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

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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

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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