Spare slide format

After the Sun SetsRace Seminar

Tactics and ideas for safe,successful, fast Coastal Racing

for owners, crews, new racers and cruisers

For years, sailors sought the challenge of racing distances to include the excitement and solice of sailing through the night.

What are the new safety requirments? How does the weather change tactics?How do you trim sail in the dark?Is it really as different as day and night?What do crew members need to know?What do you need to know….

Welcome

Test all emergency equipment and familiarize yourself with its use. Practice emergency procedures, and assign crew to specific roles.

Test and familiarize yourself with all emergency equipment

Come Prepared

After the Sun

Sets Seminar

Sail at 100% in the dark

Bruce Cooper, Erik Shampainand Keith Magnussen

• 18 Transpacs• 2 Pacific Cups• Coastal Cup • Victoria to Maui• Too many Mexico & Cal Coastal

races to count• Over 100k Ocean Racing Miles

Night Sailing Outline

•DuskHow to prepare for the night

•Night VisionQuick Guide to Night Vision

•Trimming Sails at NightTips, Techniques and Technology

•Crew Watch ScheduleHow to keep the crew awake!

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight• Check the deckPrepare and clean the deck

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight• Halyards and SheetsVisually confirm all halyards are clear and all

sheets are coiled and able to run freely

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight• Be Aware Of SurroundingsGet compass bearing & visual of any boats nearby

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight• Be Aware Of SurroundingsGet compass bearing & visual of any boats nearbyVisually get a good idea of where you are and confirm with charts

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight• Crew Meeting• Update helmsperson and watch captains of night

time game plan:*Eat dinner and clean up before dark*Confirm watch schedule*Headings*Distances from obstacles and shore*Update wind & sail changes & maneuvers in log book*Discuss upcoming scenarios with wind strength and direction*Check the keel & rudder for kelp or trash

Dusk: Get Ready For The Night

Fight

Quick Guide to Night Vision• Wear sunglasses and sun hat during the day.• Use red light bulbs in flashlights and cabin lights at night.• Dim screens on navigation instruments and turn off

unnecessary electronics.• Have a black-out curtain in the companionway• Headlamp with red lens (red marker)

Sail Trimming at Night

• Establish trim points & mark sheets during the day. • Genoa’s sheets w/ tape near winch to determine trim off

spreaders• Spinnaker sheets w/ tape for guaranteed same trim after

grinding or collapse.• Main trim by heel angle.

Sail Trimming at Night• Glow in the dark draft stripes • Glow in the dark spinnaker chevrons• Reflective draft stripe material on batten ends

Sail Cleaning/Washing

• Salt adds a lot of weight

Dried, salty .5oz. cloth weighs the same as clean 1.5oz cloth which gives away the advantage of the lighter sail.

• Squalls = Moisture, • Moisture = Weight, • Weight = Stress on Sails

Going Too Slow ?Not “On Target” ?• Know your target boat speed for the wind conditions• The #1 reason is the sails are trimmed in too much…

Particularly true in light air

Remember the wind usually clocks aft

Trim at Midnight is different than at 10 PM• “When In Doubt…Ease It Out”

Check the knot meter & GPS

Going Too Slow ?Not “On Target” ?• Know your target boat speed for the wind conditions

Your sails are your friend

• Prep them well - Inspect, Repair, Clean and Fold

• Take care of them during the race- Keep them folded and organized

• Change before it’s too late- Better to switch than to blow up

• Have FUN and sail FAST!

Sail fast and safe at night…

“you will be happy to see your

hardwork pay off in the morning!”

Weather Planning

HAVE A GENERAL PLAN

Look at the Trends

One of our main sources of wind comes from frontal systems. These large scale frontal systems, commonly referred to as storms, can generally be identified by tightly packed isobars (the black lines on the chart below, connecting areas of equal pressure) on a sea surface weather chart. The tighter the isobars are packed together, the stronger the wind is within a storm. Be sure to observe how these systems are moving leading up to the event.

Finding the Fronts

DIAL IT INLOOK AT THE LOCAL HIGH RESOULUTION WIND MODELS

& DRAW ON LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

TAKE NOTES

KEEP A RACING JOURNAL DOCUMENTING FORECASTSAND ACTUAL CONDITIONS NOTING ANY LOCALIZED

WEATHER EVENTS AND WIND DIRECTIONS.MATCH WIND DIRECTIONS AND SPEEDS WITH SAIL

CHOICES AND LOOK AT WHAT WORKED BEST FOR BOAT

HAVE FUN. SAIL FAST.

Spare slide format

After the Sun SetsRace Seminar

Tactics and ideas for safe,successful, fast Coastal Racing

for owners, crews, new racers and cruisers