From the Captain
By Mike Hibbs

Another winter month has passed us by and with it we're a little closer to the spring launching of the boats. I am sure that everyone is thinking about what needs to get done on their respective boats and lining up some time and boat units to do it. I know I am.

Meeting March 23^rd, 11am .  As I stated in the last two newsletters, I want to call a meeting this month.  Saturday, March 23rd, 11:00am at Bob and Gails house.  Please RSVP to me at (503) 658-8522.  We will be doing a potluck Brunch that day, so please bring along a dish to share.

Directions

We will be covering several topics that day. There will be some housekeeping business as well as this year's planning of trips on the Columbia, Puget Sound and other points of interest. We'll also talk about the upcoming swap meets (possibly have a table), and about the racing season as well.

All are invited even if you do not actually think that you will be able to make many events. It would be a great way to meet some new people and ask questions.  Many members are very willing to help out when it comes your boat, and it is always a fun time to talk about boats and experiences.  I also want to remind everyone that it would be a good opportunity to renew you membership and pay this years dues of $10.00.

The New Racing Rules.  Apparently the new racing rules that we are to follow this year have more to do with the starts than anything else. Last year we had 10 minute starts but this year we will have 5 minute starts and each class will not have to necessarily start in sequence.

Last year we started in the 10 minute sequence, each class started each ten minutes until all classes were started. There was no room to hold up a class due to a barge coming through or a wind shift or other such reason.

Now this year, each class will have a 5 minute start and can be started independently of the other class starts. No longer will there be a necessary ongoing starting sequence. The new starting rules can be seen on-line at:

www.ussailing.org/racemgt/rule_26_starting/index.htm

Here's what the starting sequence looks like:

Then each class will start again through this process until all have started. This actually makes more sense to me and I think it will get us all off the line faster without trying to dodge everyone any more than needed.

There are also some other rules that will be in effect with these new racing rules. UK sail makers has an excellent web site with animation and explanations all laid out. Go to www.uksailmakers.com and click on the race quizzes.  There are 8 or 9 quizzes there and all have a good point to drive home. It is worth the time to see these.

May the wind always fill your sails and your days be long.

More Fleet 20 History
By Dale Mack

Many of you know that I'm active in the Columbia River All Catalina Association where I currently serve as the Communications Officer for the association and publish their web-based newsletter.  While glancing through the CRACA roster I noticed the name Ralph Ahseln which I had seen in some Fleet 20 records.  To my email questions of whether he had ever owned a Catalina 22, and had he been Fleet 20 Captain, Ralph answered:

From:      Ralph Ahseln
Sent:       Saturday, February 09, 2002 3:05 PM
Subject:  Fleet 20

Hi Dale,

You bet.  I loved my Catalina 22.  Sort of wish I still had it.  The boat was named "Oblio" just like my C27 and gosh I can't remember the hull number.    A buddy of mine bought it and it still sails the Columbia.  Dark blue hull, now named "Heron"

I was Fleet Captain, but really for only 1995.  Early in 1996 I bought the C27 and resigned from Fleet 20.  I know that Mainsheet had my name in the roster for at least a year more.

After mid-year 1996 I sort of lost track of the C22 gang.  Most of the old timers had gone.  I think Kelly Martin was the only one I knew who was still around.

Ralph

After a few email exchanges in February will various current and former members, I've been able to update the list of past Fleet 20 Captains.

Since starting my quest to reconstruct a little Fleet 20 history, Bill Sanborn, past Fleet Captain from 1989, has offered some help.  Squirreled away in Bill's attic may be a box of articles he wrote and some old fleet newsletters.  Stay tuned for the ever unrolling saga of Fleet 20 history revealed;-)) 

Launchings
By Dale Mack

Congratulations to Russell & Maureen Lippert (C22, Windrider, #12982) on the purchase of their Catalina 30.  I ran into Russ at Sailboats of Oregon where he was refinishing the bottom after having the boat trucked to Portland from Puget Sound.  A picture and Russ and Maureen was featured in our May 2001 newsletter as they we getting ready to launch Windrider.

Russ actually saw me first, I had just exited the office after paying my yard bill when I heard someone in the boatyard shout "Dale", I looked down and here is this blue Smurf looking up at me (the imagery ought to give you a sense of all the sanding Russ was doing in preparation for painting).  Russ and I had a nice talk as he told the story of finding the boat and finally bring it to Portland.

Laura and I are also the proud owners of a new boat, thanks in part to Terry Annis who pointed us in the right direction.  Late in January the Mack's flew down to San Diego to close the deal and prepare our 1996 Catalina 30 MKIII for transport north.  

To say the sail along the San Diego waterfront in the middle of winter was wonderful would be an understatement.  After several weeks of rain in the Portland/Vancouver area, it was exciting to be in seventy degree weather under clear skies.  Laura, Sean, and I spent four beautiful days in San Diego, sailing and sightseeing.  LegoLand, Sea World, Old Town, and Seaport Village were just a few of the destinations.   Some of the on the water sights included the Star of India, the trimaran from the Water World movie, and Dennis Conner's Stars & Strips America Cup boat.

We've named our new boat Celtic Myst (pronounced Keltic Mist) and have it moored in Tomahawk Bay Moorage, slip F9.  Additional pictures of the boat are available on our website at www.Celtic-Myst.net.

While my cruising days on C22's are probably done, I'm hoping to continue racing by crewing this season.  Next season who knows, if the right C22 came along at the right price with the right partner(s).  Laura has already said she'd be interested in attending the 2003 C22 Nationals if they are held on Cascade Lake in Idaho.  So, now all I've got to do is find a ride or supply my own.

Winter Cruising
By Dale Mack

Ok, maybe I haven't done any C22 winter time cruising in Portland.  The wet and the cold is a pretty good deterrent.  Unlike California where Laura and I spent both the day after Thanksgiving and New Year's Day on San Francisco Bay, here in the Northwest we tend to dream about the coming season and rejoice in attending the January boat shows.

Our fleet's March 23 meeting at Bob and Gail's represents the fleet's traditional spring planning meeting for everything from cruising to racing .  While a few perennial events reemerge every year, deciding what to do as a group with the prime sailing season from May through September is always flexible.

Most of us will only attend two or three fleet activities over the course of a year, and some of us will attend none.  And then there those who'll attend the fleet's three meetings (Spring, Summer, Winter), all ten Spring and Summer Series races, the One-Design Regatta, the Spring Rendezvous, the Fourth of July Rendezvous, the weeklong San Juan Island's cruise, the August Rendezvous, and the St. Helens race/cruise.  Fleet 20's causal come as you are attitude seems to fit with most members' busy lives.  Whether it's an on the water raft up or a shore side rendezvous, we usually try to sprinkle enough of these activities throughout the year so folks can pick and choose what fits their schedules.

I hope you'll consider attending the March 23rd potluck Brunch.  It's always a great social get together, and it really energizes you for the coming season.

Racing Starts Next Month
By Dale Mack 

Mike McGrath and I attended a special Race Management Seminar hosted by the Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO) on February 21st.  One of the messages they wanted to make sure got out was the decision this year to NOT allow on-the-water registrations (click here for more).

The Catalina 22's are now known as fleet H2 inside the SYSCO identification system instead of fleet J1 as in past years.  The Cal 20's are fleet H1.

During the meeting I took several notes I thought might be of interest to racers even though the seminar was geared toward Race Committees (RC).

Race Committee Roles and Responsibilities

• SYSCO recommends the RC have a minimum of five people, six would be better
• The RC should be on station 30-45 minutes before the first warning (no later than 6 pm)
• The Boston Whaler mark boat Pancho should go out early and scout the wind (5 pm)
• Pancho's operator must be a SYSCO member for insurance reasons.
• Race Committee Jobs include:
  • Principal Race Officer (PRO).  Chief executive of the race committee team.  Makes the major race management decisions.
  • Recorder.  Identifies and records all boats starting and finishing, including competitors who do not complete the race.
  • Timer.  Calls the time sequence aloud so the start and finish can be properly run.
  • Sounder.  In charge of sound signals
  • Signaler.  Signals information to competitors through visual signals from the race committee boat (i.e flags).
  • Line Sighter.  Sights starting line to identify boats over early and tracks boats returning for a proper start.  Sights finish line to determine order and moment of finish.

The Race Course

• Set a windward/leeward course
• Avoid intermediate marks.  For example, if you're going from "14" to "2", don't throw in an intermediate leg like "14" to "R" to "2"  (number and letters refer to OCSA course chart).
• First leg should be a beat
• Marks X, A, and UA have a lot of flexibility in placement in the north or south direction without effecting the length of a race.
• Marks B and C also have flexibility in their placement
• Think about setting a course that can be shortened if the wind should die.
• Avoid long downwind legs
• Consider resetting the starting line if the wind shifts
• Set the starting line so it is perpendicular to the wind
• With a steady northwest wind and good course is C-2-C-2-C
• Make sure everyone has to make at least one tack to reach the mark
• If you want to set an R-C course, think about setting a high (upstream) B instead of a low C (compensation for the current)
• Think about getting a boat to head up into the wind twenty minutes before the start so the line can be adjusted.
• Starting line length should be 1-1.5 times the combined length of the largest fleet.
• You can set a shorter finish line
• The finish line should be squared to the last mark
• Be mindful of tug traffic
• Set "R" downstream of course charted position

Starting Sequence

• Class flags will be numerals (International Code Flags). SYSCO will  not actually use them as class flags, but instead will use them as "Start" flags.  What this means is when you go by the course board to get your start number and course, a numeral flag will later be used as the warning signal for the start of your race.
• SYSCO will overlap starts.  When one start flag drops, the next start flag goes up (known as rolling starts).
• Come Within Hail.  Dropping this flag will let folks know the start is coming.
• One minute after the postponement flag drops the class flag can go up.
• Class flags will be anything the RC says it will be.
• SYSCO will have the general recalled fleet/start go to the end of the starting sequence.
• If the general recall fleet/start can't get clear of the starting area then the RC should postpone the next race.
• Try to make the one minute warning horn signal a long blast.

Recorder Keeping

• No on the water registration is to be accepted
• If someone hands in a registration, ask them if they had called Larry Johnson (SYSCO Race Captain) and note their response on the registration form.
• The RC isn't to accept any money
• SYSCO must have an entry form/release before any boat can race.  Those pre-registered to race that night will be contained in the race paperwork Larry will leave on Pancho.
• Race Permits will be handed out by the RC to all participants the first night.
• Identify boat with their sail number.
• Make note of protest flags in notes section of the race sheets
• Validate that everyone finished
• Leave everything in the race box.  Larry will pick up the results from Pancho
• A few abbreviations
  • DNC - Did Not Compete.  The score given to a boat that is entered in a race but does not show up in the starting area.
  • DNF - Did Not Finish.  The score given to a boat that starts the race but does not finish.
  • DNS - Did Not Start.  The score given to a boat that is in the starting area but does not start the race properly.
  • DSQ - Disqualified.  The score of a boat that, after a protest hearing, is given a penalty of disqualification by the protest committee. 
  • OCS - On Course Side.  A score given to a boat that has crossed the starting line before the starting signal and that does not return to start properly.

The Duties of a Race Committee
By Dale Mack

March 27-28.  The Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) will be hosting its free Race Management Clinic on March 27-28. This informative two evening seminar is not just for race committees.  The seminar will focus on the planning and coordination involved in putting on a sailboat race.

Portland Yacht Club (PYC)
1241 N.E. Marine Drive   Portland, OR 97211
503-285-1922 or 503-283-7004

Starts at 6:30 pm

I highly recommend this clinic.  Nothing reinforces your knowledge as a racer than learning how to put on a race.

Practice Racing on the Columbia River
By Dale Mack

April 4-5.  The Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO) will be hosting its SYSCO Race Clinic.  A Thursday evening chalkboard session will include topics on basic rules, starting procedures, protests, and local racing conditions.  Experienced skippers will be available to share racing knowledge.  On Friday evening, an on the water session will feature several practice starts together with a round-the-buoy practice race to the finish.  Experienced skippers will be available for onboard assistance.

I'll email out the time and location for the clinic once I get it.  I haven't attended this clinic yet, but it sounds very interesting.

Cruising Spinnaker Setup
By Dale Mack

Note:  This article is geared toward the owner just starting out.  If you've been flying a cruising spinnaker for sometime, then you've probably figured out what works for you and you don't need the following description.

Like many things associated with sailing, there is more than one way to setup a Catalina 22 for flying an asymmetrical cruising spinnaker.  I'm going to show you a low budget method of rigging your boat along with a couple of simple improvements you can make once you've gotten some experience with the sail and want to enhance your spinnaker handling capability.

The thought of sailing with a spinnaker is a romantic image for many of us.  Not only do they tend to be beautiful sails to look at, but they also are a lot of fun to fly.  When I first purchased my sail used, I started asking people how their boat was setup for spinnaker handling.  While I searched for and expected to find the one perfect method that I could just copy, I found that the sky was the limit when it came to spinnaker gadgets I could buy.

Control Lines

For this example, we are going to need a halyard for hoisting the sail, an adjustable pennant at the bow so the tack (the part of sail that attaches to the bow) can be raised or lowered, and finally two sheets attached to the clew of the sail.  The line you need includes:

• Halyard, 63 feet of 1/4" line (i.e. New England Ropes Color Coded Sta-Set Polyester Braid, or Regatta Braid Polyester Single Braid).  You can go with 5/16" if that's more comfortable to handle.
• Pennant, 30 feet of 1/4" line (i.e. New England Ropes 6 mm Regatta Lite Polypropylene Braid, or  Regatta Braid Polyester Single Braid).
• Sheets, (qty 2) 45 feet of 1/4" line (i.e. New England Ropes 6 mm Regatta Lite Polypropylene Braid, or  Regatta Braid Polyester Single Braid).  One advantage the polypropylene has in this application is that it's very light when dry and stays light even after being immersed in water.  You can go with a 3/16" diameter line to reduce weight if your hands can handle it.

The Halyard

You don't really need to add a separate spinnaker halyard to get started using your cruising spinnaker if you'd like to eliminate or delay this part of the project.  I used my jib halyard successfully for several seasons, so while a separate halyard might be a must for racing, making your jib halyard do double duty is quite acceptable for cruising.

If you are going to add a second block for the spinnaker halyard, you can use the diagram at the left as guide for which clevis pin to attach the swivel block to.  The truth be known, the placement of the block in front of the forestay facilitates flying a racing spinnaker which flies and is jibed in front of the forestay.  Since most cruisers tend to jibe the spinnaker just like a genoa (i.e. behind the forestay), using a dedicated spinnaker halyard or using the jib halyard works about equally well for cruising spinnakers.

At the Bow

Here's the part of the project where I encourage you to spend some money if your boat isn't already set up to use a snap-shackle for securing the tack of your headsails to the bow.  While the D-shackle or keypin-shackle method you might be using today will work just fine for the spinnaker, the snap-shackle just makes it that much easier and there's no loose parts to lose over the side.

The adjustable pennant line should be attached to the tack of the sail with a bowline, and then the line should pass through the snap-shackle and back to the cockpit.  At the cockpit any available line stopper or cleat can be used to hold the line.  The pennant line allows you to raise the sail off the deck and adjust some of the sail's shape.

Another alternative is to skip the whole adjustable thing altogether and simply attach a two foot pennant between the tack and the shackle.  This way you gain the benefits of being able to see under the sail, while delaying any decision about whether you want to add additional hardware and line to make the pennant adjustable from the cockpit.

In the Stern

To help the spinnaker stay open downwind, you want the sheeting position to be located as far aft as possible.  The typical method for doing this is to mount turning blocks aft on both sides so the sheet can be led forward to a more convenient position.

In the beginning you can avoid this expense altogether by simply using your aft cleats as turning blocks.  The base of most cleats on the boat have gap through which a line can be passed (as shown in the photo).  I used this method for several seasons and found it quite acceptable.

A variation on using the cleats is to tie blocks to the cleats.  With this approach you reduce some of the friction (there isn't that much to start with), while postponing the decision about where to permanently mount the turning blocks.

Options regarding the type of turning block to use and where to place it abound.  As I walked the docks snapping pictures of how various boats were rigged, I was amazed how no two boats were alike.  Here's just a few of the hardware combinations I saw:

• Fairleads and cheek blocks
• Swivel blocks and eyestraps or padeyes
• Stand-Up swivel blocks

One method that seems popular with several boats I saw was the use of a stand-up swivel block secured to an 1/8" aluminum backing plate inside the boat.  As for cleating the sheet, only in a couple of cases had boats been modified to add a dedicated device for securing the sheet.  In most cases the boats simply reused the method in use for the jib sheet.

The spinnaker sheets should be attached to the clew of the sail using bowlines, and the lines should be led outside your shrouds and lifelines.

Finally Thoughts

So where are we?  Have I managed you talk you out of spending a lot of money upfront, and into taking a minimalist approach by making do with what you have until you gain some experience with the sail.  With the sail and light weight sheets in hand, you should be ready to give it a go.  If on the other hand you are ready to move beyond the basics, then go for the adjustable pennant, separate halyard, and aft mounted turning blocks.  While your at it, consider running the halyard and the pennant to the cockpit.

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The Fleet 20 newsletter is published online once a month. Articles are the opinions of the authors and don't necessarily represent the consensus of Fleet 20.