Why not Start Racing?
You’ve sailed up to number 3 buoy, explored the cliffs at number 8 and run aground near number 7. You’ve done “camp and sail”, Friday evening, ladies night and “fun events”. So now what . . .
Let’s face it, although Grebe Lake is a great facility in such a land locked part of the country, it doesn’t offer endless vistas for the cruising sailor. So how can you improve your boat handling skills and get a stimulating challenge every week? Simple answer: Go Racing.
“But,” I hear you cry, “I don’t know the rules, I’m not good enough, it all looks very aggressive and I may even get in the way!”
The key thing to remember is that all the people who charge up and down on Sundays shouting at each other were all in your position once, some not that long ago. Whilst it may appear that we all take it very seriously (and some do – some would say far too seriously!) on the whole it is very friendly and we will all cut the newbie some slack, also there are special races for people who want to just try it out.
If you give it a go you will be surprised how quickly you will improve your pointing, tacking and gybing, because despite not being the “competitive type” and “only doing it for fun” you will strive to improve your times. Remember if you cruise you can choose to change your course, with racing you have to sail a certain course, this improves you sailing ability no end.
“OK,” you say “but how do I start?”
1. Dig out the club calendar. You will see that each Sunday has 3 or 4 races scheduled to start at certain times. These races combine over a number of weeks to make up series. There are several series throughout the year and cups are awarded for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in a series. Races are of a certain type and the type is denoted by a letter code. The number refers to the number of the race in the series. The letters are:
- H – Handicap
All boats start at the same time and race against all the others irrespective of boat type. Each Class of boat is given a handicap number and this is used to adjust the helms’ results to account for differences in typical performance of the different boat types. In this way a well sailed but slower type of boat can beat a poorly sailed but faster boat even though the faster boat appears to finish ahead. Results are calculated on an “average lap” basis, meaning that even if the super fast boat sails 5 laps and you sail 3 it’s the adjusted average lap time that counts. - P – Pursuit
These races use the same handicap system as handicap races but with slower boats being started first according to handicap value. The idea this time being that, if all else is equal, everyone will finish at the same time. - PH – Personal Handicap
This is similar to the Handicap, but a further adjustment is applied to results based on the individual’s typical performance. In this way a less accomplished helm having a good day can beat an expert having a bad day even though the more experienced helm appears to finish ahead. Needless to say the calculation of the personal handicap figures is a black art and subject to much discussion . . . - L – Laser
This is a straight class race, first past the post, open to sailors of Laser 1s only. This is the class of race where most of the “on the water discussion” occurs. - N – Novice
This is a race open to new racers, it uses the same principles as the Handicap - JN – Junior Novice
Same as Novice but open to under 16s only.
2. Decide which race you want to take part in, organise a crew (if needed), and turn up at the club in plenty of time. You should be aiming to be there at least 30mins before the advertised start time.
3. Rig your boat and get changed.
4. You need to ‘sign on’. There is always a sheet in the race hut (that rickety shed on the end of the patio) and you will need to enter your name, the boat class and sail number and the name of your crew (if any).
5. On the board outside the hut the course will be displayed. A bell should be rung when the course is finalised after which it is safe to examine it. The board will have red and green number boards inserted in it. The numbers are the buoys and the colours denote which side of your boat should be closest to the buoy when you go round it (green for starboard, red for port, obviously). There is also a board that denotes the number of laps to be raced and another that has a map of the lake with the numbered buoys and a string to show the route. You need to note down the course. I find post-it notes good, but biro on the back of the hand works just as well.
6. Once you have the course you can launch. It’s probably worth doing this in plenty of time so you can warm up before the race.
7. Once on the water find the start (the committee boat will nearly always be at one end of it and another buoy will be at the other). The first leg of the course will usually be a beat directly into the wind.
8. The count down and start are denoted by a sequence of hooters and flags going up and down
- 5 mins before the start. Hooter. Class flag goes up
- 4 Mins before. Hooter. Another flag goes up
- 1 Min Before . Hooter, 2nd Flag comes down
- Start – Hooter, Class Flag comes down.
- The start is the point at which you will most likely come into contact with the main fleet, in the early days it’s probably best to hang back a little (not too much, though) and always try and start on a starboard tack
9. You are now racing! Whilst the rule book is full of complications initially you should be able to get by on a few simple rules
- Port gives way to Starboard – boats on a port tack (boom to the Starboard side) give way to boats on Starboard tack (boom to the Port side)
- Windward boat – boats to windward, i.e. more up-wind, have to give way to leeward boats, when they are on the same tack.
- Water at the mark – inside boats at a buoy can ask for room to round the buoy from outside boats if they were “overlapped” (i.e. the bow of inside boat was ahead of the stern of the outside boat) at 2 boats lengths out from the buoy.
10. Depending on the type of race the finish will be declared as you cross the line (you will hear a hooter). This may be preceded by the hoisting of the ‘S’ flag (white with blue middle) which tells racers that the next time they cross the line they will be finished. A pursuit race will be finished by the committee boat steaming round hooting at you.
11. Some races are “back to back”, e.g. the morning races. This means if you want to race the second race of the day you stay on the water and wait for the next start sequence.
12. When you do come off the water you will need to remember to “sign off” i.e. sign the “signing on” sheet to declare you have abided by all the rules (or at least the three you know about).
13. Results are worked out and posted on the clubhouse notice board before the end of the day and eventually they are posted on the website.
Initially you will probably follow the fleet round. This is actually an opportunity; watch how close to the wind they can sail, where they tack, etc. It won’t be long before you are mixing it with the tail-enders, and after that . . .
