Racing your cruising boat.

[s/v Faith]

Racing your cruising boat.

In her song 'gotta gotta regatta' Eileen Quinn asks "Who are we kidding racing these boats?"  ::)

  Well, anyone who reads the sailing rags knows that there are supposed to be two kinds of Sailors, racers and cruisers and they should never mix... well not really, but that is how the magazines make it sound.   :D I was absolutely not interested in racing at all, but decided to go out and give it a try with my yacht club's regatta's.  It has been one of the most educational experiences I could ever hope to have, and I now recommend it to everyone I talk to. 

  Now, you need to know I am about the least competitive person I know.  I have no interest in professional sports of any kind (I would rather be sailing then sitting in front of the tube watching millionaires throw/kick/dribble a ball).  It is not at all about the competition, however you should also know that even if you are the competitive type you don't have to have a 'racing' hull to compete.  Most local regatta's race under what is called PHRF, where your boat has a standard handicap (number of seconds added per mile).  PHRF is regional, and frankly more then we need to go into here, but let's just say it levels the playing field.

  The biggest advantage in racing is that you are able to work on aspects of boat handling that you might never consider otherwise.  I sail a lot.  I thought I was doing pretty well but somehow when you get out there in a field of other boats, you see things that you might have missed before.  Your sailtrim becomes much more important. The  .5 knot I gain by what I learn in the race, might translate into the difference between a 120 and a 135 mile day (or reaching the anchorage before sunset).

  I know pretty much exactly how high my boat will point but then I pretty much knew that before I started racing too.  The big difference is now I better understand VMG (Velocity Made Good) and what gets me from point 'A' to point 'B' more efficiently. 

  The racing rules are pretty straight forward, just the rules of the road, with some stuff added.  I wills say that I find I am more aware of they rules of the road after a season and a half of racing, as you are spending more time close to other boats.  I have not made any modifications to my boat for racing, about the most extreme thing I do is brush the growth off of my hull a couple times a year (mainly because I am overdue for a haulout).  When I bought new sails last year, I bought what I wanted to cruise with. I carry enough food/water onboard at any time to pretty much cross the pond.... 

  When I raced the first race, I was dead last.  My corrected time put me ahead of one other boat.  I was so late, that the committee boat was asking me to give up so they would not miss out on the last of the BBQ back at the dock.  :o

  Since then, I have learned a lot.  I finished second overall for the summer series last year, beating out 15 of the field of 17 boats.  I raced in a 'none but the brave' race on new years day, and while I finished 5 of 11 I had a great time and spent 2 hours working on my light air tactics/trim.  Not to mention enjoying a great post race raft-up that lasted well into the evening with good food and company.  Not to mention getting to gloat about dusting off the guy in the Catalina 27 who had been talking trash at the Captains meeting....  ;D

  If you get the chance, I recommend you give it a shot.  I have really enjoyed it.

[Captain Smollett]

Since my boat is trailerable, I was contemplating racing some Hospice Regatta's this summer.  I have no illusions of being a competitive racer, but I thought the experience would be valuable (and fun), and to me, the entrance fee/publicity goes to a good cause.

But I do know some racers that are VERY competitive, and I don't particularly like hangin out with them.  I will completely stink at racing, at the very least initially, and I won't like some blowhard making a big deal about it.  (I have Irish roots, and I have the temper to prove it  :)  ).

[starcrest]

I had the unfortunate experience of sailing with a rikky racer once.veerrry   impatient ,all the standing rigging was way  way too tight...always sheeting in the largest genny to no end....no wind was ever enough.....the slightest foward speed was not enough.....this person never drifted for 4 days straight like I did....twice.that really teaches you patience. and that lasts a life time.even the slightest wind is celebrated.I mean this guy was hopping all over the boat trying to make it go faster.meanwhilst if I could just go as fast as I could walk....with my feet at sea level.....well I may as well be walkin' on water.if you want to go fast...well when I want to go fast..I mean really really fast......well I just get out my sky diving rig and head to the nearest drop zone..I have reached speeds of 180 miles per hour in free fall.skydive miami...ready....set.....

[captedteach]

I have been preaching about the virtues of racing for years.  I have raced all sorts of things in the past and really did not want to race sailboats when I got back into it after a long spell of not having boats.  BUT I went to a beachcat race and that was it - back in the saddle I was.

Racing technology is what advances any sport with trickle down effects. The high tech lines that allow you to fly a chute in REALLY lite air were developed for racers. The different sail fabrics were all developed for the pinacle race series like the Americas Cup.  While some of these things mean little to a cruiser some do and when the new whizbang block from Harken or Ronstat come to the market that older technology bullet block gets a little cheaper.

BUT the biggest thing that Joe Average Sailor gains from racing is learning in a very rapid curve what effect sail controls have, on not only the speed of a boat but how it handles.  How many of you know that if you get a little prebend in the mast by cranking down on the back stay that it stretches the luff of the sail and in small gust the top third of the main will roll spilling some wind so that you dont have to keep adjusting the mainsheet to play the gust.   One of the first things I learned when racing was that you need a set of sheets for each headsail ESP the light air stuff and to use the smallest line possible for the sail - the extra weight means you need more air to fill the sail and for it to keep its shape.  There is no telling how many boats I have bought from people that have a HUGE Pelican shackel on a set of 1/2in sheets for a chute.  Most of these have indivdual lines with a big bowline tied to the shackel - MORE WEIGHT where yo dont want it  Find the middle of the line fold it over and feed it thru the clew plate then pull the sheets thru the loop - simple, lite weight and the proper sheet is on each sail.

Find a yacht club that races  Get on a boat as crew and enjoy the fun - I have found that racing sailors party pretty darn hard.

Some races you may see me at - Juannas Good Time Regatta in Navarre Beach FL  Turkey Trot Regatta - Pensacola FL  and when the club is rebuilt Island Hop and Slip to Ship regattas Ocean Springs MS

[Zen]

When I had my Ariel and hanging out on the Ariel board, alot of those guys, at least in the Bay area were into racing. I was going to give a try once just for fun. However, I never made it to that event in time. ( story #2 , I think)  :-\  :D

[watsongs]

The best guy I ever raced with had only one rule:  Nobody opens their beer until after we crossed the starting line (yes, starting line).  What a great and relaxing crew that was - and we did pretty well, I'm convinced, because we weren't one of those boats that you can hear screaming obscenities from the next harbor over.

I do agree cruisers learn alot about sail trim from racers.  I tell all my students that once they've got a few hours under their keels and they're feeling comfortable to walk the docks on race night with a six-pack in their hands, asking "anyone need some rail meat?"  Never fails...

[s/v Faith]

The best guy I ever raced with had only one rule:  Nobody opens their beer until after we crossed the starting line (yes, starting line).  What a great and relaxing crew that was - and we did pretty well, I'm convinced, because we weren't one of those boats that you can hear screaming obscenities from the next harbor over.

Absolutley!  we are cruisers after all. 

  Brings up a good point, WRT your second comment;

I do agree cruisers learn alot about sail trim from racers.  I tell all my students that once they've got a few hours under their keels and they're feeling comfortable to walk the docks on race night with a six-pack in their hands, asking "anyone need some rail meat?"  Never fails...

  If you are crewing on someone's boat... Make SURE to try to talk to someone who has crewed for that Capt. before.  There is ONE GUY, (or of about 20 who race) who is known for being a miserable SOB to stuck on a boat with.

  I give the same advice (showing up on race day) to the dock walkers I talk to.  Good way to get out on the water.  ;D

[s/v Faith]

Who else here races?

 

[Cmdr Pete]

Every Tuesday night on my friend's boat.

Good times

[AdriftAtSea]

I raced a bit when I was younger...not so young any more... bad leg makes things interesting.  Racing is actually quite good, as it helps you get the maximum performance out of your boat.   Even if you are cruising, there are often times where being able to maximize the performance of the boat is key to getting someplace at a reasonable time and safely. 

[s/v Faith]

In the 'your not gonna believe this' department......

  The first race I was in, I literly had to beg the committee boat to wait at the finish for me so I could complete the race.  ::)  That was a couple years ago.

  Saturday was our last race of the season, I finished 2nd on both of the heats.  When they got done with the scoring......

  'Faith' won the series, of a field of 13 boats.  ;D

Just goes to show, ANYBODY can learn to race. 

[Captain Smollett]

There are two reasons why I would enter a race:

1. To help a charity (like the Hospice Regatta)
2. To improve my skills.

A very experienced sailor once told me "do not take up sailboat racing unless you want a divorce."  Now, he may have had his tongue in his cheek, but the admonition resonated with me.  It can be an expensive, consuming hobby if it gets out of control.  I'm not THAT competitive for competition's sake.

On the other hand, I freely admit that I have succumbed to "if there are two sailboats on the water, at least one of them is racing."  The thing is, I always take it lightly if I 'win' in this situation, since I don't know if the other was even TRYING to do anything.   ;)

[Zen]

Here is why I would race
1. Someone paid me
2. I did not care if I was last
3. I was single and there was a cutie like Connie  ;)
saying "I just love to see your muscles pull that line"
4. I had more than a chance  of winning
5. All of the above combined
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Cmdr Pete]

Three reasons to race

1) To crush your enemies;

2) To see them driven before you;

3) To hear the lamentations of their women


Way to go Faith !!!!

[Captain Smollett]

Three reasons to race

1) To crush your enemies;

2) To see them driven before you;

3) To hear the lamentations of their women


Way to go Faith !!!!

Don't you have to have a fair chance of accomplishing those goals to pursue it for those reasons?  Believe me, neither my boat nor my sailing "style' is not that 'fast.'   ;)

[Pixie Dust]

Racing??  
I think it would be fun, if they let you have fun with it.   :D  I do not like being yelled at or fussed at.  I become a little rebellious and basically would sit my happy tail down and refuse to do another thing, hopefully I would do that prior to dropping the winch handle overboard first.  :o  NOW- I will work like a little demon if someone is giving direction in a nice way and I am allowed to have a cold corona in the end.   ;D  
I understand how much can be learned from it and I hear that from many people.  I think it would be a great learning experience, one in which I could certainly benefit.  Poor little PD has so much windage, I am not sure she could keep up with the little low skinny boats out there.  I would be like Faith, begging them to wait on me to finish.   I think it would help the intimidation level if you went a few times with friendly others prior to racing your own.  I will not rule it out as a learning experience, but do not want to get into it as a sport.  I love the relaxation aspect of just sailing without the added pressure of T-Boning others. 
And Zen

"I just love to see your muscles pull that line"

 LOL - I have to admit, it is a bit of a turn on.   :o ::) ;D

Craig- Way to go!!  You have fun and you win!!  COOL!!   :)

[s/v Faith]

If you knew me Capitan, you would understand I am not a very competitive person.  I never played any 'team sports' cause I frankly never saw any use for them.

Racing my boat, has been a way to heighten my boat handling skills, in a way that nothing else would.   I love to sail, and my Ariel is no racing boat (one of the slower boats on the river) but I have a great time, and have learned tons.

There is one guy (not even a member of our YC) who races well, but screams at his crew and generally has a miserable time of things.  Some of the boats go out just to get in this guy's way, and enjoy watching him screw up as he gets mad.  I personally feel sorry for him, as where ever he finishes he is still considered a looser by most of the marina.

   I have learned from my errors, and received tons of great tips from people I race with and against.  I do believe that you can go out to have a good time, and accomplish that goal.... while really learning allot about making your boat go through the water.  I believe that because that has been my experience.

[xroyal]

No doubt racing will teach you some new tricks.

Real racing, especially on San Francisco Bay in the summer, is hard work for the crew! Don't crew unless you have a skipper who is bent on winning. Otherwise, being soaking wet in a chill breeze, constantly tacking, mounting and re-mounting the pole on a pitching deck and getting back to the berth dog tired is for naught.... especially while the skipper is comfortable at the tiller. Then too, if he wins, he gets the silver, and you might get a free beer.  ;D

Serious racing skippers are either rich or know a thing or two about debt.  ;)

[s/v Faith]

Connie,

  PHRF is a great system which handicaps your boat and allows you to compete on equal footing with most other boats.

  For instance, we race time/distance PHRF.  So if you raced in one of our races, your Compac 27 (right?) would get a 225 PHRF, that would mean that for a race of 5 miles, you would take your time, and subtract 1125 seconds from it(5 miles * 225) seconds from it.  If you were racing against our fastest boat with a 105 PH RF, they would only get to subtract 525 seconds.  So, in order to bat that boat, you might be able to cross the line almost 10 minutes behind the other boat and still win.

  I take a 258, although I technically qualify for a 263 since I am dragging an outboard.  Since my boat is pretty heavy for it's water line length, I really struggle on light wind days, and do better with more wind.  It is really more helpful to be back in the pack, racing against time since it makes you more aware of how your sail trim is helping/hurting you.  Every one of your bad habits become clear to you in a race..... I often sheet in too close, and try to point too high.  I had understood in theory that I was doing it, but being on the course and getting passed really shows you what you are doing wrong.

  I have a friend who is very knowledgeable.  He has crewed for me several times, and Earl now tells me that he sees me learning less and less each race.  ;D  His assistance (and at times ridicule) has helped me quite a bit. 

  On the race course, like in life, I try to be teachable.  I have found it to be an expereice rich in opportunities to learn.

[s/v Faith]

John,

  I am from the Bay Area, and have watched the boats on the Bay for years, but other then one time as a boy I have never sailed the Bay.  I would love to though, but admittedly have no interest in racing in the conditions you describe.  ;D