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BBBS 10 Sailing Cycle 1 Session 3 Reflections (Byte)



Conditions:
Gusty storm winds, but approx 7-8 knots. 

Wind shifts sometimes, so need to ascertain new direction accurately. Still a little unsure about whether I am reading the wind correctly. Maybe might put a wind indicating device that is within the field of view of the camera and review footage afterwards to assess quality of sail trim.

Sailed in my first storm today. 

Hiking out a lot more today. But the problem encountered was that sometimes right when I hiked out, the boat "un-heeled", and continued rolling the other way. So I'll have to immediately sit up and in. Two possible reasons: maybe I hiked out too much, or when I hiked out, I unknowingly/accidentally slightly pointed the boat, which reduced the side force pressure and resulted in the rolling back towards me, past the neutral point. Need to find a way to solve the twitchy controlling and keep the rudder centered even as I move around the cockpit.


Going downwind presented another challenge. 
Boat felt difficult to control, and in order to maintain course, I had to fight the rudder quite a bit and trim quite aggressively to maintain course. The rudder was set at 45° towards the leeward side for much of the time. 

Capsized a few times. I think most of my capsizes came when I was gybing. I couldn't get to the other side quickly enough to balance the boat, I suppose. But I find that a lot of times, I overcontrol the boat, in terms of roll balance. 


When recovering the boat, if conditions present an onshore wind (therefore making it difficult to slow down when approaching the landing point straight on), when nearing the landing point, 1. Turn boat to head straight into wind (will be in irons), 2. Sail will be luffing. Grab boom and push outwards. 3. Boat will start reversing. Move weight to FWD of boat to lift the stern (the stern becomes the new "bow"). Steer with rudder and reverse to landing point before jumping off. Take caution that rudder does not strike ramp - disembark in advance. 

Side topic: Dagger board adjustment
I attempted to manipulate the dagger board today to decrease drag while downwind, so I achieved that goal. But need to be more mindful of that too because there were many times I forgot. 




After The Storm


List of things to work on still persists:
  • Use the telltales better - the side that has the telltale drooping means that that side does not have strong airflow over it. Solution: position the sail in a manner that will expose it to the wind to ensure good airflow over both sides of the sail (only applicable from close-haul to broad reach, when below broad reach, drag force dominates as thrust force and telltales will be useless).
  • Practice port-rounding and more consciously gain the estimate of the boat's turning line.
  • When the wind shifts aft, point into the wind more rather than letting out the sail. Likewise when the wind shifts up, the sail will start to luff, at that moment, bear away a little.
  • Get better familiarity with tacking procedure in cockpit. Also learn rope management tricks.
  • Simulate lifting and lowering daggerboard for different points of sail (even though the daggerboard is stuck hard in its slot).
  • Practise aiming at a distant point (especially when/after tacking or gybing). 
  • Learn to adjust the fine controls such as the vang, the outhaul and the downhaul.
  • Learn how to roll-tack.
New thing to practice mindfully:
  • Hand-over-hand sheeting in (while keeping the rudder on course)
  • Organise spare main sheet in forward starboard corner of dinghy cockpit, but at the same level/line as the main sheet pulley (do not put it any bit further forward of the pulley)

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