Cold but fun.... putting it all into practice

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Ok, we did the classroom lessons, we rigged and practiced with a boat in the parking lot.... we even did capsize drill at the YMCA pool..........

but today we got underway and sailed!

Thanks to Fairfield Harbour resident sailors, who kindly offered their own cruising boats as training platforms, we put it all together: terminology, rigging, knowing the ropes (and the knots), all the Points of Sail, and Tacking!







 Sailing cadets..... and the NJROTC Commanding Officer Ron Fry...... sailing on Coach John Jackson's Georgie Girl.







 All the cadets had a chance to take the helm, to handle sails, and show their knowledge & skill (while learning yet more), out on the Neuse River. In order to pass the Basic Sailing course, they must demonstrate the ability to function as skipper of a small vessel from rigging to getting underway to all normal maneuvers under sail, and then properly putting everything away for next time.

 A smaller crew of cadets on board Peter Budzynkiewicz's Wicked Good. Normally the cadets sail small boats with tillers, and of course without self-tailing winches.

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By now, we need to know all the basic boat parts, basic terminology, and Points of Sail very well.

For example, if we are the skipper of a a boat sailing along on a Broad Reach, on Port Tack, and we intend to turn the boat to starboard, what must we do? What orders do we give the crew? What tasks must the crew perform?

And there is more. For example, the act of TACKING is to go from "close hauled" on either port or starboard tack, thru "in irons" head to wind, and continuing to turn until "close hauled" on the other tack (starboard or port).

But what happens if we turn from a Broad Reach on Port Tack, and we turn to starboard, and continue turning until the sails switch sides and are now on Starboard Tack? We have just GYBED, and this is a maneuver we must know how to do properly because in some ways GYBING is easier than TACKING but it has greater risk.

We must also learn to STOP the boat while under sail!



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Back at the dock, our short afternoon sail over...... looking forward to next week, anyone??

...   posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King

Real Sailboat, Hands-On practice

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This week, our sailing class continued to learn the basics.... and the experienced sailors from last year had a refresher.......


 
We've studied TERMINOLOGY and perhaps begun to learn why special words are important in specialized fields of knowledge, like medicine or aviation or sailing. We should know the names of many parts of the boat (link) itself, as well as knowing PORT from STARBOARD.

 The class has mad good progress, but now let's get real!







This week we had one of our Oday Javelins on the grinder. The class had a chance to put their hands on all the funny-name parts of the boat, and to begin to see how it all works together. Most students had the chance to practice rigging and hoisting the sails.








This is a simple exercise, but we go on the theory that we learn more by doing than by sitting. It's good know the knots, but it's important to know where and when each knot is used, and to practice tying them while standing or perhaps crouching on a real boat.


We also learned some of the picky, finicky, details of rigging a real boat..... for example, the blocks (pulleys) for the jib sheet and main sheet have a ratchet, which must click the right way. This makes the boat -much- easier to sail IF you get it right!






At this point, let's go to our sailing lessons on line (link), or our textbook, or one of the references in
the classroom, and take the next step of learning the Points Of Sail. This is very important. In fact, one of the best things you can do is memorize this diagram.


We still have a lot to cover before we can actually GO SAILING, but we will do so in the next few weeks. We will also practice our Capsize Drill (link) so that we will be prepared for an emergency on the water.

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

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Sailing Class is GO for Spring 2019

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Here is the schedule for our sailing classes this semester:

Feb 25  ...  (class at NBHS)

Mar 3   ... intro classes, location TBD

Mar 11 ... intro classes, location TBD

Mar 18  ... intro classes, location TBD

Mar 25 ... intro classes, location TBD, possible Sailing Practice

Apr 1   ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

Apr 8   ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

Apr 15 ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

Apr 29 ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

May 6  ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

May 13 ... Sailing Practice, location TBD, weather-dependent

These are all Monday afternoons. There are only 11 class sessions, so attendance is critical

We will offer advanced sailing topics to the cadets who are already qualified Basic Sailors.

Depending on the weather and class progress, we may get out on the water for sailing practice in March. To get the class out on the water as much as possible is the goal of the program!

The status of the fleet is still a big question mark. We have one undamaged FJ and two Javelins that appear to have suffered minor (if any) damage, and the other two Javelins are repairable. We hope to get the small boat fleet back into action this semester, but we have contingency plans and will definitely get out on the water for sailing!

... Assistant Sailing Coach Douglas King

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Hurricane Florence hits our fleet

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The NJROTC Sailing Program has been cancelled by Hurricane Florence.......... we hope to resume sailing in spring next year.

We have had several hurricanes threaten our program and our boats over the years.... in 2010 (H. Earl) and in 2011 (H. Irene) particularly but most cadets will remember Hurricane Matthew just two years ago.





H. Florence was very powerful, following an unusual path and bringing over 10 feet of storm surge and 90+ mph winds.








At this point, we are not sure of the status of the fleet. We don't even know where some of them are, although any that were washed away and lost are probably damaged beyond repair.









The coaches homes all suffered damage and it is unlikely that we will be able to commit the time to work on the sailing program for another month. This would put us so far behind schedule that there is no chance of sailors completing the basic qualification this semester.

 Instead, when time permits, we will focus on recovering and repairing what we can.

This program is still better off, materially, than when we began over 15 years ago.

Our sympathy, our hopes, and our determination to improve go out to all victims of Hurricane Florence.




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... posted by Assistant Sailing Coach Doug King




 
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Sailing Today..... yes, finally!

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This afternoon was beautiful, sunny, not too hot, there was even some wind! After weeks of bad weather, we were really glad to get out on the water and see how much we remember about SAILING.







For the first time this year, the advanced sailors took out the FJs and had some fun in the "sports car" boats. A few of the less-experienced were nervous at first, but all had a good time and everybody gained some good practice.

At the far left, you can see the cupola of the old Post Office in historic New Bern,  with some of our boats and cadets sailing...... the one coming towards the camera very fast is an FJ


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Here is the single most important thing to understand about sailing: the Points of Sail, which is really just a way of describing and defining the angle of the boat to the wind.

 The coaches were a little disappointed that the cadets are still weak on this, let's make we master this diagram..... it's simple, really!








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Here's two of the advanced cadets finding the excitment in sailing an FJ. They are preparing to gybe, just as a gust hits.

HINT: it is easier to steer downwind in strong winds when the vang is tight

Standing up in the boat is often a "show-off" move but it is also a good way to capsize, or fall overboard. In this case, the boat is trying to swerve one way while the skipper is trying to steer another way, and the crew cannot decide whether to hike out to flatten the boat or to wrestle with the jib sheets. 

 A close call? Not really, the two boats passed with a safe distance apart, and both were under good steering control the whole time.

In the event that the boats were coming too close, which one would have Right-Of-Way? (link) This is still a topic to be covered in this spring's sailing class!

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Two beginners with Coach Jackson..... each took a turn as "skipper" this time, and did well.

Can you tell what "Point of Sail" this boat is on? You can see by the wake that they are moving along nicely, so the sails are set or trimmed correctly......







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Here's an FJ zooming by a Javelin, as well it should. For one thing the FJ skipper is one of our best sailors and has some racing experience.

 We encourage sailors to move into the FJs as soon as they can, because these boats are not just faster, but they are more responsive (better feedback for learning) and with only two people, the cadet sailors gain much more experience quickly.





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Three beginners with Coach Hittner.

Are they ready to take command of the boat on their own, next week? That's what we are working toward.




 ...  written & posted by Assistant Coach Douglas King



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Weather Delay, Practice Tacking

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Windy and chilly on the dock

We've had several weeks of bad weather and have not been able to go sailing.

Today was only medium-bad weather, so our sailing class held a sailing exercise although we did not go out sailing.














 Today's exercise was a mix of review... terminology, rigging, steering, Points of Sail, and tacking... and new material.

The boat was tethered to the dock, so the skippers and crews could practice without risk of the boat going out of control, crashing, or capsizing.

Practice controlling the boat, without risk

This way, we can practice the moves that skipper and crew must make to succeed in controlling the boat when sailing for real.

One of the things we learned is that the wind is always shifting slightly, changing direction and gusting. This is a challenge!

The skipper steers (with the hiking stick or tiller extension, please) and handles the mainsheet. The crew helps hold the boat level, keeps lookout, and controls the jib.

When making a maneuver like TACKING (link) there are several things that skipper and crew must do.

Just to make it clear, TACKING is when a boat makes a turn towards the wind, and continues to turn until the wind is on the boat's other side.

The first thing to do is to prepare. The skipper tells the crew (crews: don't say you're ready until you're REALLY ready!). Then the skipper puts the tiller towards the sails (remember T-T-T) and the boat begins to turn.

As the boat turns into the wind, the sails will cross over and the sailors do, too..... the crew must handle the jib sheets, and the skipper continues to steer the boat in the turn.

When the boat is sailing on the other tack (boats are always "on" either starboard or port), the skipper straightens out the tiller and now the boat is sailing again.






Here is a diagram of the POINTS OF SAIL. This is very important to remember.

Next time, we hope that the weather will be good and most of the beginners will be ready to sail for real.






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Underway... under sail! ... on the Neuse River

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The Spring 2018 sailing class has now completed some classroom time, some parking lot time with a boat on a trailer (good training for newbies), and capsize drill at the "Y" pool (Thank you, Twin Rivers YMCA!!).


Today we got underway for real. The Navy saying for ships is "Haze Gray and Under Way" but our boats are white and yellow fiberglass. It was a gray day, overcast and chilly, but all we need is wind!




The first step is rigging the boats. That's why we studied all the terminology (funny boat words, including the names of important parts) and practiced rigging a Javelin in the school parking lot. Now we're doing it for real! The class did relatively well, the beginners had coaches help.





Now we're out sailing for real! Although it looks windy, and there were some gusts, the weather really was almost perfect.



The boat on the left in this photo is being sailed by experienced cadet sailors with no coach aboard. This is one of the "perks" of being a qualified skipper!







Here's another link to our Sailing Lessons contents page. At this point in the class, you should be able to breeze through the first 8 of them.... terminology, Boat Parts, Points of Sail, Ropes & Knots, the Capsize Drill, etc etc....
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A couple of beginner sailors with Coach Murphy. As you can see, there was enough wind to get the boats really moving.

Later on, both of these beginners took turns steering the boat. This is actually one of the easiest jobs but it does take some practice to do well.



One of the basic sailing lessons is about JOBS on the boat: to be a sailor, a person must not be a passenger. Sailors have jobs! One job is to be a lookout, alertness to everything around you..... for example, a log floating in the water..... is critical to success. Another job is to handle the sheets (what is the difference between a SHEET and a HLYARD?). In these boats, the crew handles the jib sheet and often the skipper will both steer and handle the main sheet.



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Here are two more beginner sailors, with Coach Mark Hittner (sitting in the middle). You can see that one of them is already taking on the task of steering, and doing a good job too! The other student is looking up at the sails which is also a good thing to do.











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Did I mention that one of the perks of being a qualified sailor in New Bern NJROTC's program is that you can sail a boat on your own?


Looks like fun, doesn't it?

As a sailing coach, I wonder who is doing the job of LOOKOUT at the moment this photo was taken, but overall the sailing cadets do quite well







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Here is another beginner on the tiller, steering. Actually he is steering with the hiking stick / tiller extension, which is a very good action to practice. He is holding it a bit awkwardly but will surely improve with experience....

... the hiking stick should be held cross-ways to the boat, either like a microphone or a frying pan, but always so you can steer with either a push or pull.

Here's another beginner, steering with the hiking stick.... this great to see! It is less important in a heavy, stable boat like the Javelin, but it still helps one keep control of the boat properly. In a lighter, sportier boat like the FJ, it is impossible to steer properly without using the hiking stick, so this is why we like to see students learning it early on.

This young lady sailor is holding the tiller extension cross-ways, and she appears to be doing a fine job steering.















Did we mention that sailing is actually fun? It's a lot of work, of course, but the reward is wonderful.

And looking at this photo, we see yet another student steering with the hiking stick! Well, to be fair, this particular young skipper has a couple of semesters of experience and should be doing it properly after all (which he is).

You can see by the wake that the boat is moving right along too.







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What goes up must come down, and boats that go out sailing must come back in.

Here are the NJROTC sailors unrigging their boats and putting everything away, "squared away."

We are looking forward to next time.... maybe it will be just a little warmer?







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

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