East Coast Report

Hi, All. With both the winds (gusts much higher) and the temps in the mid 20s, our Frostbite races were cancelled today. It was good hanging out in the warm bar socializing with the competition. News people kept using the word "gale". Added problem is that an NW breeze is accelerated down the Severn River (high bluffs on the shores create a funnel). The wind in the river can be 5+ knots higher. Not to mention a very short high chop that develops. One could readily sail in these conditions (and it is good to practice this so one can do it when needed), but when there are 60+ boats milling around in the same small area off the Naval Academy, it does become a true safety question. Hang in there Cheers Charlie Annapolis

On 2/12/2012 4:11 PM, Husar, Charlie [USA] (ASE) wrote: > > Hi, All. With both the winds (gusts much higher) and the temps in the > mid 20s, our Frostbite races were cancelled today. It was good hanging > out in the warm bar socializing with the competition. News people kept > using the word "gale". Added problem is that an NW breeze is > accelerated down the Severn River (high bluffs on the shores create a > funnel). The wind in the river can be 5+ knots higher. Not to mention > a very short high chop that develops. > > One could readily sail in these conditions (and it is good to practice > this so one can do it when needed), > My theory on such matters is that we have enough involuntary opportunities to practice in such conditions, so why take unnecessary risks voluntarily? Sometimes we choose to go out in rough conditions just for the hell of it, and that's OK. But holding an organized event tends to coerce the less-willing folks to go out, and that's not so OK. Chris Campbell

Chris, I must defend a clubs decision to race in adverse conditions. Every skipper must sign an entry form acknowledging his vessel and crew are able to compete. The skipper goes out and he accepts the responsibilty of boat and crew. By being a racer and competing in heavy weather, I now know my boats upper limits and confident on what it can and can't do. If I were sitting at the bar and looking out the window and worried about being out there, I would tend to sit at the bar and look out the window more than go out and sail. I have had some really beautiful days on the water that were more than I was comfortable with before I left the harbor. But, I have prepared my boat and crew for the stronger winds and conditions. Lat weekend we sailed in PBYCs first of the spring series. We had 18-20 knots with gusts to 25. With a #2 for the reach and a #3 for the weather leg, we did very well. The only time we gave up course was on the downwind leg, we chose not to fly a spinnaker in 9ft seas and left the #3 up and poled it out. We surfed 8.9 and 9.1 to the finish. Best Randy CAL 2-29 Out Patient Channel Islands Ca From: Chris Campbell <cc… [at] lsnm.org> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 6:21 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] East Coast Report On 2/12/2012 4:11 PM, Husar, Charlie [USA] (ASE) wrote: >Hi, All. With both the winds (gusts much higher) and the temps in the mid 20s, our Frostbite races were cancelled today. It was good hanging out in the warm bar socializing with the competition. News people kept using the word "gale". Added problem is that an NW breeze is accelerated down the Severn River (high bluffs on the shores create a funnel). The wind in the river can be 5+ knots higher. Not to mention a very short high chop that develops. > >One could readily sail in these conditions (and it is good to practice this so one can do it when needed), My theory on such matters is that we have enough involuntary opportunities to practice in such conditions, so why take unnecessary risks voluntarily? Sometimes we choose to go out in rough conditions just for the hell of it, and that's OK. But holding an organized event tends to coerce the less-willing folks to go out, and that's not so OK. Chris Campbell

On 2/13/2012 12:10 PM, Randy Alcorn wrote: > Chris, > I must defend a clubs decision to race in adverse conditions. Every > skipper must sign an entry form acknowledging his vessel and crew are > able to compete. The skipper goes out and he accepts the responsibilty > of boat and crew. > By being a racer and competing in heavy weather, I now know my boats > upper limits and confident on what it can and can't do. My comments were based on the location and temperatures in question. Charlie had said that wind and temps were in the mid-20s. That's cold. Wind is one thing; wind plus severe temps is another. We were doing a schooner-crew training the other night and one trainer did a hand-out on hypothermia survival times at various water temperatures. We were talking about summer conditions here. It's much worse with winter conditions. Trying to retrieve a MOB (or COB) in Charlie's conditions would be very challenging. My own view is that sometimes it's worth exercising a bit of discretion when it's a choice between fun and danger. We guys sometimes get a bit of testosterone poisoning and think that our manhood will be shaken if we worry about safety. There were two deaths on one boat in the Chicago-Mac race last summer. The sailors had lots of experience and they had signed all the waivers but it turns out the boat wasn't suited for offshore work because of its range of stability among other things. I do lots of things that rational people tut-tut over, so I'm not immune to risks. I sail the iceboat and paddled the sea kayak on the Great Lakes for 137 consecutive months. I've grasped the iron wheel on the schooner when the lightning flash and boom were simultaneous (not that I had much choice). Rational people stay home and watch TV, I suppose. But there are times when it really is best to say "hey, guys, let's not go out today." I recall going sailing on my other boat with my Dad one day. We powered down the river and were entering the Bay and it was blowing up a bit. Dad said "this is too much like work, let's call it a day." Sometimes that's the right decision. Chris Campbell > If I were sitting at the bar and looking out the window and worried > about being out there, I would tend to sit at the bar and look out the > window more than go out and sail. > I have had some really beautiful days on the water that were more than > I was comfortable with before I left the harbor. But, I have prepared > my boat and crew for the stronger winds and conditions. > > Lat weekend we sailed in PBYCs first of the spring series. We had > 18-20 knots with gusts to 25. With a #2 for the reach and a #3 for the > weather leg, we did very well. The only time we gave up course was on > the downwind leg, we chose not to fly a spinnaker in 9ft seas and left > the #3 up and poled it out. We surfed 8.9 and 9.1 to the finish. > Best > Randy > CAL 2-29 > Out Patient > Channel Islands Ca > *From:* Chris Campbell <cc… [at] lsnm.org> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Monday, February 13, 2012 6:21 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] East Coast Report > > On 2/12/2012 4:11 PM, Husar, Charlie [USA] (ASE) wrote: >> Hi, All. With both the winds (gusts much higher) and the temps in the >> mid 20s, our Frostbite races were cancelled today. It was good >> hanging out in the warm bar socializing with the competition. News >> people kept using the word "gale". Added problem is that an NW breeze >> is accelerated down the Severn River (high bluffs on the shores >> create a funnel). The wind in the river can be 5+ knots higher. Not >> to mention a very short high chop that develops. >> >> One could readily sail in these conditions (and it is good to >> practice this so one can do it when needed), > > My theory on such matters is that we have enough involuntary > opportunities to practice in such conditions, so why take unnecessary > risks voluntarily? > > Sometimes we choose to go out in rough conditions just for the hell of > it, and that's OK. But holding an organized event tends to coerce the > less-willing folks to go out, and that's not so OK. > > Chris Campbell > > > >