay. Remember, that when the winds are this strong:

1) Let someone know what you are up to and when you should be back
2) It is best not to sail alone with no one aware of where you are or your status (WAC is closed, etc.)
3) It is club rules that you must have a whaler with you when sailing on the Lake in Hazardous weather even if you have a skipper rating
4) This is not a club rule, but I cannot stress enough, it is a really good idea to have a radio with you if *you are sailing all alone, and/or *you are going on the lake. We would have had a much smaller search area and would would have found this man that much quicker if he had a radio. The radios are not that large and fit into life-jackets pretty easily. My radio has now helped save the lives of 2 individuals.
5) WEAR A LIFE-JACKET. If this man had become separated from his board, he would have probably been dead. The waves in that wind were about 4 feet and break over your head, making it hard to breathe.
6) Don't just assume that you will just get rescued. We were the first on the scene and Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard were not communicating. We were one of only two boats on the call (it was us and 1 from Harbor Patrol).

To windsurfers: I personally think that him jettisoning his rig was a good idea. The rig would have served as a sea anchor, tossing the board around in the wind and waves and flailing widely if it caught any wind as the board spun. He was able to have full control of the board and lie on top of it. He was much more visible on top of the board than in the water especially since we were given such a big search area. In a life and death situation, the Club's last concern is the equipment. Do whatever you need to stay alive and keep safe.

Ken and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Alexia

Later on, club member Bill Smersh found this first-person report on Yahoo group NW-Windtalk:

Re: Missing sailor in lake washington
Posted by: "Ivo"morjick
Date: Sun Dec 25, 2011 11:31 pm ((PST))

Yeah, it was me.....On my first jibe way middle in the lake something happened to my mast......either it snapped right there or the webbing on top of the sail gave out and the mast went thru it and detached. I will never know. All that I know is there I was in the middle of the lake in 40 mph winds with unfunctional rig. I tried to make it with only the bottom half of the mast and the sail almost collapsed, but in these winds and chop and cold water I just could not. Had to ditch the whole rig and let it behind. Started paddling laying halfway on the board......and so it went for about 1.15-1.30 min. What was really discouraging and alarming was that I simply could not paddle towards the beach and kept drafting downwind.......was getting mild hypothermia. Later I realized that for some reason even wearing O'Neill Boost drysuit I was very wet below the harness....really don't know how the water got there, there are not any holes or faulthy seals. It is basicly brand new. Anyway, I was probably about 15-20 min. from whatever that residential place is on the East side across from the old NOAA when the water rescue patrol pulled me in.
Had to spend about 2 hours in UW Hospital to bring back my body temp. to normal.
Looking back even that many things went wrong with my session I did all the right decisions, so I am still here to tell that story. That drysuit even partially flooded probably saved me, though I may wear wetsuit under it in the future. And of course Fabrice calling 911 for help.

Ivo

P.s. Since my boom is on the bottom of the lake I am looking for used small carbon boom for 3m2-5m2 sails.

There you have it. Remember to be careful out there and follow Alexia's advice.

Cruising Guide: Patos Island

2011-11-28T22:31:00.001-08:00

This engaging review comes to us from club member Brent Carey. Thanks for the advice!

It's a long haul from Seattle, but if you find yourself in the neighborhood, one of my favorite anchorages is at the north end of the San Juans, just swimming distance from Canada. Three islands line up along the Strait of Georgia: Matia (mah-TEE-ya), Sucia (SOO-sha), and Patos (PAT-os). These are normally used mostly by locals from Bellingham or Blaine, though Sucia is a major anchorage for boaters from all over. In fact, it is so popular that it tends to attract people away from the far less-visited Patos Island just about a mile away.

Patos Island is a 207-acre state park that has the distinct advantage that it has few decent anchorages. However, those that exist are fantastic. So, on the busiest of days, there will usually only be a half-dozen or so boats spread around the island, not including the occasional kayak. This makes it quiet and peaceful, especially when compared to the circus at Sucia Island during the summer. Go to Patos in the off-season during the week, and there's a good chance you'll have the whole island to yourself.

The island has three main places to spend the night: Active Cove, Toe Point, and the north shore. My favorite is Active Cove which features two mooring buoys, a few campsites, a couple of toilets, and no running water. It's a bit too primitive for the RV-on-water crowd that flocks to Sucia or the big marinas. During the summer, it is all about timing to get a buoy - get there around 11 am. During the early and off-season, you'll generally have no problem. It is entirely possible to squeeze a few more boats in the cove by throwing down an anchor, and occasionally a few power boaters will think that's a good idea. Don't be that person. Active Cove is small and it is beautiful because it is quiet and secluded. Jamming in more boats does not mean that more people get to enjoy it. It means that nobody does. If you really need a place to spend the night and it's a full house at Patos, just cruise over to Sucia and you'll find a place.

When tied to a buoy in Active Cove, remember that it is named "Active" for a very good reason. Imagine tying up in a fast-flowing stream that switches directions every couple of hours. Tidal currents frequently run 4 kts or so, and can readily exceed 7, but much of the time they just spin you around. It's a little disconcerting at first, but not a problem generally. It is otherwise well-sheltered.

There are two ways into and out of the cove: the west inlet and the east/south inlet. Don't even try the east/south inlet. It is too shallow and narrow for a keel boat. You could make it during high tide, but the currents are pretty unpredictable, so don't risk it. Just cruise around to the west end, just south of the lighthouse (inactive), and you'll have no problems. Dozens of seals and porpoises typically convene just off of the point where the lighthouse sits.

Once settled in, you'll have to pay $10 at the pay station. Bring walking shoes and check out the rest of the island. Even as few people actually go to Patos, of those who go, fewer still ever venture onto the island past the picnic table. They're missing out.

If you can't get into Active Cove, or you really don't want to share, and you know what you are doing, it is possible to anchor in a tiny cove at the other end of the island near Toe Point. This is a really cool spot - just a tiny cove between two rocky peninsulas. Don't even think about it unless weather is relatively calm, you have ample competent crew, you understand tides, are carrying at least two anchors, and have more anchor line than you know what to do with. This is a lot like parking a blimp in a hangar lined with spikes. OK, it's not quite that bad, but you don't have a large margin of error. You'll have to drop an anchor near the cove entrance, and run a line to shore. Of course, all of this requires some very careful maneuvering and using your dinghy to get it all set up. It is tight, but the payoff is your own private cove. Plan to leave at high tide so you have more room.

And, if Toe Point is occupied or you just aren't feeling that gutsy, then you can also anchor along the north shore at the east end of the island. I've never done this because the shelf drops off pretty sharply and I've never felt like I had enough rode to do it right. But, I do see the occasional sailboat parked there, and it is a beautiful spot with your own private beach. So, something worth considering if the winds aren't blowing from the north.

Patos is actually a decent destination, but is more like a great place to stop for a day or two on your way somewhere else. I have a house in Birch Bay, about 10 NM northeast of Patos, so tend to stop here on my way into the San Juans. It would also make a great last stop on your way to Canada unless you need supplies, in which case you'll need to stop at Point Roberts or Blaine (I recommend the latter). The nice thing is, that even though it is frequently full in the summer by the time you get there in your sailboat, it is always worth going there to check.

Patos Island Lighthouse

Active Cove - Patos Island

The WYC's collected wisdom on chosing a life jacket

2011-11-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, aclub member asked for opinions about the best life jacket to buy for keelboat sailing. Since thisissue comes up not infrequently, I’ve compiled many club members’ opinions inan effort to simplify the decision-making process for future members. Let’s start with Brent’s overview of the considerations involved:

First, do you need/want a Type II vest? The decidingfactor here are whether you want a vest that will likely keep your head out ofthe water if you are unconscious. If this is a concern, then you shouldlook to Type II, which narrows your choices quite a bit.

Next, on a keelboat, I wouldn't want to use a non-inflatable vest. Too bulky. Yet, on a dinghy, you don't really wantan inflatable. To my mind, one should really have two differentvests - one for dinghy sailing and one for keelboats. If you can't havetwo, then you'll have to do with a non-inflatable while keelboat sailing.

If you want/need a Type II inflatable, there aren't very manyoptions. Mustang makes one with a built-in harness. This is what Iuse. I'm quite happy with it.

If you don't want/need a Type II non-inflatable, then you'll be looking at TypeIII devices, and it really comes down to personal preference, but there are afew big considerations. First is bulk, but that's not the most importantconsideration in my opinion, though it's the one that gets the mostattention. Way more important is that it doesn't restrict motion of yourarms across the front of your body, and that there are no edges, corners,buckles, etc. that are likely to catch lines.

I would much rather take a bulky vest with a smooth profile than a sleek onewith bits and pieces that would catch a line. In fact, high floatation isa big deal for me. Most people just go for the lowest-profile vest theycan find, but it is important to remember what the vest is for. Morefloatation is better.

For a vest to do a good job, it should keep you as high out of the water aspossible. It is there to save your life and not look good. However,if you won't wear it, it won't do you any good. So, know thyself.

I use a Type II/V hydrostatic inflatable with built-in harness byMustang Survival when I don't plan on getting wet (i.e. keelboats). Ondinghies, I wear a Type II by Extrasport (I think). I require a Type IIvest, but as I tend to sail away from the immediate shore, I would probably usea Type II device anyway.

The topic of wakeboarding vests has come up, and whileattractive in limited circumstances they should be relied upon only withcaution:

Keep in mind, wakeboard vests will generally not save yourlife. They will only improve you comfort for a short time. Many(most?) do not meet the minimum floatation requirements to even meet Type IIIstandards, and those that do are pretty minimal. These are adequate onlyto provide a bit of insulation and reduce fatigue somewhat. Use aneoprene vest only if you are sure you won't go into the water unconscious, orbecome unconscious or semi-conscious, and rescue is guaranteed within a fewminutes. Otherwise, this is just false security.

These vests are not adequate for keelboat sailing, except perhaps putteringaround the lake with a competent crew. Also, they are not advisable forsingle-handing except under supervision. If you don't believe how quicklyhypothermia sets in and how important every pound of buoyancy is, come talk tome and I'll tell you tales from the ER.

Of course, each person needs to weigh risks and make their own decision aboutwhat precautions to take, but most (all?) neoprene vests only lend a falsesense of protection when it comes to sailing. They are not designed forthis purpose. They are designed for situations where the water isrelatively warm and rescue imminent.

The reason there are so many different kinds of PFDs is because there aredifferent levels of exposure to different sorts of risks. Each requiresdifferent measures to mitigate. If you want to buy just one PFD to suitany sailing you might do, then buy the device for the worst exposurepossible. Then, if you can afford a second device, consider somethingless capable and possibly less obtrusive for sailing that is less exposed torisk.

However, all things being equal, an inflatable, in addition to being morecomfortable than a foam vest, provides more buoyancy and has a better rightingcapability than an equivalently rated foam vest. Still, as discussed,they are not really suitable for dinghy sailing because of the high chance ofgoing into the water in a non-emergent situation. Though, if I didn'tneed an auto-inflating Type II, I would consider a manually-inflating Type IIIover a neoprene vest for dinghy sailing. This way I would have somefloatation and insulation, plus the ability to inflate if I had to. Still, for keelboat sailing, I wouldn't consider using anything other than aType II except perhaps in conditions where I didn't feel like I needed a PFD atall.

My advice: Just plan on getting two vests - an inflatable forkeelboats and a foam vest for dinghies. Get whichever you need first, andget a vest with the buoyancy appropriate to the level of risk you want tomitigate. If you don't think you'll do much keelboat sailing, then justuse your dingy vest. If you're going to race on a keelboat, getan inflatable or go without - unless you're going to do anydistances at all, in which case you'll want an inflatable with aharness.

Dennis suggests using a floater jacket:

I'm normally a KB sailor, but I do sail dingys. On the dingy, I always use the clubs PFD's or similar. They are cheap, quick and don't get easily damaged.

For years, I tried to use a very nice offshore inflatable PFD on the KB's. But I seldom really wore it --> not good. Among other issues was the fact that it had to be worn outside any coat or especially rain coat, so to get the coat off, the PFD had to come off and again seldom went back on.

I sail KB's frequently in the winter - so it is chilly. Ultimately I purchased a type III Mustang Integrity Class floater Jacket. It is thick, having 1/2" flotation all around inside. It is very warm and having a nylon shell is reasonably dry. Now, I do look forward to wearing my life jacket when it is cold out, so always have it on when I should. It is comfortable on most all cool days. When the weather really does get warm (shirt sleeve), I do go back to the inflatable. Downside is price.

Of course the floater jacket has no maintenance other than keeping it clean. I've waterproofed it once and that helped.

As if that wasn’t enough food for thought, John adds thefollowing links to tests of different styles of life vests. Do consider how they will perform in waves,since you’re most likely to fall in the drink on a heavy day:

I found this interesting when I wasresearching inflatable PFDs.

Testing inflatables against traditional PFDs in a wave poolwith waves up to 4 feet high:

In fact, the type III inherently buoyant vest-style lifejacket proved the real eye-opener for our test crew who had to work hardtreading water to keep their faces clear of the waves when using thisdevice. When another test was conducted simulating an unconscious victim,those wearing the Type III inherently buoyant devices repeatedly sank wellbeneath the surface as the waves rolled over them.

Above from:
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/Inflatablepfd.htm

More life jacket tests:
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/50/default.asp
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/findings38/default.htm
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/floatingonair.htm

Complete list of BoatUS tests:
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/findings/

USSailing Safety at Sea studies (no life jacket tests):
http://offshore.ussailing.org/SAS/General_Information/Safety_Studies/

Adrian’s experience with on european pfds should also beconsidered. Some members have evendiscussed adding leg straps to their pfds:

I have a Mustang MD3084, which I bought maybe 4 years ago.Here's a couple thoughts:

-Get something with automatic inflation. When I felloverboard, it brought me up to the surface immediately, almost in time to catchthe stern of the boat, and close enough to grab the life ring. If it hadn'tbeen automatic, the boat would've had to circle around for me. I tuck therelease handle into the PFD when I sail so it won't accidentally get caught on something.
-Get something with an integrated harness. I wear mine allthe time, and with the harness already on the lifejacket, clipping in is like asecond thought.

-Don't get a Mustang. They use a proprietary plastic ring on the cartridges.When I went sailing in Europe, TSA confiscated my cartridge and you can't findany with the plastic ring outside the U.S. The 33g CO2 cartridges areuniversal, but the plastic ring isn't, and it's glued on to the cartridgesMustang sells. This is so you will buy only Mustang cartridges, which aren'tsold outside the U.S. If it weren't for this, I would heartily recommendMustang. Go to fisheries and look at all the PFD recharge kits they sell. Buythe PFD with the most "standard generic" recharge kit you can find.If you don't ever plan on leaving the U.S., then a Mustang PFD is a greatchoice.

-When I was in sailing school in France, we had inflatable PFDs thatwere super tough, with an integrated harness with a crotch strap. It isslightly less comfy, but a crotch strap is way more secure, and will allowsomeone to pull you back onboard by the harness. I doubt I'll ever find anyharnesses with crotch straps for sale in the U.S., but if I did I'd buy it in aheartbeat.
Here's one close to the one I used:
http://www.certec.eu.com/fr/produit.php?famille=nautisme&lang=fr&id=69
Here's an example of one with leg straps:
http://www.certec.eu.com/fr/produit.php?famille=nautisme&lang=fr&id=45
Keep in mind that the more complicated it is to put on, the less likely you areto use it...

-Other features: if it doesn't have a whistle, put one on it. I also wish minehad a pocket to put a strobe. I have to clip the strobe to the PFD, but it'snot very secure.

This takes us to the matter of strobes. Finding a crew overboard in the dark isnearly impossible. Brandon tells us that“after doing some ‘toss crap in the water at night and see if you can find it’drills with Dan in the KB Skipper class, I would NEVER sail at night without itor a PFD.” So make sure everyone has alight on them if you’re sailing at night.

If you don’t find a pfd with an integrated strobe, considerRaz’s words:

A great strobe to have is the C-Strobe made by ACR. It runsabout 30 bucks at fisheries and runs on 2 AA batteries. This is a strobe thatNOAA uses and is excellent, proven technology. When Brandon and Itaught a keelboat class last year that did a lot of night sailing, we made allour students get a strobe and I think they all chose to get this one. Practiceturning it on a few times so that the muscle memory is there if you ever findyourself in the drink.

For a very worthwhile five dollars, you can get a littleclip that attaches the C-Strobe to the oral-inflate hose on your PFD. This isnice because the strobe stays safely on the inside when the PFD is packed, butis really easy to access if the thing inflates.

And just so you don’t forget to do everything possible toavoid falling off a boat in the first place, skip forward to about 4:30 on thisvideo John found:

http://youtu.be/WsMnrP-ZqaQ

Use jack lines at night or when things get rough.

Aerodynamics of Lift 101

2011-10-20T21:40:00.001-07:00

Many sailors can tell you that sails operate on the same principles as airplane wings. The only difference is that the sail isoriented vertically in order to produce a horizontal force, while the airplanewing is oriented horizontally in order to produce a vertical force. That being said, I think very few of usreally understand how they work to generate this lift. The object of the upcoming series of articleshere on the telltale will be to break this down in less technical terms thatdon’t sacrifice accuracy. I’ll startwith the basic theory and then extend it to explain the interaction of twosails close together, like a jib and main. Before we get to that however, I want to point out one explanation thatis just plain wrong.

Bernoulli’s Principleand the Equal Transit Myth

Like mostkids that watched Top Gun, I thought airplanes were pretty cool and wanted to bea pilot. When I tried to look into theencyclopedia to understand how airplanes fly, I was given an explanation thatdepends on Bernoulli’s principle. Butwhat is Bernoulli’s principle?

Bernoulli discovered in 1738 thatas a fluid’s speed increases, its pressure decreases. Intuitively, this makes some sense. Imagine you are a particle of air approachinga high-pressure region. As you approachit, you start crashing into more and more other particles since they are packedmore tightly together there. Crashinginto particles is a drag and slows you down. If, on the other hand, you are approaching a lower pressure region, thenthere are fewer particles in front of you to counter the force of thosecrashing into your posterior. As aresult, you accelerate into the low-pressure region. In practice this phenomenon works in bothdirections. If you cause an increase inpressure you will cause a decrease in speed. If you cause a degree in speed you will cause an increase in pressure.

That’sfine, but what does it have to do with airplanes? Well, the conventional explanation asks us tolook at a cross-section of an airplane wing. Since the wing is shaped so that there is a longer curved surface on topand a shorter, straighter surface on the bottom the air across the top has tomove faster in order to reach the trailing edge at the same time. Thanks to Bernoulli we know thatif the air on top of the wing is moving faster than the air on the bottom, itwill have a lower pressure. Sincethere’s more pressure below the wing than above it, the result will be to pushthe wing, and whatever’s attached to it, into the air. This explanation is sometimes called the“equal transit myth” and it is plain wrong.

Even as achild, I could never understand what principle compelled the air on top of thewing to reach the trailing edge at the same time as the air on the bottom. In fact, there is no such principle. For one thing, consider that unlike anairplane wing, a sail is nearly two-dimensional: the air flowing over thewindward surface travels almost exactly the same distance as the air flowingover the leeward surface. If thisconventional explanation for lift were correct, sails couldn’t produce lift,but we all know that isn’t true. Interestingly, experimental evidence has shown that not only do particlesgoing over the two sides of a wing get to the trailing edge at different times,but in fact the particles that go over the top (or leeward side on a sail)reach the trailing edge long beforetheir siblings on the other side. Bernoulli’s principle is still true, but the equal transit theory isn’tthe reason that the particles on the leeward side are going faster.

Air Circulation andStarting Vortices

So let’s forget about that equaltransit and start from the beginning. Imagine a sail that’s luffing in the wind. The air pressure is equal on the top andbottom of the sail. Now start sheetingthe sail in slowly. All of a sudden, thesail is catching air on the windward side and deflecting it. This causes a higher pressure and hence lowerspeed region on the windward side. However, this isn’t lift. It’sdrag. Right now all that pressure is inthe same direction as the wind, which is of no use in going upwind. As those particles reach the trailing edge ofthe sail, the pressure difference between the windward side and the leewardside will be so great that the air coming off that edge will swirl into a tinytornado, called the startingvortex. This vortex is absolutelyessential to setting up the conditions for real lift to obtain.

Thanks tothe BaronKelvin, we know that angular momentum in a bounded fluid is conserved. In other words, when the starting vortex iscreated by our sail, there must be another vortex that spins in the oppositedirection but with the same strength. This is called Kelvin’scirculation theorem. By some miracle of physics, theequal-and-opposite vortex is centered on the sail itself, and induces the airaround the sail to go even faster over the leeward side and even slower overthe windward side. This further enhancesthe pressure difference between the two sides of the sail and begins togenerate lift proper. Now that it isn’tjust the force of the wind hitting the sail but the force of the wind beingbent around the sail that can push a boat in directions other than straightdownwind.

The insightthat there must be a circulation field to help drive the flow of air around thesail is called the Kutta-Joukowskitheorem. Its major limitation isthat it only explains the flow of a two-dimensional fluid. A lot of strange phenomenahappen at the edges of airfoils that have to contend with three dimensions, butI’ll have to move on to those later.

Science in your Home

Most of thisinformation is a rehashing of the explanations put forth by Arvel Gentry. He describes a simple experiment that you canperform in your bathtub in order to see the circulation fields around asail-like airfoil. I really recommendtrying this out at home.

Fill yourbathtub with just a few inches of water. Not too much, just three inches or so should do. Then, sprinkle some kind of dark powder overthe surface of the water. Gentryrecommends pepper. I used ground nutmegwith success. Now, fashion anairfoil. A simple one can be made from asmall piece of waxed cardboard like a milk carton. Start with a flat piece and bend it very slightly into a gentle curve. It shouldn’t curve as fully as a laser’s sail; Because water is so much thicker than air itdoesn’t take as much curve in the airfoil to generate the same lift. Make sure the piece is tall enough to reachcompletely to the bottom of the tub and still be sticking up above the surfaceof the water. Place the cardboardairfoil into the water near one edge of the tub (although don’t let it touchthe edge). Place it so the length of itis pointing to the other edge of the tub and parallel to the long axis. Now, move it in a steady line across the lengthof the tub and lift it out of the water when it’s still a decent distance fromthe other edge. Thanks to the spices inthe water you should be able to see a vortex left behind where you firststarted the motion of the airfoil. That’sthe starting vortex. When you lift itfrom the water you should see another swirl, opposite in direction and alsolarger and slower than the starting vortex. This is the circulation vortex that was following the airfoil along andis left behind when it is lifted from the water.

The wholeoperation should look a bit like this. Note the starting vortex that trail behindeach time the wing is accelerated, and the effect of circulation around theparticles just in front of the wing. Furtherexperimentation can be had right in your browser thanks to some folks atNASA. I definitely recommend playingwith that for a few minutes.

Let’s Be Honest, ThisDoesn’t Explain Everything

The biggestproblem in this model of lift is that there is no explanation of why thecirculation field that gets kicked off by the starting vortex should follow theairfoil as it moves through the airstream. It’s just as much a bit of voodoo as the old equal transit explanation’sassertion that two particles just had to get to the back of the wing at thesame time. According to some new research,this circulation field doesn’t even exist, although after doing the bathtubexperiment, I’m inclined to believe my eyes. As mentioned above, this description of things is inherently two-dimensional. The effects of a third dimension are harderto understand but also important to getting the most out of a sail, a topicthat we’ll cover in future installments. Until then, stay cool.

Snooze 'n' Cruise Fall 2011

2011-10-16T23:25:00.000-07:00


University Bridge

The snooze 'n' cruise last weekend seems to have gone well for all. The boats departed from Union Bay on Saturday with a fresh breeze. Sailing to Blake Island under these conditions was fast. Weather stayed clear until late Saturday night, but everyone had made camp by then. Sunday's return to Seattle was under a gray sky but without rain.

All parties reported that the food was noteworthy. The sandwich line, in particular, was a paragon of efficiency says Ben Lukes. Ben was also the photographer of the event, and made his photos available.

At The Ballard Locks

Camp on Blake Island


Blake Island Marina

Historic Telltale Issues Available

2011-10-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the diligence of Scott Voltz, a former telltale editor, you can find a piece of sailing history on the web. I'm not talking about the wooden boat museum or John Courter. Rather, you can read back issues of The Telltale going back to 2000. Links to the same are now available as part of this web log's back issues as well.

One WYC member's crewing stories in Mexico

2011-02-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

Interested in crewing somewhere warm? Take a look at the blog of this WYC member who's doing just that.

By KYLE PENNELL

I took winter quarter off from UW to crew on sailboats in Mexico and Central America. With some luck and guts I was able to find a beautiful 53 boat to crew on after being in Mexico for 24 hours.

I think a lot of members might be potentially interested in doing this but might not know how to get started. Right now I'm keeping a travel blog which I will turn into a "how to crew" site when I have time in the next couple of months. It's amazing down here, I'd love to help others get into crewing.

Check out Kyle's blog at: whyyoucamethisway.wordpress.com/

The Finn: take another look at this WYC boat

2011-01-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Learn more about the club's Finn, a boat that gets great reviews from club members Jay and Alexia.

BY Jay Flaming and Alexia Fischer

Alexia takes the Finn out on the bay. Credit: John Courter

There has been quite a bit of debate around the sailing world concerning the appropriate classes for the next summer Olympics. The current classes include the Europe, Finn, 470, 49er, Laser, Star, Tornado, and Yngling.

(See http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/classes.htm)

One of the most contentious classes has been the Finn, which is the men’s heavy-weight single-handed dinghy. Some people have pushed for eliminating it, arguing that there is no need for multiple classes of men’s SH, while its supporters argue that the Laser’s design leaves large, muscular sailors without a competitive boat. If you are interested in comparing, we have a 470, Lasers, and a Finn in our club. The Laser is the basic novice single-handed boat in the WYC, and the Finn requires an intermediate SH and a rig rating.

The Finn has a Portsmouth number of 90.8, just a bit faster than the Laser, at 91.1, and a bit slower than the Lightning or 470 at 87. It has a reputation for being the most athletically demanding single-handed dinghy, especially in high winds. The Portsmouth numbers indicate that the Finn is only slightly faster than the Laser, despite a much larger sail area (both are cat rigged, with only a mainsail... the Finn has an are of 10.6 square meters to the Laser’s 7.06), so it isn’t the most efficient hull.

Portsmouth numbers are calculated for optimal crew weights. The Laser’s optimal crew weight ranges from 143 pounds to 187 with the standard rig, while the Finn’s optimal skipper starts at 187 pounds and ranges up to about 250. Height is an advantage on both boats, as getting the weight out farther on a lever arm provides better ability to combat heel. Competitive Finn sailors are generally taller than 5’ 10”. Does that mean you must be 6’ tall and 200 pounds to sail it?

http://offshore.ussailing.org/Portsmouth_Yardstick/Text/section_i.htm

Our Finn is one of the lesser sailed boats in the club. Club members have mentioned that the boat’s reputation for having a low boom, complex rigging, and a perceived need to be a big sailor are reasons they haven’t taken advantage of it. Jay Flaming and Alexia Fischer, both first time Finn sailors, took it out for test sails this fall to evaluate how those concerns bear out in real life.

Jay’s Report

I should state from the beginning that I am not a fan of the Laser. I find it uncomfortable, too small, and to me it feels slow. In general, I prefer to sail keelboats or daysailors for social sailing, or catamarans when I want to go fast. However, I have been wanting to get more practice in the single-handed class, to work into a skipper rating, and I just never feel like going out on a Laser. So, on October 31, I took the Finn out for a try. At 6’4” and well over 200 pounds, I anticipated finding the Finn a better fit than the Laser.

It was a shifty day, with winds varying between five and fifteen knots, with gusts to twenty knots, predominantly from the south. Rigging the boat was pretty simple. The halyard has a hook on the mast, like a Hobie 16, but easier to operate, because it is lower down and easier to manipulate from the deck. There are a lot more sail controls, mostly run to the cockpit, including a boom preventer, outhaul, a vang with a tremendous mechanical advantage, cunningham and adjustable hiking straps. There is no trap wire. The lines were all colored differently, and it was fairly easy to make adjustments under way. The traveler was very difficult to adjust, because the continuous adjustment line was pretty short, making it hard to adjust without pulling the line out of the cleat.

The winds were stiff from the south when I left the dolly launching ramp, so I tried to short-tack my way out down to the ship canal end of the docks. However, I kept popping the traveler loose when tacking, which resulted in the car sliding completely to leeward, and making it hard to make progress upwind. Since there was a small crowd on the docks, and I didn’t want to look like too much of an idiot, I decided to turn and run downwind rather than beat. The big boom whacked me on the head on the gybe, but the boat accelerated like a rocket on the turn. I was immediately impressed by the performance on a run. The preventer pulls the boom out easily, so you don’t need to push it out like you do on a Laser.

On the turn past the outer docks, I picked up a gust at the wind line and the boat easily planed out towards Webster point. I looked back and saw an impressive rooster tail behind the transom. The boat feels very fast. When I brought the boat up onto a beat, I had to hike out harder than I have done on any other dinghy in any conditions. I quickly found myself with the backs of my knees on the gunwhale realizing that I needed to flatten the sail. I had tied the Cunningham too loosely, and I wasn’t able to harden down on it sufficiently, so I never got it as flat as I’d like. There is a block arrangement that provides advantage below decks, which limits the travel of the line. I had been warned about this on the docks but thought it was ok. I recommend checking this before you leave the docks, as it is impossible to fix underway. The mast bend on this boat is awesome.

I spent about three hours sailing the Finn, and I found it to be very responsive, easy to tack, and a real blast. I hit my head fairly regularly, and so I often eased the sheet and/or vang to keep the boom up a bit higher than a truly competitive sailor would like, I think. I still ended up with a big lump on my head at the end of the sail, but there really is plenty of room to clear under the mast if you’re more coordinated than I am. Towards the end of the day, I found myself missing easy maneuvers, and eventually realized that I was just physically exhausted. In the puffy winds, I had to move in and out of the boat continuously, which was quite a body core workout, and sailing the boat in the higher puffs required a bit of muscle... the sheet loads are higher than most dinghies, and you can’t get by with lazy hiking.

I never felt like the boat speed was as high as it should have been (and at one point I found John Courter keeping up with me in a Bravo, but I’m getting used to this in any boat). I did find a big bushel-basket sized wad of lily pads and weeds on the rudder at the end of the day, which must have been slowing me down quite a bit. With a bit more practice, a repaired traveler, and no weeds, I think it would be faster.

Before I de-rigged, John recommended that I try a capsize test, since the boat reputedly brings in a lot of water after recovery. I was surprised at how difficult it was to capsize the boat, as it developed quite a bit of stability at about the time the rail hit the water level. I wasn’t able to do a dry capsize, as I felt like the mast was going under when I started to climb up the centerboard trunk, so I jumped in. The boat righted easily, but it brought in about a foot of water in the cockpit. I wasn’t able to get enough boat speed to get the auto-bailers working, and any movement in the boat made it very unstable as the water flowed around. I think if I had bailed for a couple of minutes first, it would have been fine, and the bailers would have functioned with less water in the boat. There was a plastic bailer lashed to the mast.

At any rate, I found the Finn to be a fun upgrade for a sailor of my size versus the Laser. It felt faster at my weight, and more comfortable. However, I don’t think I could sail it as long, at least without some more conditioning. I was surprised by its stability, and interested to see if a smaller sailor would find it enjoyable.

Alexia’s Report

I watched Jay take the Finn out on October 31 to capsize it. He had a little bit of an audience because we were all curious about how it would right. I heard stories about how it capsizes easily, is nearly impossible to right, and if you do right it, it comes up full of water and is pretty much unsailable after that. These reasons and the stigma that it is only for heavier sailors in any wind had caused me to be apprehensive about the boat and not bother with it. After all, I could take out a Laser, which I enjoy doing.

We all gathered around Jay and watched him try and try again to capsize it, but it wouldn't go over! Once he got it over he had it upright in no time and was able to sail it full of water. After seeing this I realized that all these stories were for the most part bogus, and I had to give the boat a try.

I took the Finn out Sunday, Nov 7. The boat rigged very easily. The main rigs like a Hobie 16 where you hook a grommet in a fork in the mast. Then, you adjust the downhaul, outhaul, boom vang, bailers and other rigging. The trailer is a bit heavy but I was able to put it in the water with little trouble. The rest is like rigging an FJ; put the centerboard down and the rudder in and it's good to go.

There was stiff 10-12 knot breeze on the bay with gusts up to 17 knots. I also tried to tack it out of the South end of the docks but had little room because of a submerged tree and a huge motor boat tied up at the guest dock for a wedding. I ended up heading down and running out of the North end. I jibed around the North end of the docks, got into some wind, and the boat took off. I had to hike out hard and feather up in big puffs to keep the boat level, but it was pretty stable and not too difficult to sail. The boat had a lot of power but it wasn't too overpowered. It was a blast on a beam and I was only a little slower than the cats cruising around. I intended to only go out for an hour but two went by very quickly! The boat was incredibly fun and fast.

Alexia hiking out on the Finn. Credit: John Courter

The whole time I was out there I didn't have an accidental capsize. It was easier to jibe than a Laser because the main sheet block is by the centerboard like and FJ. It also felt more stable than a Laser going downwind. Tacking was not a problem either. The boom looks low but there is a lot of room in the boat to duck under it.

I wanted to give capsizing a try to see how someone lighter would do with righting the boat. I decided to try and sail it over but failed miserably. I would get going real fast on a beam reach, sheet in all the way in a puff and try to keep the boat heading straight. The boat would lean over hard, then round up and level out. It was surprisingly very stable at a 50-60* angle of heel. Finally after about 6 attempts, I just jumped over to the leeward side when it leaned over and it finally capsized. Because I was on the leeward side I couldn't do a dry capsize but I believe it is doable. The boat was very easy to right. Unlike the Laser and the FJ, the centerboard is almost at water level, which means someone with minimal upper body strength can easily get themselves on top of the board. The trailing edge of the board is very sharp though!

It didn't take much effort to get the boat up, but it did come up full of water. I sailed it around with all the water to see if it would empty, but it didn't. It was still pretty stable with all the water; I just had to be more aware of the heal and how far the bow was being pushed down. I started bailing it with a plastic bottle which worked and then I headed in.

I was also really tired at the end of my sail. Hiking the boat was physically demanding and a great core work-out! I was a bit sore the next few days. I can't say if it was more or less fun than a Laser, they are too different. I would definitely take the Finn out again though!

Last chapter of old boats of the club, the keelboats

2010-09-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

The final installment of the "Old Boats of the Club" series.

By JOHN COURTER

San Juan 21
This boat and the Penguin are the only two classes of boats that the club had gotten rid of before I joined. I don't remember anyone telling me anything about this boat. Pretty much the only thing I know about the San Juan 21 is that it has a swing keel.

More information here.

Bristol Caravel 22


The blue boat in the middle is the Caravel, the boat on the left is Excalibur.

This is known as a sturdy cruiser with a lot of interior room. While not a stellar sailor, it wasn't bad. One thing that made it worse was when a know-it-all student who was keelboat fleet captain decided that the 110% lapper, which was the biggest sail that came with the boat, was too small and decided the boat needed a 150% genoa. A sail was purchased and a track installed. Now we had some horsepower. The problem now was that this was always the last boat to Blake Island if it was upwind.

Years later I, I mean the know-it-all, did some math. I had finally noticed that at best with the genoa the boat tacked through 120 degrees. When sailing with the lapper which sheeted in between the uppers and lowers to a block on a post at an inboard position the boat could tack through 90 degrees. This means if I changed jibs from the genoa to the lapper I could point 30 degrees higher, but would lose some speed. I would have to lose more than 30% of my speed or about a knot if I were doing hull speed under genoa to make it to my destination later with the lapper. Since sailing that much slower under the lapper would be a rare circumstance the lapper would have been the sail of choice for most any upwind work. By the time I had figured this out the club had bought a used replacement lapper that no longer sheeted to the post, but instead had to be sheeted outboard to the genoa track, so it didn't point very well either.

Caravel with its original lapper.

More information can be found here.

Islander Excalibur 26

This felt like a fast boat, and it handled well. My first cruising adventure was as crew to rescue the boat from Skyline Marina in Flounder Bay near Anacortes. Keelboat users will trade off in the Islands to save having to take the boat back to the club. Apparently one user left the boat at the marina and the next person didn't show up. The first person made no arrangements with the marina. A week later the marina called us and asked us about a boat that had been left in the marina with no payment.

I was taught a lesson on this boat. I was sailing along rail almost in the water and the boat had almost no weather helm. I commented to the more experienced sailor how well balanced the boat was with no helm. He looked at me funny and said look at the tiller. I then noticed that I had the tiller in my lap, at least 20 degrees from straight. That's when I learned that a well balanced spade rudder makes it so you don't have to pull hard on the tiller even when there is massive weather helm causing you to drag the rudder through the water like a big brake.

More information about these boats here.

Columbia 26

The Columbia 26 was not a well liked boat. Maybe it was the nearly flush deck that made it look funny, maybe it was that some felt that it was a poor sailor.

See the information here.

Cal 25

A donation that needed a fair amount of work. Deception, a Catalina 27 was donated before it was put in service and the Cal 25 was subsequently sold.

Neptune 24

People complained about the transom being weak. I discovered that the transom wasn't attached to the deck anymore, so when you pressed on it you could move it in to create a gap at the hull deck join. The importance of a bridle on the spinnaker pole was demonstrated when the foreguy connected to an eyestrap in the middle of the pole caused the pole to snap. The shock to the mast caused the tang for the lower shroud/spreader base made of pot metal to fail, now that there was no lower the mast bent...

Information here.

Stone boat

I forget why we took a donation of a 20 foot ferrocement hull with a wood deck. If you see any mention of stone boat fleet captain in old club documents, you now know what it refers to.

Nice I-14 sailing website

2010-08-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Check out these tips for sailing an I-14.

Thanks to John Courter who posted this on the list.

http://www.i14seattle.org/

Photo Courtesy of Boatdesign.net

New youngest solo circumnavigation attempt set to start Wednesday

2010-08-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

We've got another girl aiming to be the youngest around the world... How do you feel about it?

Photo Courtesy of: Sailtalk.net

Read the Seattle Times' coverage here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012502062_dutchsolo01.html

And check out 14-year-old Laura Dekker's blog here: http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html

Welcome Home Adrian!

2010-08-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Last night our very own Adrian Johnson, winner of the 2010 Singlehanded Transpac, made it home, if you want to hear about his adventures, check these things out.

Idefix puttered onto the WYC dock at around 11 p.m. and a bunch of us were there to celebrate Adrian's return. Here's a pic of the (probably exhausted) skipper:

Photo Credit: Mike Klaczynski

Adrian has written a bit about the race on his blog so make sure to check it out here: http://adrianjohnson.info/

Also, pick up a copy of latitude 38, or take a look online here: http://www.latitude38.com/ebooks.html. You'll notice Idefix on the cover (very nice!) and a great article about this year's singlehanded transpac on page 100.

Make sure to congratulate him when you see him!

Interested in making a trap harness?

2010-08-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd pass on this offer from the WYC list.

Sailors,

I am planning to build my own trapeze harness, costing $50-75. Does anyone else want to make one too? It will be easier to do the tailoring with a couple extra pairs of hands.

Coincidentally, the Sail Fleet Captain has retired a stack of old FJ sails. Before they find their way to the dumpster, I'm going to grab a couple to provide material for harnesses. If you also want to make a harness, let me know and I will designate some sail cloth for you too.

Ben

If you're interested, respond to Ben on the list or send me an email and I'll get you in contact with him.

Modified Mini 6.50 sailboat is the smallest boat to circumnavigate

2010-08-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Alessandro Di Benedetto completes a solo non-stop circumnavigation on a 21 foot boat.

Read the story here. Also see more detailed photos of his boat here.

Old Boats of the Club Part 4, Catamarans

2010-07-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

A look into the cats of the WYC's past.

By JOHN COURTER

Sol cat 15

The Sol cat 15 and 18 were part of the club in 1976 when I joined. There were only Novice and Skipper ratings at the time, and you had to get a rating in each boat. You had to have your C-Lark skipper rating before you could even think about getting a rating in the mysterious, scary, fragile catamarans. Well that was over the top, but not much for some people. The 15 was cat rigged, (mainsail only) and was designed to be single-handed. The Sol Cat 15 had centerboards whereas the 18 had daggerboards.

Sol cat 18

The 18 was sloop rigged and designed to be double handed. Having the tiller crossbar in front of the mainsheet block was normal for me at the time since this is the catamaran that I first sailed, but it seems odd now since this is the only cat that I have seen this way since then. Most cats the tillers are behind the traveller, so you must throw the hiking stick behind the boat to tack or jibe. This frustrates many people that I teach. The 18 allows you to bring the hiking stick forward, but you must have an extendable stick as it would be too short to trapeze with or too long to pass through on the tramp. The Sol Cat poster in the sail locker at the time claimed that the Sol Cats didn't pitchpole like the Hobie 16s. I'd never sailed a 16, but either the advertising was wrong or it would have been scary to see me sail a 16 based on the number of times I pitchpoled the Sol Cat. More info about the Sol cat 18 here.

Sol cat 20

Sol Cat's high performance boat that was 10 feet wide. It's the only beach cat that I've sailed without a watertight sealed mast, which means not self rescuing. I was sailing this boat to Mercer Island on a club lake cruise when I noticed the lee bow was a foot or so above the water. This is not normal cat behavior, the bows normally go deeper and deeper as you apply more power. I started looking around and finally noticed the crease in the deck where it had folded in and let the hull bend up just in front of the crossbeam. I carefully nursed the boat back to the club with very little mainsheet tension. When I repaired it, I drilled a 5" hole in the deck, glassed in some stringers and put a port in. First time it went sailing the port popped up into the air and the hull bent again. This made me realize that the curved deck needed to be completely glassed back together for strength which the port did not supply. So back to square one, and no port this time. When the tramp shredded completely a spider's web of line to recreate a tramp was made. It was a bit interesting to maneuver across.

Shark

This 20 foot long, 10 foot wide wooden boat was designed in 62. There was no trampoline, there was solid wood where a trampoline would be found. The center of the tramp area had a piano hinge so the boat would fold up in the center to make it 8 feet wide to trailer. This boat was considered fragile and wood boats tend to not last a long time in the club, so this donation wasn't sailed except by a few chiefs just to test it to make sure there was nothing wrong with it. More info here.

Supercat 20

The Supercat was 12 feet wide. Most cats are 8 feet wide so they can be trailered without dis-assembling them or buying an expensive tilt trailer. Each of he Supercat's crossbeams are of two different diameters such that one half slips inside the other to make the boat 8 feet wide to trailer. The hull and deck is an elliptical shape. This is to minimize drag when the front of the boat is underwater and reduce the chance of pitchpoling. It was 450 pounds with 275 ft² of sail area. There was a tall rig version made with 300 ft².

Old Boats of the Club Part 3, Daysailors

2010-06-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

A look into the daysailors of WYC's past.

BY JOHN COURTER

Tanzer 16

A little like an underpowered smaller Flying Scot with a rounder bottom. I felt that it didn't steer very responsively, and it didn't feel very fast. It was a 500 lb boat, and since we probably had the genoa, it had 145 ft² of sail area. With the standard jib it had 130 ft² of sail area. In contrast the Flying Scot has 190 ft² of sail area.

More info here: http://www.clal.ca/tanzer16/

Left to right: Excalibur Islander 26, Caravel Bristol 22, Tanzer 16

From 1980 Daysailor

E-scow

The E-scow was 28 feet long with a boom that sticks out over the transom. It had bilge boards, twin rudders and was designed to be sailed heeled over. The boat planes offwind. It's a very different feel than a 505 planing. Sailing upwind you heeled the boat so when the deck was almost touching the water the lee bilge board would be vertical in the water. The boards had toe in to reduce leeway. The weather board needed to be raised because it would cause drag being at an angle to its opposite.

This boat had small rudders and sail trim was important. I had the jib halyard break once. I couldn't get the boat to bear off, it stayed in irons without the jib. I tried raising the jib on the spinnaker halyard and promptly pulled the screws for the block out of the wooden mast. I then ran the foot up as if it were the luff using the spinnaker pole topping lift, tied a knot in the sail near the head to hold onto and sailed home.

When I got my rating on it, the chief who went out with me and also had an E-scow of his own said, “I'm not sure that only two people can right it.” He then proceeded with the capsize part of the test. It turns out you can right one with only two people. There were 4 E-Scows at the club at one point. I believe two or three of them were affiliate boats. I have several fond memories of cruising Lake Washington summer evenings on this boat. It had 323 ft² of sail area and the hull weighed 965 lbs.

C-scow

20 foot cat rigged version of the E-scow. I pretty much ignored this boat since I considered the E-scow so much cooler. It wasn't a long term boat in the club. It had 216 ft² of sail area and weighs 650 lbs.

More info here: http://www.melges.com/boat.php?p=pages/boats/C-scow

Husky

Huskies were the first boats that the club owned. In the fifties a design contest was held and a cabinet maker won with a scow design. The boat was constructed of a few sheets of plywood. The first version was under rigged and consequently more sail area was added.

I believe originally there were 6 Huskies, at the time I joined there were the Brad, Deb, and the Increadaboat left. Two of the Huskies were stored in the Canoe House and the masts had to be tipped back at an angle to clear the door leading to the ramp that is in the Montlake cut. There was also another Husky left that had been converted into a race committee boat, the mast had been replaced with a course board and an outboard bracket had been fitted. I got stuck using this 6 HP powered thing more than once teaching classes.

The original boats had a centrally mounted rudder and centerboard. The Incredaboat had been modified to something similar to an E-Scow with twin rudders and bilge boards angled out. Additional sail area had been added including a deck sweeper 180 % genoa. Dual trapezes were also added. I believe on my first Snooze and Cruise that the Increadaboat hit a log and tore a rudder off with part of the transom. That evening there was a group of people fiberglassing it back together on the island.

Victory 21

I would say that the Ensign was a nice replacement of the Victory 21. Ours was famous for winding up floating stern up after taking on water. We added more foam in the cabin so that it was self rescuing after that, and we tested it at the dock.

You can read more about its sinking and see pictures at: http://www.victory21.org/

Select the floatation button on the left to see a report of its sinking and re-floating written by the club member that was involved. We sold it when some rudder and rudder post repairs became more work than we wanted to deal with. This boat had 185 ft² of sail area and weighs 1350 lbs.

Star

This was a powered up two man keelboat. It had no trapezes or spinnaker. It was also an Olympic class. The mast had double running backs which were critical to set correctly to keep the mast from coming down. You have to loosen the leeward set and tighten the windward set on every tack or jibe.

The Star class has been around since about 1911 and has had a variety of rigs including a Gunter rig in the past, which is basically a gaff rig where the gaff goes up nearly vertically. The boat that was donated to us was made of wood. We kept for 3 years then sold it. This boat is a little short of 23 feet, weighs 1500 lbs, and has 285 ft² of sail area.

More info here: http://www.starclass.org/index.shtml

Tempest

Another two man keelboat that is 22 feet long, but this one had a trapeze and spinnaker. It weighs about 1000 lbs, 500 of that was a bulb keel. This keel could be lifted with a purchase until the bulb was touching the hull making it easier to trailer. It has 247 ft² of sail area.

More info here: http://www.tempestclass.com/

Minute Man

15 foot catboat styled boat with a gaff rig. It has a U.S. Flag as its insignia on the sail. If you don't raise the peak and throat halyards together you break the gaff jaw, so the gaff was in the shop on a regular basis. A wide shallow draft boat with a short rudder is perfect for sailing in shallow waters but it resulted in compromises in sailing ability in my opinion.

This boat draws 8” with the board up. You couldn't really hike in the boat, but if you let it heel it would round up when the rudder came most of the way out of the water. This boat was 15 feet long, had 145 ft² of sail area, and weighed 800 lbs.

More info here: http://www.sailingtexas.com/sminutemancatboat15100.html

Old Boats of the Club Part Two, the Double Handers

2010-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

A look at the double handed boats in the WYC's past.

BY: JOHN COURTER

C-Lark

We had a maximum of 16 C-Larks at some point. We used to also have the area on the far side of the boat ramp to the first pedestrian ramp to store boats. The C-Larks were the double hand training fleet. They were a fat version of an I-14, much more stable with less sail area.

It was a self rescuing boat, but the tanks were small and low in the boat, so when you righted the boat it came up half full of water. There were two small holes in the transom to drain the water. For a long time after righting it you had to be very careful with weight placement. If you moved too far forward, the water would rush to the bow, the bow would go underwater, and water would fill up the cockpit again. Any direction you let the water in the boat roll to would result filling the boat again. The boat would eventually drain completely dry without having suction bailers because the cockpit sole was above the water due to the tanks, except for a small well at the back where the drain holes were in the transom.

If you sat too far aft the back of the cockpit would always have water in it. The solution for most people was to keep plugs in the drain holes unless the boat capsized.The boat would plane, but the bow goes up in the air due to the amount of rocker.I'm sure that my views on how the boat planes had a lot to do with my level of experience at the time, but I thought the boat was very difficult to handle while on a plane. I remember sawing the tiller back and forth trying to keep the boat from capsizing and quite often not succeeding.

These boats were advertised as being able to take 4 people. At times there were 4 people on C-Larks with all their camping gear stowed in the bow to go on Snooze and Cruise.

The C-Lark had a fairly large sail area of 130 sq. ft. for a 14 foot boat. It weighed 275 lbs. I've been told that they originally came without mast partners. Apparently we bent enough masts that we built mast partners. It is believed that C-lark eventually added a partner to the boat. Another modification that we apparently caused to be added was a small triangular shaped tank under the side decks to try to slow turtling of the boat.

420

We acquired the 420s as the double hand teaching fleet when the Laser 2s died. We had both a Flying Junior and a 420 as demo boats. One reason I remember hearing for selecting the 420 was that it was slightly bigger.

420s were the popular inter-collegiate fleet at the time. Some east coast schools still use 420s, but most of the west coast now uses Flying Juniors. I find the 420s and Flying Juniors to be very similar. A sailing article from years ago comparing the FJ and 420 had the opinion from some college sailors that the Flying Junior was a better boat than the 420 because you could hardly get it to plane, thus keeping the racing tighter and better.

The 420 is 420 centimeters long, had 110 sq. ft. of sail area and weighed 260 lbs.

More info at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(dinghy)

Alpha One

The designer of the Alpha had us sail his prototypes, presumably with an eye to selling us a fleet eventually. Turns out we discovered the mast needed spreaders when we bent the mast, and the daggerboard well needed a LOT more reinforcement. We found a couple of other issues, all of which he fixed, but we were never happy enough with its sailing qualities to buy a fleet. Laurelhurst Beach club and Western Washington had fleets.

One day I was going out to try the club's new Alpha and noticed a girl that was about to go out on a Kite, I asked her if she would like to try out the club's new boat with me. She said yes to going out sailing and yes to marrying me two years later.

Photo courtesy of:

http://picasaweb.google.com/WSUSAILINGTEAM/JeffMixdorf2009?feat=embedwebsite#

click for more pictures.

Taser

This was a donation. It was a high performance, no spinnaker, no trapeze boat. It had a rotating mast like the Hobies and a fully battened main. It was 14' 10” long, weighed 150 lbs, and had 123 sq. ft of sail. It wasn't in the club for very long. I don't remember much about it, I'm not sure I even got to sail it. I believe that it was considered too fragile to keep.

Photo courtesy of:

http://www.tasar.org/

click for more info.

Cartwheel Grounding

2010-04-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Check out this video of the Asko skiff's cartwheel grounding at the 2007 18 ft skiff World Championship.

POSTED BY: KEN INOUE

Keelboat Skipper Class Sees High Winds Last Weekend

2010-04-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Recounts of the keelboat skipper class overnight cruise to Kingston April 3-4.

STORY COMPILED BY SCOTT VOLTZ

South Winds Saturday of 15 to 25 knots drove the three club keelboats to Kingston. Mostly on a broad reach, the fleet later beam reached into the harbor. Platypus came across from Edmonds to join wearing only a lapper. Crew Connie did a great job dragging down the lapper in the stiff wind. We decided to take advantage of the almost free reciprocal moorage and forgo anchoring, a good decision because the next morning the anchoring area was pretty rough as the wind had clocked around toward the east. Everyone cooked aboard and went to town in the evening.

Sunday morning found all three club boat engines with their covers off. Deception had idle problems. Rascal has no reverse. Charlotte had a broken starter assembly. Deception and Rascal got off the dock first as the crew on Charlotte tried to repair the starter assembly. They finally gave up trying to get the starter assembly to work. Then they could not get the engine started using a length of cord with a knot in it. Something else was wrong. We thought about the neutral lock-out switch but were not sure where it was. It turns out we should have tried a little harder to figure that one out.

With Rascal and Deception already winging their way toward Shilshole, we prepared Charlotte and Platypus as much as possible for sailing. Then Platypus towed Charlotte out around the breakwater. The rollers were steep and it was a challenge raising the sails. From the cockpit of Platypus I could see the bow of Charlotte bouncing high into the air as Brandea and Helgi rode it like a bucking bronco. Platypus barely made headway with her engine at full throttle trying to pull Charlotte out far enough so she could get on a starboard tack to clear the ferry dock.

Both Charlotte and Platypus were double reefed. Charlotte had a lapper, Platypus a storm jib. It took a couple of hours to get across the sound and the wind kept building and building. I measured a steady 20 knots with gusts to 24 and know it got worse than that because I sure didn't want to take measurements when fighting the helm and wiping salt water off my face. Connie and I were both soaked. A close reach which normally would have taken us to the marina entrance instead took us pretty far north of Edmonds as we were blown sideways and forward. We finally got near to land where it was slightly more sheltered and could tack south. We ran the diesel full out and had both sails drawing to inch our way toward the marina. We dropped sails very close to the entrance and I spent few seconds out on the deck lashing down the sails. My goal had been to stay off the foredeck and in the cockpit. Then we headed to our slip where a kind neighbor took our lines for us. We changed into dry clothes and listened to the VHF radio.

Got a hail from Charlotte as she considered giving up the attempt for Shilshole. We left the radio on channel 69 as they had a quick crew meeting to decide. I believe Rascal and Deception with their head start were able to make a better run for home and quite possibly they got across into the shelter of land before the really high winds hit the Edmonds area. The crew on Charlotte, faced with over 30 knots of wind decided to shelter over in Edmonds. They hailed us on the VHF and asked for a tow. I brought Platypus back out into the maelstrom and found Charlotte just off the breakwater with a double reef and a storm jib. We towed her into the guest dock where she stayed for two nights. I think the decision to shelter in Edmonds was a very good one. Discretion is the better part of valor.

Helgi, Brandea, Fred, and Bill are headed to Edmonds Tuesday the 6th to bring Charlotte back to the WAC. Here is the wind speed chart from the Edmonds area on Easter Sunday:

The next day we started an email discussion about the weekend. Here are some excerpts:

Fred on Deception:

We left the Kingston docks with our sails ready to hoist, lapper and main with single reef (~11am). After raising both sails we quickly felt overpowered with the lapper and changed to the storm jib. We seemed well enough balanced with this setup and made a few tacks to leave Appletree Cove. We crossed the shipping lanes to be on the east side of Puget Sound. From there we pretty much had a straight shot to Shilshole on port close-haul/close reach, arriving ~2:30pm. Winds were definitely strong (20-25 knots?).

We sometimes wished we could go to a double reef in the mainsail, however the reefing system was such that we would have to untie the reefing line from the first reef cringle on the leech and re-tie it to the second reef cringle. We felt that the risk of losing control of the sail in the process was worse than the minor over-powering we were experiencing. We put the traveler down to our taste, luffing/bubbling the luff to various extents. We made it to Shilshole fine, average speed over ground ~3.5 knots. We had a good sail, Bill and Erik did a great job.

I’ve attached the pdf of our sailing track for April 3&4 for Deception.

Fred

From Helgi on Charlotte:

Some things I can add to the list of things which may help. I'd like to mention first that I have sailed very comfortably in 25 kt winds with gusts to 32, and that yesterday's wind reached in excess of 30 for a long time near Edmonds, with gusts way above that (ask yourselves how much wind it takes to deeply heel a double reefed boat flying a storm head sail).

1) Try to break the crew up into shifts. This can be difficult when you only have three people, but I found that this gives the helmsman a break, and also gives the other's in the crew a chance to learn what their limits are (I believe that both Andrew and Brandea found themselves able to steer well in winds much much higher than they thought they were able to).

2) Have Dramamine onboard, and take it if you even suspect that you are going to be seasick. None of us got too ill, but it may have been getting close, and loosing a crew to seasickness significantly increases stress on the rest.

3) Reef deep, reef early.

4) Rig jack lines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackline) and wear a harness, even in the cockpit. Though we didn't actually capsize, we were whipped a couple of times way too close.

5) Have a hand on the main sheet, and be ready to blow it.

6) Secure every single thing in the cabin (boy, did we have a mess on our hands when we docked).

7) Be ready to give up and seek shelter. Think of back up plans to back up plans. Mine was ducking into Holmes Harbor if Scott hadn't been able to tow us into Edmonds.

My 2 cents. Helgi

And from Jeremiah on Rascal:

First of all, I'd like to say that the crew of Rascal (Nikita, Jason, and Mark) handled themselves beautifully this past weekend. Any mistakes that were made were minor and were dealt with comfortably and calmly.

As we left Sunday morning and neared the entrance to the marina we could see that the breakwater was doing it's job. The bay was quite choppy out there. Once we rounded the jetty Nikita put us into the wind to raise the sails. However, the sails and rigging weren't quite ready and the motor popped out of the water once or twice. Nikita promptly put the boat at a diagonal with respect to the waves and fixed that problem while the rest of the crew readied sails and rigging. Sometime later the sails came up. We were running the main with one reef and the lapper. (Maybe we should have communicated the conditions to the rest of the boats, so that you could have been prepared? Did anyone have their radios on, so we could communicate back to you?).

Lesson #1: Ready your sails and rigging at the dock, so that you're ready to raise them within minutes of rounding the jetty. Sailboats are much happier sailing than motoring.

Nikita steered us on a starboard close-hauled tack. I noticed that he was fighting the helm a little. I suggested that the rest of the crew join me on windward side of the deck. Not only did Nikita have an easier time steering, but with less heel we accelerated to slightly faster than hull speed. That was a lot of fun!

Lesson #2: Hull trim (or weight distribution) is just as important as sail trim.

For a while we were racing the trimaran. I think you can guess who won. In fact, I'm not even sure that they knew we were racing them ;) For about 30 seconds the trimaran was flying both hulls and just screaming down the sound. I think that it scared them a little because I didn't see them do that again.

We followed a similar route that Fred showed. Our primary goal was to get to the windward side of the sound, where the waves were bound to be smaller. We were right. As the wind started building even more, the crew decided to reef the lapper. It was definitely a smart move. This time Nikita offered to go forward to reef it. He did a good job. It wasn't quite "rodeo" style but good none-the-less. Then the crew decided to put in a second reef in the main. Unfortunately, while the sail was flogging a small tear in the main that we had noticed developed into a large rip. We immediately doused the main and motor-sailed the rest of the way with a reefed lapper. Everyone (except me of course) took turns at the helm. Everyone did very well controlling the boat under these difficult circumstances.

Lesson #3: From now on, I'm carrying sail and/or duct tape in my sailing bag, so that I can fix small tears before they develop into big rips.

Lesson #4: A major lessoned learned this weekend was that an overpowered boat doesn't necessarily translate to more speed. Often the extra power translates into lots of heel (= more drag) or lots of weather helm (= more drag) and makes it difficult to control. More than once, the crew noted that reefing did not necessarily reduce boat speed but it did make it much easier to control the boat.

And from Goran who went to the Edmonds marina to take a look at Charlotte's engine.

"I am in Edmonds and have just got the engine started on Charlotte. It seems that the gear selector is a bit loose and the neutral safety device was not in exactly the right place so I bypassed it and the engine is running now. I also installed a new recoil assembly.

And Dennis' comments:

This is the 3rd time that has needed to happen that I know of. We should take a couple of pictures and show folks how to do it. It is VERY simple. Pull the wire off the switch, they are automotive type push plugs, male and female so the engine part can be just plugged together. I would permanently disconnect that switch but for chance that some dummy would start in forward at high throttle.

My two cents after the fact:

Such winds really re-enforce the need for those little safety measures we try to practice.

1. Have a well rested, well fed, healthy crew.

2. Have foul weather gear, not just for chance of rain but huge amounts of salt spray over the deck.

3. Never loosen a halyard or any other line until you are ready to use it.

4. Pre rig sails in the shelter of the harbor so you don't have to do it on the deck of a pitching boat.

5. Have optional plans formulated before you leave the dock.

6. Communicate with the other boat skippers so we can be there to help each other if need be.

7. Keep in radio contact.

8. Be very careful moving around on a boat that is experiencing a "lively" motion.

9. Stay calm, think smart, reassure the crew.

I'm pretty dam proud of everyone on how they conducted themselves this weekend. sv

Deception

++++++++++++++

Crew call Saturday April 3rd at 09:30

Leave dock Saturday April 3rd at 10:30 Puget sound by 12:00 (noon). Run north to Kingson, or south to Eagle Harbor. Back to WAC on Sunday ~4p (est.)

Here are the crew details (Manifest)

Charlotte:

Designated Skipper: Helgi Felixson

Student Skipper: Brandea

Crew: Andrew

Rascal

Designated Skipper: Jeremiah

Student Skipper: Nikita

Crew: Jason

Crew: Mark

Deception

Designated Skipper: Fred

Student Skipper: Bill

Crew: Erik

Crew: Paul

Platypus

Skipper: Scott

Crew: Connie

From the Penguin to the Kite: Single-handers of WYC's Past

2010-04-02T09:42:00.001-07:00

A discussion of boats the club owned in the past.

BY: JOHN COURTER

Part 1: single handers

Penguin:

They were 11.5 foot wooden or fiberglass non-self rescuing (at least back when the club had them) cat rigged single or double hander. 72 square foot sail, 180 lbs. The club acquired a fleet sometime in the late 1950's. They were long gone when I joined the club in the fall of 1976.

I asked Norm and Ralph what they remember of the boats.

Norm:

As I recall we had 8 cyan/aqua glass Penguins when I joined in 1966.

They and one (maybe two) wood hull(s) were on a rack in the canoe house.

We used a dolly to launch them down the ramp into the cut.

Ralph:

Yes. A fc named Evan Engstrom and several of us built these racks. I don't remember the dollies, but how else would they be launched. We could probably find plans on the internet-- or certainly thru WoodenBoat magazine. Ah yes, coffin corner. rj>

Norm:

Cat rig, removable stayed masts, sailtrack/slides, loose-footed main.

Hard chines, vertical transom, little rocker. Plywood sheet floorboards

1-2 inches off the hull. The club (I think) put styrofoam sheets under

the floorboards to help them in a capsize but they floated about as

high as an old Lightning when swamped.

I don't think they planed much if at all. Usually something broke if you

tried.

A common way to capsize in summer was to sit in "coffin corner", flat

on the floor with your back against the transom and your arm over the

tiller, and then jibe. You blocked the tiller so you couldn't round up

and you were stuck there while it rolled on you. Resting your arm

on the tiller in this position could also jack the rudder off the

transom, another fun ride.

Another fun prank was to sail by someone with their boom out and unhook

their clew. The "Phantom UnClewer" had many a victim.

Ralph:

I thought this was in the Kite era, since they used the "two

pronged bracket" and swaged wire rope for their outhaul. --rj

Norm:

The wood centerboard often broke off the bit around the hinge pin when

people (ahem..) sailed up the ramp without raising them (easy to do with

a southerly). After my contribution to this research I became the Penguin

fleet captain and fixed this a lot. The bronze pin was captured in two

3/8 inch pipe nipples and caps threaded into the sides of the trunk.

For a while I replaced the pin with a wood dowel which acted as a fuse,

but I had to replace them regularly due to wear/sogginess. I should have

varnished them ;)

Ralph might remember more about the wood ones and how many we had in 1961.

I recall rumors of as many as 12.

Ralph:

Sorry I don't. --rj

Pictures of the Penguin at: http://www.penguinclass.com/

Pico:

The Pico was our first attempt at a polyethylene boat sometime in the 90s. We had both an Escape and a Pico brought out as demo boats. I wanted to demo the Escape and the dealer tried to talk me out of the Escape so he talked me into also demo-ing the Pico. The Pico was a much better built boat and the Escape went back with a hole in it. After much debate some months later a Pico was purchased to evaluate if it was strong enough and to find out if the instructors liked teaching and students liked learning in it. The instructors weren't interested in even trying the boat out in their classes and the boat was sold off as an orphan boat after a few years. The Pico is 11.5 feet long, has 55 sq. ft. sail area, and the hull weight is 154 lbs. The mainsail reefs/furls around the mast like the Bravo, but you have to disconnect the vang and there is no furler line, you just grab the mast and rotate it.

Pictures of the Pico at:

http://www.laserperformance.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=90

Tech Dinghy:

This was a donation that we had for a time. Few people sailed it. A story from the old timers says that the P.E. department had a sailing program using Tech dinghies and their students were told to sit in the middle of the boat for safety. Apparently our club members took great delight in sailing circles around them while hiked out annoying their instructors.

The Tech dinghy is 12 1/2 feet long, cat rigged, and weigh about 200 pounds.

Norm:

Regarding Tech Dinghies, there were four made by the Beetle Boat Works

that belonged to the P.E. department in the canoe house then. I don't

know if the club ever owned them or acquired others. The instructor

was very paranoid about wind and they would be coming in while we

were launching Penguins or Huskies.

Ralph:

After the PE dept stopped giving classes we had access to them. I don't recall how they were disposed of. If memory serves(?), Larry Jasman (chief and binary barge throttle jockey) had taken the PE class. --rj

Pictures of the Tech dinghy at: http://sailing.mit.edu/LearntoSail/SailingBooklet/booklet_unified.shtml

Kite:

11 foot self rescuing fiberglass cat rigged single hander. They were acquired approximately 1970, and I don't remember exactly when, but it was probably the early 80's that they were sold. The one named Ralph Jackson was given to Ralph for all the work he put into the club and because the Kite was his favorite boat. The club had at least 8 of them, and they were the single hand teaching fleet. The Kite was designed as a junior trainer for the Finn. It had a solid round tapered wood mast that was stepped right at the bow of the boat. I was told that I had to hike off of the transom when running to keep the bow from going underwater due to the weight of the mast up forward. I remember the 1/2" thick sheets of wax hanging from strings in the sail locker that you would rub on the bolt rope of the sail to make it slide easier up the luff slot in the mast. These were the first boats I went out on. I liked taking them out for our Friday night races when the wind was fairly light. The Lasers were the hot new boat that everyone knew couldn't be beaten by anything, and I had a good time beating them on the Kite. I think the Kite had less wetted surface and so was a little faster in light airs. The Kite was 11' 7" long, sail area, 78 sq. feet, hull 160 lbs, 205 lbs all up. Note the ski belt that was common for a buoyancy aid at the time on the person sailing the boat.

Photo from 1980 Daysailor.

Stomp Dancer Caught High and Dry

2010-03-09T15:47:00.000-08:00

At the 2010 Blakely Rock Race, the skipper and crew of Stomp Dancer found themselves out of water after running aground on the sand bar west of Blakely Rock, a fate that befell Tenacious the year before.

POSTED BY GORAN ZIVKOVC

Looks like there were some familiar faces with wet feet hanging off the leeward shrouds last weekend. Last year it was Tenacious sitting high and dry, this year it looks like it was Stomp Dancers turn.

Here is an article from Three Sheets Northwest about the grounding, and here are some photos of Tenacious aground last year.

Trigonometry and Views of Mount Rainier

2010-03-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

A short report on the intermediate cat class.

BY JOHN COURTER

We had a little wind on Saturday for the class to try to put into practice the near incoherent mumblings about using trigonometry on apparent wind angles, and some sort of insanity about major versus minor axes of the mast affecting how you want to rotate it. The instructor was constantly asking, "What do you think the telltales are telling you?" But we had an incredible Sunday of double trap weather with views of Mount Rainier.

Notes from Last Meeting

2010-03-01T12:22:00.000-08:00

A summary of February 16th's general meeting, and what you can expect at the meeting tonight.

BY ERIN JOHNSON

If you're planning on heading out to the WYC meeting tonight, here are some things that happened last meeting, some of which will continue to be discussed tonight.

There was a lot of talk last meeting about the daysailor handbook, and how it may undergo both content and form revisions. The handbook, which is given to each new member, has information about the club rules and general sailing reference information.

A pdf version is already available online, but there was discussion about a more interactive version that would include multimedia to help illustrate topics. If completed, members at the meeting questioned the place that printed copies of the handbook would have in the club.You can expect more discussion on this topic.

Andrew R. proposed a bylaws amendment that would impact the amount of collected membership fees allocated to the new boat fund. Currently 15 percent of all membership fees go toward the new boat fund, which is set aside for the club to purchase boats to supplement the WYC fleet. This number was lowered from 30 percent, after an accident raised the club's insurance rates and required the additional 15 percent to go toward paying that off.

Now the club's insurance rates have gone back down, so Andrew proposed that we raise the percent allocated to the new boat fund back up to 30 percent. This will be voted on in today's meeting.

The purchase of new sails was discussed, and will continue to be discussed in tonight's meeting.

Finally, Andrew C. will motion to rename the club's I-14 to "Gotta Skiffy?"

If for no other reason than to take the bribe of homemade cookies and brownies, be sure to stop by the general meeting in the HUB room 304F at 7 pm.

Building an A Cat

2010-02-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

One member's quick plug for building an A Class catamaran.

BY KEN INOUE

There has been some discussion of whether the club could build an A cat. Though I would love to see one made, of carbon fiber I believe it is a little out of our price range. As a substitute, and to show it can be done, I direct you to the following site: http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=49&theme=Printer.

Yes it is an A Cat that has been stitched and glued.

Chris Williams' A-Class Catamaran, built from plywood. Photo courtesy of TheBeachCats.com

Revisiting High Tides

2010-02-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

More intriguing tides in Washington.

POSTED BY MATT NEWLIN

Here is an interesting blog entry from UW's Cliff Mass about some local tides that were much different than predicted in the tide tables. How much different? How about TWO FEET!

Although these tides were higher than predicted, who's to say we couldn't get tides much below predicted...something to keep in mind out on the Sound.

"Low on Tide" 1 - Doug Behrendt, courtesy of Apalachee Bay Communities (ABC)

A-Class Cats: Speed and Innovation

2010-01-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

Take a look inside one of the fastest and most cutting-edge racing classes in the world: The International A-class catamaran.

POSTED BY ANDREW CHEUNG

The international A-class catamaran is a boat class that boasts one of the fastest single-handed racing boats in the world, and they keep getting faster. Unlike one-design racing classes, the A-class catamarans, or A-cats, are a development class. This means that the boats have only a few design constraints (class rules) and anything else goes, so the sailors can continue to develop their boats to get a leg-up on the competition.

Usually built from carbon fibre, these boats are 18 feet long by 7 feet 6 inches wide, and weigh only 165 lbs. Coupled with a sail area of 150 square feet, these boats reach very high speeds. While explaining these boats, the West River Sailing Club stated:

"Sailors go upwind on the trapeze as fast as 14 knots, they fly a hull in 8-10 knots and by 12 knots they are 'wild-thinging' downwind at speeds up to 22 knots."

The A-cats have been very popular in the international sailing circuit because of their high speeds and lack of developmental restrictions. Though old, check out this article published in Seahorse Magazine, where they spoke with many of the leading A-cat developers. Also take a look at this video, it shows the A-class German Championship in 2009 in Arco, Italy.

High Wind Capsizes

2010-01-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

This video shows many different capsizes in high winds. Test your knowledge of how to plan for and avoid these situations.

POSTED BY MATT NEWLIN

Look at these capsizes. Can you identify the cause of each capsize, and what could have been done to avoid it? Being able to recognize and adjust for these factors will help you earn your skipper rating, and improve your high wind sailing in general.

Pictures from the Past

2010-01-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Take a look at these pictures from the 70s and 80s of members still in the club.

POSTED BY JOHN COURTER

Recognize any people or boats?

Jessica Watson and the History of Her Undertaking

2010-01-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

An ambitious 16 year-old looks to add her name to a long line of solo-circumnavigators.

BY ÇAĞLAR AKÇAY

A 16-year-old girl is single-handing a pink yacht non-stop around the world. Little more than a century ago, there weren’t many people who would believe you if you told them something like this would ever happen. But there is one person who would believe you: Capt’n Joshua Slocum, the skipper of the sloop Spray, which he sailed around the world alone.

Though he probably wasn’t the first sailor to complete a single-handed ocean voyage, Slocum was the first to go all the way around, in three years, and the first to write about it in his famous book “Sailing alone around the world”. The book entered the idea of solo circumnavigation into the fancy of each and every sailor not to leave again.

Some 70 years later, another Joshua, a 39-foot ketch with crimson hull, was rounding the Horn, again with only one soul onboard, the Frenchman Bernard Moitessier. Moitessier was racing in the first non-stop single-handed around the world yacht race, the Golden Globe Race, commissioned by a newspaper in Britain. For him, “globe” turned out to be more important than the “gold”.

After rounding the Horn and crossing his outbound track in the Atlantic, he turned Joshua due south again to round the Cape of Good Hope one more time, dropping anchor in Tahiti after 10 months at sea. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston went on to finish the race, thus claiming the title of “the first sailor to circumnavigate the world non-stop, single-handed.

Fast forward 40 years and scores of single-handed circumnavigations, we see a 16-year-old Australian, Jessica Watson on a pink 34-footer, Ella’s Pink Lady. Her website explains her ambition as becoming “the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world”. Of course ambition alone will not carry you all the way around. Fortunately, Jessica has more; she’s a capable skipper who has already completed the first leg of the race, rounding the Horn and entering the Atlantic. No, not your average teenager.

Her route took her first to the Northern Hemisphere (which she needs to enter in order for the circumnavigation to be complete). From there it was due South into the roaring fourties, and then to the first major step in her voyage: Cape Horn (where her parents will be watching her pass by- how the world has changed!). From the Horn, she’s headed for the Cape of Good Hope and to the Southern Ocean and back to Australia. She’s planning to complete the trip in 8 months.

As is common these days, she has a website, a blog, and videos (she has Skype on board), where you can follow her voyage. Check the sidebar for a link to her blog!

Fair winds, Jessica!

Mini Sailors Tell Their Story

2010-01-12T15:45:00.001-08:00

Attend a discussion headed by two Seattle sailors on Jan 22^nd, as they relay their experience sailing in the Transat 6.50.

BY GORAN ZIVKOVIC

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to sail a 21 foot boat 4200 miles in a race from one continent to another, then this is an opportunity you might not want to miss. On January 22nd, at the Corinthian Yacht Club, Chris Tutmark and Craig Horsfield will discuss their harrowing experiences in one of the world’s most demanding races: the Transat 6.50.

Commonly known as the Mini Transat, it is held every two years and is limited to boats 6.5 meters in length, or 21 feet. Additionally, it turns out that Chris Tutmark was a member of the UW Sailing team and Craig Horsfield cut his teeth sailing Olson 30's.

If you’re interested in hearing what it takes to become a world class sailor then this is talk you would not want to miss.

From the CYC website:

The program will be open to the public and held at the CYC clubhouse on U Dock at Shilshole Bay Marina. The bar will be open at 6:30 and the program will begin at 7. Admission is free, but a $5 donation for the CYC Sea Scout Ship junior program is requested. For more information, call (206) 789-1919.

More Information From Three Sheets Northwest and the Corinthian Yacht Club:

http://cycseattle.org/2010_specific/mini_stories.html
http://www.threesheetsnw.com/blog/archives/7082
http://www.threesheetsnw.com/blog/archives/4817
http://www.transat650.org/en/

Money in the New Boat Fund Raises the Question: “Which boats should we buy?”

2010-01-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

One member’s opinion on the Laser Vago, and why it would be the best fit for our club.

BY KEN INOUE

If you have been attending meetings or reading the list, you have probably heard that we have a substantial sum of money in our new boat fund. I propose we spend this money, and add a new type of boat to our fleet. Come on, who out there doesn't enjoy getting something new to play around with?

So then the question becomes: What kind of boat would we like the club to get? I’d like to share my thought process that leads me to choose the Laser Vago as the perfect addition to the WYC dinghy fleet.

After sailing for a quarter, I have found that I enjoy single-handed sailing. This is mostly because I like to go sailing as much as possible, but I don’t like waiting to find a sailing partner. Now, Lasers are a fun boat to sail, and still somewhat challenging for me in higher winds, but I would eventually like to try a bigger challenge. Unfortunately, beyond the Laser there is no real single-handed performance boat in the club.

At the same time, I know that our double-handed dinghy fleet is insufficient. When I look at the Flying Juniors (FJs) I don't think, “Wow that looks fun to sail.” The club FJs are heavy and underpowered. (Seriously, who thought that the FJ would make a good racing boat?)

So where does that leave me? Our single-handed fleet is the most used, but with nicer boats I am sure we could get a lot more double-handed sailors. Sure enough, there is a decent compromise: The Vago.

Now, I am not going to talk about all the features, but this boat works fairly well as a single- or double-handed boat. The Vago can fly a gennaker and it has a single trapeze which, to me, makes it an accessible performance boat. Oh, and did I mention that the suggested price is $8,395?

There are advantages and disadvantages to every boat design, but the fact that the Vago can be single- or double-handed seems like the way to expand our fleet. This is a boat that all members can benefit from, and with a reasonable price, the club doesn’t have to break the bank.

When There is No Water...

2010-01-09T16:04:00.000-08:00

Check out this video of windskating.

POSTED BY ELLIS JOHNSON

A very bad idea...

High Tides Throughout the Holiday Season

2010-01-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Rising sea levels caused high tides on the Washington coast this past week, with more to come in February.

POSTED BY GORAN ZIVKOVIC

This region experienced extreme high tides starting the 30th of December and lasting until Jan 4th, which will return again in early February. The WA State Dept of Ecology is asking people to take pictures of the Washington shorelines during these tides, so that they can document the impacts of higher sea levels. Check your local tide table for details, and read the Department of Ecology's blog for more information.

A Time to Reflect on 2009

2009-12-29T16:29:00.000-08:00

Yacht Pals has compiled a list of the major steps (and steps backward) of sailing in 2009. Check out their article, and reminisce about the WYC's own steps forward.

POSTED BY ERIN JOHNSON

Now that 2009 is rapidly coming to a close, it's fun but also beneficial to look back on events of the past year that were both good and bad. Yacht Pals did so for the entire sailing community, you can read it here.

It got me thinking about the past year here in the Washington Yacht Club, and some of the high points throughout the year. I talked to a few members and consulted my own memory to come up with this list, and I encourage you to add your favorite WYC moments of 2009.

1. The launch of the new website.

2. The addition of the Hobie 20 to our fleet.

3. The increase in student participation at meetings. As Andrew C. said, "This is the first time I've ever seen more than two students show up at meetings regularly, ever."

4. Fall Snooze n' Cruise; even though we didn't get to Blake, we still had a great time.

5. The continual effort to share sailing knowledge and enthusiasm and, similarly, an obvious love of sailing and teaching in our members.

Cool 49er Skiff Video

2009-12-26T22:41:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this video of the 2009 49er World Cup!

POSTED BY: ANDREW CHEUNG

The Redneck Yacht Club

2009-12-21T17:26:00.000-08:00

Just outside of Ocean Shores, lives a yacht club to be reckoned with.

POSTED BY ERIN JOHNSON

This weekend, on a trip out to Ocean Shores, we ran across this yacht club and I felt I had to share this picture of it.

A Smelly Slip-Up

2009-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

A sewage spill at a treatment plant in Magnolia early this week makes dinghy sailing in the vicinity sound like a smelly situation.

POSTED BY GORAN ZIVKOVIC

About 10 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into Elliott Bay on Monday night and Tuesday morning because of an equipment failure at the West Point treatment plant in Magnolia.

Photo taken August 2002, by Ned Ahrens, King County photographer.

More information here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010513686_websewage15m.html

The Thanksgiving BlastCruise Report

2009-12-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Idefix and Waka celebrate Thanksgiving on the Sound.

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

On Thanksgiving weekend, a couple WYC affiliates decided to make a run for the Sound to flee the Apple Cup madness. We met up at the WAC on Friday night after boat moving. A number of would-beblastcruisers came to their senses and stayed home, but at 7 o'clock there were five of us standing on the dock ready to go. We kicked around a couple destinations and settled on Pt. Madison for Friday night andBlakely Harbor the next, coming back Sunday morning. Aimee and Kregg joined Matt on Waka, while Greg and I would chase them on Idefix.

We quickly made our way through the usual ship canal-bridge-lock circus and hit the Sound around 2100. We were greeted with a light southerly, got our main up, and started a beam reach across the sound. I was mulling over what to put up on the bow, when I heard Waka ahead of us put up a headsail. I couldn't tell what they were doing in the darkness, but it sounded like they were hoisting something big, so the racer in me went below, rummaged around, pulled out a light spinnaker and went to work getting it rigged.

Greg turned down onto a broad reach, the moon came out, the chute went up, the wind picked up, and we were soon cruising along, enjoying the last mild, clear night of the year. We reached up to Waka and I tried to take a couple pictures (hard to do in the darkness on a moving boat...), then practiced a couple jibes, and before we knew it we were in front of Port Madison dousing the spinnaker. We went close hauled to get back up to the entrance, but the wind soon died and left us drifting just outside the anchorage.

Time to start the motor and follow Waka in. I had been planning on just rafting up to Waka and letting Matt go through all the hard labor of selecting a spot, putting his anchor down, making sure it's set, and retrieving a mud-caked hook the next morning, but after a bit of meandering around the harbor, it was apparent that Matt wasn't really enthused by this idea and both boats pulled up to the dock at PMYC instead. The night was getting chilly so we regrouped on Waka for a late snack and drinks to warm ourselves up before bed, and ended up turning in rather late.

Saturday morning found us back on Waka for breakfast and coffee. Aimee ran off for her routine marathon practice while the rest of us sat lazily around talking about boats and eating. We made a plan to make a reconnaissance sail to Blakely Harbor and have an afternoon get-together there, then sail back to the WAC at sunset and get in after the football game. It was slowly getting windy in the harbor as we got the boats ready for sailing. Stations on the sound were reporting winds in the twenties, and the forecasts were for 20-30 all evening, so we pulled out our small jibs and put in reefs, but by the time we got off the dock and made it to the sound, there was nothing left but a nasty chop and a light southerly.

Idefix and Waka bounced around uncomfortably for a little while by the south end of Bainbridge, wondering where the forecasted winds were, before the chop let up a little and a 10kt breeze picked up. We then split ways, with Waka going East to try and pick up more wind in the middle of the Sound, while I tried to hug the Western shore to stay out of the strong ebbing current. Neither boat made much progress, and when sunset came we were still a bit south of Eagle Harbor.

I wasn't very excited about going into Blakely Harbor in the dark, and was starting to think about an alternate plan, when Waka hailed us on the radio and declared their intent to set sail for a happy hour at Ivar's. Greg and I agreed this seemed like a perfect alternative to beating up the sound in the cold darkness. We turned onto a broad reach and tried to catch up to Waka, but with the short sail back and no moonlight to help with the rigging, we didn't bother to put up the chute. Nevertheless, we covered the 3 or 4 miles to the locks pretty quickly, did the locks & bridge thing once more, and parked at Ivar's for a delicious wind-down to our day.

Matt even wrapped up "Thanksgiving 2009 Apple Cup BlastCruise" in style by scoring us a free appetizer from the manager with his display of docking skills, and securing our fame as "The Boat People" for at least a couple hours!

If any of this sounded appealing to you, be on the lookout for the next BlastCruise...

A Rough Guide to Buying Your First Wetsuit

2009-12-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

This guide is intended to provide new sailors with information they need before buying their first wetsuit for cold-weather sailing in Seattle.

BY RAZ BARNEA

So, you want to sail through the chilly months of the Pacific Northwest? Congratulations! By making this choice, you join a relatively small group of sailors who realize that some of the best sailing to be had in this part of the world happens during the cold time of the year. No matter though, with a little bit of gear and some common sense, cold-weather sailing can be as safe and as comfortable as warm weather sailing.

The biggest difference between warm weather sailing and cold weather sailing is this: the margin of risk in cold weather sailing is vastly greater than it is in warm weather sailing. The risk of drowning is present in all sailing, but the risk of exposure is greater when sailing in the cold.

The gear that keeps you warm is as important to your survival as your pfd, so make your purchases wisely and bear in mind that no gear is absolutely guaranteed to keep you safe. Good luck and have fun!

Part one: The golden rule of choosing a wetsuit.

Question: What sort of wetsuit should I get for sailing in Seattle in the cold months of the year?

Answer: 4mm minimum thickness full body wetsuit that fits you the best and which you wear with a hat and wind breaking layer.

There! Wasn't that easy? this is all you really need to know and you *could* go out to a surfshop and buy a perfectly good wetsuit with just this information. But I know you are more curious than that, which brings us to part 2.

Part Two: The golden rule, elaborated.

Question: No really, what sort of wetsuit should I get for cold weather sailing in Seattle? What do you mean by "4mm thickness full body wetsuit that fits you best and which you wear with a hat and wind breaking layer"?

Answer: Let's unpack the golden rule bit by bit.

"4mm minimum thickness": 4mm minumum thickness means that the neoprene of the wetsuit is four millimeters thick on your torso. Printed on every wetsuit there will be two (and sometimes three) numbers. In surf shops around here, most of the wetsuits will be 3/4, 4/5, and possibly even 5/6.

Why two numbers? Because you need the insulation to be thicker in some places than in others. Neoprene is pretty stretchy stuff, but the thicker it is the more difficult it is to move around. For wintertime sailing around here, you should not go thinner than 4mm for your torso and 3mm for your limbs.

You can go as thick as you like, but most of us agree that 6 is pretty darn thick for these parts, unless you are really cold blooded. Almost all sailors in the WYC, and indeed the majority of pacific northwest surface water sports enthusiasts (diving is a different game entirely) use 4, 5, or 6mm wetsuits.

Your choice is individual. get cold easily? Get a 6mm. Total polar bear? Go for a 4mm and you will probably be just fine, provided the thing fits, but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

"Full body wetsuit": Full body wetsuit means that you are covered from your ankles to your wrists and your neck. There are multiple ways to achieve this requirement for cold weather sailing. Wetsuits come in different styles.

One style is the full-body wetsuit or "steamer" and the bulk of wetsuits sold in surfshops around here are steamers. If you buy a steamer then you meet the full-body requirement and do not need to know anything about the other styles.

How do you achieve adequate coverage with a non-steamer setup? By layering of course! The "farmer john" style of wetsuit is basically a neoprene pair of overalls. This style offers the advantage of easy entry and does away with the hassle of zippers. Downside is that if you do this you will need a neoprene jacket to cover your arms and neck. Neoprene jackets are just that: they are neoprene tops that cover your torso and arms. Many neoprene jackets have a sort of "beaver tail" or very short legs to keep the jacket pulled down around your bottom.

There are advantages and disadvantages to either system. The obvious advantage of steamers is their simplicity and cost. The advantage to layering is versatility. There are times when just the farmer john is adequate and you do not need the additional jacket. There are other times when a 4mm steamer is just barely enough to keep you comfortable and you will definitely see the merit of layering a 3mm jacket over a 4mm farmer john for 7mm of coverage around your torso. Once again, the choice is yours. Most of us go for steamers, but this does not mean you have to.

"That fits you best": A wetsuit is pretty worthless unless it fits you well. A well fitting wetsuit will be snug around your body, without any large folds or creases created by extra neoprene. The balance between fit and comfort is a pretty fine one. The wetsuit should certainly be tight, but not so tight that it compromises your mobility or makes you really uncomfortable.

Neoprene is stretchy stuff, and it gets even more pliable when it gets wet, so the only way to really test a wetsuit is to try it on and see how it fits dry, and then to try it on wet. If it is too loose when it is dry, it will be even worse when it is wet. Likewise, if it is really uncomfortable dry, then it will not be a whole lot better wet.

If dry fit is nice and snug, but not too tight, it will probably be just right when you get it wet. Fortunately, a lot of surf shops and paddling shops have really great return policies and will allow you to try the thing on in the store, then take it to the lake and swim around and see if it really fits. Do not test a wetsuit in a swimming pool; chlorine damages neoprene.

A note on brands: Did you notice how nowhere in the golden rule are any specific brands mentioned? This is because some brands will fit you better than others, and no one should get hung up on brands when they are buying something where fit is the most important thing.

Henderson, Ripcurl, Burley, etc. are all very good brands, but some will fit you better than others and the most important thing is to go with the suit that fits you. Pretty much any wetsuit you buy from a reputable shop will be of comparable quality to all the other wetsuits they have for the same price range. Whichever one fits you best is the one you should buy. It will keep you warm if you wear it with some other layers, which brings us to our last point.

"And which you wear with a hat and windbreaking layer": This part is pretty easy. You lose a lot of heat through your head. Wear a warm hat when you sail. Wool is great but heavy and smells sorta funny when it is wet. A good synthetic hat is fine. You could wear a neoprene hood while sailing, but this is possibly overkill.

A very good idea is a hat with some sort of drawstring around your neck or another way of securing the hat so you do not lose it in the breeze or during a nasty capsize. If you lose your hat, you will get cold. The author of this guide loves balaclavas (and also loves baklava) but does not recommend them for dinghy sailing for the following reason: Dinghy sailing is really wet, and having wet cloth over your mouth is pretty scary. Balaclavas are great for keelboats, but (in his opinion) are pretty bad choices for dinghy sailing.

Windbreaking layers help tremendously by minimizing the evaporation of water off your wetsuit. The difference in heat retention is pretty immense. What sort of windbreaking layer should you get? Whatever works. A cheap warm-up jacket will work just as well as a nice rainshell or a dinghy smock. Whatever works, really.

The windblocking layer is most important for your upper body, but many sailors also choose to wear windblocking pants too. Even if they do not wear windblocking pants, most sailors wear a cheap pair of "board shorts" over their wetsuit. This will provide a little bit of protection from the elements but will mostly protect the seat of your wetsuit from the abrasion of constantly scooting about the deck as you hike in and out.

Question: What about my hands and my feet?

Answer: Your hands can be kept warmer by wearing gloves, and your feet can be kept warmer by wearing neoprene booties or lots of wool socks (or both). Really warm gloves for dinghy sailing are a bit of a holy grail. If you find something amazing, please let the rest of us know. Boots are bit easier.

Most sailors in the WYC sail with neoprene booties. If you want to be extra warm, wear a couple layers of wool socks under your booties. Alternatively, you could get away with wearing wool socks under any boat appropriate shoe or even sandals. The author has done this several times and has been pretty comfortable this way. Experiment and find what works for you.

Here's a link to the wetsuit information page on the WYC website. If you'd like more information, check here!

http://sites.google.com/a/washingtonyachtclub.org/home/wetsuits

Great Action, Bad Music

2009-11-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

Some sailing videos worth checking out.

POSTED BY ANDREW CHEUNG

Here are some videos to inspire you to get out and get wet, even in the cold weather:

(Greatest announcer of all time)

If you can't get out sailing, or are interested in trying out something new, check out these kiteboarding videos:

Letter from the Commodore

2009-11-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

The monthly letter from our Commodore, Jasmine Lee-Barber!

Hey Sailors!

I hope all of you had a great Autumn quarter, and enjoyed the classes you took. We hope to see you down at Supervised Sailing Hours to continue sailing--remember, you can bring a friend to sail with you!

This quarter we've started an informal gathering at 5:30pm in the HUB Student Resource Center before our ALL of our General Meetings which start at 7pm upstairs. These are a great way to meet new people in the club, and free food is provided! During this time, we do miscellaneous things like making posters and chatting informally about the club and any ideas/suggestions. We had our first one yesterday and had a great turnout! We discussed improvements we'd like to see in the club and ate delicious pizza.

The major themes that kept coming up last night are: to increase the number of lessons that we offer each quarter, get better at retaining our membership, and offer more club sailing social events. We'll be trying out some instructor-specific tabling and advertising throughout winter quarter to build up a great instructor crew for spring. If you are interested in teaching, please contact me! Instructing comes with a free membership that quarter. We had some great ideas for club sailing events--such as sailing out to Mercer Island and having a picnics at the Luther Burbank Park, so stay tuned when the weather gets warm.

Our next event is the Second Annual Nutjob Classic! It's an informal race on Thanksgiving morning, and will have some awesome prizes. Check out the website for more info--the details are in the "Annoucements" on the front page. Events during the winter will be confined to keelboats--but hopefully we'll get a few events up on the nicer winter days.

The next General Meeting is on Monday Nov 30th and I look forward to meeting you!!

Jasmine

Facing Open Ocean Alone, Part 5

2009-11-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

I rush out of the cabin as the sails are spinning the boat around, still pinned down. Suddenly the boat frees herself, and I watch a spongy dark form move away in the moonlight. Sea creature? Kelp bed? I'm too tired to care, and try not to think about the trees and logs I've seen floating in the Strait.

Around 01:00 I pass Crescent Bay and realize the chop is substantially less. I'm no longer getting sprayed with seawater, and the pounding of the boat has eased. A wave of relief sweeps over me. I've finally made it to the other side! The winds are progressively lightening up and getting shiftier as I pass Port Angeles.

I'm exhausted and having a hard time staying alert. Dungeness spit looms ahead, invisible in the darkness, and I have a hard time picturing how far it is. The wind is down to a couple knots now. I'm getting disoriented, and the constant wind shifts aren't helping. I try to err on the side of caution, and end up tacking every five minutes to move away from the spit.

The boat seems unfamiliar in the moonlight. It's the same boat I've been on for 5 days, but somehow it's not the boat I left the WAC with. It's slowly morphed into some other boat. I look up at the sail and see the small jib and recognize it as Waka's. I must be on Matt's boat. I only vaguely remember when he loaned me Waka. It must've been a couple hours ago, because I remember at Crescent Bay I was still on Idéfix.

I'm trying to get abeam of the New Dungeness lighthouse before calling it quits. I've had enough of this drifting nonsense. The wind keeps shifting and the autopilot refuses to follow the shifts, and is constantly beeping. I take manual control, and point the boat at the nearest mid-channel mark. I stir awake, and the boat is off course by 30 degrees. I turn back to port, hold my heading another minute or two, and fall asleep again. I do this two or three more times. The spit is slowly drifting by. I look at the log. 13138.8NM. I've gone 565NM over water, and 470NM over ground.

At 06:07 I douse the sails, lower the engine, and after a couple pulls it starts with a puff of blue smoke. I start motoring towards Port Townsend. The sunrise is the most beautiful I've ever seen, the Strait around me is like a mirror, and there is no one around. This is such a beautiful spot, I can see Victoria and the Strait of Georgia to the North, the San Juans stretching out over the west, with the Cascades behind them, and Discovery Bay just south of me. Maybe next summer I should cruise up the San Juans and North a ways. I'm absolutely disgusted with the idea of racing to Hawaii.

My hallucinations are visual now. I'm seeing tree-covered islands out of the corner of my eye, which disappear when I look at them. Voices are coming out of the water again and filling my head. The vibrations from the motor sound like a jazz band with a full choir of singers, repeating the same melody ad infinitum.

Although I'm still damp and a little cold, I'm warming up in the sunshine, and the boat's batteries still have plenty of charge, so I opt to skip Port Townsend and motor straight home. The wind is supposed to pick up at 15-25 from the south and I don't want to have to beat any more. I motor through Port Townsend canal and down Admiralty Inlet while eating, cleaning up, and checking a week's worth of email on my phone.

I run out of things to do and rest against the lifelines. Suddenly a ferry is crossing less than a mile ahead of my boat. I must've been asleep for a while, because I didn't remember getting close to the ferry lanes! This sleep deprivation thing is definitely catching up to me, and I hope I get home safely.

The rest of the motor home is uneventful. I get a call from Peter and he offers me a ride home from the WAC. I go through the locks with a couple seiners and meet up with him at the Ballard dock, where we chat while waiting for the Fremont bridge to open. He mentions the race. I don't want to hear about it. In fact, I've had enough of sailing for a while. After a drink (I give Peter my victory beer and pour myself some fruit juice), I cast off, and am docked at the WAC at 19:45.

After a couple days, the bruises have disappeared, the jazz bands have stopped playing in my head, my colleagues are no longer telling me I look 10 years older, and I'm starting to dream of Idéfix surfing in the tradewinds again.

Thanks to Brandon, Matt N., Kregg, Peter, and several others for helping me prep the boat – you guys rock!

Facing Open Ocean Alone, Part 4

2009-11-20T12:19:00.001-08:00

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

November 3. Fourth day at sea. The skies are lightening and I can see the coast under broken skies. The wind is now straight out of the mouth of the Strait, 12-15 knots and building. I brave the wet foredeck to peel the #3 to a #4 and put away the #1 that's been sitting up there for a day and a half. The leech has been occasionally dragging in the water, tearing away the mylar. I kick myself for being lazy and not putting it away earlier.

Every time I check the weather it sounds more unpleasant. The latest news: 15-25kt easterlies, building to 20-30 in the western part. Wind waves 3-4 ft. I've slept maybe an hour in the last 4 days, am cold and damp, and ready to be home. Beating into a gale is not my idea of fun at this point. I am making slow progress, but at 08:45 I have finally passed the Cape. The chop is unpleasant, and every 3rd or 4th wave makes it all the way into the cockpit.

Around 10 o'clock I'm finally past Neah Bay. The boat slams into every wave, shaking the rig. The air is cold, and I've discarded my soaked gloves. I really want to head into harbor, but that would mean giving up on the qualifier and waiting 2 days before bringing the boat home. I just keep going, unable to make a decision. I tell myself I can always surf back here quickly if I have to.

My feet are wet. The air is in the thirties, and the wind around 20 knots. I curse the wind and chop. The chop is perfectly timed to make the boat slam into each wave, and I'm worried about the loads on the rig. I'm sailing an ultralight, a true downwind machine, and I haven't had good downwind sailing since Friday. With every gust I scream at the wind. My progress is a pathetic 2 knots up the Strait, for 5.5 knots over water. Every time a wave shakes the rig, I plead for the boat to make it through the day and promise her I won't make her do the race. It's too much; too much for the boat, too much for me.

I couldn't handle the boat going downwind Friday. This is even less fun. A wave blasts over the boat and soaks me, slowly adding to the moisture in my foulies. I make a note to tell Kregg to punch me in the face if I ever try something this stupid again.

I think back to the last time I was out on the Strait, in May. I was competing in the Swiftsure race, and fell overboard shortly after the beginning of the race. For some reason I feel like that was much more pleasant than what I’m experiencing now.

Neah Bay is now out of sight, and I probably wouldn't make it there by dark, so I'm committed to running the gauntlet. Every time a tack brings me close to shore, I look for some form of shelter, but the coast is featureless except for the occasional rock.

My hands are freezing from the touch of the aluminum tiller, so I put some fleece socks on my tiller hand and switch hands every 5 minutes. I put a neoprene dinghy boot on one of my wet feet to see if it'll help. This is no place for fashion.

I write in my log: "17:17 – the last 8 hours have been horrible." I haven't been taking notes, just steering to try to avoid the worst of the chop. It's getting dark now. I manage to heat up some chili without making too much of a mess, and fill a thermos with instant coffee. I am a quarter of the way up the strait.

The forecast is still the same, but the wind report from Dungeness Spit is either calm or light southerlies, so I have hope that there is a point soon where the chop will ease. I just have to get to the other side. The ebb is against me now and my progress is pathetic.

I'm trying to hug the shore to shield myself from the chop, timing my tacks to get as far inshore as possible, with the dark shoreline looming in the moonlight. Several times I chicken out and tack before my time is up. At one point I've just tacked inbound, and given myself 20 minutes to go below and get warm, when the boat suddenly stops. How can I have run aground with 17 minutes to go? I've hit something!

Facing Open Ocean Alone, Part 3

2009-11-19T18:59:00.000-08:00

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

November 2nd. Third day at sea. The clouds are lighter, but it's a gloomy and showery morning. The excitement of being on the ocean is gone. I'm wet and cold, tired and bruised, and really want to turn the boat around and head home.

I've been calculating a new turnpoint that's less upwind of my current position, but still meets the 100NM requirement. I tack on a shift and my boat is pointing straight at the waypoint with only a couple miles to go. I hear a splash in the water. Half a dozen dolphins are playing around my boat. They’re a species I’ve never seen before.

I do a quick position check and find I am 101NM from Amphitrite Point. Finally, time to turn around! I bear off onto a broad reach, with the swells right off the stern. The dolphins have followed me through the turn and keep playing with the boat for a couple miles before disappearing. Unfortunately, the wind has died down and I can't quite get the boat to surf. I think about putting up the genoa to eek out a little more speed, but I'm just too tired. I make some oatmeal instead.

The sun has come out, it's getting warm and I start shedding layers and laying clothes out to dry in the cockpit. Reaching in the sun is so much more pleasant than beating in the rain, I feel like I could do this for weeks!

Click to see a video Adrian took during this point in his trip!

The dolphins are back, splashing around the boat. I ignore them until I hear an unusually loud blow. I turn around to see a ten foot spray plume hanging in the air about two boat lengths off the stern, and a whale breaks the surface and disappears. I'm a little nervous about having a creature the size of my boat this close! I almost ran it over! The dolphins are bow-riding the whale the way they've been playing with the boat. A little further, off to port another whale surfaces with its own pod of dolphins. Soon our paths diverge and they disappear in the swells.

I pull out my $15 plastic sextant and take a sun sight, then slip out of my foulies, pull out my sleeping bag, and put my timer on 30 minutes for my first real sleep in two days. It's hard to let go of the anxiety, but when the timer goes off I feel like I've had a bit of rest. I do a quick check of the sails and horizon and restart the timer. I do this a couple more times before deciding I've had enough sleep. I make lunch, then take another sun sight and run the calculation. It looks reasonable, but I don't have a sheet to plot my position, and I'm off the chart, so I'll have to wait til I get home to see how accurate it was (8 miles off).

The wind is lightening up, the swells are dying, and my ETA at Flattery is slowly creeping towards tomorrow morning. About 60 miles out I'm starting to receive the VHF weather. Sounds like I'm going to be facing a decent breeze at the entrance, and variable winds in the Strait. In the late afternoon I put put my damp clothes back on so my body heat will dry them out fully.

I take quick sights of the moon and Sirius between the clouds. The horizon is easily visible in the full moon, but I have trouble reading the sextant in the dark and my position comes out a couple thousand miles off. I'll have to be more careful. The wind is now NNW and I've had to sheet in quite a bit. If I'd known I would've aimed further west instead of sticking to the rhumb line. The weather forecast is now 15-25 knot easterlies in the west part of the Strait in the morning, variable 15kts in the rest. I hope I can get there early enough to cut through the easterlies before the chop builds up.

Facing Open Ocean Alone, Part 2

2009-11-18T14:07:00.001-08:00

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

On Halloween day I take my time getting ready. Showers are rolling through and the winds are light. I motor to Wilson Point, hoist sails, secure the engine, reset my trip logs and start beating in a light westerly. The wind eventually picks up to 15 kts or so and, just as I am hoisting the #4, jumps into the twenties. The chop isn't excessive, though, and after a couple hours of beating I'm abeam Port Angeles, where the wind eases a bit. It's a long way to Cape Flattery, but I'm well rested and happy to be sailing in waters I don't get to see much.

The sun goes down and it's a clear but chilly night with a full moon. I'll occasionally set my timer and grab a quick nap down below, sometimes 10, sometimes 20 minutes. I don't really fall asleep but it feels good to get out of the cold, close my eyes and rest. I have a thought for the Halloween party back home, but it's a good to be here. At 03:00 on November 1^st I change my clock to Standard Time and live that hour again. In the early morning the winds become light, and I'm starting to feel the swells from the ocean.

The setting moon has been outlining a dark shape ahead that is keeping me from napping. Looking at my chart it seems like it could be Tatoosh Island, 10 or 15 miles ahead, but that should be hidden from view by the Cape. As the dawn breaks I realize my island is actually a tree floating about a hundred yards in front of me. It's a 60 or 70 foot pine, with roots and branches and couple birds are perched on it, bobbing in the swells, slowly floating out to sea.

The tree and I drift past Neah Bay at dawn and eventually the wind turns to a light easterly. It takes me almost all morning to get past Cape Flattery. With the light wind and 12 ft swells the boom is swinging over my head, so I rig a preventer and try to keep my mind off the flogging sails. In the early afternoon the Cape is starting to fade in the mist and the ride is smoother, with the wind off the beam. I hoist the genoa and go about my daily activities of, well, mostly eating. Singlehanding keeps me pretty busy.

By mid afternoon I'm getting sleepy, and starting to hear voices on the boat, which I've heard is pretty typical for solo ocean sailors. The lapping of the water against the hull is like a quiet conversation between familiar voices. The wind spins south and I peel to the jib and aim the boat at my waypoint. The sun is going down for the second time since I'd left Port Townsend. The horizon is completely empty except for a continuous flow of vessels on the shipping lanes, but I eventually leave those behind. There's a group of fishing boats working to the south of me.

I make some breakfast sausage and spaetzle for dinner. As I pass through 50 miles out, two sets of very bright orange lights are glowing on the horizon in front of me. I can't tell how far they are. The AIS display is blank. The lights seem stationary. Oil rigs? I didn't think there were any out here, but double-check the chart to be sure. I'm nervous about aiming the boat between the two brightly lit objects.

Eventually I come close enough to see seagulls flocking around the lights. They're just trawlers headed slowly back inshore, the bright lights shining off their bows completely masking their running lights. Night sailing is such a strange game. Once I pass the trawlers I am completely alone.

The wind is turning to the southwest, and I can't sail directly towards my turnpoint anymore. I'm not excited about the prospect of beating through open ocean. The night is turning cold and I'm getting tired, despite longer naps. Rain has been coming through and most of my clothes are damp. Waves occasionally splash into the cockpit. Some water has made it into the boat and my spare clothes bag is getting damp.

Facing Open Ocean Alone, Part 1

2009-11-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Adrian describes his eventful 5-day qualifier that brought him 100 NM offshore in preparation for the seventeenth biennial Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race.

BY ADRIAN JOHNSON

As most of you are probably aware through club scuttlebutt, I've been preparing Idéfix to compete in next year's Singlehanded Transpac, a biennial race from San Francisco to Hawaii. One of the requirements for the race is a qualifying cruise of no less than 400NM, going at least 100NM offshore, non-stop, under sail, singlehanded. I managed to complete this requirement last week, and thought I'd share my story here.

The forecast is for strong southerlies as a front comes through Friday, some strong westerlies dying down quickly Saturday (Halloween), replaced by easterlies for a little while before turning to the south, then back to the west and northwest, as a high moves over the area. All fairly mild, and not much rain, except Friday night when I'd be in port anyway. This might be the last opportunity of the year, so I decide to throw my gear on the boat and go for it.

I'm a little late getting started Friday and hit the sound about noon. The winds are around 15 knots from the south, and supposed to pick up. It’s good weather for some spinnaker practice, so I hoist the heavy kite. I'm a little past Kingston when the chute wraps around the forestay. I kind of want to see if it'll unwrap on its own, so I just watch it for a couple seconds. To my horror it starts quickly winding its way around the forestay. After 5 minutes of tugging at it desperately in building winds, I jibe the boat and the chute unwinds itself as quickly as it wrapped.

The wind is now in the mid-twenties, the boat is screaming towards Possession Point, and it's high time to jibe back to port. I take a minute to prep the maneuver, and jump on the foredeck to wrestle the pole.

As soon as I disconnect the pole, the boat rounds up and broaches. I let go of the pole and slide into the lifelines and waist deep water. I manage to crawl back to the weather side and into the cockpit and uncleat the first spinnaker line I come across. It goes screaming out and the chute is now flogging astern the port side of the boat. The wind is now in the thirties and I'm struggling to bring the sail back to the boat.

I look around and decide my best option is to lessen the load by tripping the halyard. I go for it and the sail promptly falls into the water - not exactly what I had in mind! I'm screaming in anger and desperation. The boat is now drifting sideways in the waves, dragging a chute full of water 50 feet off the stern. The tension in the sheet is incredible. It's going to be a miracle if I manage to bring this thing back aboard.

The winds are screaming, I'm soaking wet, the spinnaker pole that I'd abandoned during the jibe is swinging around wildly in the air, banging into the shrouds and mast. I start winching in the sail, pleading with it to come back aboard, cursing the winds, and winching in an inch at a time, pausing every minute to catch my breath. I eventually manage to grab the clew, then the foot, and finally pull the soaked sail into the cockpit. It's intact, minus one sheet.

I eventually get things sorted out and Idéfix starts tearing up the water under a #4 jib. In the inlet the waves pick up and she starts doing impressive surfs. On some of the steeper waves the boat pauses at the top for a second before pitching down into the trough and plowing into the next wave, sending a wall of foam a foot deep over the deck and into the cockpit. The knotmeter is staying in the double digits, and hitting 15 knots in the surfs. Every once in a while the boat rounds up and I have to fight the tiller for twenty seconds or so to get the bow pointed back downwind.

I reach Port Townsend at dusk, tie up and look inside the boat. The bilge is full, but most of my gear is dry. I'm soaked, but my foulies are still dry in my bag. I take a shower, make dinner, and go to bed, full of doubts as to my ability to handle the boat in the downwind conditions I'd encounter on the trip to Hawaii, and wondering whether this race is really a good idea.

Great Sailing Reads

2009-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

During the cold months to come, when you can't get out on the water, pick up one of these titles to stay in the nautical frame of mind.

BY JONAH RANKIN

I enjoy sailing books, in particular adventure and disaster books. Here are some of my favorites that I have read:

"Annapolis Book of Seamanship" by John Rousmaniere. This is the book with the basics. If you have been in a keelboat class you've already read it, but it explains simply many of the basic concepts that would be good for any sailor to know. They are available in the WYC office.

"Sailing Alone Around the World" by Captain Joshua Slocum. "Full of astonishing adventures, this is the true story of the first man ever to circle the globe alone entirely by sea." He did this in three years in 1895.

"The Proving Ground" by Bruce Knecht. This is about the Hobart race and the disaster turned into a massive rescue mission as an entire regatta is caught in a massive storm with 80+ mph winds.

"The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition" by Caroline Alexander. They were on a mission to the Antarctic when they were trapped by an ice flow. As time wore on, they had to hoof it across the wasteland, use liferafts in stormy seas, and live off penguin meat for months until their Captain, Ernest Shackleton, and some others patched together a mission to go get help. All this, and "not a man lost." Some say it is the greatest survival story ever. My personal favorite.

*You'll notice I've started a side bar that is devoted to nautical books. Please email me your favorite sailing books (fiction and non-fiction) at telltale@washingtonyachtclub.org and I'll put them up!

Oracle Gets its Wing

2009-11-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

On November 10th the wing mast on the BMW Oracle went up.

POSTED BY: ELLIS JOHNSON

Photo Courtesy of Sailing Anarchy

For more information check out the BMWO website.

Andrew’s guide to Hazardous Situations

2009-11-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

A Ratings Examiner’s tips on how NOT to die, or at least minimize dying, while sailing small boats.

BY ANDREW CHEUNG

Small sailboats--especially performance-oriented ones--can be hazardous in unexpected ways. Therefore if you’re planning on sailing these boats, it’s important to learn more about these hazards and how to deal with them.

Below are some possible hazards you may encounter, and suggestions on how to prepare for and handle these precarious situations. I do not pretend to be an expert on any of these subjects, but I've experienced some of the scenarios and would like to share my knowledge.

ILL-FITTING FLOTATION DEVICE

Lifejackets, PFDs, whatever you call 'em--they only work when you wear 'em. And they only work well when they fit. If you're considering buying a PFD for personal use, ask the store if you can jump in the water to test its fit. There's nothing more unpleasant than the sensation of a PFD riding up too far, obscuring your face (imagine trying to breathe through a wet cloth), cutting into your armpits, and snagging on deck hardware while you're desperately trying to swim out from underneath a turtled boat.

A well-fitting flotation device should not ride up while you're in the water. It should also conform to your body--make sure the shoulder straps don't stick up off your shoulders, and make sure there are no fancy pockets or webbing on the back that could snag on boat hardware.

GETTING TRAPPED IN A TURTLE

Arguably more pleasant than being eaten by a giant turtle, getting trapped under a turtled boat is still rather unpleasant. Luckily I've only experienced this twice: once under an FJ, and once under an International 14.

The best thing to do is avoid getting trapped in the first place by either preventing the boat from turtling, or jumping clear (but no farther than you can reach) from the boat during a capsize.

Otherwise:

1. Don't panic--most cockpits form a decent air bubble.

2. If you are sailing with crew and are both trapped, go one at a time (unless of course, there is no air pocket).

3. Clear your body of any entanglements (trapeze wire, rigging, etc).

4. Take time to ensure that your escape path is free of potential entanglement hazards (this is where that well-fitting flotation device comes in handy).

5. If you have a knife, make sure you can reach it.

6. Consider exiting belly-up--this makes it easier for you to grab the rail and pull yourself away from the boat, like a horizontal pull-up.

7. Holler at your crew as soon as you are clear and safe.

GETTING TRAPPED UNDER A SAIL

1. Lean into the boat as you capsize to windward, but don't linger or it will turtle.

2. Try to launch yourself fore or aft so you'll be able to reach the edge of something to pull yourself out.

3. Consider carrying a knife to cut through the sail if necessary.

FOOT LOOPS AND YOU

Don't let this happen to you. Carry a knife.

TRAPEZE HAZARDS

Trapeze sailing is no doubt exciting. However, trapeze harnesses can become dangerous in certain conditions. With the exception of newer designs, most trapeze harnesses have a fixed hook with no quick release. In a capsize, this hook may entangle itself on running or standing rigging, preventing the sailor from reaching the surface. While statistically unlikely, fatalities due to entanglement do occur.

In one instance, an Austrian Tornado catamaran sailor drowned when his hook became entangled in the rigging during a capsize. In a separate instance, a German sailor drowned when his 49er skiff pitchpoled and his hook caught on the shrouds. Read more here.

Thankfully I've never personally experienced this situation, but here are some tips I've compiled from what I’ve read and heard.

1. Consider purchasing a spreader bar with a quick-release function. Unfortunately, the ISO standard for such a system was only recently established, and early reviews of these systems range from "works great!" to "accidentally released me tons of times".

2. Place your hand over the hook opening during the capsize to prevent anything from snagging on it.

3. Wear your harness over all of your gear. In an emergency you may be able to remove it, or at least loosen it enough to provide the needed slack to disengage your hook.

4. Consider carrying a knife to cut through your harness or running rigging. Someone also mentioned wire cutters for standing rigging, but I'm unsure how easy it would be to perform this while trapped underwater.

GETTING TRAPPED UNDER A TRAMPOLINE

I have only heard/read of this happening before, so I can only speculate, but:

1. Strongly consider carrying a knife, even if it has a blunt 'safety-tip'.

2. Strongly consider temporarily attaching a second knife to the underside of the trampoline or crossbeams using velcro straps or some other removable method.

KNIVES

Having researched this topic extensively, I could write pages upon pages about the right knife to get. Unfortunately the perfect knife, which would be cheap, reliably sharp, and easy to use doesn't appear to exist. Here are some things to look for, in no particular order:

1. Blunt 'safety-tips' so you don't stab yourself in the leg when trying to cut that mainsheet.

2. Assisted-opening devices for folding knives. These torsion springs allow you to open a knife with minimal effort.

3. An easily accessible way to attach the knife to yourself.

4. Inexpensive because you'll lose it at some point.

5. Minimal care required to stay sharp even if exposed to moisture and salt (almost no cheap knives meet this ideal).

6. A hook knife feature, allowing you to cut line with one hand and minimal line tension.

7. If shopping for a dedicated hook knife, be sure to buy a double-bladed one, as the single-bladed hook knives require much more force to cut successfully . More information here.

8. If you are a keelboat sailor, minimal magnetic interference.

9. Brightly colored handle.

OTHER SAFETY GEAR

Other gear to consider using:

1. Loud whistle. Cheap, small, effective.

2. Brightly colored clothing. Remember, it's hard to see more than just the tip of someone's head when they're in the water, so skip the fashionable navy blue spray top and get something hideously neon.

3. Flares or a strobe light. Note the expiration date and/or the date you put in the batteries (batteries drain over time even when the device is powered off).

4. VHF radio and waterproof bag. Even if the radio says it's waterproof, it ain't. Remember, we get a discount at Fisheries Supply.

Hobie 33 Crash Test

2009-11-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

Warren Miller documents the crash testing of the Hobie 33 monohull sailboat.

POSTED BY JOHN COURTER

In the absence of Snooze n' Cruise...

2009-11-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

What WYC members do when it's too windy to go on Snooze n' Cruise.

Most of you received the cancellation emails, but just to recap, Snooze n' Cruise was cancelled due to extremely strong winds. Though experienced sailors would have been fine in afore mentioned winds, it would not have been a pleasant experience for novice sailors and guests.

However, the fun did not end after the cancellation announcement. Breakfast was had in the shop followed by a full day of sailing. Many club members got out on the water in Union Bay and Lake Washington and had a blast! The evening wrapped up with delicious chili and cornbread in the banquet hall followed by an after party.

Pictures are still filtering in, but I've started a slideshow in the right-hand toolbar for all our picture documentation. Right now I've got some shots Goran took from breakfast at the WAC, and the pictures from the work party. Keep checking for more pictures of Waka and some dinghy and cat sailing.

If you have any photos to add, let me know! telltale@washingtonyachtclub.org

Snooze n' Cruise Work Party Photos

2009-11-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

Some pictures I took of the workparty.

It will be an interesting Snooze n' Cruise! Thanks everyone who came to help get ready for the event, and I'll see you all tomorrow!

Kira manning the SnC signup area.

Adrian updates the guys on his eventful qualifier.

Andrew C. after a day of high winds and skipper ratings tests.

Some sail mending.

Checking the strength of patching material...

Kregg, Jonah, and Andrew V. check out one of the engines in the shop.

Keeping warm in the sail locker.

If you are taking pictures at Snooze n' Cruise, or you have a story that you'd like to share about SnC this weekend, please let me know and I'd be happy to put your content up on the blog!

Thanks!

Storm on the Horizon

2009-11-04T11:56:00.001-08:00

Take a look at this impressive system which will bring 23 ft waves to the NW Coast by the weekend.

BY ERIN JOHNSON

We have strong weather headed our way; here are some of the forecasts for this massive low pressure system.

This is a map of the forecasted pressure on Thursday. To help put this into context, here’s a little background on how to read these maps.

The lines are called isobars, and they indicate the pressure measured at sea level. The closer together these isobars are, the greater the change in pressure over a specific area. Wind is air moving from high to low pressure, so the greater the pressure change, the greater the winds. You can also get a general idea for the wind direction based on the isobars. Wind blows with low pressure on to the left and high pressure on the right in the northern hemisphere, and is generally within 15-40 degrees off the direction of the isobars.

Other things to note: The center of the low pressure system (indicated by the L) is 947 mb, keep in mind that average sea-level pressure is 1013 mb. This is a very strong low. Also, this map gives temperature in degrees Celsius indicated by the color changes, so you get that information as well.

Another interesting forecasting tool is the NWS wavewatch3 models. Take a look:

Check out the height of these waves! The color indicates height in meters, so in the first map that maroon color is roughly 43 ft. (!) The waves are able to get this big because of the combination of high winds over a long period of time with a large fetch (space for waves to build).

The second map shows the wave heights when they reach our coast. Now they aren’t 43 ft, but these waves are 7 meters or about 23 ft; Still substantial. If you have a chance to get out to Ocean Shores on Saturday you’d get a pretty good show.

This is a remarkable weather system, and I’m interested in seeing how it pans out. If you’d like to see an animation of the wave height, go to this website-

http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/main_int.html

Set the drop boxes to “latest model run”, “North Pacific Hurricane (reg)”, “wave heights”, and “animation”. Then just hit “go”. Pretty cool.

Also, I’m following Cliff Mass’s weather blog on the right, check in with that for his take on the system. He’ll give updates as the storm progresses.

This One Goes to Eleven

2009-11-03T21:08:00.000-08:00

A three-masted laser with a twin rudder shown at the Hamburg Boat Show.

POSTED BY GORAN ZIVKOVIC

Could this be part of our new single/double/triple handed fleet?!

More information at http://www.sailinganarchy.com/article.php?get=4573

Photos courtesy of SailingAnarchy.com

Dust in the Wind

2009-11-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

A sailor’s study of respect.

BY JAKE ANTLES

I don’t claim to be a gifted writer, and I do not normally thrust myself into the spotlight as I tend to sweat and shake. However, in the face of that, I have something to say. Something which I believe shouldn’t have to be said; and that is, always, always be respectful.

There is a certain degree of respect a sailor develops. You need a respect for hard work and time, and a respect for those who give their time and sweat when we cannot. You grow to respect boats, sails, and those things we must share. You give respect for others opinions when they have the ‘right-of-way’, be it on the water or off. We show respect for other’s mistakes, recognizing we all make them at some time or another. And we possess a respect for other’s feelings and the damage we could inflict with simple words. This culminates to a respect for yourself, and your value in this world.

These qualities are not innate. I believe that as sail-lovers our perception of the word respect, and what it entails, stems from our respect for the elements. We have all battled the wind at some point, shouting “THOU SHALL NOT PASS!!” or “I will conquer you!” Maybe that's just me.

All I know is that when I’m on the water, plowing through waves, straining my abs keeping my boat flat, jumping up into a plane in a 20 knot gust, then ultimately capsizing in a daring jibe… The entire world just makes sense.

Gasping for breath perched on the edge of my capsized boat; I realize there is absolutely no point to ever be mean-spirited. It is worthless to be impatient, and it is counterproductive to make others unhappy as that would surely make me unhappy.

I’m not sure about you, but I get particularly philosophical on the water. In my opinion, the wind stirs something similar inside all of us. We sailors know the wind more intimately than the normal person. We realize we shouldn’t work against the wind and the waves, but instead work with that mighty force, giving us respect for those other mighty forces around us.

These thoughts are all in response to recent events that disappointed me greatly. I wish everyone in the world enjoyed the epiphany I have had. I wish everyone would learn to respect the wind, our limited time amongst said wind, and realize that respect for each other is much more important than those things that upset us; that those things are mere dust in the wind.

New Year, New Officers

2009-11-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

Headed by Commodore Jasmine Lee-Barber, our new officers are ready to incite change and boost student involvement.

BY ERIN JOHNSON

Annually, during the beginning of fall quarter, the Washington Yacht Club holds elections for the three student-held officer positions within the club: Commodore, Vice Commodore, and Rear Commodore.

These positions have very distinct responsibilities. The club is lead by the Commodore who is the official representative of the club, and calls and conducts all meetings. Underneath the Commodore, the Vice Commodore organizes the lesson program within the club, and the Rear Commodore is the Club’s liaison and contact point with the Washington Racing Team.

The results of the 2009 elections bring together officers Jasmine Lee-Barber, Mario Jaspers, and Krysta Bouchard. These three dedicated WYC sailors each bring exciting ideas about the club and a strong commitment to their new positions.

Commodore Jasmine Lee- Barber, a biology major and comparative religion minor, grew up sailing and has been very active in the club during her four years as a member. Serving as Rear Commodore last year, Jasmine recognizes the pressing need for creating a fun and accessible environment for students. “We’re trying to foster a love of sailing.” Jasmine states. “It’s all about making the yacht club more approachable.”

Mario Jaspers, now Vice Commodore, began sailing four years ago when he joined the yacht club. Since then he has become a ratings examiner, laser fleet captain, and a lesson instructor. As Vice Commodore, Mario’s goals are to streamline the lesson sign-up process and create a greater sense of community through lessons.

As Rear Commodore, Krysta Bouchard has one thing in mind: Racing. Krysta is heading up a Sunday afternoon racing program within the club that targets students who have taken lessons before and are looking for the next step in their sail training. “I want to get… an informal program going for racing,” Krysta says. “I feel like you learn a lot better when you race; you have to learn when it’s fast and you’re on your feet.” Also, as a former member of the Washington Sailing Team, Krysta can use this connection to encourage communication between the two student organizations.

All three new officers share a love of sailing and of meeting new people within the club. It is this love that fuels their dedication to the WYC and their position responsibilities. Mario says simply, “I think there’s a lot of excitement in the club right by lots of members, and it’s our responsibility to nourish it, and that’s one of our main goals.” They plan to do this by keeping students more active within the club through lessons, racing, and by creating more club events.

This year promises to be one filled with new action and innovation. We have much to look forward to under this passionate trio of student leaders.

Summer 2004 Telltale Archive

2004-06-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

Full Summer 2004 Archived Issue

Commodore’s Report Abigail Plawman

Hi everyone!

I hope this summer will see everyone getting some sun and fresh air out on the water. We have had an amazing year so far, with plenty to keep everyone busy. In March, the club purchased six new Hobie Bravos and the Vice Commodore Kyle Fitzpatrick has been doing a fantastic job working them into an already busy lesson schedule. Matt and Heather Squires redesigned the website (from as far away as Costa Rica). In April, the Snooze ‘n' Cruise Committee put on another fabulous trip to Blake Island, complete with cake, ice cream, and piñatas for my birthday! (Thanks guys!) We had a great Opening Day party in May, thanks to Cath Dahle. Informal racing has really taken off this spring, thanks to the race team, who kicked it off by acting as race committee and helping those new to racing understand how it all works. We even had a weather lecture in June from Walter Kelley, AMS Meteorologist for Channel 13 – sailors can always stand to know more about the weather! Many great things were accomplished this past year. Thank you to all the members whose hard work made them possible.

In the past few months, Mike Evans has built a new rudder-rack for the sail locker as well as designed new laser mast racks for the docks – thanks for your hard work! We had a spontaneous committee form to work on how to retain new members, which provided numerous great suggestions for the club! We accepted several new-to-us boats, including a Hobie 16, Hobie 18, and a Laser. We continue to look for new boats, so if anyone knows of other potential donations, please let me know!

The hard work everyone has put into the club this year is much appreciated. Currently, the club is looking to fill vacant positions and get all of our fleets in shape for the summer. If you have time, energy, or ideas that you want to share with the club, we would love to hear from you!

See you on the water!

Abigail Plawman

Summer 2003 Telltale Archive

2003-06-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Full Summer 2003 Archived Issue

Commodore’s Report Claudette Meyer

Hello Sailors! I hope everyone is enjoying the last remaining days of summer. The past couple of quarters for the club have been good. Several new Lasers and a Hobie 16 were added to our fleet; the majority by donation. Our fleet captains are doing an excellent job working to maintain our boats. Special thanks to Abi Plawman for her tireless efforts in maintaining the sails. George Richardson, Christian Rusby and Matt MacAdam completed the remodel of the keelboat locker, while Ross Fleming spent days setting up the computer in the locker. Cath Dahle provided us with a terrific Opening Day party.

Both spring and summer Snooze N Cruises produced great turnout. Classes have received good attendance and have been running smoothly under the direction of Interim Vice Commodore Kyle Fitzpatrick. The club hired Marie Sandona as the new Program Director so that Kate Bogh, our veteran PD of two years could graduate. Marie has been doing a great job in tackling the club's administrative tasks. I trust everyone had a great time these past quarters and I look forward to continuing our current trend.

Lately, I have been working to recruit new fleet captains and fill other vacant positions. Please see the club webpage for current vacancies. Thank you to all those who have volunteered time, energy and ideas; your help is very much appreciated. I have also been working with the Vice Commodore in an effort to standardize the material presented in lessons. This year's Instructor's Clinic will take place in the near future. The club is continuing to look for new boats. Thank you to all those who have been keeping their eyes open for potential new-to-us boats. And I have been working to provide members with more opportunities to practice in higher winds and to advance their ratings.

Sadly, summer quarter will be my last quarter as Commodore. I have enjoyed serving the club these past two years and hope to continue in the future. Thank you for another great year at Washington Yacht Club!

Claudette Meyer

Spring 2001 Telltale Archive

2001-04-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Full Spring 2001 Archived Issue

Commodore’s Report John Pyles
Hello WYC! Well even though the weather seems to be about the same, spring is almost here. Despite the lack of wind and small classes, we had a good winter quarter. What we didn't have in numbers we made up in getting stuff done. We had a number of successful work parties and got a lot of boats fixed. In addition we've purchased a new computer for the club office to help out our great new Program Director Cathy, and the club database is up, running and almost complete! Thanks to Matt for all his hard work on this! We've had lot of club business things going on such as by-laws revision, work on a new budget, and revision of the day-sailor handbook. We also hope to have the UW Racing Team joining us back at the WAC soon. They are in the process of raising money to purchase more FJs and will then be moving their practices back to the WAC. We look forward to having them around more and a more integral part of WYC. Also thanks to the social committee for arranging the movie nights and pool sharks to keep give us something to do while there's no wind.

Going into spring quarter we are lucky to fill many of our vacant positions with new, enthusiastic people. We have a new purser, quartermaster, publicity chair, computer consultant, assistant keelboat fleet captain and double-handed fleet captain. Spring quarter will again be a big push for new members and getting old members who haven't been around for a while active in the club again. We will have the usual array of different sorts of lessons including a weekly intermediate class. There will also be regattas, social events, some special lectures, the annual Opening Day festivities, Snooze 'n Cruise, and more. This spring in classes we are concentrating more on quality than quantity, with a better students to instructor ratio. The goal is to work on member retention and getting new members, especially students, active in the club for the long term. A mentoring program is also starting up to help with this, contact Adam if you're interested in that. As always, if you have any ideas or suggestions come to a meeting or contact me. A final thank you to Heather for her great work on the last few Telltales. Heather took over the reigns a while back and successfully moved the Telltale onto the web. Also thanks for your burgee and reciprocal work. Matt and Heather are heading off to the East coast to a big boat that's going to go places where the water is swimming temperature, I know I'm jealous. Good luck you guys! We'll miss you! To everyone else: go sailing, come to the parties! See you on the water...