Sailing Part Two

Yesterday's post described about half of my time out with Southern Maryland Sailing Association (SMSA.)  So, let's bring it home today.  We'll pick up from the start of the race where we left off yesterday.

The race was over a simple course.  It was an up and back affair, with the Committee Boat at one end and the other mark directly upwind as described yesterday.  This loop is covered twice in the first race, and shortened due to available light to one loop on the second race of the evening.  After the start the next important aspect is the rounding of the marks.  All the boats turn around the red buoy in a counter-clockwise turn.  There are rules governing the details of which boat has the right of way and which boat has to give way.  This is important when the boats are close to each other and becomes a very tactical area on the course.  Beyond the positioning, the boats have to make clean maneuvers to avoid slowing down and being over taken.  

Boat 892 was the clear leader coming into the windward mark.

 The competition is close together.

Here you can see the Laser fleet getting the most sail area out for the down-wind run.



























The VX One was the first sloop to reach the windward mark. They're getting ready to launch their gennaker. It's nearly hoisted.

A nicely executed rounding brings a nice smile.

 A Buccaneer getting ready to set their spinnaker.

Their competition not far behind
















You can see the 470 in the background.

The Lightning and 470 mixing it up at the mark.

The Laser fleet is in the background in the Buccaneer shot.

The 470 getting ready to set their spinnaker with the Lightning close behind.

















The Lightning crew doing their best to get as much sail out.






















It must have been a photo finish for the Lightning vs. the 470!

The Fleet headed in to port.

  

I wanted to mention some of the other boats today as well.  Yesterday I highlighted the Lightning and the VX One.  Today let's talk about some of the others.

The Laser was officially released at the New York Boat Show in 1971.  It was designed to be a 'car topper', so nearly anyone interested in sailing could transport it.  It's 13 ft 10.5 inches long, weighs just 130 lbs  and has a single sail of 76 sq. ft.  It's an incredibly popular boat. There were 200,000 produced by 2012. 

The Buccaneer is another "One Design."  Each of the boats mentioned have a set of rules that govern their design.  The intent is that every boat is effectively identical which leaves the sailors as the deciding factor in who wins a race.  Designed in 1966 the Buccaneer is 18 ft long, weighs 500 lbs.  It's main and jib have 175 sq ft of sail area, and it has a spinnaker as well. 

The 470 (Four-Seventy) dinghy is another popular boat.  It, like the Laser, is an Olympic class boat.  The 470 is intended for high performance and has a trapeze system.  The trapeze allows the sailors to hang from a wire connected to the mast.  You can put your feet on the edge of the hull and have your whole body hanging off the boat to counteract the force of the wind on the sail and keep the boat upright.  There was certainly no need for that on Thursday.  The boat is 15 ft 5 inches long, weighs 260 lbs with a sail area of 133.7 sq. ft, and has a spinnaker as well.  This old design, born in 1963, still competes well.

The boats each have an insignia, an icon, that is on the upper part of the main sail that identifies the design.  They are usually fairly logical.  The Buccaneer has two crossed swords, the Lightning a 'lightning bolt.'  The 470 simply has the numerals.  The Laser has a splotch - I guess what a laser looks like?  The VX One is obvious as well.  So if you see a sailboat and you can't tell what it is, look for the insignia and you can probably figure it out later.

 I wanted to include some of the down-wind sailing on the sloops (the boats with two sails.  So here we go.

The photo on the left shows how the Lasers are going up wind in the first race while the sloops are going down wind.  The boats going up wind have the right of way.

I'm thinking there's a little more room there than the picture might indicate.

 Getting the spinnakers or gennaker down at the leeward mark is critical.

The skiff's remaining job during the racing was to reposition the upwind mark after the first race.  The wind shifts throughout the day and even over the duration of the race.  So we picked up the mark and set it again per the direction of the committee.

 

The sun was setting as the second race was concluding, so a lot of the photos will seem kind of dark, but that's how it was.  I'll show you how I can brighten a photo up, nearly making it look like day.

After the race we picked up the upwind mark and the mark next to the Committee Boat as well.  We (Justin really) handed them over to the Committee Boat and we were free to head in.  It was getting really dark by now and the wind in the creek was pretty light again.   

 

Fleet of working boats

Just an 'abstract' shot

 The 'new' Lighthouse Restaurant in the background.

 Formerly Di'Giovani's,, the Island Hyde Away is now open.  Haven't tried it yet.

 A few shots with the flash on.

Getting the skiff back up on the Pontoon.

Still have to clean up the boats

 

Getting her back in place.

The Club House for drinks and some food after all is put away.

 Lastly, I want to say that the people are what make any organization special.  Everyone I met Thursday was very nice.  If you want to know more about SMSA, or more about sailing, get in touch with these folks.  I'm sure they'll help you out.   While Thursday was small boat night, come by to see the Large Boat fleet on Wednesday evenings.


There's a lot this sleepy town of Solomons has to offer.  Come check it out for yourselves.