Wednesday, April 27, 2011

PYC Small Boats on Facebook

In addition to this blog, PYC Small Boats has a Facebook page which we'll use for posting more immediate information than can be found on this blog.

Something I'll do is post to facebook when I'm planning race on a given evening, Monday nights, or any other time. Glenn Gardner is doing this as well. Also, whenever your at the club please use the facebook group to post wind/sailing conditions. It will help people decide whether they should make that long drive on a questionable Monday evening, or even spark some ad-hoc racing on other days when a few people decide to show up

Racing Start Video

Here's a neat link on small boat racing starts. Rabbit Starts show up at about 7:20.

Rabbit Starts

On nights when we don't get many boats, I think it's good to use rabbit starts, rather than asking someone to sit in the RC boat.

One boat is designated to serve as the "Rabbit". All other boats stay downwind of the "Rabbit" prior to the start. The "Rabbit" rounds a designated "Starting Mark" (possibly the leeward mark) at or just before the starting signal and starts sailing close-hauled on a port tack.

The starting line is defined on one end by the mark and on the other end by the aft-most point on the "Rabbit". All other boats cross this starting line and once across, have started.

Once all the other boats have started, but no later than 1 minute after the starting signal, the "Rabbit" is free to tack to starboard if the skipper so chooses.

Boats that find themselves to windward and unable to cross behind the "Rabbit" as well as boats that did not start before the "Rabbit" tacks to starboard, will be considered "OCS" (on the course side of the starting line at start) and must round the pin end of the starting line (keeping the mark to port) in order to be counted as a starter. During this maneuver, the OCS vessel must keep clear of all boats who have properly started.

Elapsed time starts counting at the starting signal.