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Thread: Any advice for a first-timer?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    35

    Default Any advice for a first-timer?

    Hi folks,

    If you've attended the skippers meeting you might remember that 3BF would be my first ever race... and the longest single sail I've ever done. With that in mind, are there any words of wisdom you wouldn't mind sharing with me? Apart from "don't run into other boats", that one I figured out, although actually following it would probably not be so easy Seriously, I'm flying blind here, so any advice would be appreciated.

    Cheers,
    Alex Kunadze
    Cal 29 Hatikvah

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,688

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    Alex, this race is for skippers like you. Don't take it too seriously and have a blast. I missed last night's meeting but I'll bet it included the following:

    1) Stay well up current of the starting area until just before your start time. If you cross the line early you get a 20 minute penalty, which I did stern-first once! In other words, don't try to nail your start (that's for the one-design boats).

    2) Keep the basic right-of-way rules in mind. Starboard tack over port, leeward boat over windward, boat ahead over boat astern, etc. Assume the other boats don't know the rules so rule #1 is paramount = avoid contact. At marks, usually the boats closer to the mark have right-of-way. If you can keep moving by sailing around a stalled-out pack, you'll pick up many places in the race in minutes. Smile and wave as you go past all of them.

    3) Look around constantly, especially under the jib - boats seem to come out of nowhere.

    4) Stay out of the restricted areas or you'll be going home early - there are ten of them. Look at the SSI's and charlets and photos on the web site.

    5) Get ready early - put stuff in the cockpit you'll want during the race so you can stay on deck.

    6) Don't forget to check in.

    7) Strategy-wise, look for boats who have wind (heeling a bit and moving). If you see a bunch of boats standing straight up, don't follow them.

    8) Turn on your nav lights near the end of the afternoon - you might forget later.

    9) Take it easy, try to relax, and think of all those poor folks on the East Coast with their boats stuck on the hard . . .

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    577

    Default

    Great advice from Bob. I would add emphasis to a couple of his points:

    2. If the wind is especially light, there's a good chance that boats will collect in a giant blob around Blackaller - since it's the closest mark to the start. Be prepared to sail wide, or even change your plan, if it looks dead in that direction.

    6. If at all possible, carry a handheld VHF so that you can check in without running below. If you don't have a handheld, check in while you're still far from the start line. One year when I was PRO, I had to score someone DNS for no check in because he waited until he was in dense traffic and then couldn't safely go below.

    Max

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    3,485

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    Take extra food. And maybe coffee. Some of those $1.15 handwarmers. Chocolate. These are the complicated tactical decisions. I'll leave the rest to others.
    Last edited by Philpott; 01-24-2013 at 12:39 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Thanks a bunch! I'll try to follow those points. I did get a hand-held VHF yesterday, since I found I can't really hear the one in the cabin. I was tempted to put the 150% genoa on, seeing as there probably won't be too much wind there, but it's hard to see around it, so I guess I'll just stick to the working jib and still try make it back by 7pm.

    On another topic, I'm berthed at Coyote Point, which means it would take me a good 4-5 hours to get the start line. The day is going to be long already, that would just make it crazy. So, I'm thinking of getting a guest berth somewhere in the city and sleeping on the boat. Is anybody else doing that? Which harbor would you recommend?

    Cheers,
    Alex.
    Last edited by kotyara; 01-24-2013 at 11:39 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    577

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    I usually see a few Three Bridge racers at South Beach, where I keep my boat.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Great, that should be easy to get to. How long does it take to get to the start line from there?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    59

    Default

    Great advice from those fabulous three sailors. Glad you joined us last night and I hope some of the things said will be helpful. In case you haven't figured, even though this is a fun race, there are some serious boats and racers out there so keep a wide berth from the fleets who use this as part of their series, e.g., the Moores and the Express 27s. We have a good turnout of Js this year too so like I said last night, actually Mike Meloy gets the credit, make sure you gotta lot of fenders and think way, way ahead and most of all, be safe and have some fun! What's your birthday?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    3,688

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jan Brewer View Post
    What's your birthday?
    Uh oh . . .

    Regarding my point #7, don't forget you can go the "wrong way" around a mark. I button-holed TI/YBI in 2011(?) and passed about a third of the fleet who were parked up under the Bay Bridge trying to go the "right" way - muhahahah! Those Easom guys button-hole the islands routinely.

    Absolutely change out to that 150 genny if it's light. Just wait to do it until the boats have spread out - maybe on your first downwind leg. That 150 on a long whisker pole could be the bomb downwind (do they still say that?) I did eight sail changes in one 3BF, and that was single-handed. Some of them turned out not to be fast, but it gave me something to do.

    Okay, back to work...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    35

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    Uh oh . . .
    Hmm... that sounded ominous somehow... is there a story behind it?

    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    Regarding my point #7, don't forget you can go the "wrong way" around a mark. I button-holed TI/YBI in 2011(?) and passed about a third of the fleet who were parked up under the Bay Bridge trying to go the "right" way - muhahahah! Those Easom guys button-hole the islands routinely.
    That sounds like a good thing to keep in mind, but I think I'll just follow the pack, seeing as I don't really know the area.

    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    Absolutely change out to that 150 genny if it's light. Just wait to do it until the boats have spread out - maybe on your first downwind leg. That 150 on a long whisker pole could be the bomb downwind (do they still say that?) I did eight sail changes in one 3BF, and that was single-handed. Some of them turned out not to be fast, but it gave me something to do.
    You're right, I keep forgetting the race would last close to 10 hours! Plenty of time to learn how to change sails on the fly.

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