New Bern High School Naval Junior ROTC Sailing

2012 spring schedule

2012-01-10T12:17:00.003-05:00

This week, all the students are taking exams. Study hard & do well!

Here is the spring schedule. It's not long until we will be sailing again, and remember we may have some other activities coming up sooner, like the NYRA Winter Series.

Feb. 13 Orientation at the high school for all new cadets to the sailing program

Feb 27 Dryland Session at Bridgeton Marina for a hands on introduction of FJ to the new cadets

Mar 5 Swim Qualification & Capsize Drill at the New Bern YMCA (A FJ completely rigged will be used in the covered pool)

Mar 12 Sailing session on the water using the Javelins and FJs.

Mar 19, 26 Sailing session on the water using the Javelins and FJs.

*Mar 31, Apr 1 NYRA Invitational Regatta at Bridgeton Harbor

*Apr 14, 15 Bulldog Regatta, Charleston SC

Apr 16, 23, 30 Sailing session on the water using the Javelins and FJs.

May 7 Sailing session on the water using the Javelins and FJs.

May 12 NJROTC Annual Invitational Regatta & Fund Raiser - This is a Round Robin type regatta for all local sailors to compete using the NJROTC 6 FJs. All cadets encouraged to participate, this is YOUR event!

May 14, 21 Sailing session on the water using the Javelins and FJs. May 21 is the final session for the 2012 Spring series.

...subject to weather & other changes...

* these events will require additional arrangement or qualifications

posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Merry Christmas !!! !!!

2011-12-24T20:51:00.003-05:00

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And we heard them exclaim

As they sailed up out of sight

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

And to all a good night!

Work Work Work... no sailing, sad day

2011-11-27T17:24:00.009-05:00

Last week we had a sad day... a working party (Navy lingo) to unrig & put away the NJROTC fleet.

All the FJs had their masts unstepped, halyards & stays secured, and carried to storage. The hulls had everything stowed securely inside & turned bottom-up, then secured to their bases again. This means no more FJ sailing this semester...

At least we had good weather!

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Here's Flying Junior #1, getting ready to hibernate for the winter. The cargo strap across the hull is secured to 2 helical anchors screwed into the ground, we want it tight enough to be secure but not too tight... don't want to bend the hull!

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FJ#7 on the far right (our only hull that is not bland white) is a 1967 Grampian, built in Canada. This boat was the NJROTC's first, procured by our first Head Sailing Coach Larry Rota of FHYC.

Sunset on FJ sailing for 2011. We will be reviewing the condition of all the boats & doing some work on them over the winter.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

We Get Lucky... with the weather, more actual SAILING !!!

2011-11-07T22:15:00.011-05:00

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Today was a great day of sailing. We had 7 boats in the water, 6 of them skippered by cadets...all skippers completed the "Clock Drill" (link) and almost all cadets took a turn skippering a boat. There was also one ugly ducking in the flock, FJ#4 was sailed by Coach King and LCDR Tyson... hey we like to have some fun once in a while, too!

This photo shows Coach King leading the sailors thru a GYBE... in light wind, it's easy but we want to be ready for stronger winds, right??!? BTW where was FJ#2 and why were they not in this picture?

What does the "Clock Drill" accomplish? It puts the boat(s) on everypoint of sail, and the boat(s) must both tack & gybe to sail around the circle. At the beginning of today's exercise, not every skipper knew the difference between tacking & gybing; but by the end of the sailing session we were not only tacking smoothly, gybing with good control (most of us).

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We also got a chance to practice the RIGHT-OF-WAY rules! Coach King spent most of the session looking backwards (offering helpful advice to the student sailors) but that is no excuse for getting in a collision! But wait a minute... isn't the R-O-W vessel supposed to take avoiding action when it becomes obvious that the one who is supposed to give way isn't ?? ok it wasn't really a COLLISION more of a gentle bump. Still, not good!

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If we can get in some more practice this fall, we are ready to begin some sailing games. This might include some racing... although clearly none of the cadets are ready for the big league, since Coach King and the Commander were easily faster while looking backwards & giving instructions... and working on finer points of control such as sailing backwards.

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Not such a great photo, but it was taken with a cell phone while skippering an FJ... that Coach King is full of excuses! This picture shows close action with all the Javelins together, they are moving right along in this light air.

Still, it's possible to stall the boat and stop accidentally. We are seeing less & less of this sloppy boat-handling as we make progress. The fact that all the boats kept together, all the boats completed the drills (umm, wait, did every boat do a STOP at a buoy?), and everybody got a chance to skipper, shows that we're moving forward on this!

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All good things come to an end.

It's well into autumn, the sun set at 1708 this evening (that's 5:08 pm to you civilians) and we were already putting the boats away. There will be less & less time after school BUT with any luck at all, we can get in a few more sailing days this semester!

Thanks to Coach Drew McCrocklin for all the photos (except for the cell phone shot).

Now remember, we will also have AT LEAST one more written assignment to turn in this semester! If you have work to turn in, do so... not everybody is going to pass this sailing course and turning in assignments doesn't hurt your chances.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

A CHILI day... thank you, Cape Lookout Sail & Power Squadron!

2011-10-30T21:30:00.006-04:00

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This past Saturday a small crowd wolfed down chili for a cause... the annual CLSPS cook-out benefit for -us- the NJROTC sailing program. We really appreciate the support, and the chili was delicious too!

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Coaches Gormley & King brought their own home-cooked pots of chili, along with a dozen more Power Squadron members. LCDR Tyson brought a pot of "Official Navy Game Chili" featuring venison & Guinness... hot enough to get your attention, and delicious! There was also no-bean chili, white chili with chicken, generous helpings of cornbread, and a steaming pot of clam chowder (not a Southern tradition, but a welcome treat).

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There was some discussion of various ways of cooking chili, and everybody got to vote on the HOTTEST, the BEANIEST (is this good?), and the overall BEST chili. Although Coach King's chili, which featured curry as one of the spices, was the first to disappear, it did not get any votes. Bob's Oktoberfest Chili was almost unanimously voted the 'Best Overall' even though it was almost sweet rather than spicy-hot.

Richard Tobacco, Power Squadron Commander, announces the winners. You can see all the chili lined up on the counter... nobody went home hungry!

Meanwhile, out on the river, winds were strong and our head Coach Jerry Reab was winning the first of the Winter Series races. Overall it was a very good day!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Cool but beautiful fall day... breeze is HERE!

2011-10-24T23:52:00.011-04:00

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This afternoon we got lucky with the weather again... maybe somebody up there likes to see us sailing?!? There was just enough wind that the boats got moving briskly when handled right, and made mistakes obvious without severe punishment (although we did have a couple of capsizes, but that is not really "severe" is it?).

We almost got the whole fleet out sailing, and today for the first time this semester, the coaches were on the dock or on the motorboats.

Here's a few boats doing the "Baby Duck" drill... hey where are the others???

Congratulations to all our new sailors! Looks like you can really do it... need more practice though...

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Here's one of the Javelins moving along smartly, proud new skipper doing quite well. This boat performed both the 'Baby Duck' and the 'Clock Drill' during the afternoon.
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Couldn't resist this shot. FJ#3 with one of New Bern's historic steeples and Town Hall clock tower in the background.

BTW this skipper is one of our 'blue-book' cadets with a previous semester of sailing under her belt, so why isn't this boat right in the center of the previous 'Baby Duck' photo?

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Here's an FJ and a Javelin both working on the "Clock Drill" (link) where they have to demonstrate all points of sail, tacking & gybing, and keeping control of the boat. It's good practice... what you don't see in this photo is that both these boats actually ran down the yellow buoy and snagged it's anchor line... oops!

As you can see, this afternoon's sailing went fairly well. We should continue to improve if we get the chance to practice more. Also, the patient and hard-working cadets who spent their time CREWING this afternoon should get an equal chance to show their skippering skills!

We have written assignments DUE so turn them in... those few of you who already turned in the assignments got quite good grades and will receive full credit. Remember, it is possible to get an UNSAT for the basic sailing course (ie fail).

...posted by Assistant Sail Coach Doug King

Sailing Semester is 2/3 over... hope we get more good weather

2011-10-18T22:54:00.008-04:00

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We have been very lucky with the weather this fall; and gotten in a lot of sailing practice.

We have NOT YET managed to have the newbies in the class successfully complete any drills, however. Let me remind everyone that the goal of this class is to learn how to make the boat sail properly; this means to hold a course, perform all the maneuvers, dock or pick up a person overboard. This fall, the sailing squad has learned a lot, and I believe we have risen to the level where most of the Sailing Squad -could- demonstrate these skills. So DO IT!!

There is still time -if- our good luck with the weather continues.

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We also have written assignments (otherwise known as TESTS) out, so complete them and get them turned in... just a reminder!!

On The Beach... bringing the FJs in at the end of a sailing session... why is #4 sideways at the dock ??!?

Coach King spent the entire time on the water dealing with one of the Flying Juniors which capsized over & over. So we don't have any sailing pictures this week, which is a shame because some of the new sailors took to the FJs for the first time. This was a lot of fun, especially with enough breeze to really make the boat 'do what it do' ... which is to FLY!

Unfortunately, as you can see in the pic above, we had some awkwardness putting the boats away. It took much longer than it should have, and we put some scrapes & scratches on them that shouldn't have been put there.

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Make sure to take good care of these boats! They are yours, and you are not likely to get new ones any time soon. For example, dragging the transom of FJ #2 across the ground... HEY WAKE UP!!

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Now let's move on to more pleasant topics... let's focus on what we've been doing RIGHT.

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Some of the advanced cadets are not only getting their Blue Books signed off, they are practicing some fairly advanced skills.

Here is the Sailing Squad Commander sailing backwards. That's right, put it in "R" and go!

At some point we will have skill in sailing & maneuvering, and know the Right-of-Way rules, to have games on the water. How about playing soccer in sailboats? Wouldn't it be more fun & exciting if we had 3 balls in play? This kind of activity is something we can look forward too.

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Another thing we can look forward to is getting together with another junior sailing program. We have an invitiation to go to Bow & Stern in Oriental (link), which also has FJs... how many of you want to go show off?

Under the watchful eye of Commander Tyson, the remaining 3 FJs are carefully unrigged and put away.

So, who will return to FJ sailing next Monday? Who will get in an FJ for the first time, and graduate from the Javelins? Who will be the first FJ skipper to get passed and get gassed by a Javelin?

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

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Columbus Day Sail... what did we discover...

2011-10-10T20:51:00.007-04:00

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This holiday would not normally be a school day, BUT thanks to Hurricane Irene we have to make up some lost time. We get to gain some more sailing practice too.

This is appropriate since Columbus Day commemorates one of the great sailing achievements in history.

Should we expect that after our precision sailing demo this Saturday, that we could get all the Javelins close together and on the same point of sail for a picture?

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Here's some of the 'blue-book' sailors mixing it up in the FJs.

Good news: today we have a bunch of new sailors who are ready to step up to the 'sports cars' of the fleet after sailing the Javelins.

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These next two photos show how one skippers puts an agressive move on another. Instead of simply following in FJ#1's wake and 2nd-hand wind, FJ#1 cuts to windward and passes.

Of course, both boats would be moving faster if the sail trim were a little more accurate, the boats being held flat, and weight a little more forward in the boat. It's also disappointing to see these two skippers NOT steering with the hiking stick.

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This passing move works for several reasons. By turning closer to the wind (but not quite close-hauled), FJ#2 generates more apparent wind. This will be especially helpful in lighter breezes.

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Not satisfied with beating FJ#1, the team in FJ#2 chases & passes two of the Javelins, this time on a close-hauled course.

In way this is a shame, because the Javelins sail well and a skillful skipper & crew have in the past humbled the FJ sailors... and the team in #2 are making some mistakes that another boat could take advantage of.

Next time we sail, let's get more of those FJs in the water! The weather is not turning cold yet but the days are getting shorter!

...posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Mumfest Sailing

2011-10-09T19:32:00.006-04:00

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New Bern has a BIG open-air festival every autmn. It has been going on for 31 years now and is called MUMFEST (link). This year the NBHS-NJROTC Sailing Squad participated in this grand event and put on a sailing demonstration for the first time.

The weather turned out beautiful. However "just in case" things turned out not so great, we used the Javelins which are built a bit tougher than the Flying Juniors (they also weigh more than twice as much!). Our sailing demo was scheduled to happen right after the rescue demonstration by the Marine Corps HH-46 helicopter & Coast Guard crews.

Here is the VMR-1 Search-And-Rescue helicopter, universally known by it's call sign PEDRO, hovering over the Neuse River off the town front of New Bern. Their SAR missions have included the rescue of many civilian boaters over the years; we are very lucky to have such a capable unit stationed nearby.

In most military operations, in order to be sure of being at the correct place at the correct time, we arrive plenty early. The Mumfest demo sail was a good example of this "hurry up & wait" principle, but this time it was a lot of fun to loiter just outside the operation area. There was a GREAT breeze for sailing!

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Here is the PEDRO rescue demonstration. You can see the down-wash of the helicopter would present a major hazard to small craft especially sailboats. At the far right is the Union Point pavilion, at the far left is the USCG 41-foot vessel.

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Next, it's our turn to show off! Here is the Javelin fleet headed right into Union Point, sailing "wing & wing" which is one o the more difficult points of sail. Of course only the real sailors in the crowd on shore can appreciate this, and unfortunately the sailboats cannot approach the shore closely because of shallows & rocks along the edge of Union Point.

However, anybody can see the boats being handled skillfully in close quarters. And everybody would enjoy the sight of these graceful little vessels sailing along the historic New Bern waterfront.

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The boats have gybed, then turned onto a close-hauled course... these are basic maneuvers we cover in the sailing course, when sailing near a rocky lee shore it pays to have perfect control of the vessel... not to mention we don't want to wreck one of our boats in front of a crowd of onlookers.

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This was a longer day of sailing than our usual training sessions. The sailing cadets got to stop in town (thanks to the Galley Store (link) who kindly let us use their dock) and also met the Coast Guardsmen on their 41-ft vessel.

Here is the Sailing Squad Commander forgetting his dignity for a moment, signalling that he is ready for MORE SAILING!

We hope that the NJROTC Sailing Squad will be ready & able to make this an annual event. We have events in the Spring, the Open Regatta; and now a Mumfest Demo Sail in the Fall.

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

YES sailing today! yes yes yes yes (not a bummer)

2011-10-03T19:54:00.004-04:00

Sorry no pics. Besides, we all know what a Javelin looks like, especially with a coach helping.

The REAL action today was in the Flying Juniors, which were skippered by 2 advanced sailors. All you Javelin sailors, your goal should be to demonstrate proficiency to be turned loose in the FJs!

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Speaking of which, lets review. Everybody has seen a capsized FJ by now. But I'm not sure everyone has seen the ladder that goes up over the high side. This ladder magically deploys in case of a capsize, and allows the crew to keep him/herself dry if desired.

NOT

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By the way, there is now a lesson on The Capsize Drill here on our website (link). It may be worth reviewing.

But we did have a couple of cadets who brought up a nice soil sample from the bottom of the Neuse River today. We sent it to the lab for analysis, we should be getting a nice thank-you note from the scientists.

SERIOUSLY- remember sailing this Thursday!

... posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

No sailing today... bummer

2011-09-27T03:26:00.005-04:00

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Well the good news is that we are not having a drought!

This photo of today's class is a bit misleading, since we had 19 sailors willing to brave the rain (sorry, but we also had lightning).

The advanced sailors had a lesson on WEATHER with Coach Cornford; the beginners had a review and got started on the POINTS OF SAIL along with maneuvers (what's the difference between TACKING and GYBING again?) and RIGHT-OF-WAY.

This class covers a lot of material, it is basically the equivalent of a college-level course. We've had our 1st written assignment for the semester, they have been graded (congrats to all, the lowest grade was the equivalent of a B- impressive but after all it was an open-book test) and will be available to be picked up at LCDR Tyson's office on Thursday afternoon.
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...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

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Fall 2011... newbies get underway in Javelins!

2011-09-19T22:26:00.013-04:00

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Everybody got a chance to sail one of our Javelin sloops this afternoon. Winds were light, but most of the time the boats kept moving right along.

Here are 2 fledglings leaving the nest... umm, dock...

So far we have learned some basic terminology, names of parts of the boat, and practiced capsizing in the FJ... actually, the capsize lesson gave us a good familiarity with how small boats behave (or mis-behave) on the water.

This sense of coordination & familiarity is very important to learning the next steps... how to take control of the boat & make it go where you want!

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Today, the green buoys were anchored at the windward side of our sailing area. Here is a cadet skipper & crew sailing up wind (how is that possible? link)... obviously they have made good progress under the eye of Coach Jackson.

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Here is our recently donated Javelin, given to us by the son of the late Jimmy Cox of Trent Woods. Mr. Cox was a Navy veteran of World War 2 and loved to sail.

These cadets with Coach Murphy are doing well... the boat is close-hauled (going upwind) and weight is centered, jib & main are trimmed properly for this Point Of Sail.

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OK, one more close-hauled pic... here's our original Javelin, the USS Craig-Bob, with Coach Dillinger relaxing. Looks a little stern-heavy but the tiller is straight & the sails are full., boat is moving.

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By now, all sailing cadets should have their textbooks and their first assignment. Today we practiced sailing on several Points Of Sail, steering with the tiller, and tacking... all these things must be mastered before moving on to the next skill level. The text should explain today's practice and help get us ready for actual sailing drills!

What's wrong with this picture? Who's not wearing a life jacket?!?

Actually, we do not currently have enough life jackets SO for now, some of these cadets have permission to not wear PFDs.

Here is Coach Cornford teaching knots & rope skill to the cadets who were not in the first group of Javelin sailors.

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But they DID get to sail! Here's Coach Jackson again, with his 2nd group of sailors.

This Javelin was donated by the Myers family of Pennsylvania
Here's another safety rule- long hair should be tied back, it is too easy to get caught in lines or blocks... makes a great indicator for wind direction though!

BTW what about SHOES ??!?

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This boat is moving well, not surprising because it has 2 experienced cadets sailing it now!

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Coach Dillinger says, "Steer the boat toward that green buoy, come close but don't hit it."

Piece of cake, right?

In the background you can see the two orange buoys which were anchored at the leeward (downwind) side of our sailing area.

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OK, we've done the sailing thing... what happens when 2 boats get close together? There are a set of 'Right-Of-Way' rules to guide boats around each other safely.

These 2 Javelins are ON the same TACK (being "on a tack" is not the same thing as "tacking" sorry)... note the jibs on the same side of the mainsail... so what rule(s) should they follow to avoid a collision?

That was not part of today's lesson BUT it is part of the upcoming lesson(s). Think ahead!

Review- By now, we should know basic boat parts (which one is the SHEET, which one is the HALYARD); we should know some boat procedures including boarding & capsize procedure, 3 knots (bowline, figure-8, cleat hitch), how to steer with a tiller, how to set the sails, and how to steer & adjust the sails in combination for the different POINTS OF SAIL, and how to TACK.

Next week we will build on all this knowledge & all these skills; hopefully we can begin the basic sailing drills... remember we have only 9 sailing sessions through the fall. This class is learning quickly and has much to be proud of, but we also have a long way to go!

... posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

The Capsize Drill

2011-09-18T08:29:00.013-04:00

Your textbook (handout) discusses BOUYANCY and STABILITY. These two must be understood, if you want to predict how a vessel will react in a given situation.

But right now, let's go with the understanding that any vessel can capsize. How are you going to cope when it happens to your FJ?

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Here are the basic steps:
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1- ensure that your skipper/crew are OK.

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2- get control of the boat... keep it from turning turtle (skipper holds the centerboard)

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3- when ready, pull the boat upright (crew does the "scoop"). Start sailing again!

(note- this shows the crew already in the boat... the proper SCOOP method will be detailed later)

These 3 simple steps should be easy to remember. Unfortunately, real life usually gets a bit more complicated. Before going into complications, let's look at what NOT to do!

Do NOT abandon your crew or skipper

Do NOT leave the boat, attempting to swim to shore

Do NOT attempt to pull the boat upright until ready, and you are sure you can keep control of it
(note- this is important, because capsizes often occur due to circumstances that make the boat difficult or impossible to control, such as violent squalls)

Do NOT climb up the cockpit, or stand on the rig.

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Now let's go into some more detail about each of those steps. In theory, it will go just fine as long as you follow the simple procedure. In reality, we all know that stuff gets complicated.

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1- Check on each other's safety, make sure each person on board is OK.

This is pretty straight forward. It obviously requires that you look after your own safety too. If you sit in the right place on the boat, you are less likely to be entangled or struck.

This is one time where it is OK to yell... make sure you can be heard! However, be careful to not contribute to panic. Maybe a short whistle would be a good way of saying your head is above water & you're breathing!

If a person is not OK, then obviously your new top priority is to help them. Get their head above water and make sure they're breathing. Signal for help from the coach boat (4 long blasts on your whistle).

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2- Get control of the situation... yeah, this is where it can get complicated. Don't get wrapped up in petty details, though!

A primary concern is to prevent the boat from turtling. For one thing, the Neuse River is not deep enough and the mast will stick in the mud. The skipper can swim quickly around the stern & grab the centerboard, just holding it.

What if you are hiking out when the boat capsizes, and you're sitting on the high side? This is OK, if you're careful you can swing around to the bottom of the hull & place some weight on the centerboard easily & quickly.

This pic shows a perfectly acceptable position... if you end up there naturally. Just don't try to climb there! Also, the hull is slippery, so be careful to not fall.

In strong winds and/or choppy waves, it may be necessary to have the crew swim to the bow of the boat & hold it into the wind. Also, if necessary you can lower the sails while the boat is on it's side. Try to roll them up neatly & tie them into place securely, you'll want them in good shape later!

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You may have been told "Never bounce on the centerboard" which is correct. It's strong but it is possible to break the centerboard. A broken 'board leaves you in a MUCH worse situation!

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Another problem can be sheets. If the sails are pulled in tight & the sheet tangled, you can see that the sails are going to try & hold a LOT of water, making the boat difficult to pull upright. The crew should make sure that both sails are free. What could be worse? Pulling the boat upright with the sheets tangled, so that it immediately capsizes again... harder this time!

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OK, everything is under control! The boat is held steady on it's side, the crew has finished trouble-shooting everything that can go wrong, the skipper is ready to pull the boat upright, the crew is ready to 'scoop' aboard...
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So, how do we SCOOP?
This is a method of bringing the boat upright with the crew already on board & ready to keep control, and also able to help the other person(s) back aboard promptly.

The key is to NOT impede the righting of the boat. In this picture, one person is pulling the boat upright (and the sails are already rising out of the water freely), and the other is ready to "scoop" by holding securely (the hiking strap is a good hand-hold) BUT is still floating or treading water.

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Note that if the FJ is handled properly through the capsize drill, it will come up without any water inside.

As the boat continues to turn upright, the crew pulls/swims up into the boat. Be careful of metal points & hard edges. When the boat is fully upright, the crew should be securely inside & ready to help get the skipper aboard.

When you consider everything that can go wrong, the capsize is daunting. However if you follow the simple steps in order, and troubleshoot problems within the sequence of following these steps, you should be able to get the boat under control, keep it under control, and resume sailing.

CAPSIZE !! on purpose this time

2011-09-15T22:38:00.019-04:00

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Any vessel can tip over. Here is the SS Normandie, one of the world's greatest ocean liners.

The first photo shows how majestic & powerful she was. Many people consider her the most beautiful ship ever built. For years the SS Normandie crossed the Atlantic Ocean carrying thousands of passengers in safety & luxury. No question of her stability.

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The second photo shows how, after a seemingly minor accident, she capsized at the dock.

(link to history of the SS Normandie)

Our handout shows a Royal Navy (British) destroyer laying on her side after a battle. So, we know for sure that any vessel can be capsized.

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By this time, our cadets have all experienced a capsize too. Small boats may actually have a greater range of stability, but they are also more likely to be overcome by sea & weather conditions. The ability to cope with a capsize is an important skill for any sailor.

A big "Thank You !!" to the Twin Rivers YMCA (link). It's great to have a calm & controlled environment to practice this skill.

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Here are two beginner sailors... their very first time afloat in an FJ, actually... ready to show what they've learned. Don't they look dry? That's about to change!

Part of the fun is the advanced sailors get to handle the boat in the water. It's not just dunking your fellow cadets in the pool, it's serious training! All kidding aside, the two 'Blue Book' sailors who handled the FJ from the water did a great job. It's not as easy as it looks to keep the FJ centered and not hit anything with the hull or mast.

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Everybody got to take a turn. When under stress, we do what we've drilled. This is why we practice the basic steps in order, the same way every time. Only a few New Bern cadets have capsized on the river, but when they did, they recovered quite well thanks to this practice.

This photo shows the last step, crew helping the skipper aboard. It can be surprisingly difficult to climb aboard a boat!

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Here we see another basic lesson: DON'T STAND UP IN AN FJ!

But these two newbies did OK in the actual capsize drill.

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Anybody can make a mistake, especially at something you've just begun. Here the crew looks rather nervous even though they've watched several other crews do the capsize drill first. But that's not the mistake... the skipper is not steering properly! How should the skipper be holding the tiller?

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But all is well in this photo, the skipper & crew are in their places & doing their jobs.

The skipper has control of the boat by holding the centerboard. This prevents it from drifting away or turning all the way over "turtle." The crew rigs the righting line (orange rope laying over the rail) and then prepares to scoop into the boat as the skipper pulls it rightside up.

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"All aboard !!"

The key to doing this: let the boat heel toward the person in the water. This lowers the side they have to climb over, and makes it easier for them to get a grip on the hiking strap to pull themselves in.

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Here's three of our advanced sailors, two are practicing the capsize drill and one is handling the boat.

What, you expect one of us coaches to get in the water? Relax, we've done it a thousand times, now it's your turn!

This skipper & crew are just finishing up Step 1... makes sure that everyone on board is OK. They did a fine job.

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Capsize drill completed smoothly, time to head back to port.

Remember how we said anybody can make a mistake? Well, this skipper has forgotten to hold the tiller at all, much less do it the right way!

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Now all the fun is over. You can hear FJ #3 heave a sigh of relief! We unrig the boat completely, which is not a step we normally do... boom comes off, mast comes down, boat goes on trailer...

All is ready for Monday! Hope you're ready too!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

1st session for Fall 2011

2011-09-13T02:18:00.010-04:00

We had a GREAT start to the fall sailing season today. Enthusiasm was high, everybody was prepared (nobody showed up in sandals!) and we did not skid off the learning curve.

This was a day to learn the basic parts of the boat, and familiarize with how it all works. We learned some terminology, the names of some of the ropes & where they go, and lots of other funny boat words.

Why is it important to learn all this strange talk? Does it make sailing more complicated? Is it just a blind tradition to confuse newbies?

The answers are no, and also no, then for the last one, no again.

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Every specialized field of knowledge has it's own language. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, even plumbers, have words for thing that they deal with all the time and none of the rest of us ever think about (or even know about).

It's the same principle as the Eskimos having 125 words for "snow." The distinctions between different types of snow (for example it's relative hardness and the strength of underlying ice) is something unimportant to us; but Eskimos need to communicate this information quickly & precisely to each other.

You would probably want to get a second opinion if your doctor talked about "those airbag thingies" instead of saying "lungs," (or more likely referred to pulmonary).

If you want to be a sailor, you must be able to talk to other sailors!

FJ #5 draws a crowd. Is it Coach Gormley's magnetic personality? (don't stand near the compass!)

Our lessons today were somewhat interrupted by a thunderstorm passing close by. This gaveour advanced cadets a chance to practice their weather-reading skills, and put some urgency into the new sailors learning how to handle the HALYARDS.

Everybody was assigned to a boat, and all got a chance to practice hoisting the sails, handling the sheets, steering, and of course tying knots.

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And, once everyone had tried getting their feet wet (just an expression, none of the boats were launched into the river today), we practiced capsizing! This is what attracted a crowd to FJ #5!

Coach Rezab observes the capsize drill, far left. It's important to practice the steps correctly & in order, so that when we are in deep water it will not be too difficult.

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When sailing, the FJ has only 2 on board: the skipper & crew. However, for ground lessons, we team up in larger groups and all learn. Here are 2 advanced sailors showing 2 beginners how to tack, and also what the hiking straps are for.

The FJs are very sensitive to where the skipper & crew sit. The boat must be held stable by their weight placement to the side or center; and also it is important to not sink the bow or stern too deep by sitting too far forward or aft.

Thanks to Coaches Gormley, Dillinger, Murphy, Cornford, and Jackson (link- Meet The Coaches) for coming this afternoon and helping to get our fleet back into action! We are lucky to have survived Hurricane Irene so successfully, and lucky to have such expert help in teaching.

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Remember, capsize drill IN THE WATER this coming Thursday, even though we have 8 "old salts" returning from spring sailing, only 2 out of our current 29 sailors have done capsize drills! Thursday Sep 15 at 6 pm at the Twin Rivers YMCA in New Bern

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Sailing... it's not just for breakfast any more

2011-09-09T18:11:00.004-04:00

OK you all... for those who are already sailors, here is a refresher. If you prefer, you can think of it as a practice test! For those who are not yet sailors, here is a good start on the knowledge you need to master!

Here are ten parts of the boat which you WILL be required to know the names (terminology) and functions. As a help, here is a list

Mast
Jib Sheet
Mainsail Halyard
Tiller
Mainsail Sheet
Jib
Boom
Jib Halyard
Rudder
Mainsail

If you did not ace this, then please study this part of the website (link). There will also be good diagrams & explanation in your BASIC HANDOUT which will be available at the first sailing session.

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SCHEDULE- Every school Monday from now until December will be a sailing day.

Repeat: FROM NOW ON your attendance at sailing every Monday will be taken!

This Thursday, Sep 15th, we will hold a combined swim test & capsize drill at Twin Rivers YMCA in New Bern. This will commence at 6pm, and your sailing squad cadet commander should be able to help arrange transportation.

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So here is your first test- when will we go sailing?
Next test- When will you get a chance to TIP OVER an FJ on purpose, and not only that but do it in nice clear water & calm surroundings?

... ... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

R-r-ready to start Fall Semester 2011 sailing season!

2011-09-03T09:06:00.008-04:00

Last year we had a close brush with Hurricane Earl (link), this year we got hit pretty hard by Hurricane Irene. Here's a predicted track for Irene from about five days before impact. Woould you be worried to see a Category 2 hurricane hitting your town dead-center? This prediction proved very accurate, the Irene's eye passed Cape Lookout and about 30 miles east of New Bern.

We had ~90 mph winds (generally we measure wind in knots, but for now we'll use more common terms) and a 7+ foot storm surge.

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Our new Sailing Squad Commander, Cadet Andrew Ferree, made plans & worked to secure the boats before the storm. All the boats' masts were taken down & secured, gear was removed from the hulls, ground anchors checked and everything strapped down.

Our hosts, Bridgeton Harbor Marina, had a dock severely damaged and the shop flooded; they were still without electricity as of this posting.

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Almost done securing the boats before the storm!

This is a good example of a little work (or perhaps a medium amount of work) saving a HUGE amount of trouble. Our boats were not damaged by Hurricane Irene, and with some work to re-rig them, we will be sailing! Contrast this with the amount of work needed to make repairs, or worse yet, to raise funds to replace the boats... that could take years.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Our FLEET is growing!

2011-07-29T15:41:00.005-04:00

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The Javelin has proven itself as a great boat for our fleet, they are more stable & secure than the Flying Juniors. We were given our first Javelin, named the USS Craig-Bob in honor of the bequest, last spring. This boat now has 3 semesters of getting our cadets afloat, and we continue to appreciate both the gift and boat's virtues.

Many of the beginners get a feel for sheet & tiller in these boats before 'graduating' to the FJs, but then at least one skipper has showed that a well-sailed Javelin can pass an FJ!

Here's a photo from last fall, showing the Javelin (far left) sailing close-hauled towards the green buoy... getting there ahead of FJs #4 and #1 (on right).

Although the Javelin is only a slight amount longer, it is a much LARGER boat than the FJ. This might sound funny, but it's true. Boats are not just long or short; but also beamy or narrow, deep draft or shallow, and heavy or light (termed "displacement" when a vessel is in the water). The Javelin is more stable because it has more beam, and weighs almost twice what the FJ does. We often put 3 or even 4 persons in the Javelins which would be unthinkable in an FJ, it can have a much greater displacement.

Here is photo of Coach King proving that the foredeck of a Javelin is OK.

The Javelin is also very strongly built. For example, we never step on the foredeck of the Flying Junior for 2 reasons: it might buckle from your weight, and it makes an already-tippy boat very eager to capsize. This is not true of the Javelin, which feels very solid.

This month the New Bern NJROTC Sailing Squadron were donated a third Javelin, and we will put it to good use this fall!

The boat was donated by the son of the late Jimmy Cox of Trent Woods, a World War II Navy veteran. So this boat has a bit of history coming with it. He kept the boat in very good condition, and we offer sincere thanks to his family.

The NJROTC fleet all lined up & waiting at Bridgeton Harbor

Here's our 'new' Javelin, settled in it's new home. School will be starting soon and the cadets will be rigging & launching the boats for sailing... the FJs are dollied on the beach but the Javelins stay in the water.

... posted by Assisstant Coach Douglas King

We test-drive... err, test-sail a new boat!

2011-07-10T23:05:00.009-04:00

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Thanks to Dave Ellis, owner of a new Raider II Turbo sailboat, we had a chance to sail around in a new type of boat. Not just new to us, but relatively new to the sailing world.

Here are Cadets Ferree & Taylor showing how easy it is to go fast in this boat

This is a 16' sloop with a innovative hull design. It is very ergonomic and efficient. It is easy (in fact it's downright comfortable) for the skipper & crew to place their weight far outboard for increased righting moment... in other words, you can hike out farther & harder, with less work... and that means more horsepower coming from the sails. The "wings" on the sides of the hull are also very buoyant, and increase the reserve stability such that the boat is very difficult to capsize.

The sails are also designed to produce more power. Of course, this means BIGGER sails, but they also have full battens at the top (this is not really a new idea, but in this boat it is very well implemented) for a more efficient aspect ratio, and complete adjustments for shape.

The Raider jib is set on a roller-furler, so the boat can be sailed easily with just the mainsail or as a sloop.

Here we see Coach King advising the test pilots on how to unfurl the jib, and then furl it back up again if desired. The jib is a great way to keep the crew busy!

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Blackbeard Sailing Club in the background, the Raider zooming along close-hauled... dealing easily with the motorboat wake... and in the foreground, Cadet Taylor practicing his boat-handling skills.

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Looking down to make sure that feet are under hiking straps... okay guys now hike the boat flat!

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One of the advantages of the Raider is the double hull allowing the cockpit to be completely self-bailing.

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A brief rest on the beach before putting the boat away.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

End of the School Year... Forward Into Summer

2011-07-09T21:11:00.008-04:00

We tend to look just at our own little corner of the NJROTC world... yeah it's Navy but that doesn't mean it's all about boats! The New Bern NJROTC has a very full plate, and continues it's strong academic record. At the end of spring, we have college plans & summer jobs. We say goodbye to the graduates. We have an annual banquet to gather with families & celebrate.

Our spring semester sailing cadets who stuck with the program, turned in written assignments, worked at "learning the ropes" (and the knots), get the honor of standing in front of the brigade to be recognized as SAILORS.

What does it mean to be a sailor? First, it means having skills & technical knowledge. Our little sailboats are simple but each part has a special name and it must be rigged correctly to work. Being a sailor means to be alert to one's surroundings. Awareness of the weather, of the wind direction, and keeping a lookout for objects... OR PERSONS... in the water, is necessary at all times.

Being a sailor means being a reliable part of the team. You must do your job even if the wind is gusting and the boat is heeling 'way over about to capsize. You must concentrate & do your job because the vessel and everyone onboard is depending on you. Being a sailor means to be resourceful and self-reliant. You can't get out and walk home! You can give up & quit, but you're still out at sea.

These are all characteristics we'd like to see in ourselves, in our family, in our co-workers, and very definitely in the next generation coming along. This is what it means to be a real sailor, and this is what our sailing program is all about.

At the banquet, we also give awards. The highest award we can give in the sailing program is the Skipper's Aiguillette. This requires learning not just how to sail a small boat, but demonstrating leadership in a wide range of on-water activities. It requires learning to navigate, to read weather systems, learning about different types of vessels, the physics of buoyancy & stability, communication inculing radio protocol... it's a big step.

Cadets Wheeler & Fouts are awarded their Skipper's Auguillettes.

Another event that occured at the end of the spring semester is a change of command. The New Bern NJROTC Brigade had it's change of command, and the Sailing Squad also has a new cadet commander. Congratulations to the Brigade officers and to Andrew Ferree on becoming "Top Sailor."

I apologize for the long delay in getting this post & pics onto the web site. Hope everybody is on their way to having a GREAT summer. We will have more sailing news soon!

...posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Great post-regatta sail

2011-05-20T00:20:00.005-04:00

One more "congratulations" to our Sailing Squad cadets on the successful regatta, and on having a team actually ready to compete! This is a first, and a big accomplishment for the whole program.

We had a really good sailing session today, but unfortunately nobody took any pictures. So the photos here are more of the regatta

The Marine Corps team at the NJROTC regatta... ... ...

During our Thursday sail 2 of our beginners took their first turn at skippering an FJ (after all, it looked so easy during the races). The first try did not work out so well, but the 2nd not only got the hang of steering but actually completed a basic drill.

Here's a close look at the Race Committee vessel, the photographer on station, and the Race Committee personnel... ... ... ...

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We are using the Javelin for basic sail training, and Coach Murphy is doing a very good job with the cadets who aren't ready for an FJ yet. It is still good practice, especially sailing upwind out between the docks.

Here's a regatta pic... maneuvering for the start, "how not to" ... ... ... ... ...

We have only ONE more sailing session this spring! Hard to believe so much time has gone by, but look how much we've learned & improved!

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Docking Lesson 1... stopping would be nice

2011-05-19T22:58:00.008-04:00

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Learning how to GO is obviously one of the first steps, but when you think about it, learning to STOP is just as important. Maybe more so.

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Here's a boat sailing along on a beam reach. The skipper turns slightly away from the wind, and eases sails out as far as they'll go.

Is the boat going to stop? After all the jib is just flapping and the mainsail is at least partly flapping. Very little if any forward power is being produced.

The answer- this boat will slow down but it will not stop. Even the flapping sails exert a force called DRAG (link), and when the boat is angled downwind then it will be pulled forward.

Here is a boat that turns directly head to wind. This boat will definitely come to a stop and may begin sailing backwards. It is difficult to judge how how far the boat will coast straight into the wind. What's more, it will be difficult for the crew & skipper to see what's in front of the boat and it will also be difficult to get the boat started moving again.

Is there a better way to STOP?

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If the boat turns a little into the wind and the sails eased all the way, the boat will stop. The sails aren't flapping right in their faces so they can see & still balance; plus it's easy to get going again by just pulling in the sheets a little.

This is the right way to STOP a sailboat

With a little practice, a beginning skipper should be able to bring his boat to a stop right beside one of the buoys. This is safer than practicing on a real dock.

We will practice docking in all conditions, so be prepared for a coach to ask you to demonstrate.

In order to fly a plane, you must learn to bring it in for a landing. Same with a sailboat, maybe a little easier learning to dock BUT it's still necessary. And it's worth practice even for experienced sailors.

There's no such thing as being 'too good' at docking!

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2nd Annual Regatta... is it a tradition yet?!?

2011-05-14T22:07:00.011-04:00

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Here is the scene, getting ready for our 2nd Annual Regatta. It was a big success!

Our program is really oriented towards developing teamwork, leadership, and seamanship BUT the races are a challenge of skill and good clean fun too. The regatta is a fundraiser (boats, sails, and gear are ex$pen$ive) and also raises awareness in the community.

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R-r-r-racing!

Here's one of the high school teams versus local hotshot (in 2nd childhood). In this situation, boat #6 is vulnerable to be passed at the next turning buoy but for now have the advantage of Right-Of-Way (starboard tack).

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One of the great things about our sailing base is that we have FRONT ROW SEATS for the action. Most places where sailing races are held, it is very difficult for anyone to watch unless they get in a boat themselves.

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Here are some of the racers on their way upwind. The boats are 'close-hauled' with the sheets pulled in tight, and the skippers choose their route on a zig-zag course toward the Neuse River highway bridge in the background. The other three boats skippers thought the other tack was faster (these boats are on Port Tack) so the fleet is split up.

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Here's the part of the race where the fleet is going directly down wind. All are running 'wing & wing' with the jib opposite the mainsail.

It can be very close, and the sailors must know the Right-Of-Way rules in order to not have problems & collisions. This was close racing, it was exciting even if the top speeds are not high.

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In last years regatta, we did not have a New Bern NJROTC team entered. This year, a couple of our most experienced cadets (both have sailed big keelboats in the NYRA Winter Series) took up the challenge! They did not win, but they did prove that they could sail the boat efficiently and knew the Right-Of-Way rules... at one point they almost passed Coach King, but he still has a few tricks he has not yet taught them...

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Here's Coach Murphy and the Commander sailing in our #1 Javelin. It would not be a fair match to race these against the Flying Juniors, but it must have been tempting to try!

By the way, several of our basic sailor cadets skippered the Javelin during the day, taking the opportunity for some practice while they were busy with regatta work.

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Once the skippers get the hang of the time signals, and getting the boat into the right spot with all systems "GO", this is what the starting line looks like. Remember there are 3 more boats jammed in close behind these 3.

Don't our new sails look great, too?

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Here's a look at the starting line and our Race Committee vessel, COMPASS ROSE. Nice view of historic New Bern in the background. Several cadets served on the Race Committee, signaling the sailors, communicating with shore & with the chase boats, and recording the finishes. After a semester of our training, they know their way around a big boat too!

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Here is a crew's-eye view of DOCKING A SAILBOAT. We don't have brakes, so bringing the boat to a full stop requires some skill & maneuvering. Then there are all the other boats in the way, and of course the potential to capsize right at the dock (not the recommended method).

The helpers are ready, we had no crashes and no capsizes. It's really a lot more fun that the photos can possibly show you!

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Here's our Head Sailing Coach Jerry Rezab and his 'crash boat' crew. Their job is to stand by for rescue, to tow the sailboats if needed, to ferry Race Committee crew out to the RC vessel, and they also placed a warning buoy at a large obstruction (a piece of some derelict building) in the river.

The 'Blue Book' sailors are allowed to drive the program's motor boats once they are qualified, but this comes only after passing the basic sailing qualification.

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Last word-
Congratulations and BRAVO ZULU (that's Navy-ese for "Great Job, Well Done!") to the winners of our 2011 Regatta.

Y'all come back, now!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Spring Update... yes we are! (sailing, that is)

2011-05-12T12:53:00.000-04:00

Apologies for the lack of photos of our sailing progress. We have had 2 successful sailing days in the FJs and the Javelins. So far, no newbie skippers have passed the basic drills but we are building knowledge & skills, we're getting there.

We had a cadet go overboard into the Neuse River but the coaches were at hand; the whole episode from accidental gybe + falling overboard to being pulled into the RIB safety boat took less than a minute. BTW the weather is warming up but the water is chilly!

Our experienced sailors are in the FJs getting some practice in all the maneuvers from gybing to docking; we still don't have a racing team BUT we do have some skippers who recently passed their Navigation qualification.

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In other news, the New Bern NJROTC's fleet was reduced by 1 boat- we had a Pintail donated years ago and Coach Rezab sold it after a full reconditioning. This was our dry-land exercise boat for a few years but we have little use for it as a sailing trainer. The money received will help pay for ongoing operations like bus transport.

Generally, we do not solicit donations of boats to resell but only accept boats we can use in training. We would love to get some more Flying Juniors and maybe one or 2 more Javelins; we could also use a 2nd safety boat (and motor & trailer). Gear is also welcome, in particular we need new lifejackets!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Practice, Practice, Practice... ... ( 21 Mar 2011 )

2011-03-31T21:55:00.008-04:00

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The weather has not cooperated with our sailing plans. Instead of getting underway in the FJs, we held practice at the dock in the Javelins.

Here's a photo from the Bridgeton Harbor launch area, showing why we were not putting the FJs in. Strong winds, ~2'+ choppy waves, lee shore... let us count the ways in which this is a bad idea... ...

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Here's how we held practice in the Javelins. With a line from each side at the stern of the boat, we can hold the boat at an angle to the wind, or swing it around as though the skipper & crew were maneuvering under way. This is a good "sailing simulator!"

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Each new skipper & crew practiced tacking, and setting the sails correctly for most Points Of Sail. The wind was very gusty, some of us got a chance to practice easing the sheet when the boat heels too much!

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Here's our #1 Javelin (the USS Craig-Bob) with cadets manning the helm & sails. Coach Murphy is directing the same drill in Javelin #2 (as yet un-named, who will earn the right to name it?).

First we practiced rigging the boat, then hoisted the jib. The skipper is steering properly, with the hiking stick & sitting amidships (actually he would do better to sit a bit further forward). The crew is balancing the boat & holding the jib sheet. In fact, she is holding -both- jib sheets, in readiness to TACK. These cadets did very well practicing tacking, using proper commands & communication.

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"Which way does the boat turn if I move the tiller -this- way"

Coach King (holding bow line, wearing hat) turns the boat just as it would if sailing free; although not with such potentially bad consequences. Let's get those mistakes done & over with now!

Congrats to all the sailing cadets who completed their qual on KNOTS this week... we are better prepared than ever, and our next sailing session will be a success!

... posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

1st sail, 2011... dude where's my mast

2011-03-08T02:42:00.011-05:00

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This afternoon, after battling Hwy 70 traffic on land, the New Bern NJROTC sailors got underway. The coaches had the boats already launched, to save time (don't get too accustomed to this) and we only had about 45 minutes of sailing time on the river. However, in that short time frame, every sailing cadet had the chance to take the helm.... everybody learned a bit more about all those ropes & stuff too.

(Our Javelin #2 w Coach Hittner, nice background of New Bern landmarks)

This is the first time both Javelins hit the water together. These boats are a little bigger (less than a foot longer) than the FJs but much beamier & heavier. 3 cadets and a coach filled up these boats, but they move right along & really sail... until the mast falls down, anyway! Javelin #2 had a side-stay pin fall out, splashing the whole rig in the water. No major damage though, and at least it waited until the end of the day!

We put 5 of our Flying Juniors in the water, 2 with qualified cadet skippers from previous semesters, and 3 with coaches skippering... although the cadets got a chance to swap places and take the helm themselves!

Could we use a little more wind?

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Here's Javelin #1, the "USS Craig-Bob," with Coach Murphy and cadets getting the jib sheets right.
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FJ #2 with a cadet at the helm... holding a good course, sails set correctly for their point of sail... still, there's something wrong with this picture... umm, wait, I know! They are too close to the railroad bridge!! Does anybody remember any of the coaches saying something about that? Weren't there some buoys or something out there??!?

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Here's our two qualified cadet skippers, looking pretty good. You can see from the bow wave that the FJs move right along even in relatively light winds. They'd go even better if the crews eased the jibs to match the mainsails (hint). The two Javelins are in the background, close in to the Bridgeton shore.

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Here's a good shot of the two Javelins, with our base Bridgeton Harbor Marina in the background. The cadets have these boats moving well, on a close-hauled point of sail. In this photo, we are looking almost straight upwind.

Next week will be a break due to the half-day of school.

Now... how many are looking forward to the next sailing day?

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Windy day, ground school... (spring 2011 2nd session)

2011-02-28T20:25:00.004-05:00

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Today the NJROTC sailing class was out on the water. The weather was a bit rough, the wind was very gusty (about 20 knots) (link to Neuse weather buoy) but that's OK. The plan was to have Ground School which would familiarize all the pilots... umm sailors.... with the FJ's working parts and give them a chance to try moving in the boat on dry land.

First, we went through the steps of putting the sails & rudder on the boat, lifting them off the cradles, and getting ready to sail. Because the wind was so strong & gusty, we did not want to risk damaging the boats or putting
extra wear & tear on the sails, so we
only simulated hoisting the sails. But
each cadet had a chance to man the
halyards, tie off the halyard to it's cleat, and then practice working the sheets & tacking.

Here's a photo of the New Bern NJROTC sailors coming in off the water. The river looks calm but the waves were splashing over the dock

Our first sailing drill will be 'Baby Ducks' and we will ONLY tack! We will need to have mild wind conditions, less than 10 but hopefully enough to get the boats moving well (and you will be surprised & exhilirated by how well the FJs move in relatively light wind). After we learn to steer & tack & control the sails, we will practice starting & stopping which will also be done within the format of a 'Baby Duck' drill (link to our sail drills).

Practice your knots!

Next time, boat in water!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Spring 2011 sailing class

2011-02-22T08:27:00.005-05:00

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Our sailing program has reached a landmark. For the first time, we are holding advanced classes as well as beginner classes. The experienced (dare we say "salty") cadets are studying navigation with Coach Cornford while the beginners have a class with Coach King and take a swim test.

The beginner's class watch a brief video of other high school sailors tacking & sailing close-hauled, then began studying basic terms... everybody remember "Halyard= up & down" now what does a sheet do again? It's like learning a foreign language, but this class is motivated... we are learning quickly and looking forward to really sailing.

Meanwhile, everybody should now have their sailing booklets. Two cadets have advanced from last fall's beginner session to carry the Blue Book, and they are now in the advanced class. Both classes have a written assignment: the beginners have 15 True-False questions and 5 long-answer questions, the advanced cadets may chose their own topic from the course material and write 1 page (approx) on that subject. These written assignments are like open-book tests and students are encouraged to use their sailing booklets, the NJROTC library, or the internet, to find anwers... it's all about learning!

Swim Test- it's not really about swimming. Several of our sailors this semester are on the swim team, and very skilled. Others are hesitant to trust deep water, but willing to prove they can pass.

(photo on right) the Cadet Sailing Squad Commander holds the "L" flag which is our signal for "come here" on the water.

Our "swim test" is really more about the ability to float, or dog-paddle... it's about keeping your head above water & avoiding panic. No problem!

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Peaceful sunset at our sailing base, Bridgeton Harbor.

The boats are ready (thanks to the coaches working thru the winter) and next week our sailors will be here, practicing FOR REAL.

Next class: Monday Feb 28, at Bridgeton Harbor. Bring sailing clothes & shoes, if you need to make transportation arrangements then be sure to clear it with the Commander.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Classes begin !!! Mondays R 4 SAILING

2011-02-16T12:11:00.005-05:00

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From now until the end of the semester, Monday afternoons are SAILING days.

We have already had class sessions, if you missed out then you can still catch up. We will have a written assignment on this coming Monday (Feb 21).

As one beginner put it, "This is like a real class, and stuff." Yes it is!

We have a few cadets who started last fall that are almost qualified on the basics, and are ready to take on the Blue Book. This is for those motivated few who want to earn their sailor's aiguillette.

What is the Sailor's Aiguillette, you ask? We should probably cover this (briefly) in class... the aiguillette is (as any cadet should know) a special uniform decoration. The New Bern NJROTC awards one to members of the Sailing Squad who have qualified to not only skipper a small sailboat for an afternoon of fun, but to teach, to plan, to navigate, to use radio communications, to perform rescue operations if necessary... in other words, the full range of knowledge & skill to take command of a vessel & crew.

Earning this qualification is a serious undertaking. We have several cadets who been working on it for 3 semesters and more; a few are getting very close. This past Monday (Feb 14) was the first time that a classroom session on Navigation was taught. We will have at least one more classroom session, when possible we will have advanced classes for those who are qualified.

Do you have to take it this seriously? Sailing is FUN after all!!

The answer is no... any cadet is welcome to join the sailors but we take safety seriously. It takes teamwork to get the fleet underway, and that is part of the enjoyment.

I hope this sunny weather is getting you all to thinking about going out on the river.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Sailing Lessons On-Line... Table of Contents

2011-02-15T19:45:00.006-05:00

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We have sailing lessons included in this web site, but they are not together nor in order. Here is a way to find them...

Basic Boat Parts (link) ... the Hull

Basic Boat Directions (link)

Basic Aerodynamics (link)

More Boat Parts (link) ... still pretty basic, the Rig

Basic Sailing: How to STOP when you don't have brakes! (link)

Our Capsize Drill (link) ... all the gory details, how to do it right plus what NOT to do

Basic Lesson... Parts of the Boat , chapter 1

2011-02-12T20:59:00.012-05:00

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Learning to sail requires learning a new language.
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It is romantic to consider 'the language of the sea' but it is practical to realize that -all- specialized fields such as medicine or engineering also have their terminology. A person could not get far as a doctor if they said "those air-thingies" instead of "lungs" (or better yet, referred to pulmonology)... and you will not be able to sail very well if you don't understand what the other sailors are talking about.

You already know some nautical terminology (link). In the same way, and for the same reasons, computer terms are becoming a common part of the language nowadays.

And when we think about computers, we generally do not think about all the parts at once, as seperate items. It is much easier & sensible to think of components & systems & subsystems... the video card, the main bus, the power supply... each of these is made up of smaller parts within it, and we identify these smaller parts both by their function and which system they fit in.

It helps to do the same with sailboats. We can easily divide the sailboat (any sailboat) into two major systems: the HULL and the RIG. It is so obvious that you can see even small children do it.

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The Hull: it's purpose is to keep everything afloat (duh). Some people think of it as the "body" of the boat. We could use a big waterproof box as a hull, but it works better if it shaped to move thru the water easily... so it has a pointy end. It also works better if it has the shape and the width to have stability (more on stability in the advanced section).

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The HULL has a few basic parts we need to know: the BOW (rhymes with "wow") or front, the STERN or back, the GUNWHALES (pronounced "gunnels") which are the outer edges all around, the DECK, the TRANSOM (which is the flat section across the very aft-most part), and the THWART which is a cross-piece inside the hull.

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Basic sailors will also need to know the CENTERBOARD, the RUDDER, and the TILLER although these might not technically be parts of the hull, that is the overall system they function with.

When learning the names of these boat parts, keep in mind their location within the boat, and also their function. For example, the GUNWHALE (rhymes with "funnel") is sort of like a rim around the hull, it is a structural part which increases the strength of the hull, and it has a rubber strip which protects the hull from smacking into things like another boat or a dock.

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Basic Lesson... Directions On A Boat

2011-02-12T20:41:00.006-05:00

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Are the directions on a boat the same as on land?

In one way... yes!

In another way, HECK NO

We still have up & down, east & west, north & south, faster & slower (aren't these directions too?). On a boat, we still have Ahead & Behind but we call them different names.

Is this silly? Yes and no, there are a lot of things on a boat which are totally different from anything on land, or on any other type of vehicle. So of course they have very different names.

When a person says "Forward" you know what they mean, if they said "Fore" you could probably guess which direction it mean. If they said "aft" or "astern" then you might be able to guess or you might not.

Two entirely different & new directions: "Starboard" and "Port"

These are the right-hand side (starboard) and the left-hand side (port) of the boat, and they remain the same FOR THE BOAT when it turns around. In other words, when you're facing forward in the boat, starboard is to your right. When you are facing the stern, starboard is to your left.

To be a sailor, you will have to -know- these without even thinking about it.

Meet The Coaches

2011-01-31T16:54:00.018-05:00

The coaches are a KEY part of this sailing program. When school is on break, or the sailing squad is inactive, we coaches keep busy year round.

Head Coach Rezab (pointing, on left) and Coach Hittner (standing, on right) give close & careful attention to every sail >>>

Here are some photos & a brief biography of some of our sailing coaches. We should keep in mind that all are volunteers.

Head Sailing Coach Jerry Rezab

Resident of Fairfield Harbour, Coach Rezab is a member of Blackbeard Sailing Club and Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club. He began sailing by racing in Windmill class boats, and has continued to sail these favorites while also sailing & racing 30+ ft keelboats.

His impressive knowledge is more than matched by his enthusiasm and energy. Jerry came to New Bern from the Chicago area.

Photo at left shows Head Coach Rezab working on the NJROTC "float" for the 2010 Christmas Parade

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Doug King is originally from Havelock, is a Navy veteran, and alumnus of New Bern High and later of N.C. State University. His whole family has "always sailed" and he has 5 decades sailing experience, having begun as a toddler. He is a US Sailing Level 1 certified instructor.

Here is Coach King on a chartered cruiser in the Caribbean (Feb 2010)

Mr. King is a retired engineer who returned to New Bern with his wife. She is also an enthusiastic sailor & cruiser (link to their Great Loop voyage) and they live in Fairfield Harbour.

Coach King's theory is that sailing is easy... if he can do it, anybody can! He has been a volunteer sailing coach since 2009, and has worked hard at developing the cadet sailor's booklet and the other teaching materials.

An historic photo of Coach King without a wide-brim hat. It must have blown off during this race. The pretty girl trimming the spinnaker is his wife Kathie.

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Coach Murphy formerly taught sailing to adults with the Sailing Club of Washington. He was also a volunteer instructor for an after-school sailing program. He owns a Montgomery 15 micro cruiser that he uses to explore the local creeks, rivers, and sounds. He also uses it to explore further afield by trailering to more distant waters.

Coach Murphy stopping traffic, going for a sail on the Neuse...
He is a retired Forest Ranger who spent most of his career in the Mountain West. He and his wife moved to New Bern two and a half years ago because of the sense of community offered by New Bern, the friendly people, and the opportunity for local sailing. They have three daughters. One lives in California where she teaches High School Science, another daughter lives in Japan with her husband who is with the Air Force, and their youngest is a Doctor working in Kentucky.

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Coach Murphy preparing to explore the Bay River

Coach Murphy is one of our on-the-water sailing teachers. He is also in charge of fleet maintenance. He joined the NJROTC program in 2010 and is looking forward to a great sailing season with the cadets.

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Coach Jackson is a member of Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club. He began sailing on Lake Superior, and found New Bern while cruising south with his familiy. They liked it so much that they moved here... in fact the boat liked it too, and has never returned to Lake Superior since then!

(photo at right) Coach Jackson in his hat & shades watching NJROTC cadets practicing FJ capsizes in his swimming pool

Mr. Jackson volunteered to become on of our coaches in 2010. He is also a lifeguard at the Twin Rivers YMCA in New Bern, which how he passes the time when he's not cruising or racing on the Neuse River. His knowledge ON or IN the water is valuable to our program.

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Coach O'Flanagan lives in Fairfield Harbour, where he keeps his cruising boat named 'The Balance.'

Our other volunteers & coaches should definitely be recognized, we will have pictures & short bios posted as soon as possible.

Joe Gormley...
Mark Hittner...
Bill Jarvis...
Don Harris...
Herm Schiller
Tom Wynn...
Buddy Dillinger...
Bud Ellis...
Brett Mozingo...
Al Muenster...
Ed Klebauer...
Bob Petritsch...
Larry Rotta, Head Sailing Coach from 2003 to 2006...

... ... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

"Young People Today... ... ..."

2011-01-30T17:06:00.003-05:00

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"Young people today... ... ...”

How often we use or say this phrase followed by a critical comment. I want to use the phrase followed by nothing but praise and admiration for a group of local young men and women.

Recently I had the privilege of talking with four NJROTC cadets from New Bern High School. Andrew, Chris, Anthony and Tommy have been learning to sail with members of Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club. They have had hands on experience in sailboats and on very cold days, racing on FHYC and NYRA members keelboats. They also helped with the administration of racing in the winter series on the Neuse River.

This has meant being on the Committee boat or helping to place marks on the course. I asked them what they learned from this time spent on the water. Andrew made it clear that he had learnt how to be part of a team and to know the importance of knowing the names of parts of the boat, the rig and the lines. Anthony found it necessary to work and bond with rest of the crew. Chris learnt to follow directions without question. Tommy found out that communication skills were very important and that he had to be able to work with people he had just met.

These four young men are proud of the uniforms they wear. They appreciate the discipline being a cadet requires. They spoke of the leadership roles they could handle, of the pride in maintaining good grades in academic work and the opportunity to follow careers in the military. All the cadets appreciate the Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club members who volunteer their time and expertise to give the cadets the on water experiences. The program has been going now for six years with cadets sailing on Ensigns and Flying Junior sailboats.

Classroom experience, learning how to capsize and right a boat, instruction in naval science, chain of command, oceanography, working on the drill team and acquiring the overall discipline demanded of them were things they enjoyed. There are over 160 students from freshmen to seniors in this program. I observed them in the classroom, the high standard of discipline and respect they showed to me, a visitor “On Board”.

They are the future, they are proud and their leadership will show in the careers they follow.

“Young people today…….” They certainly have my respect!

reprint of Fairfield Harbour Beacon article by Olwen Jarvis

Let's Begin At The Beginning... How Boats Sail

2011-01-04T14:29:00.019-05:00

How -do- boats sail?

To many people, it makes no sense that a sailboat can go upwind. They will say things like "It's against the laws of physics" or maybe "That would be like a ball rolling uphill." And in some ways, it does seem to defy common sense that a boat can use the power of the wind to make progress in the opposite direction the wind is blowing.

But it works, sailors have been doing it for many centuries.

BASIC POINTS of SAIL

One of the things beginning sailors must learn is the "POINTS of SAIL." This refers to the angle that the boat is sailing, relative to the wind direction. This is important, and entirely seperate from which direction the boat is sailing relative to the earth, or the compass.

When a boat is headed straight into the wind, it is "IN IRONS" and if it is moving forward, it will soon stop. The sails are flapping, not producing any power!

In order for the boat to move forward, the sails must produce some power... remember the wind blowing on the sails will -always- produce DRAG, which is a force affecting the boat, but it is not useful power to drive the boat... unless the boat is going downwind anyway ("broad reaching" or "running")...

How do sails produce power? A sail is a simple machine called a FOIL. This is one of the basic machines of our whole system of technology, like the lever or the wheel.

A FOIL is a like a wedge, except that it works in fluid (such as air or water) rather than sitting on solid ground. The fluid has MASS and thus when it is moving, that is a form of energy. The FOIL takes that energy to create a useful force called LIFT.

An airplane wing is the most obvious example of a FOIL but sails have been around a lot longer than wings. This technology is also used in windmills, pumps, hydraulics, turbines, propellors, fans, and many other applications.

But let's look primarily at SAILS!!

We know that sails can be hoisted up and lowered down (key word: "halyards"). We also know that sails can be pulled in or eased out, thus changing the angle of the sail (key word: "sheets"). When you look at the first diagram on POINTS of SAIL, you see that the narrower the angle of the boat to the wind, the tighter the sails are pulled in.

What you might not notice is that the sail stays almost a constant angle to the wind!

Pilots worry about the 'angle of attack' especially when taking off, but sailors don't use the term as much. It's still an important concept. The sails of a boat "in irons" have an angle of attack of zero. When the boat is steered on a course anywhere from 45 degrees to 180 degrees relative to the wind, the sails are adjusted (sailors use the word "trimmed") to get the most efficient angle of attack.

Is this making any sense? Does it have any relevance to how a sailboat goes upwind, aganst the very force that is driving it, like a ball rolling up hill ??

It's time to use some pictures of real boats sailing. Diagrams are great but they get boring. In fact, I love to see pictures of -my- boat, so look here...

The start of the 2009 Wilkerson Cup. Wind direction is almost straight from right, but angled slightly towards us (ie out of the picture). You can see that each skipper has chosen a slightly different angle as his boat's best course, and sails trimmed to slightly differing 'angles of attack' for going CLOSE-HAULED. These boats are racing to a point about 1 1/4 miles to the right... in other words, upwind...

BTW Coach Mark Hittner won this race, sailing his Morgan 25 PESTY (furthest to left). There are also two Ensigns and Coach King's Santana 23 BLUE YONDER in this picture... ...Photo taken by John Jackson.

So, what have we learned? That a sail is like a wing, and the direction or angle at which the wind hits it can make a big difference in the boat's moving forward.

The sailor will adjust the 'angle of attack' of the sail (this is what 'to trim a sail' means) so that the forces of lift & drag will propel the boat.

At a low angle (top), not much LIFT but then there is not much drag either. In the middle, we see approximately the "most efficient" angle. At the bottom, we see a foil that is stalled. Fluid flow does not like to go around corners. Too high an angle of attack seperates the flow from the surface and it just swirls at random (technical term: "turbulence"). The FOIL is producing not much lift, and large amounts of drag.

The Force Of 'LIFT' explained (link) ... ... ... The Force Of 'DRAG' explained (link)

both links above to Wikipedia

So let's apply this new knowledge to HOW A BOAT SAILS... the point of this lesson!

Here are 3 FJs with their mainsails set at 3 different angles. All 3 boats are sailing at the exact same angle to the wind, but their sails are trimmed differently.

The top boat has pulled in the mainsheet just enough to stop the sail from flapping. The sail is just beginning to work as a FOIL and the LIFT it generates will move the boat forward.

The middle boat has pulled it's mainsheet in a bit further. The sail is at a tighter angle to the boat, which is what everybody sees, and a wider angle to the wind. The sail is producing more LIFT and the boat should move faster.

The bottom boat has pulled it's mainsheet tighter yet, the sail is producing lift but also much more DRAG due to the turbulent flow. This boat may have as much driving force as the middle boat (but probably doesn't) however it will feel a lot of heeling force.

If these boats were racing, which one would you bet on? I'd take the middle one!

Let's review- a boat's Point Of Sail refers to the boat's angle to the wind.

The sailor trims the sail to keep that sail at an effective angle to the wind, which means adjusting it's angle to the boat. So the sails will be trimmed differently for different points of sail; in fact the sails may be trimmed differently according to wind or sea conditions... such as when the wind is strong and heels the boat too far over...

The sail is a machine called a foil which uses the energy of the wind to produce power.

A sail, a wing, a turbine blade, or any other FOIL always has the force of "drag" which can be thought of as simply the friction of the wind (or other fluid) in motion along it's surface. A FOIL can also generate a force called LIFT, and this varies in relation to the foil's angle to the wind.

The sailor adjusts the angle of the sail to the wind to use that power to propel the boat.

It may be more clear to look at it from the point of view of the boat remaining at a constant angle. The top boat here is close-hauled, the sail is at approximately 25 degrees to the wind, the boat is at approximately a 40 degree angle to the wind.

The LIFT force of the sail is pulling the boat almost sideways, which will tend to make it heel over and also to slide sideways through the water. This side-slipping (key word "leeway") is counteracted by the centerboard, which is also a FOIL.

Next we see a boat at a different angle to the wind (although it is the same angle on the screen). However the sailor has adjusted the sail so that it is still at an efficient angle and is propelling the boat forward. This is a Close Reach point of sail.

Now the wind is at yet another angle to the boat. The sailor has again adjusted his mainsheet, and the boat is being propelled efficiently. This point of sail is called a Broad Reach.

Since the boat has Standing Rigging, this is about as far as the mainsail can be eased out. The boom will be against the side-stay, but the sail need not be eased out further because the DRAG of the sail will propel the boat downwind quite well.

For basic sailing, we don't need to know a lot about aerodynamics. In fact you could sail a boat simply by looking up and adjusting the sail so that it was neither flapping freely nor heeling the boat too much. In the NJROTC sailing course, we teach enough about the laws of physics which govern sailing (and vessels in general) that the student will be able to go on to bigger & better ambitions with a solid background. The goal is not -just- to sail a boat... or even to sail a boat well... but to understand why boats sail, and to be able to apply those principles elsewhere in life.

For those with a thirst for more knowledge, here is a link to NASA's web site "Beginner's Guide To Aerodynamics"

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T23:14:00.004-05:00

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We wish all our cadets & coaches, all our families, and all of our brothers & sisters in the service who are far from home, boat-loads of joy and a MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

We don't let winter stop us!

2010-12-06T12:29:00.013-05:00

This past weekend, the New Bern NJROTC sailors got in several kinds of action. Saturday, two cadets came out to the NYRA Winter Series (link) races. On Sunday, the town of Trent Woods had it's popular Christmas Parade which the NBHS-NJROTC brigade marched in. The sailors had a float (kind of appropriate, when ya think about it) made up of a decorated sailboat, and 4 members of the sailing squad throwing candy to the crowd.

Let's start with the sailing: they call it the "Winter Series" but usually it's a bit warmer than this. Everybody was bundled up and many were hoping the races would be called off. I don't know what they were complaining about, here on my boat (a Santana 23, the smallest of the fleet) we were comfy enough.

This photo shows the skipper (Bill D) and middle crew relaxing before the 1st race. Actually it wasn't very relaxing, it was cold... it was a lot better once we got to work & warmed up!

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This photo (left) shows the chase boat manned by Blackbeard Sailing Club veteran Ken Gurganus and and cadet A.F. from New Bern NJROTC. It was actually colder on the "chase boat" than it was under sail, but our volunteers did get to relax on the luxurious Race Committee vessel.

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Here is Coach King's BLUE YONDER on it's way to a 2nd-place finish (out of 7 racers) with cadet J.V. as crew (seated on windward rail). It is a lot of work racing a small complex racer/cruiser (which has to be launched just like our FJs) and the crew warmed up a lot, especially when handling the spinnaker!

(thanks to John Y. Jackson for this photo)

POP QUIZ: What point of sail, and which tack, is this boat on?

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Here is work just beginning on our Javelin #2, to transform it into a Christmas Parade float. Head Coach Rezab has rigged the boom as a mast, and flown the signal N-B-H-S on the forestay, and signal N-J-R-O-T-C on the backstay.

POP QUIZ: What does this boat's standing rigging normally consist of? What has been added, what is missing?

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Unfortunately not all our sailor cadets got to ride in the boat-float. But they were great about helping to decorate it for Christmas... and the rudder didn't drag either!

Here is part of the brigade getting formed up to march in the parade.

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You can see the right mix of pride and self-discipline here... that cold cold wind is blowing. I predict that many of the young people will go far in life!

The plan is to continue sailing when the weather permits; we have arranged the loan of two San Juan 21 ballasted sloops which will better for potentially cold operations. We will also continue to have class for those who want to learn. See you next week!

... posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Cape Lookout Power & Sail Squadron shows serious support

2010-11-17T15:30:00.004-05:00

The U.S. Power Squadron has a long history of being involved in boating projects, including education... almost a century in fact. The New Bern area is home to the Cape Lookout branch (link) and this is a great organization of sailors and power boaters together.

(photo at right) Two weeks ago the Cape Lookout Power & Sail Squadron held a chili cook-out, charging only 5$ for an all-you-can-eat bowl of chilli; several different people cooked up their varieties ranging from "not all that hot" to "scorch your socks." This was held at Fairfield Harbour and was considered a big success by all!

This week, the CLSPS presented a check to Cadet Chris Wheeler, commander of the New Bern NJROTC sailing squad, of the funds raised at the chili cook-out. This will be a welcome addition to the "New Sail Fund," in fact it is a bit more than a new set of sails so we can afford to travel to some events this spring!

(photo at left, from left) Captain Richard Tobacco, Assistant Sailing Coach Doug King, Cadet Chris Wheeler, LCDR Craig Tyson

We offer sincere thanks to everybody who made this event possible, especially those who showed up hungry!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Cadets Racing in N.Y.R.A. series

2010-11-14T16:34:00.004-05:00

Yesterday (Saturday Nov 13) was the 2nd event in the Neuse Yacht Racing Association "Winter Series." Three of our cadets were present, one manned the chase/rescue boat and 2 other crewed on one of the racing boats.

(photo at right Sail #130) Santana 23 BLUE YONDER, the smallest boat in the Spinnaker Fleet, was 75% crewed by New Bern NJROTC cadets, who got a quick lesson in how to handle winches and then proceeded to apply that lesson in tacking & trimming a genoa (headsail like a big jib, only much bigger). It was also their first experience flying a spinnaker.

There were several requests from vessels for crew, Coach King took advantage of his position to get a monopoly.

This photo (left) shows BLUE YONDER with cadet crew sailing into the action with the Race Committee boat PICCOLO (dark hull powerboat) in the background.

Races like this provide a test of sailing ability, concentration on precise boat-handling and sail trim, and a serious lesson on the Right-Of-Way rules.

There are several more N.Y.R.A. events scheduled thru the winter & spring, so this opportunity is open to cadets in our sailing program. Anybody interested should contact Coach Hittner.

... ...posted by Douglas King

Did you miss the last sailing day?

2010-11-02T21:33:00.004-04:00

We have had some great sailing weather this fall, but it's officially over. There were only 3 cadets who showed up for yesterday's session in the FJs.

Some things went very well, some things not so well. There was a nice breeze, the boats were rigged & launched, the coaches laid out the drills. However it was obvious that for as much practice as we've had, the sailing skills were not as developed as they should be. A beginning skipper should know all the points of sail, and should know how to tack & how to gybe (hint: they are not the same thing). Our advanced skipper almost capsized gybing in a 10 knot breeze.

That's not good, and we won't have a chance to improve further in the fall. However we can study and take advantage of winter sailing opportunities (we can sail other boats besides FJs, if we take the initiative to do so).

There are lots of things that lie ahead. One of the opportunities for winter sailing is the NYRA Winter Series (link) which is racing bigger sailboats on the Neuse River.

I hope to see all of our Fall 2010 sailors in class and on the water (weather permitting) in the near future!

...posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

A hearty THANK YOU to the Cape Lookout US Power Squadron

2010-11-01T08:45:00.004-04:00

This Saturday (30Nov2010) the Cape Lookout Sail & Power Squadron (link) cooked up a big pot of very good chili.

Red Sail Park in Fairfield Harbour was the scene of this chili fest, and the proceeds are to benefit US. Our program is doing great, but there are certainly a lot of things we need and this will be a big help.

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Light wind... some good things, some not so good

2010-10-19T01:04:00.008-04:00

18 Oct 2010...

Remember when we talked about a "Lee Shore" (it was just last week)? Well, we had just about the same wind yesterday, making our home beach a lee shore.

(the star marks our sailing base, the river is about 1 1/4 mile wide here)

The lee shore is simply the shore the wind is blowing ON rather than from. Big deal? Yes, if you're in a vessel trying to get away from that shore. Even powerful motorboats & ships can be trapped on a lee shore.

Here is the fleet after successfully sailing off the beach. Everybody went CLOSE-HAULED with rudder & centerboard partly raised, then once out in deep water, put them fully down.

One of the keys to being able to do this is to make good tacks. In this photo, FJ#2 is half-way through a tack.... or are they stuck "in irons"?

This sailing vessel is hard aground on a lee shore... fortunately a soft beach. If it were rocky, this ship would have been pounded to bits.

Remember, any vessel is affected by wind & current... strongly so when maneuvering at low speed. Boats & ships do not steer like cars, they are at a disadvantage when moving slowly; and close to shore (or docks, or other vessels) there is very little margin. Combine that with a steady force pushing you the wrong way, and it could be all over.

Let us all hope that our cadets have learned well enough to avoid this... I think they have!

Now for some fun... how about the challenge of parking the boat, perfectly stopped with the bow -just- touching the buoy?

In this pic, FJ#2 has come close but not quite succeeded.

Don't worry, they got it right next time... and several more times just for practice...

In fact, everybody had a couple of tries at this drill.

Here, our Javelin has just successfully parked right at the green buoy. If you look closely, you can see that the jib is backwinded... this works great to turn the boat when it is stopped or going too slowly for the rudder to be effective. Moments before this pic was snapped, the Javelin was pointed straight at the camera, and sitting still in the water. Backing the jib has put them on a BEAM REACH, the best point of sail for accelerating.

Things we need to work on... recognizing the point of sail our boat is on. This is basic. If a oach on the water came up to you and said something like "Why are your sails pulled in tight?" then you were not set up correctly for the point of sail your boat was on.

#2 to work on... keeping the sails working effectively through all maneuvers. When tacking, get control of the jib & main sheets quickly. In fact, don't ever let them drop. The sails should never flap aimlessly (or at least, not for more than a very brief second). When gybing, the helmsman needs to keep steering steadily & keep control of the main sheet at the same time.

Yes it takes practice! That's why we're here!!

Things we did well... getting away from the lee shore beach... most skippers are steering pretty well on CLOSE-HAULED courses, and making good tacks... many are beginning to see how to apply the Right-Of-Way rules for impending situations. We did have one minor collision but an encouraging number of misses... last but not least, our rigging & unrigging skills are good now.

Yesterday afternoon was another great sailing session, some good practice on needed skills and (I hope) lots of fun.

...posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

11 Oct 2010... more sailing drills, more fun, what could possibly go wrong

2010-10-11T23:12:00.005-04:00

We had a bad-weather day last month, and since then we have had GREAT sailing times! Today a 5~7 kt westerly gave us a little bit of a challenge sailing off the beach, but overall it was a very good afternoon.

Here's the NJROTC Bears heading out onto the Neuse from our base. The wind is directly from right to left in this photo, which means they have to sail close-hauled directly off the beach.... not the easiest sailing operation. There is a reason why sailors dislike the "LEE SHORE." (hint- this is not where Lee goes to the beach)

Today the goal was to continue work on the basics of rigging the boats, all nomenclature, and of course handling the FJs out on the water. We did a couple of basic drills, and for fun & challenge, threw in an advanced drill with the opportunity to see who can go the fastest using only the wind.

The most basic was our favorite, the 'Baby Duck' (link). This gave our new sailors a chance to practice several of the sailing skills needed... mostly steering & keeping the boat level. It's more difficult than it looks, like riding a bicycle! The experienced skippers also practiced this drill, and at the same time practiced some other skills like Right-Of-Way rules.

We also did the "Pipeline" (link) again. Here is FJ#5 (new skipper btw) about to go thru the orange gate while Javelin #1 tries the same thing. Can you tell from the photo who has Right-Of-Way?

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Then we gave the advanced skippers a chance to practice docking.... OK it was really to a nice soft RIB (inflatable) coach boat, anchored in our practice area. Considering what can happen if you hit the dock, it pays to practice this skill. Coach Hittner did a good job of giving advice but not too much advice, on how to stop right where you want in a boat with no brakes.
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Here is the fleet doing the 'Baby Duck.' They could be a little better organized, and closer together, but it's not too bad. FJ#4 has claimed the lead and held it, not bad for another pair of novice sailors. They also did the 'Pipeline' drill.
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Is there a problem on the Javelin? Looks like they can handle it! Another pair of our new sailors learn how to be resourceful and self-reliant on the water. Coach Dillinger helps by steering the boat on a steady course, just for a few minutes while these cadets work on their vessel.
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More photos of the newbies... when we said 'Baby Duck' this skipper decided to DUCK!! It's better than getting hit by the boom. The only question is, are they tacking or gybing? However, look at the correct way he is holding the hiking stick.
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Is it a race?

OF COURSE IT IS!!
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There is a pair of red buoys here, which form a gate directly in line with the wind with two other gates. FJ #4 has already gone thru the red gate with a head start. One of the veteran sailors managed to catch up & pass, the Javelin skipper & crew also performed well.
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An excellent afternoon's sailing. There was a definite & noticeable improvement in the skills of most skippers & crews. We don't know how many more beautiful days we will have this autumn but we are prepared to make the most of whatever we get!

... posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

2nd Fall Sail 2010... a great afternoon of sailing!

2010-10-04T23:41:00.005-04:00

The last few days have seen a lot of stormy weather on the Neuse River & surrounding areas... there have been gale-force winds, torrential rains, flooding... not a good time for putting the FJs in!!

However, it has all blown past and today we saw blue sky (well, a little) and nice breezes from the north. The water level was up at New Bern, partly due to the previous easterly winds and partly due to the large amount of rain water that is still coming down the river. There was a noticeable current in our sailing area, which was almost entirely due to the recent rains!

There are at least a dozen crab
traps & buoys immediately
off our launch area > > > >

Unfortunately, we do not have any photos of today's sailing. All six Vanguard FJs along with the USS Craig-Bob our Oday Javelin hit the river, all the cadets had a chance to sail; we did the "Pipeline Drill" to practice windward sailing & tacking. There were no capsizes although there was at least one close call with a boat out of control & heeling a lot... good recovery TO & CC (don't wanna name names)!

I hope we continue to make good progress, we need to practice DOCKING along with some other maneuvers. We also have a written test handed out which everyone should complete & turn in. Is everybody looking forward to next week's sailing as much as I am??!?

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Advanced Drill: sailing to windward... "The Pipeline"

2010-10-04T22:23:00.006-04:00

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We have several drills which work on the skills of sailing to windward.... ... one is "The Cone" (link) ... and here is another to work on these specific skills.

First, what are the skills of sailing to windward? One is recognizing when the boat is CLOSE-HAULED. This is when the sails are pulled in tight, the boats is sailing at a an angle close the wind direction. Sounds easy!!

Here's a refresher on the

POINTS OF SAIL > > > >

You can see at a glance (and it also follows common sense) that a sailboat cannot sail upwind by simply pointing straight into the wind. Some people might say that it is not common sense that a sailboat can go upwind at all... ... ... ...

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One of the keys to sailing CLOSE-HAULED is that the sails are pulled ("hauled") in tight ("close") and the skipper must steer carefully to keep the wind angle just right: sails driving but not at too wide an angle.

Boat A is sailing at too close an angle to the wind. Her sails are pulled in as tight as possible, but they are not producing much drive & the boat is moving slowly, almost certainly making leeway (the centerboard prevents leeway, but it is also a foil and needs velocity of flow just like the sails need wind).

Boat B is sailing a close-hauled course, "pointing" at a close angle but not too close to the wind. Her sails are driving & her speed is sufficient.

Boat C is also sailing close-hauled, but at a slightly wider angle... her sails may actually be eased just a small bit. She will be moving forward at greater speed than Boat B, but due to the wider angle she will have to sail a greater distance to arrive at an upwind goal.
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Now we get to the actual Pipeline Drill!

The buoys are set as gates in a line to windward. This keeps the students focussed on making progress upwind towards a specific goal. The buoys also serve as fixed reference points to help keep the students oriented to what their sailing/wind angle is, to help them get familiar with judging the point at which to tack towards a goal, and of course they get to practice tacking effectively.

In this diagram (to the right -> -> ) we see two boats in "The Pipeline." One has just completed it, the other is just beginning.

The beginning boat enters the downwind (leeward) or lower gate. They are on PORT TACK (remember, a sailboat is always "on a tack" referring to which side the wind is coming over; this is different from the action of "tacking"). She is close hauled, and the skipper has just realized that he will have to TACK at a point where he can aim the boat thru the next gate.

You can see that TACKING will be a key skill to complete this drill; both the timing of when/where to tack so the boat's course will go thru the next gate; and of course being able to tack effectively.

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Let's look at TACKING. This is when the sailboat turns toward the wind & continues turning until the wind is on it's other side.

note- not every turn is a TACK. Be sure to know when you're turning so the wind is going to change sides; and make sure you know whether you are GYBING or tacking!

The Skipper's Job- to plan the tack so that the boat goes where it is supposed to... ... to steer the boat & keep it under control at every moment thru the maneuver... ... to handle the main sheet... ... shift his/her position so that 1- visibility of the boat's path & it's sails are clear and 2- the boat stays (relatively) level.

Somewhere in there, the skipper must communicate with the crew. This is where the traditional commands "Ready about" and "Helm a-lee" come in handy. These are the preparatory & executive commands... "ready about" means get ready to tack... "helm a-lee" means the tiller is moving to the leeward side of the boat, thus the boat is turning, so begin doing whatever is needed to tack.

Skippers should also note that it is their job to make sure the boat really does tack, that it does not stall in irons or end up pointed straight into the no-go or dead zone, at too close an angle to the wind.

The Crews Job: the tasks assigned to the crew never change, however the priorities can be different at times. The crew is the lookout, the crew is the line handler for all lines except the main sheet, the crew is the moveable ballast which does the most to keep the boat from heeling excessively.

When tacking, the crew should make sure there are no close obstacles in the boat's path, or to make sure the skipper knows about anything he needs to steer around. More communication! The crew must shift the jib sheets as the boat tacks, so that the jib helps drive the boat as much as possible into the tack, and fills on the new tack to regain drive as soon as possible after the tack. The crew will probably (not always) need to shift his position also.

Key Points: 1- the boat must be accurately steered from a close-hauled on one tack to close-hauled on the other tack... 2- the sails must be handled so that the boat keeps moving... 3- the skipper & crew must shift their positions in the boat to keep it level as possible.

Back to the PIPELINE DRILL

Can the students tack right between the gate buoys?

If you're good, sure... but probably not.

Make the tacks properly, get moving on a close-hauled course, plan your next tack, continue...

Before long, it will seem easy. Then we will begin to take it to the next level with 'The Cone' drill, refine our ability to trim the sails for best drive, possibly get some lessons on roll-tacking, and perhaps begin learning how the laws of physics allow a boat to sail against the very force that is propelling it in the first place.

One of the great things about sailing is that there is always plenty more to learn.

...posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Sailing day... great weather, couldn't be better for practice!

2010-09-20T23:04:00.006-04:00

The New Bern NJROTC fleet got some pretty good sailing action this afternoon. the weather was so perfect it was almost unbelievable: clear & sunny but not too hot, 6~8 knot north-east wind, no wave action or chop (except the wakes of the coach boats).

However, it seems likely that the cadet sailors were too busy to appreciate how fine it was!

(...photo at right... some of the coaches seeing our newly-donated chase boat for the first time... Thanks Brett!)

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(...photo below left... the advanced students rig & launch their FJs)

Although the group sails together & sticks together, there were two almost-seperate activities going on. We have a small (but elite) group of returning sailors, experienced skippers who just need a quick refresher before sailing to glory. So FJ#1, FJ#2 and FJ#3 did variations on "The Clock" drill, then some practice tacks & gybes (working our way up to roll-tacking but not quite there yet), then practiced some docking approaches.

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We also have a group of new sailors. They have proven their mettle in capsize drills in the pool, and practiced rigging & knot-tying & simulated maneuvers on dry land... today was their first chance to get out & prove what they can do on the river!

(...photo at right... traffic at the leeward point of "The Clock"

The coaches rigged & launched FJ#4, FJ#5, and FJ#6 this afternoon for the newcomers; in the future they will do this themselves just like the veterans. But for now, we wanted more time on the water & to focus on actual sailing skills. Some of them aslo tried out "The Clock" but it looks like we need to be baby ducks for a while yet.

OK we have done capsize drills... does everybody remember what THIS means?

Remember when I mentioned there were some not-too-pretty gybes? Here's what can happen. Then it was followed up by the crew playing "mountain climber" in the cockpit. Those floaties on the upper sidestays really work well.

Kidding aside, this is important. In stronger winds, the floaties can be driven under... the Neuse River is not deep enough for an FJ mast. That means it would stick into the bottom mud. From there, things go bad to worse.

Fortunately, everything worked out well in the end. The boat was righted by the skipper, the crew 'scooped' in just fine, all recovered, and they kept on sailing.

So the big lesson for the day... SAIL ON!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Splash!! ...it's capsize at the Y time...

2010-09-14T07:28:00.006-04:00

The fall 2010 sailing group finally had a chance to get wet, only not in the Neuse River.

The New Bern YMCA is generous to allow us to practice the capsize drill in their pool.

As the cadets learned during the summer, capsizing in the pool is EASY compared to the real thing! We want to be prepared, so it's good to get familiar with the boats & how to handle them... under mild conditions and with the situation fully under control.

We also have video of this capsize training session, but it is not edited yet... sorry!

Feet under straps... that way, you stay with the boat whether it fully capsizes or not...

Unfortunately the skipper has let go of the hiking stick at this point. The rudder is out of the water, so it doesn't really matter BUT this is all part of doing the job correctly!

We concentrate on learning one thing at a time... got the feet right, we'll get the hands right later!

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Ready or not, over you go!

Isn't it cheating to keep the boat in 5 1/2 ft deep water, where you can stand up but the other cadets can't?

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Nothing like a nice refreshing swim!

In this session, two experienced cadets swam next to the boat & capsized it for the newbies.

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The skipper swims around the transom & grabs the centerboard. In many cases, it's possible to right the boat quickly by pulling it down (do your chin-up exercises!), but the training is to wait for the crew to rig a righting line.

Most of the novice skippers were concentrating on getting into the boat, and doing the drill... which is good... however with no mainsail rigged, the boom tended to swing wildly.

Some of the cadets remembered that the skipper is supposed to STEER and held the hiking stick. This cadet was the only beginner to also take the mainsheet in hand to control the boom!

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Here's why the coaches keep reminding the cadets "keep your feet tucked under the hiking straps!"

You don't want to fall out of the boat. Out on the river, this boat would probably have popped back up & sailed off on it's own.

Very good training! Even the experienced cadets have not been in an FJ for almost 2 months, so they needed the reminder. And the newbies showed they can float, and also perform needed tasks under pressure, while in the water.

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Posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

The First Lessons Are the Hardest.... (really?)

2010-09-13T10:01:00.006-04:00

OK, we're off to a good start. Hopefully this page will make it a little easier to learn & remember all those funny words NAMES FOR BOAT PARTS.

Why do we need to know a bunch of weird words?

After all, you don't need to know what's inside an engine to drive a car!

Big difference- in driving, you are operating the vehicle by yourself, you don't have a crew which you need to communicate with.

On the other hand, you DO need to communicate with other drivers, only not in words. For example, we know what kind of chaos (and danger) happens when a driver does not know what a red light means.

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In order to communicate with other sailors, you need to know the language.... and it is similar to learning a foreign language.

We could get by saying "that pole which holds the sails up" instead mast; and "the front big white flappy thing" instead of jib. Sometimes very good sailors will talk this way, joking around. But in an emergency, knowing the right word is necessary for quick, clear undersanding. And good sailors do just that!

These diagrams show 16 of the basic operating parts of the Flying Junior sailboat. These parts will have the same names, and same functions, and pretty much the same form, in all sailboats... so this is a good place to start.

How many more terms do you need to know? For a start, see if you can think of a few very important parts which are not diagrammed here...

hint: two key parts of running rigging are not shown

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One very important part not shown here are the DRAIN PLUGS!

Is it really necessary for us coaches to teach you about these, or why they're important?!?

Coming next... Capsize drill at the YMCA!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Getting Under Way... Fall sessions 2010

2010-09-08T12:29:00.006-04:00

Now that the hurricane is past (what? was there a hurricane??!) we can get really started.

Many sailors would recognize this diagram as a Flying Junior. Most returning New Bern NJROTC sailors will recognize this diagram too... it is from one of the written tests.

At the orientation class, we discussed learning all the new words for sailing... like, pointy end, big white flappy things, string, etc etc etc. Expect it to get more challenging!!

On Thurs Sep 9 (tomorrow!) the class will have a chance to prove they can actually cope with a real-life sailboat... not just cartoons... hint- at least glance at your handouts

We will begin real sailing practice on Monday (Sep 13), with swim tests for newbies & capsize drill for everybody at the YMCA pool.

There are a lot of activities the sailing squad can do this fall, if there is interest & motivation. Don't expect us coaches to drag you! But we have several races we can attend, advanced keelboat sailing (navigation & spinnakers), and sailing New Bern's historic vessel ADA MAE (link)

(the photo at left shows a spinnaker and a skipjack, not any New Bern sailors... sorry)

So let us chart our course for this fall, and get under way!

... posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Getting Ready For Sailing, Fall 2010 Semester

2010-08-30T21:10:00.008-04:00

Well, isn't life interesting. Just as we are getting ready to launch the Fall 2010 sailing classes, we have a hurricane knocking on the door. You non-sailors may not follow this kind of thing closely, or may dismiss it as hype from the weather channel; but those of us who take care of boats (our own, or the NJROTC fleet) have to be prepared. The threat is very real, it doesn't take much severe weather to knock the boats around (link), and the high water brought in by a surge could carry the boats far away.

But let's talk about more cheerful things. We have a schedule, this coming Thursday (Sep 2) will not be a sailing day BUT it will be a training day. Qualified cadets will have a chance to show their skills, newcomers will have a chance to see what they're getting into. The weather may prevent bringing an FJ to the school. If possible, we will have a hands-on session with a real boat.

From now on, count on Monday to be sailing days (except for holidays). We will not sail on Monday Sep 6, but there is a make-up session scheduled for Thursday Sep 9.

The following Monday Sep 13, we will bring an FJ to the YMCA pool for capsize drill & swim tests. Bring a swim suit and a towel!

(photo of capsize drill on 12 Apr 2010)

Monday Sep 20 will be a sailing day. And so on, etc etc! Remember that attendance is counted, we have some sailors from spring who missed too many days to gain their skipper's qualification... Don't let it happen to you this fall!

For new sailors- as you can probably guess from the pictures, and from the stories told by the experienced cadet sailors, this program is a LOT of fun. It's also a lot of work, and the safety precautions are no joke. You will be expected to study, there are written tests, and following the instructions of the coaches is not optional. Sailing is not for everybody.

For you returning sailors, expecially the qualified skippers who are candidates for the aiguillette...

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

New (well, new to us) Boats !!

2010-08-17T11:21:00.005-04:00

This is a great week for New Bern NJROTC Sailing... with an expanding program, we need more boats. And now, thanks to hard work by the coaches and generous gifts from people who think it matters, we are getting a coach/chase boat, and a Javelin to sail in the fleet.

Here is the "new" Javelin on her trailer, on her way home... many miles to go, but we will dress her up in some new rigging and promise her some sailing action this fall!

Remember our regatta from this spring (May 2010)? Here's a pic of FJ#5, which was donated last winter, being closely followed by Brett M in his "stealth" inflatable. Brett likes the sailing program, has helped us at several sessions in a coaching & safety role, and announced that he would strongly consider donating the boat 'some day.'

Well apparently Some Day has arrived sooner than we thought! Brett is getting a new(er) boat for himself and we hope to welcome him back to future sailing events or training sessions!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Sailing Drills...

2010-08-16T07:31:00.018-04:00

Why have sailing drills?

When we sail a boat, we need to do at least 11 or more things simultaneously. So, a beginning sailor (especially the skipper) typically gets yelled at "Pull the fumbledygumble" or "Straighten your mapperfrapper" and a constant stream of similar nonsense.

When we have sailing drill, we practice ONE specific task; and we do it all together so the student not only gets feedback on their own skill but also sees examples of how to do it (or how not to, in some cases). For now, just for the drill, ignore the mapperfrapper & fumbledygumble. We'll work on those things later!

"Baby Ducks"
The basic of basics... usually this will be the first sailing exercise

No buoys, this drill is entirely dependent on the coach boat following a good course for the beginner students.

With the "Baby Duck" drills, the student only has to practice ONE skill at a time. Ignore sail trim, point of sail, balance, navigation, right-of-way, etc etc etc. Well, it helps if the crew trims the jib somewhat-properly. But all they have to do is steer & follow the others.

Skipper should focus on steering the boat steadily & accurately. The goal is to acquire a “feel” for the tiller. The boat will not go straight just because you are holding the tiller straight!

Notice that the students still have to TACK (turning the boat so that the wind crosses the bow, and comes on the other side). This is not difficult but they should at least know what's coming. They should also observe for themselves that the boat cannot sail straight into the wind!

While tacking, the student skipper(s) can practice shifting sides with the mainsheet & tiller extension. The crews practice keeping the boat from heeling by shifting their weight & trimming sails, and of course keeping lookout.

Here is where the "Baby Duck" drills really pay off. The instructor controls when the students GYBE their boats for the first few times.

The student skippers & crew practice moving & trimming sail together; work on anticipating the gybe. All should be smooth & coordinated. Watch for the jib to lose wind, this is when the crew begins to shift the jib sheet & can then help the skipper bring the main across.

Once the students can steer, and keep the boat under control (or at least fake it) thru the basci maneuvers, it is time to add to their skills. The "Baby Duck" can be used to reinforce learning the basic points of sail.

In this diagram (left) we see one boat hasn't quite got the hang of "CLOSE-HAULED" yet.

There are other, later drills which will emphasize sailing to windward, but this will get us started.

And of course, once we have sailed upwind for a while, we will need to turn & go downwind... this is also a basic skill that needs practice

Students who demonstrate they are fully in control of their boats through-out the various "Baby Duck" drills are good candidates to move up to advanced practice.

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Docking... when stopping is more important than speed...

Once we get pretty good at "baby ducks" then the next step is learning to stop the boat. A sailboat will never really stop & stay in one place; it is always under the influence of wind & current (this is why the anchor is an important piece of safety equipment) BUT we must be able bring the boat in... just like pilots must learn to land an airplane... in order to go out.

If you can't STOP you are not in control!
Stopping Without Brakes (just sails) (link)

One way to stop & park is to simply turn the boat directly upwind. The sails will flap, the boat will coast to a stop. A problem: as the boat slows down, the rudder loses effectiveness... you can't steer!

Pointing the bow into the wind will bring the boat to a stop (right).

Another problem: you need an open & safe area to windward for the boat to 'coast' on it's momentum.

Another problem: you can never be exactly sure where the boat will stop... in light air, there is less drag on the sails, and it may 'coast' a surprisingly long way. In strong wind, the boat is going faster under full sail, but the drag on the sails & rig is much stronger and slows the boat's progress much more... it goes faster but doesn't 'coast' as far.

When beginner skippers are practicing DOCKING it is common to see them misjudge the momentum of the boat, either coming in too fast or stopping too soon and being unable to reach. This is why it takes practice!

With a coach boat anchored, students make their docking approaches in open water, coming up to a nice soft inflatable "dock."

This way we gain the skill to make perfect landings under a wide variety of conditions... this will enable us to SAIL in a wide variety of conditions!

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"The Clock"
This is actually several drills which be expanded from a basic exercise/drill to advanced racing games.

The buoys are set in a big circle; in the BASIC exercise, the students simply sail to & past each one. This takes them onto every point of sail, and obviously they will have to tack & gybe on their way round the "clock."

This is a good reinforcement for students who can steer the boat and are beginning to learn how to set the sails for each "point of sail."

If any student shows a tendency to sail of into the distance, the coach can give him the challenge of sailing close to each buoy on his way around the circle, and having the crew touch each one. No going back if you miss!

Like any good exercise, "The Clock" can be built on. The next step is for the coach to set the students a goal from buoy to buoy, so that he can send them on any chosen point of sail.

This really helps the students learn to control the boat, moving it towards a goal & maneuver it effectively. It also reinforces the points of sail.

The bouy colors should be alternated so the students have a good opportunity to observe the wind direction & stay oriented thru a series of maneuvers. We sometimes use a single BIG YELLOW ball as the windward-most buoy.

Going a little further with "The Clock" family of drills: This is one of the few which involve racing... actually it's not like real sailboat racing, it's more of a scramble, but it reinforces previous lessons about points of sail, maneuvering, Right-Of-Way (almost everything, in fact) plus it's really fun!

This drill is for advanced students who know all the points of sail, the maneuvers between each one, and are familiar with the Right-Of-Way rules.

As with the other "Clock Drills" the buoys are set in a big circle.

The idea of "Racing The Clock" is that all the boats have to be kept under control within a small area... close-quarters maneuvering, in other words. The students also have all the variables of real-world sailing to contend with... the wind-shadow of the other boats, making maneuvers around buoys & other boats, and of course keeping the boat moving towards a given goal.

The game is played by having the coach, or the skipper who is leading at a given mark (buoy), call out the next buoy. It can be any buoy in the clock, but the call has to be made as soon as it can be determined who the leader is (or the coach makes the call).

When a boat has kept the lead position around 3 or more buoys, that boat is either given a 720 penalty, or simply told the circle around to the back of the fleet.

Often the best sailors will be able to work their way thru the pack, and reclaim the lead; but it is good practice for them to do so. This also adds to the fun, since every boat should get a chance to be in the lead at some point during the drill.

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Sailing to Windward... we will lead the 'Baby Ducks' on a close-hauled course and expect the students to recognize this (and every other) POINT OF SAIL, and also practice TACKING, before starting on more advanced drills. Here are two advanced drills to work on the skills of sailing to windward

The Pipeline (link)

"The Cone"
This is a popular exercise for racing teams.

It's called "The Cone" because of the cone-like area which the students have to stay in. This drill is for students who have learned the basics of sailing upwind.

The coach boat goes straight upwind (not too fast, please), the students sail back & forth independently. It's good practice tacking, helps learn to judge the layline, puts the Right-Of-Way rules into effect, and it's a little more fun that the plain-vanilla 'Baby Ducks' drill.

In this 2nd diagram, we see "The Cone" in action.

Boat A is tacking ot stay in the cone, she is on the layline to the coachboat.

Boat B needs to tack immediately, she is about to sail out of the cone.

Boat C is on Port Tack and will need to be careful of B after B tacks.

Boat D needs to work on sailing upwind a little faster!

Similar to 'The Cone' is a tacking drill, where all students sail upwind and all tack at signal (whistle) from the coach.

Sailing Squad Cadet Commander Wins... was it rigged??

2010-07-16T10:35:00.012-04:00

Continuing on the "brief but intense" concept, our summer sailing concluded with a race. We had to wait for a threatening cloud to move past from the south, once again holding class sessions during the delay.

(photo, left) Under threatening skies, cadets take off the halyards & furl the sails down into the boat, to wait out a potential squall

We reviewed some of the handout material, including the Right-Of-Way rules which allow boats & ships to maneuver close to each other without risking collision. With the FJs, the risk is slight but ship accidents are both costly and potentially deadly. So, while we waited for the weather to clear, everybody got their feet and became a boat... maneuvering on land as though we were on the water, guided by the Right-Of-Way rules.

(photo, right) Heading out onto the Neuse River from our base, Bridgeton Harbor Marina... you can see the wave interference pattern from the big dock, the river is actually calmer

The winds were very light as we launched the boats, but shifted and built from the South-East. Soon there was a hiking breeze, and enough choppy waves to make it wet. Cadets were drilled on sailing upwind in "The Cone" which helped sharpen all skills including tacking; then when the instructor called out "ARE YOU READY TO RACE" the answer was bring it on!

LCDR Tyson and Coach King had agreed previously that the winner of the concluding race would get the right to name one of the NJROTC's fleet. At present time, only two of our boats have names, the Javelin is the USS Craig-Bob by the request of it's donor, and our first FJ (built by Paceship, somewhat of a collector's item) is named after the founder of our program, Rota's Dream.

The course was two gates of orange & red buoys, directly upwind & return. The start was very irregular, with some boats stuck "in irons" while others took off. The wind had built to about 10 knots, occasional small whitecaps, with gusts up to 15 knots measured by the coach boat.

In other words, a perfect test of practical sailing ability!

The gain in skill level was remarkable- when we began the summer session, tacks were wild, a close-hauled course was likely to fade into a beam reach, and while most cadets knew the words of the Right-Of-Way rules (just like general orders to the sentry... memorization can be a wonderful thing) there was not much coordination in applying them to situations on the water. During this race, after drills on maneuvering, points of sail (emphasizing close-hauled), and recognizing wind shifts, the cadets were in fact RACING upwind!

Can a sailboat make progress directly against the same force that is driving it? Yes it can, just watch!

(photo at right) FJ#3, transom looks kinda low in the water. Wishing they had won, these cadets still sailed around for enjoyment a while.

The Cadet Commander Tommy Powers was crowded out at the start, honoring the R-O-W rules but looking at the transoms of the other FJs. It took most of the upwind leg of the race to pass, but he and crew Chris Wheeler made effective tacks and drove the boat close-hauled efficiently. They were first at the upwind gate and stayed ahead... a good demonstration of skills (after an earlier capsize, perhaps we should note... stay humble guys).

Finally, after a great day sailing & learning, we put the boats & gear away properly and enjoyed a sailor's reward: PIZZA!!!!

Thank you, George's Pizza and LCDR Tyson!

posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Halfway done with Summer Sail 2010

2010-07-13T21:40:00.007-04:00

"Short but intense" has been the theme so far... really intense, especially today!

photo at right: New Bern High School NJROTC cadets rigging up FJs #1 thru #4 at Bridgeton Harbor... you can see New Bern's grain elevator on the far bank of the river.

This summer's goal has been to not only gain sailing time, but also to cover some academics on technical skills like radio communication, general vessel structure, and a few other things we have not had a chance to cover in the basic course this past spring.

We have done that... today we practiced radio protocol, studied some technical aspects of what radio is, how it works... statements from the cadets began with "it uses electricity" and rose to the level of describing wave modulation to convey information... and what radio can do. We have used hand-held VHF radios a few times in the sailing course, and some of the cadets are ready to add it their list of skills mastered.

Yesterday (Monday) we had good winds of 10~12 knots, the FJs could plane in the gusts. It was a day that definitely rewarded good skills, and sought to punish (or at least embarrass) mistakes. Today the weather took a turn for the worse!

A rain squall caused a delay, which we used for shore lessons. The boats were ready to launch & sail by 1515 (that's quarter after 3 pm) which is still a bit sooner than we have launched in the past... we are getting better at rigging up!

The sky was partly cloudy, some growing cumulus but nothing threatening. Since there was predicted a 50-50 chance of thunderstorms, we had our weather eyes tuned up & scanning. After we got started, the wind built up to 15 ~ 18 knots out of the South-South-West, bringing real choppy conditions & solid whitecaps across the Neuse River.

Of the 4 boats launched, 3 got an hour or more of good sailing in the rising breeze; unfortunately a snafu with the last FJ launched kept them from joining the fun. We made good use of capsize training! After all capsizing is part of small-boat sailing. However the fun got a little too intense... one boat had to be towed back and all had some difficulties returning to the beach.

If you've never been in a squall on open water, it is difficult to describe. First, you can barely see anything as the rain pelts you like 100 fire hoses (and it feels like the fire hoses are pumping golf balls at you). A warm summer breeze turns chilly. The waves, which were already big enough to bounce the FJs around, grew and became malevolent... the boats become difficult to steer and the deck seems to be trying to throw you off. It would be easy to panic as Mother Nature is now trying to GET you!

However, we have trained for this. There were a few problems, which could have been serious if not handled properly. We reinforced the lesson of "always stay with the boat" and also learned how to re-evaluate priorities when simple things become difficult. Most of all, we learned that teamwork is the key.

I apologize for not having pictures of the action during the squall. 1- we were all far too busy to take pictures... 2- I don't have an underwater camera.

posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Ready to begin our Summer Sail ?!

2010-07-08T15:06:00.006-04:00

Summer sailing will begin on this coming Monday, July 12th. The plan is to meet in the afternoon, when the sea breeze will (hopefully) provide some cooling and some real practice.

The spring session this year never got beyond the beginner's drills. Playing "baby duck" is fine, and believe me your coaches can present a challenge doing this; but we want to step up the game a little for summer. I hope to try the "Cone" drill (diagram, at left) to get us quickly into the mood for slightly more advanced sailing.

The "Cone" drill is in your advanced sailing hand-out, and gives the students the opportunity to show off how well they can make a boat sail upwind.

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Wait! Can a sailboat make progress directly up wind, against the same force that is propelling it? Isn't that a bit like expecting a ball to roll directly up hill? The laws of physics say something about this, and our cadets will be expected to understand and demonstrate!

In the "Cone" drill, the coach boat will gather the student sailors and begin going straight upwind, slowly. The students will choose their own headings & courses, hopefully putting their boats on a close-hauled point of sail. The angle of the wind to the coach boat & it's course forms a cone, and the students try to sail as far up into it as they can.

The summer session will be brief but intense... we will do several other advanced drills, and also take on some academic study of communication, navigation, and vessel characteristics. With any luck, we will be able to hand out blue books and do some qualification!

Hope you are looking forward to it, I certainly am!

Assistant Coach Doug King

Evening T-storms hit some of our boats!

2010-06-30T10:30:00.006-04:00

At first glance, the first 3 FJs in the row were laid on their sides so neatly that it looked like they had been set that way on purpose.

The oldest program boat, our Canadian Paceship FJ, was still locked into it's stand. We were confident these boats were stable enough to stand through anything short of a hurricane

But it looks like what might have happened is that the scuring lines came loose, allowing the either #2 or #1 to 'domino' the others.

For now, it looks like no real damage was done to the boats.

posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Let's Race! the New Bern High School NJROTC Regatta is a success

2010-05-16T13:57:00.011-04:00

Chaos?

Nope, just getting the fleet launched for our FIRST-EVER regatta. The New Bern NJROTC cadets were good hosts, doing the work of rigging & launching 6 Flying Juniors before the races could start.

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Let the racing begin! What you can't see in this photo is four other FJs almost perfectly aligned, hidden behind FJ#2 (skippered by RTP's Willing crewed by New Bern's Carlton) and FJ#3 (Albert & Bloom).

This is the first time that our NEW sets of sails have been hoisted... they look perfect!

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Bill Drechsler of New Bern supervised the actual running of the races. His team of cadets varied throughout the day (pictured here, Webster Carlton and Ciara Jones) and displayed the precisely-timed starting signals to the racers, directed the placement of buoys, and recorded the finishes.

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Here (pic at left) is New Bern cadet Mi Mon skippering FJ#3. She sits high on the side to see around crew Mike Foster's famous hat. This team should have won the award for 'Biggest Smiles' during the regatta.

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A minor administrative glitch with the boat rotation... All competitors sail a race in every boat, thus leveling the playing field, but we started with 10 teams, 6 boats to sail, and used a rotation matrix for 9 teams for the first race. Halfway thru the 2nd race, we managed to put together a close-enough rotation to get back on the level playing field (anybody who thinks this is easy, please contact Coach King for the matrix/array problem... you have until next year's regatta to find a better solution) and New Bern cadet Allyssa Cormican got all the teams back on the water in the correct boats for the rest of the races.

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Matt Fesak of Bridgeton skippers FJ#6 to a bullet (first place finish). In later races, crew Sharon changed places to skipper well enough for 3rd overall in the regatta; this team also earned the Cadet's Choice award for sportsmanship & spirit.

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Cadets Crosby & Murphy of the West Ashley NJROTC traveled all the way from Charleston SC to attend this regatta.

We hope to have a number of NJROTC sailing events in the future and look forward to sailing with these cadets again.

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Race 3- Long ago, a wise man said "Watching sailboats race is almost as exciting as watching grass grow." Too bad he isn't watching this one. FJ#6 (Albert & Bloom) puts a squeeze on FJ#4 (Parker & Parker) at the finish line buoy (yellow ball).

This is a good example of textbook racing tactics put into practice... earlier on the last upwind leg, #6 worked at pointing high and building seperation; then bore away from the wind a little for speed to make this play.

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Race 4: Here are both RTP High School team competitors in action. FJ#2 skippered by Joe David puts a "loose cover" on FJ#4 skippered by Will Willing and crewed by New Bern cadet Peter Carlton. You don't win races by using this kind of tactic, but in shifty wind conditions you can certainly LOSE races by NOT doing so!

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Who is it that makes sure the starting line is fair? And puts the windward mark squarely to windward? The chase boat & crew, of course! We also take pictures when not too busy with race duties, hopefully we will post video of some of the racing action in the near future .

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Maneuvering for the start of Race 5, FJ#2 with the father & daughter team of Sarah & Eddy Parker, FJ#1 skippered in this race by Matthew Fesak of Bridgeton, and FJ#6 with New Bern cadet Jeff Glover (crew) and Mike Foster (skipper) of New Bern.

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Last weekend saw cannons firing in the re-enactment of the Civil War Battle of New Bern, here the river is scene of a more quiet but very intense battle under sail.
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With the historic New Bern sky line in the background, skipper Doug Longhini and crew Sergio Lopez (New Bern NJROTC cadet) roll their boat thru one last quick tack at the finish line mark (yellow ball). They are so close, but FJ#3 beats them across the line in Race 6.

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The RTP High School team members Evan Renoud (skipper) and Joe Thomas (crew) won this race, and the regatta. They posted 1 more bullet (first place finish) than Team Bornarth but also sailed a bit more consistently, with no finish worse than 3rd

Evan crewed in most of the races but he obviously knows how to work that steering thing, too.

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The race course itself demands skill, to finish at all is a victory. Skipper Doug Longhini's grin shows the satisfaction of sailing a close, hard fought race.

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Father & daughter team of Dan & Katie Bornarth. Two redheads in the boat spell trouble... for the other competitors! This photo shows them preparing for the start of Race 7 which they won.

Dan & Katie earned a 2nd place in the regatta overall. They beat the winning team of RTP high-schoolers Joe David & Evan Renoud twice during the regatta.

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Guest team of Albert & Bloom sail out to the starting line in Race 7.

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Blackbeard Sailing Club member Mark Brennesholtz skippers FJ#3 preparing for Race 8, with New Bern cadet Colton Craig as crew.

All ten races were completed in light shifty winds; but as you can see the FJs were moving pretty well (look at the bow wave here) and the races were won more by sharp sailing & tactics than by the dreaded summer 'drifting matches.'

A big THANK YOU to Ken Gurganus of Blackbeard Sailing Club for all photos

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

More from 10th session, pics + lesson

2010-05-11T12:21:00.012-04:00

Time for skipper & crew rotation!

In the Navy, vessels return from deployment to an eagerly waiting crowd of friends & family. Here we have the FJs signalled to return so that the waiting cadets can have -their- turn to sail!

Cadets Carlton Webster and Cameron Hagan swing FJ#4 past head-to-wind for a text-book style (that means good) docking.

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This diagram at right shows the situation. Unlike last week, where the wind direction made the boats go thru a narrow gap and into a small section of the dock, today we had the full length of Bridgeton Harbor's 'C' dock to use... plenty of room for all 7 boats to dock at once.

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The approach is made from downwind of the dock, so the sailors can let the sails luff, and the boat slows down, during the final approach.

In the photo above, the boat is in the next-to-last step of docking, the crew has released the jib sheets and is preparing the bow line (also called the painter) to secure the boat to the dock. Timing and balance are important, both the skipper & the crew have important jobs.

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After last week's excitement, and sailing stronger winds. some of the cadets are jaded.

What should a skipper do (Cadet Matthew Price, at right) when the crew is obviously BORED ?!?!?

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FJ#5s second sortie of the day, this time with Cadet Tamika Smith (skipper) and Cadet Peter Carlton (crew). No bored crew on this vessel, the skipper orders 'Full Speed Ahead'!

In the future, when the wind is this light, we will go one of two different ways. Either 1- SAIL TRAINING which will begin on getting the boat moving & keeping it moving, extracting the max energy possible from the wind (this will be extremely helpful for you future engineers) or else 2- generic small-boat training which will cover paddling, sculling, safety on the water (we never get enough of that, right) including towing & rescue, and possibly drill on navigation & communication.

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Here's a photo that shows clearly the differences between the Javelin and the Flying Juniors. At a glance, the Javelin seems like a much bigger boat. It is really only a few inches longer, but the increase in every other dimension (including weight) gives it a very 'ship-like' feel compared to the FJs.

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Cadets Sharice Little (skipper) and Ciara Jones take off from the dock. Under Head Coach Rezab's eye, they are doing everything correctly: sail trim is good, skipper is steering with the hiking stick, boat is balanced well & weight is forward

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Why is the skipper facing astern now? That starboard-tack boat (the Javelin) has already passed safely by. The sails need to be eased (look at the yarn on the side-stay) and the skipper needs to look where she's going... Good thing Coach Rezab can't see you all now, FJ#6 !!

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And now everybody knows what this flag means. The fun is over, so sorry!

Signal flag "N" november (link to U.S. Navy Signal Flags) which can mean 'negative' to another signal, or in the context of sail racing (link to wikipedia, yacht racing rules) it means 'return to starting area.' For the New Bern NJROTC sailing squad, it means both: no further sailing; return to base.

Now comes the task of putting the boats away, drying & rolling the sails, taking all the gear to storage, and making sure nothing will be damaged or decayed next time we go sailing.

The Cadet Commander of the Sailing Squad, Tommy Powers (black shorts and sunglasses) has everyone organized to move the boats from beach to dry racks... and hey, you can take your lifejackets off now...

We still have more photos, and some video to post. With the regatta coming up on Saturday, and the end-of-school exam cycle ramping up, we have PLENTY to do besides fiddle around in sailboats! But stay tuned for more fun... ... ... ...

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Another sincere 'Thank You' to PO1 Edsall, and to Diana Rezab, for the photos

10th and last spring session for 2010... light wind but a good demo of skills

2010-05-10T22:28:00.010-04:00

Group Photo of the sailors attending... unfortunately some of our best sailing cadets were absent

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The Boat #5 team getting ready again, by this time it's familiar but not quite routine. Doesn't everybody wish we had a little more wind?

Coach Jackson assists in casting off, with some last minute tips.

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The yellow/black signal flag means "Come Within Hail" and so the fleet is working to sail as close as they can to the coach boat.

Look at the bow wave, or wake, that boats #2 and #4 are making... yes these Flying Juniors can move in light winds too!

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Because of the light & shifty winds, and the presence of an official photographer on the dock, the drill was changed to 'Baby Duck.'

Look at the previous photo (above, right)... you can see that FJ #4 is on more of a close reach while #2 is close -hauled... Reaching is fast... so predictably, in this photo (at left) FJ #4 has caught up, and would have passed if #2 had not exercised it's Right-Of-Way and cut them off... Are they allowed to do that?

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Almost the whole New Bern NJROTC fleet passing in review. FJ #1 is almost hidden behind #3, so look carefully. This was supposed to be a Baby Duck drill, where was #6?

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posted by Assistant Coach Doug King
Thanks to AO1 Dustin Edsall, USN, for photos

9th session... no pics, no video, just WOW

2010-05-04T09:11:00.003-04:00

With solid 8 to 10 knot winds, we got a chance to really 'put the pedal to the metal' yesterday. As I motored alongside in the coach boat, several FJ skippers & crews seemed surprised to see how fast they were going. What's more important, they got a taste of what the Flying Juniors will do and how to handle them when there's real horsepower available. We need a bit more practice, but our 9th session was a great success!

Capsize... check.

Several boats went over. The worst situation was one where a crew decided to stand on the mast & try to climb the cockpit to stay as far out of the water as possible, thus pulling the boat 'turtle'... except that it wouldn't go all the way over, the Neuse River isn't deep enough here. Mast, meet muddy river bottom! We were very fortunate the top of the mast didn't bury in the mud and get stuck, or break.

It all worked out in the end!

I apologize to the cadets who did not get a chance to sail yesterday (Monday 3 Apr 10), we coaches really had our hands full. We have one more sailing session next week, which will be the most fun of all.

Also, at the end of this semester's regular sailing, we'll review what we've accomplished and see what is left to be checked off in the 'Little Blue Book.' Some of the cadets are serious about earning their aiguillette.

Don't forget the NJROTC Regatta on May 15th, less than 2 weeks away now. This might also be a good time to remind everybody about the summer sailing session, which will be July 12 thru 15.

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

8th session, 2 much 2 sail

2010-04-27T15:42:00.011-04:00

OK another day when there was TOO MUCH wind. But we had a constructive session at Bridgeton Harbor; getting some solid details in place and getting a few qualifications signed off.

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For example, we have worked a bit on the skill of bringing a sailboat with no brakes up to a dock without breakage. However, sometimes it is also challenging to sail away from a dock. Here's the theory...

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And here's the real world!

This is a great sequence to learn from. First, if you're learning to sail, you can see how sailboats don't always do what you want, or what you expect. You can see how that as the boat is cast off, it begins to move forward, then refuses to turn further and begins backing up. Look for the brief interval where the boat is sliding sideways, the centerboard has no effectiveness.

Head Coach Rezab quickly and decisively applies corrective action (steering in reverse) which also teaches us something about leadership.

Normally, we'd rather have still photos (much quicker to display) but as of right now, all we have is video.

So here is the main portion of Coach Rezab's sail. He & crew Coach Hittner perform a tack close to the camera; this is done from a reach (point of sail) to a reach because of constraints on space... not hitting the dock at 20 knots is a goal... but later they show some good tacks going close-hauled upwind between the docks. Here, it is very important to have good helm control, tacking from a close-hauled course to a close-hauled course. Turning the boat too far will give away distance already gained towards the goal upwind, turning the boat too little will leave the sails luffing & the boat will stall & slide sideways, or even stop & make sternway (again).

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Last, we have a video of Head Coach Rezab docking the boat under challenging circumstance. Notice how the boat makes leeway as it slows, looks almost like it is skidding sideways as the centerboard loses effectiveness.

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We have 2 sailing sessions left for the spring. With any luck, we'll have a good breeze & get a chance to practice some of what we've learned; then after that comes our regatta on Saturday May 15; then after that comes the summer sailing sessions (July). A lot to look forward to!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Thanks to Coach Brian O'Flanagan for the video

Clock Drill, 7th session revisited

2010-04-22T07:50:00.009-04:00

Waiting for their turn to try out the "Clock Drill."

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Several cadets from the Pamlico High School NJROTC are our guests for spring sailing. Here (photo at left) is FJ#4 skippered by Cadet Roberson... looking pretty good, their weight is forward (note the transom is not dragging, although the wake is hiding the tennis ball), mainsail trim is good... Cadet Roberson is not steering with the hiking stick, though!
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New Bern Cadets Wheeler (skipper) and Milks (crew) going around the "9 o'clock buoy" in good form. Mainsail & jib are both trimmed well, the skipper should probably sit a little further forward but he steering properly... the boat is balanced & moving well...

Wait a minute, isn't this FJ#1 that seemed so balky for everyone else?!?

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Here is FJ#2 sailed by Cadets Carlton (skipper) and Glover (crew). They have decided to bag the "Clock Drill" and get checked out on the "Paddling Drill" instead! What's up with that?

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This photo (at right) is looking from the 9 o'clock buoy towards 7 (yellow) and 5 o'clock (red). The wind is just about straight at your back looking at this photo, the boats are about to gybe.
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This is a few seconds after the photo above; both boats have gybed although neither skipper has switched sides yet.

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The end of our sailing session, head for the beach!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

7th session Spring 2010... another GREAT sail at Bridgeton

2010-04-19T23:08:00.007-04:00

Although the wind died out somewhat, it was still a very good day for sailing FJs.

The drill for today was "The Clock" which puts the boat on every point of sail as it progresses around the buoys. The goal is to 1- show that the boat is under full control and moving toward a definite goal, 2- Put the boat on whatever point of sail is necessary to make progress toward the next buoy around the "clock," and 3- make all maneuvers properly.

Most of the cadets got 2 out of 3 most of the time! Many had difficulty getting from 4 o'clock to 2 o'clock, which involves going close-hauled and tacking, and requires making progress against the wind...maybe there's a few laws of physics involved, but it CAN be done!
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Here's a few of the FJ's going around the clock, they are just getting started. Red buoy at right is to windward (the "4 o'clock to 2 o'clock" close-hauled section) there is a yellow buoy behind FJ #3's mainsail, and you can see an FJ about to gybe at the 9 o'clock buoy in the distance (at left in photo)

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Now, is -THIS- (photo at left) putting your best face to the camera??!?

This team is preparing to gybe, and at least they have their heads down. But standing up is a bad idea, as we demonstrated at the 'Y' pool last week! The skipper is too far aft, blocking the movement of the tiller, and he is also sure to lose his balance as the boat turns. The crew has the jib on the wrong side, although it looks like he is preparing to shift his placement / weight. If the wind had been stronger, this would have been a capsize for sure.
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Well, if FJ#1 (above) really had capsized, the rescue crew was READY!
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Each skipper & crew team got about 15~20 minutes to sail, then came back to the dock to rotate. Just like a real Navy deployment, only a lot closer to home!

Here we see FJ#1 getting a start from Head Coach Rezab... betcha he's telling the skipper to sit a little further forward in the boat (can't see the tennis ball, it's under water!), and to steer with the hiking stick...

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We better tell Coach Rezab, there's something WRONG with FJ #1... it just doesn't seem to go right for anybody!

Well, that's not entirely true... the boat did a great job of taking care of it's young sailors... it didn't dump them in the water no matter how hard they tried!

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Hey, Boss, there's not much wind here behind the dock!
Here's FJ#4 going out with Cadets Glover (skipper) & Carlton (crew) to show their skill on the "round the clock" drill. Sailing Squad Cadet Commander Powers escorts them down the dock toward better wind!

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This last photo shows the new mast flotation devices installed after our capsize drills at the "Y" proved how quickly these boats turn turtle (completely bottom-up).

Did you hear the bell ring?

Time to put the boats & gear away until next week.

Stay tuned, there are more photos plus some video of today's drill, which will be posted later.

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

6th session revisited... more capsize drill, pics + video

2010-04-13T19:33:00.011-04:00

Our capsize drill session on Monday was probably the most-taped and most-photographed event outside of Hollywood. There have been 3 batches of photos handed over, and we have video of every cadet team capsizing & recovering the boat. We don't have room for all this on the web site! But we will put up a few more, along with some instructive discussion (you can't get away from it).

Cadets Cameron Hagan (crew) and Cheyenne Talavan (skipper) find out how far you really have heel an FJ before it will capsize (right). These boats "feel" tippy, and they heel to 20 or 30 degrees (the boat at right is heeling to about 25) quickly & easily. But it takes much more than that to pull them all the way over! And this boat has taken on water, it's stability is suffering from the free surface effect.

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Here's another pic showing the FJ heeling even further. We're looking at it somewhat from the side, but it still appears to have tipped beyond 45 degrees... you can see the splashes where the skipper & crew fell out of the cockpit, no doubt convinced it was OVER. But the boat pulled itself upright immediately after this pic was taken.

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On second glance, it also looks like these guys are about to lose their paddle!
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The above video features cadets Nicoli & Webster, view is from the deck side. They (like so many others) underestimate what it takes to capsize the boat... it dumps them out & rocks back upright... but they go on to perform quite well on all other counts. We get a good close-up of crew Cadet Nicoli making a good throw-able coil out of the righting line, and accurately lobbing it over the up-side gunwhale. We can't see skipper Cadet Carlton but he is very prompt in getting into action with the centerboard & righting line, you can see the line go taut & the boat start rotating upright.

Here's an important point- several teams did not work together on doing the 'scoop' to get the crew aboard. Most did not communicate (difficult in the noisy pool environment, it's true... but won't exactly be quiet in a storm out on the river), and this led to bad timing and worse technique. Some crews were a detriment to the skipper's efforts, pulling back against the boat to hold it capsized. Others scooped into the boat causing no difficulty.

Photo (right) of Head Coach Rezab showing how it's done... correctly, that is... pressure still on the centerboard, holding tension on the righting line. Cadet Fouts has done a good job getting in towards the center of the boat & staying low.

Another important point along the same lines... the purpose of the 'scoop' is to have a person aboard to take control of the boat! Remember, you just capsized... persumably, conditions are difficult, windy or choppy... and the boat will require active measures to tame it.

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Now that we've beaten the subject of CAPSIZING totally to death & beyond, how about one more video...

This last video shows Cadets Colton & Carlton. They make one very serious... potentially deadly, in fact... mistake at the beginning, and then perform efficiently and flawlessly from then on. We are viewing from the hull/centerboard side, so the video does not show Colton as crew, but you can see the results: righting line comes hurtling over the gunwhale; as the boat comes upright he is low & to the middle of the boat having done a perfect 'scoop' and he then both helps the skipper and moves to take control of the boat.

THINGS WE LEARNED-

... FJs are not as tippy as many think (however, you should not stand on, or try to walk across, the foredeck of one)

... Centerboards have several purposes

... Even without the mainsail attached, the boom is something to watch out for

... We can handle a capsize -IF- we keep the drill procedure in mind & work together

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(photo at right) Cadet Frazier as crew, assisting Sailing Squad XO Colton (as skipper) climbing aboard over the transom after successfully demonstrating an alternate righting procedure for a capsized FJ.

Coach King Says- any cadet who wants the entire video of 12 Apr 2010's capsize drill may have it for the asking. It contains at least some footage of every capsize done by every cadet present. It's about 40 minutes, unedited.

Thanks again to Coach Brian O'Flanagan for shooting the video
Thanks also to Mr. Herm Schiller for some of the still photos

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

6th session... Capsize Drill in the YMCA Pool

2010-04-13T00:33:00.008-04:00

Well, almost all the Sailing Squad passed the capsize drill. There were a few cadets absent, but they will get a chance to prove their skill on capsizing... or rather, dealing with a capsize and righting the boat... later on.

This is a big step forward which will enable us to sail in stronger winds, and since we've had one sailing session cancelled due because of this, we will be able to SAIL MORE!

This session started out with Head Coach Jerry Rezab demonstrating a few do's and don'ts with a capsized FJ, and Cadet Kayla Fouts as crew. Cadet Fouts is a freshman but a returning sailor from last fall semester and one of the more experienced in the NJROTC Sailing Squad. Cadet Fouts got the most practice, completing 3 capsize drills including 1 as skipper.

This photo (left) shows Head Coach Rezab why it's normally a bad idea to stand up in an FJ.

Now for some video. Unfortunately, due to the terrible acoustics of the pool dome and high background noise, we can't hear any of the discussion... or shrieking... during the capsize drills even though ALL were captured on tape.

In the next video (below), we see another returning sailor Mi Mon teamed with Eric Milks. A little nervous, maybe? They couldn't wait for the mast to hit the water before jumping ship! This is why we drill under the most controlled & benign circumstances possible, to reinforce good practice... stay with the boat! During this session, we demonstrated just how far over an FJ (and most other sailboats behave similarly) will heel before capsizing, so hitting the 'EJECT' button prematurely is not a good idea.

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Another thing we learned is that it's not as easy as it sounds to untangle ropes in the bottom of a turned-over FJ, and rig the correct one as a righting line, coil it & toss it over the up-side gunwhale to the skipper ... who is waiting patiently, holding the centerboard.
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Now in the next video (below) we see the capsize drill from the skipper's side. This team showed that improvising to solve problems is one of the best skills to have. The video also shows why the skipper has to be patient. Sometimes it seems like the boat is NEVER going to come back right-side up, but if you keep hanging on, it does.

Final Observation... if your skipper is Cadet Glover, don't even bother trying to help him aboard because he's the fastest out of the water we've ever seen.
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Here's a pic (right) of Cadets Kayla Fouts (skipper) and Jamie Parker (crew) after Coach King demonstrated why you don't stand on the foredeck of an FJ.

No skipper/crew team performed the capsize drill flawlessly. In general, there was too much prompting needed. Remember, you will need to be able to handle a capsized sailboat on your own, in rough weather; maybe improvising your way thru unforseen difficulties and possible gear breakage. This session was a good first step though, and everybody did many things right... nobody panicked, nobody tried to climb the cockpit, no skippers bounced on the centerboard, nobody broke anything. Everybody saw some of the difficulties, and handled it.

More videos to be posted later!

posted by Assistant Coach Doug King

Thanks to Coach Brian O'Flanagan for the video

Spring Break 2010 ... notable weather

2010-04-08T08:00:00.002-04:00

While we're on the subject of weather, here's something that happened on Saturday Apr 3.

Fog is relatively common in the spring & autumn. It's not very common to see dense fog hiding the town on a sunny morning with a steady breeze.

The railroad bridge just disappears into a cloud!

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Classroom Sailing

2010-03-30T21:50:00.005-04:00

The weather for our 5th session, Monday Mar 29, was predicted to be rainy and stormy. Considering that several of our coaches were out on the Neuse battling a gale on Sunday (weather buoy data = 37 mph winds... link), it seemed like an easy call to NOT get underway in the FJs. Instead, we held a classroom session on points of sail, right-of-way, and ropes/knots... oddly enough, it seemed like some of the cadets actually had fun!

There was a general discussion about our NJROTC fleet, what sort of activities we could hold, and what should be done to ensure the boats stay in good condition. Several good ideas & suggestions were brought up.

During this discussion, a few cadets expressed dissatisfaction at not going sailing... it's good to see enthusiasm, but it also raised a few points worth bringing up. For example, leadership & decision-making has to make use of information available, and has to be accountable. Who will bear the blame if this Sailing Squadron is out sailing FJs, or involved in returning, docking, and un-rigging, when a thunderstorm hits? The making of this this decision has to include accountability.

Leadership and decision-making also has to reckon on the abilities and resources of those who will carrying out the activities. Let's face it, at this point we are beginner sailors. The cadets do not have the skills to handle boats in stronger winds, much less storm conditions. We can only sail FJs when conditions are mild. However, when these skills develop, the "weather window" for FJ sailing will open much wider, and the decision to get underway will be much easier.

OK so what did we learn in this classroom session? Actually it was pretty impressive. The cadets present were clearly among the most interested & motivated sailors. We acted out the points of sail and the basic maneuvers, at first only a few had a good grasp of the material. Assistant cadet commander Colton led this "drill" and it was kinda-sorta fun. And it worked! Before long, all had it down pat, and furthermore could identify points of sail and also right-of-way situations in video of college sailors racing FJs.

This was followed up by a check-off of those who proved their ability with ropes & knots. Again, those who did not get checked off showed serious improvement... very good work!

This still leaves the "book larnin" of all the funny names for parts of the boat. We'll work some more on this. At the risk of repeating... this is in your handout! Check out this diagram on the left, it should look familiar!

The next Sailing Squad session will be capsize drills. On April 12, remember to bring a towel & bathing suit.

Until then, have a good Spring Break!

Assistant Coach Doug King