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gonna try racing tomorrow

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/17/2003 : 00:05:30

Hi folks,
One of the members in my sailing club asked me to crew for him on his C22 tomorrow in a race pitting our club against another club. He has raced in C22 Nationals and apparently knows what he is doing. (It will be nice to get back on a C22 for a little bit)
So far I have resisted racing because of my lack of patience with folks who whine and protest. (We didn't have any of that in all the previous sports which I have competed in). I served on race comittee for our club a few weeks ago and I couldn't believe the whining. One guy didn't hear the horn so he demanded a whole new series of races and that the day's race comittee had to come again to put it on. Yeah, like that was going to happen. Maybe he thought he was Dennis Conner.
I even was going to buy some book on the racing rules, but when I saw the first chapter was on how to protest I decided that if that is the first thing you have to learn to race, you can have it.

So here's my questions on proper race etiquette.
Who is responsible for bringing the beer, sandwiches, and beer. The captain or crew?
Who gets first pick of the numerous sailboat racing groupies who will inevitably show up?

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2003 : 00:24:17

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Hi folks,

So far I have resisted racing because of my lack of patience with folks who whine and protest. (We didn't have any of that in all the previous sports which I have competed in). I served on race comittee for our club a few weeks ago and I couldn't believe the whining.

So here's my questions on proper race etiquette.
Who is responsible for bringing the beer, sandwiches, and beer. The captain or crew?
Who gets first pick of the numerous sailboat racing groupies who will inevitably show up?

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
A good race committee sets the tone for tolerance. If people are indulged they will abuse it.

As to etiquette, the skipper provides the goodies but he also tells you when you can have them. One of the worst rifts I ever suffered with a friend was when we were comming to a mark and needed to get ready to set the chute and he came out of the cabin with crackers and pate'. (I should have known it was a bad sign when he brought his own cooler.) Wait until the skipper tells you there is time for a snack or a beer.

<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/sigbow.jpg" border=0>Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2003 : 00:25:05

First question:
That would be the captain, if he/she wants to keep good crew.

That would be you, if you really want to guarantee you have something to eat and drink.
(The captain might be a teetotaler. I know blasphemous - sailor and teetotaler used in the same sentence. That animal doesn't really exist, does it?!)

Second question:
That would also be the privilege of the captain.

Although, letting the groupies choose might be advantageous. One might have seen your daring and skill on the foredeck work and be suitably impressed such as to bypass the superficial attraction of power that the captain may possess.

Good Luck!

John Mason
1982 - FK/SR #3290

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ppetracca
Navigator

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USA
163 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2003 : 00:32:13

Frank,

As someone who races every other weekend all year long, let me just give you some of my own experiences.

I have found that the majority of whining is done by people with the wrong approach to sailing...We race for the fun of it, to gain sailing experience and to spend time together with family and friends. If we happen to take home trophy, great. If not, no big deal. I have served on committee boat numerous times, have been cussed at and considered quitting racing. Then I realized, if I took a deep breath and remembered what is important to me I would not let others spoil the experience. A good race committee makes sure every part of the race from pre-start to course to finish is understood at the skipper's meeting before the start.

Also, skipper's should alway provide the goodies, but don't empty the cooler on him while he's at the helm. As far as dividing up available crew, our club's policy is grab them when you can...there are never too many people for the boats.

Good luck.

<img src="http://hometown.aol.com/ppetracca/images/famreduced.jpg" border=0>

Patrick Petracca
"Yankee Spirit"
#4795 fk/tr
Albuquerque, NM

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2003 : 16:37:08

I just informally "raced" with my friend in his Cal 28. It was so much fun! Instead of just tacking down the channel, every puff, every line, every angle became so critical. I did a lot of things I don't normally do (tacked much closer to the rocks, slacked halyards, adjusted jib sheet blocks, set the traveller, tilted motor up out of the water, etc.)

He spotted my about 1/4 mile and killed me upwind in light air. We were both solo (with tiller pilots).

<img src="http://www.indiscipline.org/cat25/pictures/icon.jpg" border=0>Indiscipline 1978 FK #398

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2003 : 09:45:49

Race results are in from yesterday.
First of all, I had a lot of fun, and learned a lot from my friend. I want to crew from him some more. Not only did he teach well, he explained the rationale for what he did. That's the way I learn best, knowing a rationale for an action.
We sailed his C22 and came in first in the cruising class. On raw time alone, we beat the second place boat, an Oday 25 by 21 minutes, and the second place boat, a catalina 34 by about a half hour. It was a light wind swirly day.
The only protesting and whining came in the competative racing fleet. apparently one boat crowded out another boat who had to shift to avoid a collision and then got in the way of the third boat. The third boat wanted to file a protest, and then some ya ya started.
I'll stick to the cruising class.

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2003 : 11:11:53

My son and I raced for the first time yesterday and finished last. We had to start twice! I did not realize that we were supposed to have a stagered start and we started with the Cat 22 instead of 4minutes and 35 sec after it. When I realized non of the other boats had started then I went back and started again, last. We would have beaten a Hunter 28.5 but he was not going to let that happen so he fell off at the line and forced me to duck his transom so I could not luff up and beat him. It was fun and hey its ok being the goat at the barbque the first time your out. Just wait till next year.<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

<img src="http://members.cox.net/fhopper/Catalina25/sigbow.jpg" border=0>Frank and Martha in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney

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mtiffee
1st Mate

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USA
57 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2003 : 11:32:26

Racing is a different world when it comes to sailing. Most of us sail to get out and relax and enjoy the sun on our backs and the wind in our face. While this is the primary reason I sail, I also enjoy competitive racing. It's fun to get a fleet of boats out and see who can make the fewest mistakes and squeeze every advantage out of mother nature. Not all protests are "whining." There are rules when racing and they must be followed. If someone breaks the rules, it's the duty of the skipper to protest the other boat. Just like in a football game or any sport, the rules are there to provide order and safety. If people didn't protest it would be free game out there- there are no referees. That said, there is a big difference between a Wed.. night beer can race and a one design regatta and I have seen people "whine" when most of us are just out there to have fun. I own a J/24 and a Catalina 25, both serve unique purposes. If I'm going to spend 2,500 on a mast, 3,500 on a set of sails, 4,000 on a faired dry-sailed hull and keel, topsides, 2,000 on racing hardware, etc. I'm in it to win races and if you foul me and it costs me position or endangers my crew or equipment, expect a protest.

Glad you had fun out there, you really learn a lot about sailing everytime you race.

BTW- the guy that didn't hear the horn, had no leg to stand on. The visual cue is the start of the race, not the audible cue. Whiner.

Mike
'89 TR/WK "Freelancer"
#5927

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2003 : 12:19:56

Frank,

Glad you had a good time.

Re. the guy who complained because he didn't hear the horn. Unless club rules are different, the raising of the starting flag is the signal that the race has started. The gun, or horn is a courtesy, but the visual is the real signal.

Re. refreshments. Normally, the skipper provides. But I often bring stuff for me because I don't, or rarely drink beer or other alcholic stuff, and am diabetic. So I take care of myself. But consume whatever I can from the skipper's stock.

BTW. What is your club?

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3ce31b3127cce8f8c0cbf1bca0000001010 " border=0>
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY
On the hard

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