Viola

IP: 83.67.105.75

Apr 30, 08 - 6:26 PM

For the New to Racing - THE START

This is meant as an introduction to racing to members who have no experience of racing before.

At Kielder we run Handicap Racing. This means all boats start at the same time, sail round the same course (at different speeds; some do more laps than others) and the total time taken by each boat is adjusted for their class to get a final ‘time’. We also have a ‘Personal Handicap’ calculation which charts progress through the year.

The Usual Start:
The START BOAT is moored by the Race Officer of the day in the middle of our circle of 12 marks. A PIN MARK is put down to the left, across the wind, about 50m away on average. This creates an imaginary LINE between the Start Boat and Pin Mark which is used as the Start and Finish line.

On rare weekends alternative Starts are made between the RACE OFFICE in the Clubhouse and a Pin Mark laid off the shore.

A COURSE BOARD is displayed on the Start Boat showing the marks that are to be rounded and the route. The course will always start with the first LEG to WINDWARD – beating up to the Windward Mark. That means behind the start line is to LEEWARD of it and everyone will cross the line close hauled, on Starboard (Port tack starts are a riskier option, not recommended until you have experience) and then beat towards the first mark.

How to know when to start.
The first Morning Race Start is at 11.00 and the first afternoon race is at 13.30. Other starts are after the previous race is finished. See the programme for how many races are on.

A series of FLAG signals, accompanied by a Single SOUND signal is used in a START SEQUENCE, a count down to the time of the Start.

The sequence used at KWSC is as follows.
3 minutes before the Start time the Class Flag goes up (Pennant 4, red with a white cross) and there is one Sound Signal.
2 minutes before the Start the Preparatory flag (P, Blue with a white square, ‘Blue Peter’) goes up and there is one Sound Signal. At this point the fleet is now racing – RACING RULES apply.
1 minute before the Start the Preparatory flag comes down and there is one Sound Signal.
0 – at the start the Class Flag goes down and there is one Sound Signal.

This is known in shorthand as 3-2-1-Go. The standard sequence around Britain is 5-4-1-Go but for our Club Racing this has been shortened to 3-2-1-Go.

During the Sequence boats tend to reach up and down just behind the line, then gather behind the Start Boat on Starboard, intending to come up to the line as close to the Start time as possible. It looks crowded but three fundamental RACING RULES apply, which keeps order.
10. Boats on Port tack must keep clear of boats on Starboard tack.
11. If on the same tack, then if they are overlapping each other, the boat on the Windward side must keep clear of the boat to leeward.
12. If not overlapping the boat Clear Astern (attempting to overtake) keeps clear of boat Clear Ahead. Once the overlap is achieved, the Windward Leeward rule applies.

This usually leads to most boats being spread out along the line, with a proportion arriving later and behind, at the time of the Start.

What if a boat is over the Start Line when the last flag comes down and the Sound signal goes? Flag X for Individual Recall is held up by the Race Officer and another Sound signal is blown. That boat must come completely back over the start line and start again. The flag stays up until all over the line competitors have come back and restarted.

If too many to identify are over the line the whole start is abandoned which is indicated by yet another flag – First Substitute (Blue Triangle, enclosing a Yellow Triangle) and a double sound signal. All boats must return and the whole sequence begins again. This very seldom happens in club racing but you need to know about it.

Obviously a good start helps so the keenest racers will work to place themselves at the front and in a good place on the line; you will soon learn to do this too.

I hope there will be other threads on different aspects of Starting that will take the subject further as new racers want to learn more.

Graham

IP: 78.144.153.65

Apr 30th, 2008 - 6:45 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

The best boat investment I ever made (apart from Thumper and Two Bob Bit!)is a cheap racing watch that can be set to count down from three minutes very easily and has a synch button to get it right when I miss the first signal. Mine cost aroud £20 but has improved my starts by a country mile. Before I was guessing when the start would be and invariably missed it - now I know exactly when the start is and can aim to be up to speed and pointing the wrong way with precision!

My main question with starts now is when I am sailing Thumper - as we use a watch we can hit the start line with the best of them but then get caught in a load of dirty air as the larger fast boats sail away from us. We can either hold our course and wait for some clear air or tack away behind them and try to get back on course later. Is there any advise as to which we should do?

Steve

IP: 86.131.184.194

Apr 30th, 2008 - 7:39 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

With a good course and a fair first beat you will have to tack at some point so always, always, find clear air - particularly at the start. Clear air is more efficient for faster sailing. By practicing your tacking (and at some point learning to roll tack) you will not slow down through a tack so will not lose time tacking.

Steve

Paul

IP: 86.156.119.218

Apr 30th, 2008 - 11:31 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

This also comes down to start line tactics.
The sort after position is to be the leeward boat on starboard tack. This allows you to luff the entire fleet. When the time is right you can pull the bow down a few degrees & accelerate away. The other tactic would to be the windward boat on starboard tack. If you can squeeze past the committee boat, then you have have first dibs at tacking into clear air. The other alternative is to hit the line at speed but a few seconds late. The can allow you to punch though the other boats who have been sitting on the line. It also difficult to luff the faster moving boat at they can point a bit higher (they will have more lift from their foils.

It's sometimes best not to be part of the pack fighting for position on the start line.

Overall the best tactic is to enter as many races as possible as practice makes perfect.

Steve

IP: 86.131.188.218

May 1st, 2008 - 12:02 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

.....and of course you could come on the Start Racing Course next time (one has just an) where all of this is covered. If there is sufficient demand (at least 6) I will happily programme another one. 2 days (or 3 if weather is not good) for £60 total is very good value.

Regards

Steve

Neil

IP: 194.176.105.42

May 1st, 2008 - 4:02 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

There is some absolutely great stuff here. Can this be organised on to one Beginners racing site on the website? Perhaps Viola's "The Start" can be a subsection, Steve's potential courses available- another section, a tactics/tips section to capture miscellanous advice and if anyone does write other bits that could be included in other sections.

No rewriting would be necessary but obviously some time to organise the website etc. I know its easy for me to say...

Peter

IP: 86.129.16.176

May 2nd, 2008 - 7:44 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

Re: Paul's comments about "punching through", I assume that how you do this is restricted by the "barging in" rule?

My understanding is that a boat coming from clear astern before the start can't luff a slower or stopped boat?

I only recently found out about this rule, and don't really understand it. Can anyone enlighten me please???

thanks,

Peter.

Graham

IP: 78.149.64.219

May 2nd, 2008 - 8:24 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

I shall try "punching through" the Ospreys and 49ers in my Miracle......

Peter

IP: 86.129.16.176

May 2nd, 2008 - 8:33 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

Perhaps you could "upgrade" thumper with the bowsprit from an 18' skiff for this purpose?

Mike

IP: 83.67.105.75

May 2nd, 2008 - 10:26 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

Peter - re. your rules query:

"Rule 12: When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead"

However once overlapped Rule 11 says the windward boat must keep clear, but:

"Rule 15: When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat’s actions." so if a slower boat is doing everything she can to keep clear of a faster one that's fine. If a boat is stationary or going backwards becauses she's ACCIDENTALLY got into irons then I would suggest that as long as she is attempting to rectify the situation the same applies - at any rate no decent racer will be attempting to cause further embarassment in such a situation unless in a battle with a close rival!

Also the right of way boat is definitely NOT allowed to deliberately hit the keep clear boat (rule 14).

So while there is no actual rule that says 'No barging on the start line' I think the above more or less cover it.

Thoughts anyone?

Richard

IP: 80.254.146.4

May 2nd, 2008 - 10:27 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

Now revising fleet procurement strategy to include Phoenician trireme with battering ram to ensure we are able to gain the advantage at the start line. May also consider the use of fire ships for those occasions with a more congested start line.

Paul

IP: 86.156.119.218

May 2nd, 2008 - 10:36 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

In most races, you get a bunch of boats fighting for position, by drifting down the line with their bows just off the wind on Stb tack. They concentrate on not being over the line & not hitting the leeward boat. Sometimes it's more effective to keep below this pack & charge at the line at full speed, find a hole & punch through the fleet. We decided to use this tactic last year at the Birkett, mainly because we wanted to avoid the other 220 boats reaching up & down the line. Because we hit the line at +90% speed, we were sailing higher & faster than the majority & became one of the lead boats. It's the equivalent to doing a Starboard 'Port flyer' (except you can't be late to the line on Port).

For the New to Racing, there are many options to the start. You can easily start off in your comfort zone, but will soon find mixing it on the line is where the excitement is. As Steve has mentioned, his Start Racing course is a great introduction. Alternatively, we can easily arrange some start line practice one Saturday or Sunday.

Peter

IP: 86.129.16.176

May 2nd, 2008 - 11:30 AM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

Thanks Mike, most enlightening!

The supernova's foremost talent is its ability to get stuck head to wind on the start line, which is why this rule is so important to us. Yes, we can stop behind the line, but must keep our boat well away from the close hauled position in order to get moving again.

My interpretation of the rules is that if I am sitting behind the line almost stopped with my boat in the close reach position, a boat coming in from astern does not have the right to luff me into irons, as I do not have the ability to keep clear until I am moving.

Of course in an ideal world, I would be accelerating while they were still astern, so by the time they had an overlap I would be fair game!

Peter

Mike Charlton

IP: 217.42.129.163

May 2nd, 2008 - 7:40 PM

Re: For the New to Racing - THE START

With reference to Paul and staying low on the start, the only problem is that you get all the dirty air and run the risk of no gap to go for. The only way to have a good start is to be on the line at full speed as the flag drops. It helps to be on the water in good time so you can check the start line, sail along it a few times to see which end is favoured, do a couple of timed runs up to the line. Don't just leave the shore 5 mins before the start, if the race starts at 11am be checking the line at least 15mins before. A bit of controlled aggression always helps and don't dither about as you get crushed!

Author	Comment
Viola IP: 83.67.105.75 Apr 30, 08 - 6:26 PM	For the New to Racing - THE START This is meant as an introduction to racing to members who have no experience of racing before. At Kielder we run Handicap Racing. This means all boats start at the same time, sail round the same course (at different speeds; some do more laps than others) and the total time taken by each boat is adjusted for their class to get a final ‘time’. We also have a ‘Personal Handicap’ calculation which charts progress through the year. The Usual Start: The START BOAT is moored by the Race Officer of the day in the middle of our circle of 12 marks. A PIN MARK is put down to the left, across the wind, about 50m away on average. This creates an imaginary LINE between the Start Boat and Pin Mark which is used as the Start and Finish line. On rare weekends alternative Starts are made between the RACE OFFICE in the Clubhouse and a Pin Mark laid off the shore. A COURSE BOARD is displayed on the Start Boat showing the marks that are to be rounded and the route. The course will always start with the first LEG to WINDWARD – beating up to the Windward Mark. That means behind the start line is to LEEWARD of it and everyone will cross the line close hauled, on Starboard (Port tack starts are a riskier option, not recommended until you have experience) and then beat towards the first mark. How to know when to start. The first Morning Race Start is at 11.00 and the first afternoon race is at 13.30. Other starts are after the previous race is finished. See the programme for how many races are on. A series of FLAG signals, accompanied by a Single SOUND signal is used in a START SEQUENCE, a count down to the time of the Start. The sequence used at KWSC is as follows. 3 minutes before the Start time the Class Flag goes up (Pennant 4, red with a white cross) and there is one Sound Signal. 2 minutes before the Start the Preparatory flag (P, Blue with a white square, ‘Blue Peter’) goes up and there is one Sound Signal. At this point the fleet is now racing – RACING RULES apply. 1 minute before the Start the Preparatory flag comes down and there is one Sound Signal. 0 – at the start the Class Flag goes down and there is one Sound Signal. This is known in shorthand as 3-2-1-Go. The standard sequence around Britain is 5-4-1-Go but for our Club Racing this has been shortened to 3-2-1-Go. During the Sequence boats tend to reach up and down just behind the line, then gather behind the Start Boat on Starboard, intending to come up to the line as close to the Start time as possible. It looks crowded but three fundamental RACING RULES apply, which keeps order. 10. Boats on Port tack must keep clear of boats on Starboard tack. 11. If on the same tack, then if they are overlapping each other, the boat on the Windward side must keep clear of the boat to leeward. 12. If not overlapping the boat Clear Astern (attempting to overtake) keeps clear of boat Clear Ahead. Once the overlap is achieved, the Windward Leeward rule applies. This usually leads to most boats being spread out along the line, with a proportion arriving later and behind, at the time of the Start. What if a boat is over the Start Line when the last flag comes down and the Sound signal goes? Flag X for Individual Recall is held up by the Race Officer and another Sound signal is blown. That boat must come completely back over the start line and start again. The flag stays up until all over the line competitors have come back and restarted. If too many to identify are over the line the whole start is abandoned which is indicated by yet another flag – First Substitute (Blue Triangle, enclosing a Yellow Triangle) and a double sound signal. All boats must return and the whole sequence begins again. This very seldom happens in club racing but you need to know about it. Obviously a good start helps so the keenest racers will work to place themselves at the front and in a good place on the line; you will soon learn to do this too. I hope there will be other threads on different aspects of Starting that will take the subject further as new racers want to learn more.
Graham IP: 78.144.153.65 Apr 30th, 2008 - 6:45 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START The best boat investment I ever made (apart from Thumper and Two Bob Bit!)is a cheap racing watch that can be set to count down from three minutes very easily and has a synch button to get it right when I miss the first signal. Mine cost aroud £20 but has improved my starts by a country mile. Before I was guessing when the start would be and invariably missed it - now I know exactly when the start is and can aim to be up to speed and pointing the wrong way with precision! My main question with starts now is when I am sailing Thumper - as we use a watch we can hit the start line with the best of them but then get caught in a load of dirty air as the larger fast boats sail away from us. We can either hold our course and wait for some clear air or tack away behind them and try to get back on course later. Is there any advise as to which we should do?
Steve IP: 86.131.184.194 Apr 30th, 2008 - 7:39 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START With a good course and a fair first beat you will have to tack at some point so always, always, find clear air - particularly at the start. Clear air is more efficient for faster sailing. By practicing your tacking (and at some point learning to roll tack) you will not slow down through a tack so will not lose time tacking. Steve E-mail: stephen.gibbon@btopenworld.com
Paul IP: 86.156.119.218 Apr 30th, 2008 - 11:31 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START This also comes down to start line tactics. The sort after position is to be the leeward boat on starboard tack. This allows you to luff the entire fleet. When the time is right you can pull the bow down a few degrees & accelerate away. The other tactic would to be the windward boat on starboard tack. If you can squeeze past the committee boat, then you have have first dibs at tacking into clear air. The other alternative is to hit the line at speed but a few seconds late. The can allow you to punch though the other boats who have been sitting on the line. It also difficult to luff the faster moving boat at they can point a bit higher (they will have more lift from their foils. It's sometimes best not to be part of the pack fighting for position on the start line. Overall the best tactic is to enter as many races as possible as practice makes perfect.
Steve IP: 86.131.188.218 May 1st, 2008 - 12:02 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START .....and of course you could come on the Start Racing Course next time (one has just an) where all of this is covered. If there is sufficient demand (at least 6) I will happily programme another one. 2 days (or 3 if weather is not good) for £60 total is very good value. Regards Steve E-mail: stephen.gibbon@btopenworld.com
Neil IP: 194.176.105.42 May 1st, 2008 - 4:02 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START There is some absolutely great stuff here. Can this be organised on to one Beginners racing site on the website? Perhaps Viola's "The Start" can be a subsection, Steve's potential courses available- another section, a tactics/tips section to capture miscellanous advice and if anyone does write other bits that could be included in other sections. No rewriting would be necessary but obviously some time to organise the website etc. I know its easy for me to say...
Peter IP: 86.129.16.176 May 2nd, 2008 - 7:44 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START Re: Paul's comments about "punching through", I assume that how you do this is restricted by the "barging in" rule? My understanding is that a boat coming from clear astern before the start can't luff a slower or stopped boat? I only recently found out about this rule, and don't really understand it. Can anyone enlighten me please??? thanks, Peter.
Graham IP: 78.149.64.219 May 2nd, 2008 - 8:24 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START I shall try "punching through" the Ospreys and 49ers in my Miracle......
Peter IP: 86.129.16.176 May 2nd, 2008 - 8:33 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START Perhaps you could "upgrade" thumper with the bowsprit from an 18' skiff for this purpose?
Mike IP: 83.67.105.75 May 2nd, 2008 - 10:26 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START Peter - re. your rules query: "Rule 12: When boats are on the same tack and not overlapped, a boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead" However once overlapped Rule 11 says the windward boat must keep clear, but: "Rule 15: When a boat acquires right of way, she shall initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless she acquires right of way because of the other boat’s actions." so if a slower boat is doing everything she can to keep clear of a faster one that's fine. If a boat is stationary or going backwards becauses she's ACCIDENTALLY got into irons then I would suggest that as long as she is attempting to rectify the situation the same applies - at any rate no decent racer will be attempting to cause further embarassment in such a situation unless in a battle with a close rival! Also the right of way boat is definitely NOT allowed to deliberately hit the keep clear boat (rule 14). So while there is no actual rule that says 'No barging on the start line' I think the above more or less cover it. Thoughts anyone? E-mail: mhs@iqx.co.uk
Richard IP: 80.254.146.4 May 2nd, 2008 - 10:27 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START Now revising fleet procurement strategy to include Phoenician trireme with battering ram to ensure we are able to gain the advantage at the start line. May also consider the use of fire ships for those occasions with a more congested start line.
Paul IP: 86.156.119.218 May 2nd, 2008 - 10:36 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START In most races, you get a bunch of boats fighting for position, by drifting down the line with their bows just off the wind on Stb tack. They concentrate on not being over the line & not hitting the leeward boat. Sometimes it's more effective to keep below this pack & charge at the line at full speed, find a hole & punch through the fleet. We decided to use this tactic last year at the Birkett, mainly because we wanted to avoid the other 220 boats reaching up & down the line. Because we hit the line at +90% speed, we were sailing higher & faster than the majority & became one of the lead boats. It's the equivalent to doing a Starboard 'Port flyer' (except you can't be late to the line on Port). For the New to Racing, there are many options to the start. You can easily start off in your comfort zone, but will soon find mixing it on the line is where the excitement is. As Steve has mentioned, his Start Racing course is a great introduction. Alternatively, we can easily arrange some start line practice one Saturday or Sunday.
Peter IP: 86.129.16.176 May 2nd, 2008 - 11:30 AM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START Thanks Mike, most enlightening! The supernova's foremost talent is its ability to get stuck head to wind on the start line, which is why this rule is so important to us. Yes, we can stop behind the line, but must keep our boat well away from the close hauled position in order to get moving again. My interpretation of the rules is that if I am sitting behind the line almost stopped with my boat in the close reach position, a boat coming in from astern does not have the right to luff me into irons, as I do not have the ability to keep clear until I am moving. Of course in an ideal world, I would be accelerating while they were still astern, so by the time they had an overlap I would be fair game! Peter
Mike Charlton IP: 217.42.129.163 May 2nd, 2008 - 7:40 PM	Re: For the New to Racing - THE START With reference to Paul and staying low on the start, the only problem is that you get all the dirty air and run the risk of no gap to go for. The only way to have a good start is to be on the line at full speed as the flag drops. It helps to be on the water in good time so you can check the start line, sail along it a few times to see which end is favoured, do a couple of timed runs up to the line. Don't just leave the shore 5 mins before the start, if the race starts at 11am be checking the line at least 15mins before. A bit of controlled aggression always helps and don't dither about as you get crushed! E-mail: mcharlton@rnli.org.uk