JYCA E-NEWS

Upcoming Regattas

The North American Championships are just around the corner. They are scheduled for September 6, 7, 8 in Stonington, CT. At the same time we will be holding our annual class council meeting. The Notice of Race is posted on the JYCA site with a link on the home page. click here.  (You must be a current class member to sail so use the form below or you can join at the regatta.) Registrations for the regatta must be postmarked by  August 30 so don't delay!

Gary Orkney is in charge of arrangements:

Gary Orkney                860 535-1859 business
132 Water Street          860 884-1584  cell
Stonington, CT            860 535-0407  home
06378                           860 535-4819  fax

Coming from out of town? Give Gary or myself a call and we will be happy to assist you with arrangements for housing etc. Call JY sailboats concerning charters 860-739-3033. (Bring your own sails) 

Also, check out the web site for other September and Fall regattas

Two major district regattas were held in August. The Mid-Atlantic Championships were August 17 & 18 at in Stamford CT. New JY sailors Frank and Mili Van Kempen edged out Bill Nightingale and Jodi Sutter by a point.  Bill's usual crew, Julie Nightingale is expecting soon, so congratulations to both boats. Gino Bottino' s report on the race and the full results can be seen at the Stamford Yacht Club site:                          http://www.stamfordyc.com/sailing/racing/jy15.htm

The New England Championships were held in East Greenwich, RI on August 3&4. Winners Bob and Stephanie Adam conducted a clinic for the rest of the field by winning 10 out of 11 races. See the full results at  http://www.jy15.com/regatta.htm

Bob was also generous enough to provide me some of his insights on sailing the boat and observations about what the rest of us were doing wrong and right. Here are his comments:

"A couple things caught my eye.  People seem to sit too far forward.   My belief is there should be enough room on the rail for the crew to sit (behind the jib block) at any time without the skipper having to move.  I generally sit with my back leg parallel to the mainsheet block.  On one instance I saw a skipper tack in front of the mainsheet.  When tacking in light air the skipper and crew need to move aft through the tack and in light air the jib should never luff through the roll.  This will allow the bow to raise out of the water as the weight moves aft and the boat will turn quicker (without steering) with the jib backed will allow for a smoother transition.  There are two pictures that show this contrast.  With this said, it looks like everyone sits in the same spot downwind.  Skippers back leg a little forward of the mainsheet block and the crews head in line with the vang.  I hope you can envision this and the only disclaimer on crew placement is weight.  If one position doesn't seem to work move a little 1-2"s not 6-10"s.  Listen to the boat. 

(editor's note: pictures from the regatta illustrating Bob's comments can be seen at:                     http://www.jy15.com/images/2002NEchamps/index.htm Too far forward pictures - p8030003, 5, 6, 23, 24.  Too far back pictures - 40 & 118. Good position pictures - 146,130,46,39,1. Bad tack (hey, that's me!) picture 43. Good tack picture 36)

A few points that people were questioning me on this weekend included, sail tension, vang tension, main & jib trim. 

Sail tension:  Our college coach was the one and only Joe Duplin.  Joe's philosophy was to sail the boat like you were in a football game.  Pull everything as tight as possible and make the boat win.  Easier said than done.  I was always taught to pull the mainsail up and out as far as it can go.  The reason for the slight fold in the luff is that I have removed the shackle at the top (Bowline is stronger than shackle) which allows for more tension.  The outhaul must have a 2-1 purchase in order to achieve proper outhaul tension.  This is done by going through the cleat on the boom around the turning block to the sail back to the eye strap with a figure eight
knot.  I do not adjust the tension of these during a race.  I believe you give up too much by adjusting things like this while racing and god forbid you don't get it back to the right spot at the leeward mark (lot's of boats
lost on that last upwind leg).  The jib should have some light waves in the luff and again not touched during the race.  Thus less tension in lighter air more in heavy air.  Be careful because if it is too tight you will go
really slow.  This is a very fine line just remember a little loose is better than too tight.

Vang tension:  Let's start with too much tension can suffocate your boat.  SLOW, SLOW, SLOW.  On Saturday starboard tack was very slow into the chop. I had virtually no vang on starboard.  However, port tack we went with the waves and this allowed us to vang sheet and power up the boat.  As the breeze freshened we vang sheeted equally on both tacks.  Downwind in the light stuff we didn't use any vang and as the breeze came up we would ease ever so slightly at the windward mark.  I set the vang by pulling the main to where I would want max trim and gently tighten the vang to that point. Don't pull too hard for fear of suffocation.

Sail Trim:  Listen to your boat, watch your competitors, if you feel slow chances are that you are slow.  DO SOMETHING!  Like most boats you can't point it to the tacking angle and expect it to take off.  You need to get it there.  In the chop we just tried to keep the boat going forward.  Jib and main eased.  Once the boat got up to speed we would trim in perhaps getting hit with another wave 2 seconds later.  We would bare off and power up again.  Pay constant attention to your speed by looking at your competition
and feeling the boat.  Crew input on this is a must.  On port tack the waves let us pull everything tight.  As we would ride a wave the main would be cranked down as far as possible and really let the leach head us up.  Upwind I steer very little and work very hard at letting the leach of the main power the boat.

Bob, once again I have managed to go on and on but these were a few things people had lots of questions on.  Keep in mind that Stephanie and I have been doing this together for nearly 18 years.  She is a great crew that
really helps me get around the race course.  We have sailed thousands of races together in all conditions and in many different boats.  We have practiced countless hours and that beyond any of the above advice is the
most important tool.

Hope to see you at the NA's.  Bob Adam"

Thanks Bob, we all appreciate your help!

Tuning Guide

The new tuning Guide has been mailed along with the current class directory. Thanks again to Prescott Littlefield and the Technical Committee. 

If you haven't registered yet, please print our and mail the form below with your check to: