Back from the land of not blogging/ Fawcett's talk on Newport Bermuda Prep

Sorry for my hiatus from blogging. I missed you too.
Last night, I went to a seminar at Fawcett's on "Gearing up for Offshore" which had a focus on the Newport Bermuda Race.  For those of you who are not local Fawcett Boat Supplies is a Annapolis based awesome sailing store pyacht is their online world. They have everything you could ever need for your boat and even better the sales staff are all very knowledgeable.
Some bits and pieces of the things I learned last night as they apply to the Newport Bermuda Race are :
1. Lifejackets- officially need leg straps and mod kits are available for mustang and other lifejackets however if you use a mod kit to make it correct for the Newport Bermuda Race then that pfd no longer counts as far as the coast guard is concerned.
2.Tethers. Tethers need a quick release at the point closest to the body. This did not always exist if you have an old tether then you need an upgraded one like this.

3.Primary and backup VHF need DSC. What is DSC you ask? Basically it is a button on your VHF that send out a distress signal and makes your distress signal show up on everyone's VHF with DSC in the area. It allows the boats around you to know you are in distress faster then if they had to wait for the coast guard alert. In the case of a man overboard it makes it easier for someone to come help you or for you to come help others. In an ocean race this makes a lot of sense as most likely those in the best position to help with be the boat just behind you in the race. Example 

4.  Satellite phones are now being required
5.Radar reflectors that you have on your boat now are almost certainly not big enough for the rules for Newport Bermuda. They are looking for huge ones so large that they currently do not exist in the store and only one company makes them.
6. Backup navigation lights ( your red green white tricolor) need to have a 2 miles distance and a separate power source which is different then the old shorter requirement and many boats had them hooked into power source not separate. You know want something like this tri color as your backup that uses batteries.

Well this is what I learned and I hope it is helpful to some of the rest of you. I'm trying to find a ride for Newport Bermuda if anyone is looking for crew.

J22 Cookies

It is the end of season party tonight for one of my weekday races on J22's. We came in third overall. Because of this I decided to make some J22 cookies. Ok they are kinda general sailboat cookies but for this purpose they are J22's.

All of the spinnakers are based on the ones in the fleet.

A Few Good Sailing Movies

Ok so you have been watching the Americas Cup and after a comeback of epic proportions Oracle has won. Now what to watch to continue that fall sailing bug.

Wind
The best racing movie of all time and it is about the quest for the Americas cup. Not to mention female sailors will find a sailing hero. You must watch this if you love racing.

Morning Light
It is a Disney Film but do not hold that against it. This is the story of a team of young sailors from being recruited up to finishing the Transpac race. It has moments of greatness that are so real to any racer. When I was at the premiere years ago with a friend and the trim trim trim trim scene came on she doubted that was real and every racer knows that is real. Overall a great movie that has the character and warm fussy of Disney with the reality of sailing. ( Disclaimer I am friends with one of the sailors in real life)

Solomons Screwpile 2013

I sailed the race to Solomon's on Friday into Saturday.  Lovely long starboard tack all the way down the bay. Winds around 15-20knots the whole time except the start. The start all of the sudden winds died and went every which way. Add in wind shadows from boats and it was wonky at the start.  However great run down bay finished about 3:30. 

Screwpile day one
No air postponed til 1pm and then wind picked up first to 8kt and then for second race to 15 knots.  I was on a different boat then race down and we had a shorthanded crew and a bunch of kinks to work out so did not do great but a fun day. The race committee had a contest for which boat had the most of several things during postponement and that provided some odd entertainment.  

Screwpile day two
We had an on the dock postponement till ten then they announced races would stsrt on water at 11:30. We got three races in which was really great winds were about 12knots.  So dang hot however.  The pool back at zanhisers marina was so wonderful. 

Screwpile day 3

Lovely lovely wind n the 15 knot range. 

2 races were gotten in ob the south course then back to fuel dock and main dock to drop off crew and then delivery back to annapolis. The wind and day was great getting back to annapolis

Review Musto Evolution Womens Sailing Shorts

Sailing shorts for women are hard to find good ones.

First lets define what makes good sailing shorts. 

1. Good fit. ( This is a major issue for most sailing shorts)

2. Pockets- they need to be of useful sizes and easy to open with gloved hands

3. Belt loops - I at least like to mini carabeener my multitool via a long line to a belt loop so I do not drop it overboard

4. Reinforced or padded and reinforced rear end.

5. Fast drying

6. Long enough to protect the back of your thighs when on the rail without being so long as to be ugly.

7. Movement you need to be able to have full movement for climbing around on the boat without the shorts pulling against your legs

8. Durable- Non skid can do a number on your clothes and given the amount of sailing I do has ruined several pairs of shorts. Sailing shorts are not cheap and for these prices should hold up. 

9. Style/Price

I have been searching for the best pair for years. I've tried on or owned almost all of the major contenders from Camet, Underarmour, Gil, Zhik, Atlantis,Henry Loyd ect. 

Finally I found a pair I actually love. Musto Evolution Performance Women's Shorts

So how do they do on the criteria we established above

1. Fit- Seems to be true to size. Waist to hip area is comfortable(which is rare usually sailing shorts either have a really tiny waist and huge hip area or no assumption of hips at all) and I wear the same size I do in most normal shorts. 

2.Nice deep pockets. The big thigh pocket I wish was on the right leg not the left but that is just me. It is plenty of space for your cell and money at the after party or during the race I often put the gloves in that pocket before the race. The thigh pocket is really two pockets the velcro one on top and the zipper one underneath. I mainly use the velcro one. It is nice for a roll of tape or a pair of gloves which getting things rigged up on the way to the race course. The hip pockets are also good I use the one on the right for my multitool and they are deep enough for that and that is a rare thing. After races it is big enough to hold a beer can. 

3. They smartly put the belt loops right at the top of the pockets so carabeenering stuff with an idiot line( a bit of light line connecting a tool to a carabeener so that you do not drop overboard like an idiot) to your belt loops and putting it in the pockets works great. 

4. These shorts do not have padding or the option for padding but that is ok. They do have a reinforced rear end which is nice and great protection against abrasion of nonskid. The texture also helps prevent slipping on boats with insufficient non skid when on the rail.  A comment from one of my guy friends was that the placement and grey color of the reinforced rear tends to emphasize attractive rear ends of female sailors due to the curve. I am not sure if this is true or my friend is just a typical horny sailor. 

5. Well last night I was wearing these and got splashed with bay water and soaked at one point on the rail and they were entirely dry by the end of the next leg. So they pass that. Not sweat wicking but they do dry fast. 

6.I'm 5'10''  with  lot of that extra height being legs so sometimes shorts are too short on me. These fall about five inches above my knee cap. This is long enough that they protect my thighs on the rail and help prevent those obnoxious rail line bruises. 

7. They have a nice oval in the crotch gusset and such so I can fully do the splits or get one leg entirely up and the other entirely down without issue. Total full range of movement in them without pulling on the crotch or back of legs. Perfect in this criteria. 

8.Durable. Since I bought these I have done probably 20 races in them things from ocean races Annapolis to Newport to Wednesday and Thursday night races on boats from 22- 80 feet and they still look brand new after washing. No rips, tears, pilling, or worn down spots. Rare are the shorts that can withstand all that with no damage. 

9.Style/Price- They are totally attractive enough to wear to the post race party but not so cute that you would wear them out in a non sailing crowd.  At $110 they are in the range but at the high end of the range for price of women's tech sailing shorts.

Overall I think these shorts are a 9 out of 10.  They are the best female racing shorts I have found go get yourself a pair.

What would I change?

They only come in Black or Stone. ( I own black) but my ideal color would be a dark tan. Stone is too light and shows dirt black is too dark and gets warm. 

I would put the thigh pocket on the right side not the left.

If they could get the price below 100 that would be much better.

Note: I am not affiliated in any way with Musto or any sailing gear manufacture. I just wear their stuff. I am also not affiliated in any way with APS which is where the link goes to buy these shorts. I just know they stock them. Neither company knows I exist and this review is unbiased in that regard. 

Back to Blogging and spin catching a mark

Sorry I have been away for a while between some family issues and summer sailing season I have been away from it.
Delicious recipes forthcoming but just for giggles and to know that there are other minor mishaps out there watch this video at about 35 seconds they catch the mark with their spin.

Lobster on a Race boat and why memorable meals are not always the fancy ones

Sorry for my blog absence, but I have been off racing the Annapolis to Newport Race and then hanging out in Newport. However , I did have what I am certain will go down in my personal great meals of all time while in Newport. It was not the hardest preparation but the environment that made it great.

While at the dock in Newport we decided to have a lobster boil on the boat. Corn on the cob, lobsters, butter, wine or beer. One pier over was where the lobstermen sold their lobsters.

So we got 1 1/4 lb lobsters for everyone who was staying on the boat at the dock and I boiled them along with corn and melted some butter. Served alongside cold beer and wine and sunset on a fast raceboat it was the perfect dinner.

Now I should stop showing you pictures of the live lobsters posed all over the boat and instead tell you how to make this happen for yourself. Ok first you sail from Annapolis to Newport in the tropical depression Andrea. Humm you say that is a little to hard. Ok then how easy are these instructions

Boiled lobster dinner

Ingredients

1 lobster per person 

1-2 ears of corn per person 

butter 

1. Obtain live lobsters you want them about 1 1/4 lbs per person. 

2. In largest pot bring water to a rolling boil

3. Put lobsters in head first one at a time prepared to put the lid on top of them so they do not snap out and boil for 18 minutes. 

4. During this 18 minutes at some point stick the husked corn on cob into the boiling water for 5-8 minutes

5. In separate pot melt the butter.

6. Using tongs remove the corn and then the lobsters from the water allowing as much as possible water to drain off. 

7. Serve with melted butter. 

8.Ideally with lobster tools but should you be on a boat not stocked with such items you may find your sailors eating it with the help on a good clean multitool 

Wednesday Night Racing- 1st night

This means summer is officially here. Last night was the first night of Wednesday night racing. Thursday night racing has been going on for several weeks but this means my summer schedule is now set. My Wednesday night boat indulges in a swig each of Mt Gay Extra Old at the end of every race if we win. Someone that taste of Extra Old last night sealed it. First night and summer sailing season has begun, and tastes like good rum.

Thursday sailboat racing start

This Thursday evening was the first night of sailing racing.  On Thursdays I race a J22. The winds we re rather high for a J22 sustained 18 knots gusting to high twenties.  Lessons learned : one of the boats had a shroud bust due to not checking the cotter pins. Always check cotter pins and tape over them.  After the race  the knot on the main sheet block came undone. Whomever rigged the boats did not use a bowling knot but something else. We fixed it before docking but still has me double checking. 

ISAF Race Rules of Sailing 2013 The Changes

ISAF Race Rules of Sailing are the rules that govern the sport and almost all racing. Every few years the make the changes and release them in a new book of sailing regulations. This recent version is for 2013-2016 so these are the rules for the next three years.
Changes from the 2012 season are:
Part 1 Section 6: Environmental Responsibility-
                 Basically do not throw your trash in the water on the way to or during or way back from a race. Seriously, this should not be something even under question. Who does this? We sail in part because we love the water lets respect it and put the trash in a dumpster back at the marina.

Rule 20 Hailing Room to Tack section 20.3 Passing on the hail to additional boats

If Almonds are boats and the pretzel is an obstruction

              Lets say three boats are all on same course and Boat A hails for room to tack to boat B. It used to be that unless Boat B needed to tack for her own benefit she could not hail Boat C for room to tack. Now if Boat B needs room to tack in order to give room to Boat A while avoiding boat C she can now hail to Boat C for room to tack.

Surfing in section 42.3
Technically you used to only be able to manipulate the sails once per wind generated wave to surf. Now waves that are not at the same direction as the wind get that same treatment you can change sails once per wave to surf regardless of type of wave. This is a minor change and one that most people will not be aware changed.

Informing the Protestee section 61.1
RC can now inform a boat that they are being protested by RC after the race instead of as soon as reasonably possible. I'm not sure I like this rule as it eliminates the ability for the boat to do a turn to eliminate the protest. But let us see how it plays out in real life.

Protests in section 63
   If a judge sees the incident in question he or she must say so. Seems obvious, but this should make the protest room more fair. Removal of Bonus point system 90.3
There is no longer the bonus point system only low point system for scoring unless race rules state otherwise which is fine as the Chesapeake bay pretty much only uses low point.

A11 Scoring abbreviations
Now DPI= Discretionary penalty imposed  
This is fine although DPI makes me think of old printers dots per inch.