We race, we learn!

[T34C]

Originally Posted by Plumper

Probably the reason that racing provides such a good learning curve is because you actually sail, regardless of the weather and wind. How many cruisers don't sail to windward, or motor when the winds are light, or motor when the winds are too heavy, or have a schedule and can't make the timings under sail.
Racing is great for teaching sailing, so is a boat without an engine (or one that won't start!).

I learned to sail while crewing on a boat that the owner would rather buy a new sail than hire a mechanic to look at the engine. As a result I learned how to sail the boat OUT of the slip as well as back in. Nothing quite like short tacking a 32ft boat 8 times just to clear the jetty on our way out to a race.

[justified]

Can't agree more. I started crewing about 4yrs ago still learning on ever race. last 2yrs my wife was a nervous Nelly on our cruising boat, she got on a race boat this spring - one race done what a difference she is on our own boat. she is enjoying it and having fun!!! Everyone should race/crew

[zz4gta]

Originally Posted by T34C

I learned to sail while crewing on a boat that the owner would rather buy a new sail than hire a mechanic to look at the engine. As a result I learned how to sail the boat OUT of the slip as well as back in. Nothing quite like short tacking a 32ft boat 8 times just to clear the jetty on our way out to a race.

That's awesome, sounds like a good warm-up.

[ReverendMike]

Update with various 'fun facts':

Last weekend was the last race of the Spring season, though they may add some Summer races because the powerboats are mysteriously absent (the upside to high fuel prices).
The boat we (Kilowatt and I) had crewed on before was out of service (only slightly my fault, I had the tiller when the genny ripped, but the puff is to blame, honest!), so we and the skipper of that boat crewed for some absolute newbies. They'd bought a Catalina 27 and had sailed it maybe 4 times. There was a small battery powered FM radio below, sitting there minding it's own business; within 5 minutes of getting the sails up, it had flown across the cabin and broken it's antenna, oops, didn't see that coming....
Anyway our friend with the ripped genny got us in shape, made the new owner stay at the wheel, we raced 3 relatively short races in rather unsteady winds, in a boat that was not set up for racing (one example: only one winch handle, plastic, 8 inches, we were lucky not to break it.).
We corrected out third (out of 7) for the day (ahead of the Commodore!) and ahead of at least two boats for the season (this was the only event this boat raced this season....).

The owners said afterwards that the first time we burried tha rail, they were rather nervous, but we looked so calm that they figured it was ok. I told them we (Kilo and I, not the skipper) were the sae way just a few weeks earlier.

So thanks to all here for the advice, and information. Nothing substitutes for time on the water especially when you HAVE TO get the boat OVER THERE and back, regardless of wind direction and speed. Every 'trick' comes into play. (just need to remember them...)

[papasailor]

After 4 yrs on the hard, due to financial reasons, I needed a new genoa. Lookiing online and scraping together some money, I bouat a good sail but i knew it was short for my boat. I'm giving up maybe 2ft of luff measurement. The foot is right for a 155 but I'm missing quite a bit of sail.

My boat is a Catalina 30 TRBS and pointing has never been my best angle and with the shorty sail, it isn't helping. Because it is a furling, I need the bearing near the top to get the proper angle on the furl. the winds are also light here off Lake Michigan and I'm hoping the higher sail offsets some of the lost footage.

Any suggestions on how to overcome this handicap either with trim or tactics? Would it be better to lower the genoa down closer to the deck (easilly done by shortening lower penant) and then hoisted back up when time to furl up.