Welcome to the Racing Forum

[jmontani]

Thank you to the officers for adding a racing forum. This will be a great location to discuss performance issues, crew requirements, PHRF challenges, regattas, rules, rigging and sails, and other race related topics.

So if you have been going around the buoys for several years or contemplating your first trip to the starting line, this is the place to post questions, have discussions, and hopefully find that additional information to help you and your Catalina 36 become more competitive.

Thank you again for starting this forum.

Regards,

[deising]

This is, indeed, a great addition to this forum.

As a first post, I have to say that while I love my own C36, I have found that the most fun and best value is found racing OPBs. Is anyone else out there racing OPBs?

[caprice 1050]

I raced a few OPB's boats as well as being a crew member of an S-2 7.9 meter for ten years. This gave me enough confidence to enter Caprice in two series of racing with the Punta Gorda Sailing Club which conducts some very competative racing. A also race Caprice in my Yacht Club's racing series and have also raced Caprice in two Leukemia Cup Regattas.

I had sailed many years on Long Island Sound, but never raced. When I moved to Florida in 1992 I continued just cruising until I saw an article in the newspaper on racing and decided to join the Sailing Club. In the first few races on OPB's I learned more about sail trim then I had learned in my previous forty years of messing around in boats.

During my 23 years on the State Police I have had my share of some high speed chases on the interstates, but they do not compare with the excitment of a start in a sailboat race when all the entries try to get in the same favored spot on the start line and the gun goes off especially when it's your boat that is in that spot and most of the other boats are just inches away from each other going as fast as they can.

For those sailors who have never raced let me say you are only getting half of the enjoyment of sailing. Enter your boat in a race or get on someone elses boat, but get out there. As far as winning remember that old addage "If you had fun on the water you are a winner no mater where you finish in the race." I will admit though it is a nicer felling when you win.

[wfahey]

This is, indeed, a great addition to this forum.

As a first post, I have to say that while I love my own C36, I have found that the most fun and best value is found racing OPBs. Is anyone else out there racing OPBs?

I know that I am far more relaxed racing OPBs :) but Lucky has proven to be a very competitive boat.

We used to struggle to beat a Hunter Legend 37.5 but have had a lot of success recently against it and have our sights set on catching a Sabre 36. I recently, last week, entered Lucky in a new fleet at Lake Canyon Yacht Club. There is another MK I Catalina 36 in that fleet that I really want to race. I may very well get my back side handed to me but that is OK. I love the challenge.

[deising]

Boy, you guys are too good. I was kinda hoping the next post would be, "what's an OPB?"

I have raced on Mike's boat and he is a great skipper. He is calm and competent throughout the race. I have crewed for skippers who think they can make up for their own mistakes by yelling louder; it is not so much fun.

[jmontani]

We follow the same rule; don't win at the cost of having fun.

I completely agree with Mike and that you will learn far more about the technical aspects of sailing on a race course than you will cruising about.

It will also sharpen your understanding of the "rules of the road." If you are looking for a great book on nailing down the basics, check out Dave Perry's "Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing - through 2012." It is a great compliment to the US Sailing Rules. Lots of pictures and easy to understand scenarios. I think it is about $25 on Amazon. It can help you get through the rest of the winter.

In addition to the standard PHRF racing, our club is starting a "leisure fleet" this year. This fleet is restricted to boats with roller furling mainsails. It makes sense since a lot of people do not race because of the performance gap (perceived or not) to standard mainsail boats. And, roller mains are becoming more common on the water. This is in addition to the spin and working sails classes.

In some distance races, we also use pursuit starts (Handicap is applied at the start - one boat on the line at a time - vs. everyone starting at the same time and applying the time corrections after the race) to expose new people to racing.

I am interested to hear from others to see what their clubs are doing to keep racing levels up.

[Nimue]

I race mostly on OPBs. My weekly ride is a Melges 32, but my wife and I have travelled around a bit and sailed on pretty much everything up to a TP52. She is the main bow person on a Santa Cruz 52 as well. Obviously we could never afford to campaign boats like that ourselves.

We race our Cat 36 in 'fun' Thursday night races during the summer and the odd winter race, just to make sure that our 2 year old daughter gets lots of time on the water and has a high comfort level. I also race the boat in all the local single-handed races. With the baby on board, we won a lot of races in the last couple of years with our previous boat so the bar has been set pretty high for the Catalina.

[caprice 1050]

Jack
Is a "Pursit Start" the same as a "Reverse Start" where all the boats are given a starting time according to their PHRF handicap. The slowest boat starts first and the fastest boat starts last? The first boat to cross the finish line wins. In our local Regattas we have two regular races on Saturday and a "Reverse Start" on Sunday for a three race Regatta.

[wfahey]

[QUOTE=jmontani;3962]
In some distance races, we also use pursuit starts (Handicap is applied at the start - one boat on the line at a time - vs. everyone starting at the same time and applying the time corrections after the race) to expose new people to racing. QUOTE]

I like this idea. I have also heard it called beer can racing. We have been trying to talk our RC Sail to adopt this type of start to our July racing series. You could focus on your starts with less worry about all the other boats and the first one over the line is the winner. Although, with the slower boats starting first, it could make jockying at the marks interesting. With Lucky's PHRF I would have 2 boats starting behind me. The 37.5 Hunter and the Saber 36.

[jmontani]

It is the same as you described the reverse start. Slowest boat first. 1st boat to the finish line wins. It does clear the line but the 1st mark can have some traffic.

We have a huge spread of boats in our club. Typically on a traditional start the line is crowded but by the first mark it usually turns into a parade for the rest of the race. You end up racing the clock more than other boats around you.

[deising]

It may be just a small group so far, but this racing discussion forum is getting a lot of action. This was a great idea.