New to racing?

Moderator: GreenLake

New to racing?

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:49 pm

You might be interested in joining some sailboat races with your DS for the fun and company of fellow sailors. But you may be concerned with what you need to know before you start. In this thread, let's pull together some kind of starter kit. There are a number of different aspects to that, so I'm inviting anyone who has raced and remembers that transition from non-racer to contribute ... and anyone contemplating a race for the first time to bring their questions.

Topics may cover rules, class rules, how to prepare yourself, your boat, any number of things.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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First up: the Rules

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:52 pm

First up the Rules.

If you are new to racing, you may be worried about the rules. As a beginner, you need to do some triage on the racing rules and other knowledge: it's better to know the common subset of the rules really well, then trying to know too little about too much.

Once you are past the start, there are just a few rules that cover most situations, and the ones you use most often are very close to the normal nautical rules of the road.

In the next topic I'll give my take on what you might find helpful but not overwhelming for starting out.

In the meantime, here are the links to the official rules and a nice on-line training game:

The full rules are here: http://www.sailing.org/documents/racingrules/index.php

Training game is here: http://game.finckh.net/indexe.htm
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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Super Basic set of Rules (for beginners)

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:53 pm

Super basic set of Racing Rules for Beginners

These are purposefully focused on the most common situations, there will be some things that they don't cover, but following these (and sailing extra conservatively) should allow you to get around the course without too many problems until you are ready for the details:

Whatever you do, do not hit another boat! (Even if you think you are in your rights, don't).

If you are on port tack (wind over your port side, but technically defined by mainsail on your SB side), then you'll have to keep clear of anyone on the starboard tack. Be careful: as they approach you on a beat they are blanketed by your jib. If you're not confident you'll pass ahead of them, you'd normally fall off just a bit to "duck" them (Go behind their transom). You could also try to tack early enough that you end up sailing next to them, but that's not a beginner's move.

(If you hear someone yell "starboard!" it means they think you haven't seen them and need to take action - or they try to mess with you).

If you are sailing parallel to another boat and you are both on the same tack, and they are windward of you, they have to keep clear. You don't have to be fully next to each other, it's enough if part of your boats overlap. If they aren't keeping clear of you, you might yell "leeward!". There are some rules that limit how high a leeward boat may sail in certain conditions; as a beginner, simply sail whatever course you would have without the windward boat.

If you are behind someone, keep clear (until there is an overlap and you are leeward, for example).

Marks of the course have a 3 boatlength zone around them (not marked on the water). If you are on the inside between the mark and another boat as you get into that zone, they have to give you room to sail to the mark and round it (they can't peel you off). As a beginner, you might just give anyone room on the inside until you can tell cases when they are not entitled.

Leave all marks on the correct side and don't touch any mark, or if you do sail off to the side and do one full turn (one tack and one gybe).

If you feel another boat has clearly broken a rule, yell "protest!" and then immediately find an experienced sailor to tell you how to follow that up after the race. If someone yells "protest" at you, sail off and do two turns (720 degrees, or technically two tacks and two gybes). If you hit someone's boat, retire from that race.

The start of a sailboat race needs its own post.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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Basic concepts: start of a sailboat race

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:01 pm

The start can be the part of a race that's most unlike what a non-racer has encountered. Look up the series of signals and flags that are going to be used to identify not only the starting signal itself, but also any preparatory signals and the "postponement" flag. The general scheme is similar, but each race series is a bit different, so you will need to consult the "sailing instructions" published for your race.

The general idea is that sailboat races use a running start: boats are in motion before the start signal and ideally so positioned that they cross the line at full speed immediately after the signal (and not before!).

The start line usually consists of one boat with lots of flags and race committee people on it, and one buoy. The committee boat may show some letters that tell you which marks form the course in which order and how many times around. (To know which is which, read the "sailing instructions" for your race).

The general tendency is to have the boat on the SB end of the line, but that's not universal. Likewise, starts normally are upwind, that's also not universal, but more often adhered to. Knowing this should help you locate the start line on the water and which side will be the pre-start side.

There are many standard (and advanced) tactics for getting an ideal start and one that positions you well for the rest of the race. As a beginner, you simply can't expect to nail your first start, but are best served by staying back a bit and follow the fleet, until you get the hang of how it works. Perhaps we can cover some of those tactics in a later post for the next stage.

Note: if you are over early sail around either end and then cross the line again. (Sometimes that's not allowed, and you are disqualified either way, so unless you know that, just try to restart). Sometimes so many boats are over early that the start is redone, you'll know if you see everyone returning. (Later you'll pick up what signal flags are used for "general recall").

One final thing about the start line: depending on the race, you are typically either [url]required[/url] to or [url]prohibited[/url] from crossing the start line between laps as part of a multiple-lap race. Know which, by reading the "sailing instructions" for the race.

In most races, the finish line is the start line approached from the direction of the last mark.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:54 am

After your first race (or two)

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:02 pm

Get a copy of the actual Racing Rules of Sailing (see the first rules post) and after you have sailed your first race or two, try to find the tips from this starter kit in the actual language of the rules. You'll see where I've left out important qualifications and after you've seen the basic situations on the water you are ready to consider them - if you try this totally "dry" it'll just confuse you more than enlighten you, and worse, prevent you from having fun.

For the most part, if you can follow the fleet, not hit anyone because you know when to keep clear, you should have an enjoyable time
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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Re: New to racing?

Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:18 pm

A nice "concentrated" overview of all core racing issues can be found in this spiral bound volume or electronic version:

Skipper's Cockpit Racing Guide: For dinghies, keelboats and yachts, by Tim Davison
Amazon Link: http://a.co/df8eXqg

Not so much a learning tool, but a good reference/reminder of stuff, and a great pre-season refresher (for those of us with a tendency to "off-load" any information that we've not used for a few months).
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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