Another great story, Martin. You should write a book.
From: Martin DeYoung via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 5:47 PM To: Stus-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Cc: Martin DeYoung <martin.deyo...@outlook.com> Subject: Stus-List Re: Racing at night A masthead wind instrument works at night. Absolutely, except when it doesnt. During the 1982 Vic-Maui race on a Britt Chance designed 54 IOR boat in trade winds reinforced by a tropical storm nearby (steady high 20s, gusts to mid 30s) the wind instruments were lagging behind the actual apparent wind enough that we needed to improvise. It was the kind of dark wild night that made Mister Toads Wild ride seem tame. We had a reaching spinnaker up (slightly smaller sq area and shoulders) with a full mainsail. AWA of 160 was our target. Boat speeds were running in the low teens until a good surf then headed into the high teens. I was watch captain with two other, experience crew on deck. We were quickly schooled by the wind gods that relying on the wind instruments resulted in being caught by the lee at the end of a surf. (The apparent wind goes forward while surfing then quickly back to base line when the boat slows.) Naturally being caught by the lee in those conditions often resulted in a spin out/round-up/broach, mostly to weather. (Spin pole up, boom in the water.) The owner would occasionally stick his head up from below complaining about the ride. I would suggest we were at the top of the spinnakers wind range. He would indicate maybe we needed better drivers.) On this particular night we resorted to dividing up the information processing tasks. The helmsman concentrated on the compass using a base line course as a guide. Another crew concentrated on calling out AWA as shown by the lighted Windex. (Usually something like 5 high or similar. When the Windex indicated we were by the lee a noise similar to an aircrafts stall warning buzzer was used.) Driving was intense enough we stood ½ hour tricks rotating through the positions. This technique allowed us to sail fast, diving deep to ride the best waves and limit the spin outs to mostly gentle low impact events. Until it doesnt. At the end of our watch (+-2AM) the new watch gains the deck and includes the hired gun rock star sailmaker helmsman. The rock star guy total ignored my recommendations on how we got through the last 4 hours. He steps behind the wheel (a very large diameter wheel popular with IOR boats) and starts sailing like he was in charge. Shortly there after he drives into a leeward broach that lays the boat flat enough that the mast head was hitting the top of waves and most of the deck crew was left hanging by safety harnesses. I imagine it was exciting down below. The rock star lost his footing and rotated ass over tea kettle into the leeward corner of the cockpit. (Still holding the wheel.) The mainsail attempted to cross to leeward but was trapped by a line wrapped around a coffee grinder winch handle. As I was in the mid/crew cockpit and closest to the line trapping the mainsail I pulled out my trusty sailing knife and cut the line (line was part of a failed preventer). As soon as my knife blade touched the highly loaded line the mainsail violently crossed to leeward splashing into the water. Now that the boat was freed of the tangled mainsail load it stood up straight (ish), the spinnaker popped full, and the boat took off downwind. Unfortunately the rock star was totally disoriented, the rudder still hard over and the boat went into another broach therefore completing the coveted banana split. Once we got the boat sorted and back on its feet the owner stuck his head up from down below and said OK boys we can take the spinnaker down now. We spent the next day or so under twin headsails still making speeds in the low teens but under much better control. Martin DeYoung Calypso 1971 C&C 43 Port Ludlow/Seattle Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows From: dwight veinot via CnC-List <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2023 12:54 PM To: Stus-List <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Cc: dwight veinot <mailto:dwight...@gmail.com> Subject: Stus-List Re: Racing at night A masthead wind instrument works at night. Learn your sail trim vs wind speed and wind angle in the daylight. Should be the same in the dark On Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 1:01 PM David Knecht via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: I just read an interesting article in Practical Sailor on red vs. white lights and night vision. It reminded me to ask a question of those more experienced about night racing. I have only done this a few times and found upwind steering at night to be a real challenge. I normally steer by the genoa telltales. In light, shifting winds which we inevitably encounter at the darkest hours, it is especially important to steer well to keep the boat moving, but it is hard. We used a hand held spotlight to periodically check the telltales, but that destroys night vision. Are there better solutions? Thanks- Dave S/V Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and help me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal .me%2Fstumurray&data=05%7C01%7C%7C722a601eeb6f45417d9d08db183b96c0%7C84df9e7 fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638130416425300367%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb 3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000 %7C%7C%7C&sdata=M6HofoOU5ePuv5sgXI3uHonE3uQJrO5qiiiX1tzGAIY%3D&reserved=0> Thanks for your help. Stu -- Sent from Gmail Mobile
Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and help me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks for your help. Stu
