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Message |
    
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 301
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 07:07 am: | 
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Last night was exciting.
With that much wind it made everything happen a lot faster than it should have. Personally I would not have gone under full sail as I think some of you did. Reefed main and 100-120% jib should have been plenty. Yeah, I know some of you like to bury the rail, but just understand, that isn't sailing; that's just having fun.
The object of this first lab was to simply practice what we did in the first class. How to come about or gybe, what direction does a winch turn, and considering yesterday, how to steer in a straight line. You should already know what luffing is and that its bad. You should already know "when in doubt, let it out." The new stuff for you is mostly hardware stuff; like roller furling, etc.
Congratulations to Me II, Me II for not breaking anything. And for making it around the bouys almost twice. As the most novice crew you guys did great!! [and almost all girls too]. Be sure to review your notes from the first class and put that together with what you learned on the water.
Note: a self tailing winch has more friction and is therefore harder to crank. It is easier if you keep it off the self tailer and use a human tailer. 2 if by hand/ 4 if by winch. Know what that means. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 675
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 - 03:31 pm: |
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This should be your study guide for the midterm. It will be essay/ short answer type so you won't be constrained by my wording on a T/F statement. We will discuss before you begin the exam.
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Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 666
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 01, 2012 - 04:18 pm: |
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Don't forget this Sunday lab will be practice anchoring, so line up a good pair of gloves if your hands aren't used to heavy work.
I will be posting the answers to the Midterm soon. If you haven't made an appointment for a make up exam, be sure to do so by tomorrow. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 633
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2011 - 10:55 am: |
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We have recently been talking about showing "Wild Eyes", a video about the teenage girl who was dismasted in the middle of the southern ocean and rescued by a ship. We tho't about showing it in class after the exam tonight, but are unable to come up with equipment.
What about showing it on the 'big-screen' TV at Aventura after class tonight? Aventura will be open to the public, you can invite family/ friends if you wish, the boat parade will be going by. Anyone interested in an after class party? [or is that par-tay] |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 632
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 05, 2011 - 11:36 am: |
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The Saturday sail was very spectacular with the turnaround in the wind from dead calm to perhaps 25-30kt gusts. I hope you learned a lot and at the same time learned what you need to know more about for the future. Like getting a boat to stop at a MOB, and why it is so important to practice reefing because when the storm hits, that is not the time to be trying to figure it out.
If some of you thought you had to wait for me to tell you to reef, I apologize for the uncertainty. You reef when you feel the need – or sooner.
Unreefing downwind happens when it feels like a lot less wind. It just feels that way; you are sailing faster than you realize. At least one boat ended up almost halfway to Catalina and took forever to get back again against the wind. That is why you plan on reefing for beating to weather.
An interesting observation is the difference between reefing the main vs. the jib and between dousing the main vs. the jib. Perhaps 80% of your power comes from the jib going upwind. So if you douse the jib you lose a lot of speed but if you douse the main you may not lose any speed at all. This is only true going upwind, but that is when you feel the need.
Your lab grade will have a lot to do with your attendance, but also how you performed on board. Your boat captains will be offering their opinions and Ric and I will have made our observations as well.
The exam grades may just be the percentages handed out before Thanksgiving, but if you have one particularly bad exam and the rest are up there, the bad one may not count against you so much.
No more sailing till next year. Ric will see you next week and then it's the final exam. |
Susie Campbell
Member
Username: sailorsusie
Post Number: 9
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, December 04, 2011 - 04:31 pm: |
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If anybody was taking pictures during the final lab on Saturday or has pictures from past classes; please e-mail me a few of your best for the you tube video I'm making. Thanks! |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 631
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2011 - 08:19 am: |
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The attached gpx files are for Catalina and the local Dana Point area;.same ones as on the ones in class last night. You can download them onto your Garmin by using the MapSource software available from Garmin; should be free and easy to access. Easy to open the gpx file with that and also download into your gps.
Another source for manipulation of gpx files is EasyGPS which is free. There is a special Saddleback Student price for ExpertGPS elsewhere on this site [use the search function] which allows you to do lots more.
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Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 629
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 01, 2011 - 07:02 pm: |
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Here is a review/recap of The Plan:
12 to 4 p.m., 3 boats, 1 or 2 volunteer skippers per boat with 4 to 6 students.
Buoys -- triangular course using the red and green bouys plus a pin to the south:
Clockwise around the course using red right returning protocol. The GPS pin will count as "red". Red buoys to starboard, green to port.
Location of buoys by GPS in case of fog.
I will provide GPS, one per boat with GPS locations. I will be dropping the pin on the way out.
Follow instructions provided Fri night:
Reef on the upwind leg/unreef downwind.
MOB on command from chase boat.
Monitor radio.
Anchor at 1530; back to the dock at 1600.
Grading will be based on:
Knowledge of sailing skills including teamwork.
Reefing.
MOB.
Rules of the road/aids to navigation.
Radio protocol.
Anchoring basics.
We will review this Friday night in class. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 627
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 07:31 pm: |
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This Sat is the last sailing lab for the course and will therefore be your lab final exam. Weather permitting [awesome heavy weather lab last time] you will be sailing a triangular course from the Red #2 to a pin and then to the green #1 and back to the Red #2. The pin will be an anchored spar/pvc pipe which you will have on your GPS onboard. You will take all marks in accordance with the "red right returning rule".
During the drill you will be asked to do various things like reef, unreef, MOB, and anchor. Check out the drill from last year, below.
Opps, it's actually from 2008. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 626
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2011 - 07:22 pm: |
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Family Night for High School students is Mon Nov. 14
Family Night at Saddleback, from 6-8pm, is where HS students and their parents visit the campus to see what programs are offered. Last year Ron Grant and Eric Stoller represented us.
It is very cool if there are presently enrolled students there to talk to the prospects. If you are willing and able, that would be very good. Would extra credit on your grade make a difference? |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 618
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 31, 2011 - 08:45 pm: |
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Happy Halloween!
This week is the last to drop. If you have not been showing up for a while I will drop you. Unless you give me a good reason to keep you.
I will post a list of those I am dropping on Wed; then you will have to change my mind because that is the cutoff. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 546
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Friday, October 01, 2010 - 05:45 am: |
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I couldn't come up with a better list of things for the midterm that what is on the course outline, pages 1-11 & 17. Some emphasis on the timing of commands, MOB, reefing procedures. Short review session before the test where you can ask questions. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 545
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 - 05:55 pm: |
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I will be posting an overview of what is on the midterm for Friday. To begin with, you should have been tying knots like cleat hitches, gasket sail ties, figure eights and the slip knot for tying the fenders called the tautline hitch. You will have a chance to practice before the test.
Otherwise, in general it will cover what we have been doing; practical sailing, boat safety including reefing and MOB, and a few other things we have talked about. |
Mark Howe
Moderator
Username: unclemark
Post Number: 434
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 02:49 pm: |
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Sunday lab final exam Sunday 7 Dec-- [let me know if you are not coming]
Plan:
12 to 4 p.m., 3 boats, 2 volunteers per boat with 3 to 5 students.
2 Aventura boats, Rhapsody if available.
Buoys: [See attached GIS map if it works, but it probably won't]
Clockwise around the course -- using red right returning protocol.
Red buoys to starboard, green to port.
Location of buoys by GPS in case of fog. (I will provide GPS)
(I will be dropping the red flag on the way out)
Follow instructions:
Reef on the upwind leg/unreef downwind.
MOB on command from chase boat.
Monitor radio.
Anchor at 1530; back to the dock at 1600.
Grading will be based on:
Knowledge of sailing skills including teamwork.
Reefing.
MOB.
Rules of the road/aids to navigation.
Radio protocol.
Anchoring basics.
We will review this Friday night in class.
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2nd Midterm Review
Catalina NavAids