more 2nd Session photos & debriefing

Another set of photos of the 2nd session (Monday 10 Mar 2010) has come. These are some good close-up of the action and show some of our individual cadets.
(thanks to Assistant Coach Brett M.)
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On the dock, getting ready (at right & below)...
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Centerboard down, check. Mainsail hoisted, check. Halyard tensioned up? Did you remember to loosen the boom vang before hoisting the mainsail?
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Rigging these boats is not really all that complicated (compared to say, assembling a diesel engine) but there a lot of things to remember!
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Now here is the reward!
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Boat #6 being well sailed. The skipper is sitting on the windward side, far enough forward to keep the stern from dragging, steering with the hiking stick, the boat is balanced (crew in position), sails are trimmed for the point of sail... well, the mainsail could be pulled in -just- a little tighter.
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The basic (first) Baby Duck drill (below). It's obviously called that because the students all follow the coach boat. It also gives a good & easy reference to steer to, good practice for beginning skippers, and keeps control over the point of sail & the turns. Until most of the skippers can make good tacks, there is no point in trying to work on gybes. We will however do the "Baby Duck" on all the different points of sail, and on tacking for the begining skippers.
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Let's give some credit to the poor crew. The crew has many key jobs, including reminding the skipper what he's supposed to be doing. You can rest assured that us coaches will have our eyes on you too. And woe unto the crew who fails in his job of lookout, and lets the skipper run into something like one of the unmarked pilings in our sailing area, or the fish net which was set near our sailing area last Monday (all you crew -did- see that, right?).
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We have a number of already-qualified skippers in the group, and if we can get coordinated & rigged & sailing in good time, these skippers may be able to try an advanced drill or two. The beginning sailors will also have a chance to prove their skills. So we all have something to look forward to on this coming Monday (15 Mar 2010). The weather is predicted to be almost as favorable as this past Monday. Remember we only have ten sessions this spring and so we have to come away from each one with a definite gain!

Assistant Coach Doug King

2nd Session- the Bears Fleet gets underway

There's an old Navy phrase, "haze gray and underway." This is usually a grudging compliment for a vessel that is often steaming out to a deployment. Well, the New Bern NJROTC boats are certainly not 'haze gray' but they were underway this afternoon, and most of our Sailing Squad cadets got a chance to take the helm.
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(at left) Getting the FJs rigged up & ready, the New Bern cadets are joined by several guests from the Pamlico High School NJROTC unit.
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Cadet boat team captains and their crews working to get ready for some real sailing... yes the wind is light, but the FJs get moving pretty well once we get out on the open Neuse River.
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Coach George Meyer (at right, standing in red shirt & white/blue cap) was generous in applying his sailmaking skills for the NBHS-NJROTC's Flying Juniors... now he finally gets to see his craftmanship in action!
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Video (thanks to cameraman LCDR Tyson) of the fleet setting sail!.
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Sailing in sunlight!
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The "Baby Duck" drill calls for everyone to be in line, need to work on that a little.
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Boat 1 is skippered by Cadet Commander Tommy Powers. Sails are set properly for a beam reach (unlike Boat 4, who is letting their jib luff) but the skippers need to remember to sit further forward in the FJs!
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Maybe at some point in the future, we will have sail numbers that match the hull numbers, too.
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Here's one time "Bailing Out" is a good thing!
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So... the coaches have spent all winter getting more boats, and the fleet is MUCH improved. Unfortunately we still have so many in the program that many have to wait on the dock for their turn. Fortunately, it looks like they're having a good time!
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These "Baby Ducks" are scattered all over the river! However, this is a great view of part of the fleet in action, with our host Bridgeton Marina in the background.
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So far, the old railroad bridge (far left) has not lured any of our boats too close. It is a boat-trap we hope none of our boats & cadets will ever get snared.
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Now these "Baby Ducks" are finally in line! It takes more skill than one might think to be able to do this, and there are more advanced drills to perform once we can do this easily.
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With so many students in the Sailing Squad, each only gets a short turn to practice their skills, and we try to make the most of it.
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The historic New Bern skyline gives a nice backdrop, harking back to days when fleets of sailing vessels were the town's bread & butter.
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Some of the skippers had a chance to show their skill in docking under sail. There were no crashes but we will definitely work on approaches... sailboats don't have brakes.
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Time's up!
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Putting the boats away properly is hard work, but it is necessary so they'll be secure through the week and be ready to sail again.
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This might look like lassoing as stray calf, but they are just towing the last FJ back to the base. Boat 2 crew, were you really the slowest ones getting unrigged? Good thing for you all that flogging is outlawed... do better next week, 'K?
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Just kidding!
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Head Coach Rezab says that today's sailing exercises were a big success. The "Baby Ducks" spent more time straying than following the Mama Duck, but considering it was the first time sailing for most of the skippers, the drill did not look too bad. The skippers and crews did a good job handling the boats around the dock, and showed that they could at least keep the FJs moving in -mostly- the right direction. Only a few got stuck "in irons" and then only for a short while. The boats got unrigged & secured in good time and with only slight confusion & bedlam... remember the quicker we can get organized & rigged, the quicker we can get sailing... and the quicker we can get unrigged & secured, the more time we can spend out on the water!
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On the whole, the Sailing Squad earned a hearty "Well Done" for their 2nd day of 2010 sailing.
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Everyone should review the points of sail and the basic maneuvers. Next time we will do more "Baby Duck" only with some added complications: those who have shown they can tack acceptably will try gybing; and all will go on varying points of sail instead of just beam-reaching back & forth.
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posted by Assistant Coach Doug King
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PS- more video to come.

1st session of Spring 2010 for sailing squad

23 cadets fell in at Bridgeton Harbor to begin the 2010 season for NBHS-NJROTC. It was chilly but enthusiasm ran high. For more than half of the sailing squad, it was their first face-to-face meeting with a sailboat. Cadet Commander Tommy Powers gave the intial orders, then the experienced cadets led their boat teams in rigging up the Flying Juniors, bending on the sails & fitting the rudders & tillers. Each boat also had a coach who turned every step of the process into a lesson as well as a prepartion to sail.
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At right, Head Coach Rezab briefs the sailing squad on the practice drills for today. Boat 5 team is captained by cadet A.J.Sherman
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The coaches: Joe Gormley, Buddy Dillinger, Doug King, Mark Hittner, John Jackson, Brian Flanagan, and Jerry Rezab. All are members of Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club who have volunteered to help get the younger generation "squared away."
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At left, the New Bern HS NJROTC shows why they so consistently earn honors... listening with full attention!
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and... ... ...

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ENTHUSIASM !!

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One of the most important lessons for the newbies is that sailboats can lean WAY OVER!!
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Coach Buddy Dillinger shows the Boat 4 team (captained by Jeff Glover, who was absent) and Pamlico HS NJROTC cadet Roberson (farthest right). Bears cadet Sharice Little was manning the centerboard and is not visible in this picture.
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Unfortunately the team for Boat 2 forgot their battens! This is one reason why a 'dress rehearsal' is good idea. Boat 3 (sail #9, team captain Craig Colton) is shown practicing gybes on the safety of dry land with the boom held high. The blue-yellow FJ is Boat 6 captained by cadet Kayla Fouts. The sail #10 "ODU" shows that these boats were originally owned by Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
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Unfortunately, the weather was just a teaser. The river water temperature is dangeorusly cold, putting a chill in the wind and threatening hypothermia. However the sunshine & the light breeze made today a good time to practice on dry land. Considering all the skills that go into sailing, such as learning the terminology, rope craft, steering with a tiller, and knowing the basic points of sail... the was plenty for the new cadets to learn, and the experienced skippers to review. We know for a fact that warmer weather is coming, and all will be better prepared.

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at left- the New Bearn Bears NJROTC starting to unrig their boats after a hard days work. The historic skyline of New Bern, with the Town Hall clock tower and the church steeples, is visible across the Neuse River.
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The next sailing squad assembly will be on Monday, March 8.
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Sailing exercises will commence with the basic "Baby Duck" drills.


posted by Assistant Coach Doug King