Log - Oct 17, 2015 - Frostbiting

I've never really gone frostbiting before, but that all changed last Saturday.

Forecast/Observations: At about 3°C and wind blowing stank from NE, it looked like I might not be out on the water for too long.

Focus: Last sail of the season (closing day in a week) so I'm just going to have fun.

Having researched cold-weather sailing, I came prepared with the following:
- normal boots (I didn't have any neoprene socks, but could have used them
- 7mm wetsuit (lower and upper)
- my trusty red base-layer under the wet suit
- knit hat
- gloves
- windbreaker over PFD

which turned out to be enough for the hour or so we were out.  Full gloves rather than those with fingers cut off are recommended for next time

Went out with Mike T and Ken S in Lasers.  As I was wearing my 7mm wetsuit, I couldn't move particularly well (especially with the upper on).  But at least I was warm (yay touque!).  As a first for me, the boat blew off the dolly while I was launching (I had the centreboard in the cockpit, which was snagging the mainsheet, which meant the main was sheeted in).

Lesson learned - make sure main is free when launching, especially in high wind

Was going on a close reach (no close-hauled) to Quebec shore, and blasting along.   I actually had trouble sheeting in all the way (which meant I had trouble putting the vang on).  I should probably have headed up and applied the kicker, but just dealt with the weather helm instead.

The wind seemed constant across the river, but the waves were definitely bigger and more chaotic on the Ontario side.  Thus, I'd typically go up to Quebec, tack, head on a broad reach to Ontario.  I was practicing getting "into" the groove of the waves, but capsized several times on gusts (I didn't have an angle-limiting knot in my mainsheet, so a few times the main went past 90).

Three or four swims later and I called it on account of cold.  Back at the club, the hail started to fall while I was de-rigging - wish I had a camera.  I had a nice 12 year old scotch waiting for us, which helped to warm the toes.

Log - Sept 5-6, 2015 - KSC Open In an Albacore

Labour Day Weekend is the traditional time for the KSC Open Regatta.  Albacores and Lasers from across the globe (well, us and NSC) convene to battle for suppremecy.

Saturday Light to very light winds.

Race 1: We arrived at the club late, and had some issues rigging the boat.  Primary that the boom was too long for the sail, and the outhaul couldn't be attached properly.  We did a poor jib jury-rigging it but it definitely affected our sail shape.  There was a bit of wind, but not tonnes.

We started in the middle of the pack, and took the starboard tack.  One by one the other boats started tacking, and we aimed to keep in the pack.  Due to crew limitations, the tacks were not executed efficiently, and between that and a slow boat we soon gave way.  Finished last of the Albacores, but we beat the Lasers.

Unfortunately, my crew wasn't feeling very well.  I took her up to the cottage, and didn't race in races 2-4 (which apparently had more wind...)

Sunday: Light to very light winds

Single handed today.  I made some repairs ashore -- added a line to extend the outhaul, rigged the main properly, used tap to fix a few holes in the mainsail, etc.  Also, carrying a whisker pole today.

Race 5 - A bad tack just as the race was starting meant that I was near the back of the pack, fighting with Ken for 2nd-last place.  Ken had more boat speed than I did on the upwind, but started later and I rounded the windward mark first.

I made a mistake here -- I mistook a lull for a wind shift, and set the whisker pole for wing-on-wing.  After a few minutes I realized my mistake, and moved the jib back to a reaching position.  Ken made up several boat lengths, and had mark room at the gybe mark

On the second reach we played leapfrog.  The wind was almost directly behind us, and it came down to whom could read the shift first to get the sails on the correct side of the boat.  Ken happened to be in front when we rounded and the race was called FOC.

Race 6 - a storm blew through between race 5 and 6, and the course shifted 90+ degrees.  This was FUN.  I actually had to hike...  Then the wind died before the next race :(

Again, a bad start.  The "upwind" leg was actually a close-hauled leg on port, and the "reaching" leg was oscillating between a starboard reach and dead-upwind.  The wind died, but I went to the port side "top" of the course as I saw air there.  I made up some distance from my bad start, but didn't catch Ken and Corinne.

Lessons learned: Rig the boat up WELL beforehand, to make time for repairs.  Stay very close to the line in very light airs.

KSC Racing Meeting Minutes

Racing is a week away!  In prep, some of the racers held a meeting at the club with the sailing director (Jake) and the ever-awesome Mario.

The end results of the discussion:

• we want sailing instructions to be a bit more formal -- closer to what you'd see at a real regatta
• we'll divide the season into 3 sets of 5 race nights -- we'll try the new instructions out, and can adjust them for the second series
• we'll "draw" boats at the skipper meeting -- no more first come, first serve
• 1st race warning time of 5:45
• we'll sail with the cats and 29ers on the same course, albeit  with different starts
• for the 2nd and 3rd series, the plan is to have the cats and skiffs sail a longer windward/leeward course, but...
• scoring: now no difference between skipper and crew scoring

All in all, I think the changes are good.   I'm mostly looking forward to a fixed start time, and getting more races in.