Tacticat

For those of you who enjoy virtual sailboat racing, as opposed to the real thing, do try out Tacticat an internet simulator of tactical racing around the buoys.

Tacticat is a multi-user game where sailors meet, race, and learn. The creators have made every effort to re-create the conditions of an around-the-buoys race, trying to face the users with the same tactical questions they would normally find in reality. Tacticat was originally for fast catamarans, but now includes Lasers. Laser simulation is based on the boat's polars, acceleration and shape and has incorporated the planing effect and by-the-lee sailing to the previous cat-sailing simulation. Rumor has it that sailing blogger Litoralis was consulted on the design of the Laser sailing version and that he can be found regularly racing in the Tacticat Laser fleet

My initial impression is that Tacticat has less broccoli and more heroin than Second Life. You have been warned.

Inspiration

Check out One Year Later ... an account by Carol Anne of Five O'Clock Somewhere of her transition during the last year from "a cruising sailor with a MacGregor 26, middle aged, dumpy" (her description not mine) to an avid racer, Etchells owner and Adams Cup competitor. She credits this blog as at least partly responsible for her new approach to sailing -- "Tillerman, it's all your fault" -- but if you read the full story you will discover that her inspiration really comes from the support of some wonderful sailing friends, the backing of an amazingly generous husband (a racing keelboat as a gift for Valentine's Day Pat? What were you thinking? How are we other husbands supposed to match that?) and the special charms of her Etchells, "the sexiest boat on the lake".

Carol Anne's post set me to thinking. Who inspired me to take up sailing? And for those of you reading this post (most of whom are boaters of some kind, I suspect) who inspired you to take up the sport or to follow your current direction in boating? It might be a parent or other role model, a friend, a famous sailor, a writer, maybe even a fictional character.

So I thought it might be fun to develop a composite post with links to stories about all the folk who have inspired others to take up sailing or other watery sports. Please help me to achieve this by writing a post on your blog about the person that inspired you (with or without their real name -- it's up to you) and send me an email at tillermeister@gmail.com telling me where to find your story. A week from now, on or around Monday 18 December, I will write a post with links to all the stories you send me and then we can all compare the diverse sources of our inspirations to take up water sports.

Xmas Gift for Laser Sailors

Everybody loves Laser sailors, right? You know them. They are the tall, sun-tanned, super-fit, handsome, most helpful and friendliest guys at your yacht club. Even those yahoos at Sailing Anarchy love us. Not!

Oh well, if that's not entirely true than everyone who reads this blog loves one particular Laser sailor, right? Your son, daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, girlfriend, boyfriend, whatever. At least one of them must be a Laser sailor. There are a lot of us.

So what are you going to buy your Laser sailor this holiday season? Here is one suggestion that he or she is sure to appreciate.

Laser Clew Sleeve and Hook.

Only recently approved for use on the Laser (after the 1 December 2006 amendment to the Laser Class Rules), the Laser Clew Sleeve is an all-in-one solution to rigging the outhaul and clew tie-down. Produced by Harken, a combination of low friction metal sleeving and a ball bearing block facilitates easy outhaul adjustment, especially in light air. Extensive development went into this particular design, and the hook is designed to not allow unwanted release of the sail while still allowing quick release during rigging and derigging. The makers claim that, even though it is a metal sleeve riding up and down a metal boom, it should not produce any noticeable wear on the surface of the boom. It's brand new. Every Laser sailor will want one. Makes the perfect gift. Available in the USA from APS and other dealers.

All Racing Abandoned Today

Whenever I try and take a still photo of the sea in strong wind, what my eye sees as scary monster waves with breaking foaming crests always come out in the photo as a few scattered wimpy pathetic ripples. So when I see a photo like the one above I know that it was wicked weather for small sailboat racing.

Thanks to Yachts and Yachting for the photo accompanying an article about why the final weekend of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series 2006 was abandoned.

Reluctantly, the race officers were forced to decide on abandonment, and the wisdom of their decision was seen when the wind peaked at more than 50 knots during the period when racing would have been taking place. Safety considerations had to come first, particularly at this time of the year.

Look! No Rudder!

All of us who sail small boats know that the best way to steer the boat is to use the shape of the hull, not the rudder, right? Heel to windward to bear away; heel to leeward to head up. The rudder is a brake. Sure. We all know it, but do we use that knowledge all the time?

I found out while spending a week in a Laser class under the guidance of an excellent instructor at Minorca Sailing in October that I have some issues in this area. I thought I was using heel to help steer the boat all of the time but Ian Coppenhall (a.k.a. Comet), the instructor, helped me identify three situations in which I was not heeling to windward when I wanted to bear away.

Windward Mark. The camera does not lie. And when our class was captured on video executing windward mark roundings it was obvious that I was sailing around the mark with the boat totally flat and using only the rudder to make the boat turn. Slow, slow, slow. Must remember to move my weight back and out to heel the boat to windward and use minimum amount of rudder.

Starts. The day that Ian taught the class about racing starts, his talk covered pretty standard stuff. Favored end. Transit. Hole to leeward. Yeah, yeah. I know all that. So I asked him for some more detailed information on exactly what he did in the final 30 seconds before the start. His answer was every bit as detailed as I had hoped. Blow by blow, every move he makes, second by second. But what was that? At seven seconds before the start, he said, he heels to windward to bear away into that nice gap to leeward that he has created for himself. Ahah. There it is again. I'm sure I don't do that. I bear away using the rudder and if I don't have steerage I scull frantically (and probably illegally). Must remember that. Heel to windward to bear away just before the start.

Heavy Air Gybes. The Tuesday afternoon of our first week in Menorca was wild. It was blowing 25 to 30 knots with gusts around 35 and I was psyched up to race in those conditions. I headed out in my Laser to the start area and played around in the waves for a while, waiting for the other boats to come out. Some of the other sailors seemed to be having trouble keeping their masts pointing at the sky long enough to sail more than 100 yards from the beach. After about twenty minutes it was obvious that most folk wouldn't be able to race in these conditions and an instructor passing by in a RIB confirmed my assumption that the usual afternoon racing had been cancelled.

"Is it OK if I stay out and play?"

"Sure. Just stay up this end of the bay."

"OK."

So I started blasting around and riding the waves. After a while Ian came out in a RIB and followed along behind me. Gave me some tips on how best to catch the waves. So I thought I would show off and practice some gybes. Bore away to a run in a huge gust and tried to complete the gybe. Couldn't get the boat to bear away any further and somehow managed to broach and capsize. After I had recovered and caught my breath, Ian explained what I had done wrong. Of course. Have to heel that baby to windward if you want it to turn in these conditions. Normally I do roll the boat into a gybe but I guess it was sheer terror and cowardice (born from way too many death rolls over the last 25 years) that had frozen my brain in the stronger winds.

So I've been spending some time in practice sessions, in Menorca and since returning home, to try and break my old habits and create new ones. On windy days doing lots of gybes, with windward heel. In any conditions doing simulated starts and windward mark roundings, using windward heel.

I do get it right in practice now. Just have to remember to do it right in actual races too.

Look Ma! No Rudder!

Virtual Broccoli

Second Life sure ain't like heroin as I first suspected. It's a bit more like broccoli.

Yes, I finally succumbed to the spin from Zephyr and Soulsailor and tried out Second Life a few times. Signed up, walked in, chose an avatar, adjusted my clothing, and then started exploring. Found I could fly and teleport to anywhere I wanted. Except that a lot of areas seem to be private and out-of-bounds but I guess that's true in the real world too.

Found some weird museum and someone to show me around but she said the escalators were broken so we couldn't visit all the floors. Just like real technology. Then found some kind of club but when I tried to chat to some of the folk twitching around they just ignored me. One later sent me an email saying he was "afk" which I gather means he was away from the keyboard. So it seems that a lot of the avatars that look alive in Second Life aren't actually connected all of the time to people in the real world at all. Reminded me of the sixties.

Started to explore the shoreline looking for boats. Found a marina with some cool yachts in it. But whenever I went on one of the yachts it said that only the owner could sail it. Wandered around but there was nobody there so I couldn't ask anyone if I could go and sail with them. Hmmm. Marina full of boats and nobody using them. Just like the real world.

Found some other place by the shore. Some cool-looking waterfront properties and a beach bar. Came across a guy with an awfully familiar name but he said he was too busy to talk to me. OK. No problem dude. Or "np" as we second lifers say.

Went back the next day and found a beach. Sat down and started chatting to someone on the beach but then got a message, something about the simulator I was in was shutting down. Guess it was some kind of technical problem. Life's a beach and then it dies.

Next day I met a couple who owned a yacht. They took me for a sail. Almost immediately the yacht capsized just like a dinghy. I didn't know how to rescue or help the couple. So I flew back to their dock and sat in their hot tub and watched the yacht capsizing again and again. Weird.

Wandered around some more but when I went back to the home of the yachtie couple there was no yacht and no people. Did they drown? Can you die in Second Life? If you die, do you move on to Third Life?

So all in all it was a somewhat disappointing experience. It was like broccoli. Some folk say it's good for you and some folk think it's tasty but it just doesn't do anything for me. Maybe I'm missing the genetic mutation that makes broccoli taste delicious? Maybe I don't care. Don't think I will be going back to Second Life.

Time to work on some real world stuff like talking to a real realtor about selling my real house in the real world so I can move real near to the real ocean and my real granddaughter, and then go for a real sail in a real boat on some real water in some real wind.

Reality is way better than virtual broccoli. I hate broccoli.

Laser Frostbite Conversations

You look pensive.
I was just looking at my compass - do you know which way is south?
Hmmm - well the sun is there, so south is over there.
Not quite. It's that way.
Strange.
Yeah - I always think that the mainland over there is due north.
And that the river runs north-south, but it doesn't.
Hmmm.
So you use a compass for frostbite racing?
Yeah I can never judge headers by looking at landmarks on the shore because they are different at different places on the beat.
Hmmm - good point - maybe I should try using one too. Thanks for the tip.

Will you hold my boat while I take the dollies?
OK.
The tide's going out, right?
Yeah.
OK so I don't need to take them too far up the beach.

What are you looking at?
I see your deck is more grey than mine. What year is your boat?
2005. What's yours?
1995.
It's in great condition.
Thanks.
Good luck out there.
You too.

So how did you do in that race?
OK.
Which way did you go?
Right. I think the tide favors that side.
Yeah, but the wind looked stronger on the left.
Hmmm.

Does this race have a time limit?
40 minutes, I think.
What is it now?
About 30 minutes.
Wonder if we will finish on time?
Are we actually racing?
I'm not I'm just drifting in the current.
This is hopeless.
Yeah look at my telltale. Light cassette tape and it's hanging straight down.
Hey, is that a ripple?
Maybe.

We just crossed a current line.
What?
Back there. Look.
Oh yeah.
So what does that mean. Is the current stronger now?
Yeah.
Meaning it's moving us more to the right?
Yeah.
OK - thanks. Hmmm.

Sorry about that incident. I did my circle and recrossed the finish line.
OK - thanks.
I should know by now it's a stupid move to finish on port tack on a short line in a crowded fleet at the port end of the line when the committee boat is there. I did it once last year too. Should have learned my lesson. Duh. Stupid move, I had nowhere to go.
Yeah. I had nowhere to go either. Couldn't avoid you.
That's OK. It was my fault.

You had a good day today.
Yeah - got a new sail - seemed to make the difference.
Maybe it's time I got a new sail too. How often do you change them?
About every two years.
What do you do with the old ones?
Use them for practice.
Give a couple away when I sell an old boat.
Dumpster.
Hmmm. Maybe I should change my sail - it's had two years of good use. Actually I think I need a new boat.

Hey, why are you taking your boat home? Don't you know there is racing next week?
Yeah. I'm taking it home to get some practice in on a lake near my home.
Ha. Good answer.
See you next week.
Sure.

Cold Water Kills

Went down to the reservoir yesterday.

Met this guy who
was windsurfing there
two weeks ago.

He looked cold.

Here he is
reading a sign
near the launch area.

What does the sign say?

Hmmm.

COLD WATER KILLS

I went for a blast in my Laser anyway.

The windsurfer sat in his car
and watched me.

On one occasion
I was "suddenly immersed in cold water"
to quote the sign.

It didn't kill me.

You're Never Too Old

"We don't stop sailing because we get old.
We get old because we stop sailing."

Couldn't have put it better to myself. The quote is by a 75-year-old, Bas Messenger, who has just started sailing a Streaker. Full story at Yachts and Yachting.

You go Bas.

Laser Training Advice

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post Commitment Questions which contrasted training for running and for sailing events, and raised some questions on how to prepare for a major sailing championship.

Dan Kim from Adrift at Sea offered some observations on the differences between running and sailing and Orion told us about his experience in combining the two sports. Kin wisely commented, "Maybe it's important that in sailing one has to think, and it is how well you sail, not where you finish," and Matt, also a sailor and a runner, advised, "Train hard, believe in yourself, and you will know that however you finish in either event, you prepared as well as you could have given resources and time." Thanks to both of you for the words of support.

More detailed advice was provided by two other Laser Master sailors: Vann who talked about his preparation for the 2005 Masters Worlds in Brazil, and Ari who hatched a unique plan to prepare for the first Masters Worlds after he turns 45.

Here's what Vann did...

1. Sailed late afternoons four days a week for nearly a year. I gather that Vann is based on the west coast of the USA. It's tougher where I live with its more extreme winters to follow such a program through the winter. Not exactly easy to sail when the water is solid. Just means I will have to do even more sailing when the water is liquid to keep up with guys like Vann.

2. Attended a few high quality regattas but planned on more practice than regattas. Also my plan. Depending on when the Masters Worlds are held (currently uncertain) I ought to be able to sail the Laser North Americans (Hyannis - June) and Canadian Championship (Ontario - also June).

3. Also attended one three day laser clinic with two top notch coaches. I do have a clinic planned for early in 2007.

Vann confesses that he fell short of his goal and discussed what he would have done differently...

1. Sail some practice days in a venue that had the expected conditions. Hmmm, would love to do that but we don't know yet where the 2007 Masters Worlds will be.

2. Practice boat handling around the corners. I've been doing some practice in recent weeks on tacks, gybes and mark roundings based on feedback from my instructor in Menorca who spotted some of my faults in these areas. (Which reminds me I need to write some more posts on this topic; there were more faults than I have so far confessed here.)

3. Regardless of the goal it is good to spend some time in practice sailing with someone who you believe is above the level of the goal you have made for yourself. Good tip Vann. Need to work on setting that up.

4. Sail at least one big regatta that uses the trapezoid course. This type course requires a lot of buoys making it confusing. Adding to the confusion, there are often two races going on simultaneously using the same buoys; one group using an inner trap while the other uses an outer. He's so right. Even good sailors sometimes get lost on trapezoid courses. At the Masters Worlds in Mexico in 2000, several dozen sailors went the wrong way in the practice race. I've sailed a few regattas on these course in previous years and no doubt the major championships before the Worlds next summer will have trapezoid courses so I think I should be in good shape on this issue.

5. Finally, the most important thing is fitness. Yeah, yeah, I know. I have started a fitness program but I do need to ramp it up and get more serious.

Thanks Vann. Great advice.

And to finish, here's Ari's approach...

Hire an elite coach, buy 15 Lasers, open a Laser Training Center and persuade some of the best Laser Open competitors to come and train there.

Wow. Now that's what I call creative!

If you have any comment on these comments about my comments then please leave a comment in the comments section.