Tag Archives: sailing

Race nights 2023

KSC Racing Series Scores (to Aug 1)

Ahoy KSC Racers, here you’ll find the race results for the Wednesday night racing series, up to and including the race on July 30. If you see any issues (i.e. a wrong score, or a missed entry) then please let me know at [email protected]. Scores generated/tallied using Sailwave software (sailwave.com). In accordance with our “drop 1 for every 3 races” policy, we only count the best 14 of the 22 races so far.

Steve, unsurprisingly has a good lead in the series. Other than 3 second place finishes, he has bullets for ever other scored race. His DNC (“Did not come” = 15 points) entries are all discounted at this point. He has a total of 18 points

Carla is solidly in second place, with a few 3rd/4th place finishes in there, but still mostly 1s and 2. Total 30 points

Thing tighten up with position 3, 4 and 5, with Jason, Mike, and Corinne all in the 40s. 6th-9th is even tighter with Gen, Olivier, Tom and Jean just one point behind each other in the 61-64 point range. That’s counting a DNC for Gen though, so she can expect to improve her position considerably if she sails the next 2 races.

Things start to get a bit more spread out from there, with a special mention to Jae Woo and Alex, two of our rookie sailors in 10th and 11th places, and separated by only a few points.

So far we’ve has 39 sailors take part in at least one race. Let’s see if we can close the gap with Steve!

Race Nights Start Wed June 11

Lasers under sail

Ahoy KSCers!

In just two short weeks, our Wednesday race night series will start.  I’m here today to convince you to come out! No experience or competitive spirit required, our race nights are mostly just an excuse to hit the water and have some fun.  I first started racing when I was taking learn-to-sail as an excuse to get some extra practice time on the water between lessons. Even though I’m not a competitive person, I had a lot of fun, and have been coming to the race nights ever since.

We have a nobody left ashore policy, and if you’re interested in getting out on the water then we’ll make sure it happens! Details on how it works below, but let me start with some reasons you should come out racing:

  1. It’s the safest time to sail – there are lots of other friendly boats around in case you get into trouble, and even the most competitive KSC skippers are happy to abandon a race to help out someone in trouble
  2. It makes you a better sailor – the person out there with 15 or 20 years experience will know so many tricks and tips to improve boat trim, handling, and stability, all of which translate to a safer (and faster) boat.  They’re always happy to share knowledge! Learn the difference between “sheet the jib in” and “sheet the jib in 3 inches, and open the luff of the main”. Even if you’re a solo sailor, you can watch how Ken trims his sail, check how you have yours trimmed, and compare what the boats are doing side-by-side.
  3. It gets you out on the water more – let’s face it, if we wait for “the perfect day” to go sailing, we’ll never go.  It will always be too cold, or too hot, or too calm, or a tad-too-windy, etc.  Having a regular “I’m going sailing, even if conditions are not perfect!” event in the calendar encourages you to get out more, and make the most of your membership.
  4. Fantastic people – I’ve been racing at KSC for 15 years now (since back when I didn’t know a tiller from a mainsheet) and met so many good people, and good friends. And every year I get to meet new people!
  5. Post-sail BBQ – For many people, the sailing is fun, but the most laughs are had on the deck afterwards, when we enjoy a drink and a burger
  6. It’s free – who doesn’t like free things, right?

Okay, you convinced me to come out… how does it work?

  • Show up at the club by 5:30 or 5:45 on Wednesday afternoon. You can *probably* show up even a bit later than that, but past 6:00 is getting a bit risky if you’re looking for a partner
  • If you’re new, then start talking with people, especially people who look like they know what they’re doing. All the veteran racers are happy to take new sailors out, or (if their boat is already full) are happy to point you towards another veteran racer. Our goal is to give you a great racing experience. If we can convince you that racing is fun, that means you’ll keep coming out, and we will have a bigger fleet to race against later in the season!
  • Sign out a boat and start rigging it up
  • At 6:00 on the first few race nights, I’ll hold a “skipper’s meeting” on the deck. I’ll remind anyone who forgot over the winter what the rules were, and anyone can ask questions
  • It’s a good idea to try to hit the water by 6:15 at the latest
  • The first warning signal goes at (about) 6:30. The first race night or two we might be a bit later while the sailors and Race Committee figure out the routine
  • We do a 5-minute start for most boats, with a head start for some of the slower RS boats. We’ll cover the start sequence at the skipper’s meeting, but a quick summary is below
  • Sail the course around the marks – a counter-clockwise triangle, followed by an upwind/downwind leg. If you’re new to racing, the skipper can explain the start sequence and will talk about right-of-way and tactics throughout the race

I had some more questions…

Q: How long are the races?
A: We try to set a short course so the first person finishes after about 20 minutes. This means the last person usually finishes after about 30 minutes. Add on a 5-minute start, and you can expect a race to go about 35 minutes between first-gun and final finish. This lets us get in as many races as we can before the sun starts to go down and the wind dies. We might get 4 races in a night in June, but only 2 by end-of-August

Q: I can’t be at the club until 6:30 or 7:00. Can I still race?
A: Yes, but it might be harder to find a partner and you’ll probably miss the first race of the night. We try to match up skippers and crew before 6:00 so they can hit the water and be on the race course by 6:30. If you sail a single-hander (Laser, Byte, etc) this isn’t a problem, but if you want to sail a double-handed boat then you might want to make arrangements with a partner to meet you at the club at a specific time.

Q: If I start sailing with someone, can I change partners later?
A: Yes! We score sailors, not boats, so there is no problem sailing with one person some week, someone else the following week, and sailing solo another week.

Q: What if I miss some races or race days? Can I start racing later in the season?
A: No problem! We have some people who only attend one or two race nights a year. Of course, the more race nights you attend, the more chances you have of racking up good placement scores for the end-of-season totals, but you can still miss a lot of races and be scored a “perfect season”. I can talk season totals

Q: Do all the different types of boats race together?
A: Yes. We (mostly) don’t handicap different types of boats, and just race them all as one big fleet. The exception are the RS boats (Quests and Fevas). We give those boats a 3 minute head start because they are a bit slower in most conditions, and because the new sailors tend to prefer those boats. This makes it a better contest between the new sailor in the slower Quest, and the veteran sailor in a Laser.

Q: How does scoring work?
A: There’s a long answer, but I’ll give you the short one. 1 point for 1st place, 2 points for second, and so on. Lowest total points at the end of the night (or the end of the season) wins. If you don’t race, you score 1 point higher than “last place” in that race. For every 3 races sailed we drop your highest score, so if in 6 races you placed “1st, 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 8th, 8th” then you score a total of 7 points (we drop the 8th place finishes, which are probably races you skipped).

Q: Any tips?
A: The boat in the front is Steve. Follow Steve, he knows all the tactics to make the best speed.

Q: What if I’m in front of Steve?
A: Please, tell me how you did that – I’d love to know!

Q: What does the start look like?
A: There is a power boat (Race Committee, or RC) near a buoy. The start line is between the two. RC will raise/lower some flags and make a sound (whistle, air-horn, etc) as the start of the race approaches

  • 5 minutes before start – one flag goes up
  • 4 minutes before start – second flag goes up
  • 3 minutes before start – RC waves a temporary flag – RS Quest/Fevas can start
  • 1 minute before start – second flag goes down
  • at start – first flag goes down, all other boats can start

Ideally you want to hit the start line, at full speed, on starboard tack (for right-of-way), exactly as the flag drops. This is easier said than done. A stopwatch helps.

Q: I had more questions. Who can I speak with?
A: Your sailing director (me) can be found at [email protected]. I’ll also be at most of the race nights – look for a bald, slightly overweight guy with a beard, or ask someone “Can you point me to Jason?” Fair warning though — once you get me talking about racing, you’re not going to get me to shut up.

Race nights 2023

Wednesday Race Night Season Results

A great final race night of the season reminded the club what it’s like when the wind actually shows up! Season results at the bottom of the page, but I’ll write a bit about the Aug 28 race night first 🙂

Eleven boats showed upon Wednesday evening, with steady air blowing on the verge of whitecaps, at least for the start of the night. Capt Steven volunteered for R/C (thanks!) and set a nice clockwise course. Even though the wind started to slow with the setting sun, there was enough to move all night long, and some of the closest racing I’ve ever seen at KSC was to be had.

The first start saw the boats hit the line in a gust with a few seconds to go, forcing a lot of boats to bear off and hope they weren’t over early. Ken Skublics nailed his start, forcing the other boats to catch up to his Laser. Steve and Tom, and Carla and Liz each had taken a Tasar and could point high, but would it be enough? The 470 made its racing debut, sailed by the trio of Jean, Olivier, and Corinne, throwing another question mark into the mix. Mark and Eric each took out other Lasers, Stefan in an Inviatations, Rey and Deb in Bytes, and Emily/Aidan in a Quest, and Jason in his tippy Musto rounded out the fleet.

The starboard tack line ran along the shore, with Steve/Tom tacking a bit early toward the middle of the river, but I’m not sure how much was gained bu the manouver – uncharacteristically, the wind seemed better by the shore. At the upwind mark there were 5 boats all rounding in quick succession (two Tasars, Ken’s Laser, the 470, and the Musto) and there was lots of overtaking or defensive sailing done on the next couple of legs. It really shows how much the skill level of the fleet has improved over the past few years, rather than just one or two sailors completely walking away with it.

The wind started to slow, and Jason hit a hole when he tacked early at the leeward mark – almost the entire fleet passed him. (Note to self, figure out what I did wrong here). The other boats wisely stayed on starboard and again climbed up the course. Tom/Steve took the race followed by Liz/Carla (a Tasar 1-2 finish).

The wind started to pick up for the second race, and we again had an awesome start, with 4 or 5 boats all hitting the line in quick succession. Jason and Tom/Steve were playing leapfrog this race, with the Tasar outpointing Jason on the upwinds, but Jason making betting VMG on the reaching/downwind legs. The Tasar was ahead by a few boatlengths at the final upwind mark, and Jason made a tactical decision to fly the kite, reach for boat speed, and throw in a gybe on the last leg. The plan worked, and he just beat the Tasar by a couple of boatlengths, for his first win of the season (for comparision, Steve had 14).

The other performance double-handers (Carla/Liz in the Tasar, Corinne/Olivier/Jean in the 470) rounded out the top finishers, followed by the single-handers led by Ken’s Laser, and the Quest.

Season results

With 36 unique racers and 19 races this season, we had a pretty good turnout. The one thing which didin’t show up a lot was the wind, forcing us to cancel 3 race nights in a row with either lightning, or dead air.

Using KSC’s traditional drop-1-of-3 scoring system, we only count the best 13 scores of the 19 races, and add up the points to see who wins with the lowest points. With 14 wins, and a few 2nd/3rd places, Steve Harrington had the lowest possible score of 13 points, and is once again KSC Champion! Yay Steve! (how many years running is this?)

But the real challange was for those coveted second, third, and fourth places, where us mere mortals have a chance.

Ken Skublics took home the second position, by consistently scoring 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes thoroughout the year. He also wins the “best looking Laser at the club, by far” award for that shiny blue thing. Liz locked up third on the final night with great finishes over the year in a variety of boats. Mike and Jason were just behind her and tied for 4th/5th, but each had a few too many missed races hurting the points total. Carla pulls in 6th and a special shout out goes to our youngest racer Nora who finished 7th. Tom, Mark and Olivier round out the top 10, with Mark and Olivier tied for 9th/10th.

Thanks again for a great season, and I hope to see you next year! An extra special thank you to the volunteers who ran race comittee this year, including Sam, Danika, Keelee, Steven, Deb, Jean, and others whom I’m sure I am missing. We can’t run decent races without you, and it’s much appreciated!

Provisional season results:

RankBoatR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13R14R15R16R17R18R19TotalNett
1stSteve(1.0)1.0(2.0)(2.0)1.01.01.01.0(3.0)1.01.01.01.01.01.01.0(3.0)1.0(2.0)26.013.0
2ndKen S3.02.0(5.0)3.02.02.03.0(4.0)2.0(15.0 DNC)2.03.02.02.02.0(6.0 DNC)(6.0 DNC)4.0(5.0)73.032.0
3rdLiz(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)(6.0 DNC)1.0 Crew1.0 Crew1.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)3.0 DNF4.0 Crew4.0 Crew3.0 Crew4.0 Crew5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC2.0 Crew3.0 Crew90.043.0
4thMike L2.03.01.0(6.0 DNC)5.04.04.0(6.0)1.03.0 DNF3.02.0(6.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)94.045.0
5thJason(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)(6.0 DNC)3.03.02.02.06.02.06.0 DNF5.0 Crew5.0 Crew(7.0 DNC)5.0 DNC3.02.0(7.0)1.089.045.0
6thCarla6.05.03.05.0(10.0 DNC)(7.0)5.03.0(7.0 DNF)3.0 DNF(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)6.0 DNC(7.0 DNC)5.0 DNC2.04.02.03.098.052.0
7thNora2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)6.0 Crew1.0 Crew(15.0 DNC)3.0 Crew2.0 Crew6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)125.054.0
8thTom N(7.0 Crew)(7.0 Crew)6.0 Crew4.0 Crew6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)(8.0 Crew)(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)3.0 DNF6.0 DNF5.05.07.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC1.0 Crew2.0 Crew109.062.0
9thMark4.0 Crew4.0 Crew4.0 Crew1.0 Crew4.05.0(9.0)(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(15.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC5.06.0119.063.0
10thOlivier(7.0)(7.0)6.04.06.0(8.0)(8.0)5.05.03.0 DNF(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)6.0 DNC4.05.0 DNC4.0 Crew5.0 Crew6.04.0108.063.0
11thJean5.0 Crew6.0 Crew(7.0 DNC)6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)3.0 DNF4.04.03.07.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 Crew4.0 Crew121.065.0
12thRobert4.04.04.01.0(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)7.04.0(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)140.069.0
13thKaren(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF4.0 Crew4.0 Crew3.0 Crew3.05.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)137.072.0
14thDanika9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)1.0 Crew1.0 Crew1.0 Crew7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)145.074.0
15thBurak2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)145.074.0
16thHannah(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC3.0 Crew3.0 Crew2.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)139.074.0
17thCorinne(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.04.04.05.06.0 Crew4.0 Crew132.074.0
18thStefan(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF5.06.04.07.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0)(10.0 DNF)141.080.0
19thEric(8.0)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0(9.0)7.0(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC3.07.0139.082.0
20thAnnie(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)8.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)141.083.0
21stEllen(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC4.0 Crew5.0 Crew(9.0 Crew)(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)149.083.0
22ndCaleb9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC5.05.0 DNC5.01.0(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)155.084.0
23rdDeb(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC8.08.0143.085.0
24thLeopold(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)151.086.0
25thTony5.06.07.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)157.086.0
25thMerve5.0 Crew6.0 Crew7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)157.086.0
27thDan9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC3.0 Crew5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)159.088.0
28thAaron(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC8.0(10.0)6.0(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)155.088.0
29thStephen(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(9.0)6.0(10.0)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)156.089.0
30thSeamus9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC3.06.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)161.090.0
31stJanice9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 Crew4.0 Crew6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)161.090.0
32ndRussell9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC5.0 Crew5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)161.090.0
33rdEmily(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC5.0 Crew6.0 DNC(11.0)9.0158.091.0
34thShiela9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNF8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(12.0 DNC)(12.0 DNC)162.091.0
35thAidan(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC(11.0 Crew)9.0 Crew159.092.0
36thRey(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0 DNC5.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 DNC9.0(10.0 DNF)158.092.0

Scoring notes

How does the scoring work you may ask?

Simple version: you get 1 point for first place in a race, 2 points, for second, etc. We take your 13 best (lowest) scores and add them up to get your net score. Lowest total wins!

Longer version:

You get 1 point for first place in a race, 2 points, for second, etc.

“But what if I don’t come to all the races?”. A score of “DNC” (did-not-come) is scored as the number of people who did come, plus one. So for the first race of the season, we had 8 boats, and everyone who didn’t come scored 9 points. “DNF” (did-not-finish) is similar, except it implies that you were there and started the race, so you score better than people who didn’t come at all.

Because people have lives outside the sailing club, go on vacations in the summer, can’t make a given race night, etc, our scoring system lets you drop your worst score for every 3 scores. That means we only count 13 of the 19 races this year. A few DNC races therefore isn’t going to hurt your score. You could miss 6 races and still never be penalized for a DNC. Missing more than 6 this year though would start to hurt your standings.

KSC Racing update and Cat Regatta results

Lots of action on the KSC racing scene, including updated season results, and the Catamaran Regatta on Sat Aug 10

Catamaran Regatta

The wind was forecast to be 8 gusting 12, or 10 gusting 18, or somewhere around there (depending on forecast model used). In other words, perfect cat wind! The reality was… a bit less aggressive. Low base wind, but infrequent gusts of around 10 knots could give the sailors a bit of a thrill.

We had 6 participants in the regatta, Jean, Annie, Olivier (in a RS-CAT16) and Ken, Martin, Hong (in a Hobie 18). We sailed a windward-leeward course, which is more typical of cat races than the triangle we use on Wednesdays.

We got three 30-40 minute races in, all told. Ken, Martin, and Hong were nailing their starts, especially in the 3rd race (crossing the line with speed about a second after the whistle). The gusts were favouring Ken, Hong and Martin, at one point even having them fly a hull! Meanwhile, the lulls were thwarting Jean, Olivier and Annie, hurting their upwinds. They were holding their own and making up time on the downwinds, but not enough to outpace the Hobie’s upwind gains.

Due to prior comittments of some of the racers, we elected to skip lunch and race until 12:30 before calling it a day. At the end of it all, we had 3 races, 3 victories for the Hobie 18, and 3 second-place finishes for the RS-CAT16. Thanks to all for coming out! Maybe we’ll get a few more boats on the start line next year.

Weekly Racing

The weather has not been cooperative on Wednesdays, forcing us to cancel three (THREE!!!!) weeks of racing in a row – it’s either been thunderstorms and huricanes, or absolutely dead air.

We were able to get a couple of nights in recently though… A (very) light wind Jul 31 race saw 2 of the 9 boats finish and the others having to abandon (which means they all tied for 3rd). Aug 7 was a bit better, getting 3 races in, although still a light-wind night. Our instructor Danika got out with Steve in the fabled 29er and even got the spinakker up!

Photo courtesy of Deb McPhedran

Despite the light wind, the night had some of the closest action I’ve seen at KSC in a while — 3 boats were seconds apart at the start line for the third race. Tom and Yours Truely even had an RS-CAT16 battle with Jean/Liz/Karen with the two equally matched boats trading places all the way along the first legs of the race (until a tactical mistake by myself allowed them to walk away on the second upwind). Good times!

Updated season stats below. I don’t think there’s much hope of catching Steve at this point (his “drop races” include a 1st place finish) but there’s still lots of opportunity to move around in the rest of the standings. Special shout-out to 11-year-old Nora who’s sitting in 5th place, despite having to deal with Mike holding her back 😉

RankBoatR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13TotalNett
1stSteve(1.0)1.0(2.0)(2.0)1.01.01.01.0(3.0)1.01.01.01.017.09.0
2ndKen S(3.0)2.0(5.0)3.02.02.03.0(4.0)2.0(15.0 DNC)2.03.02.048.021.0
3rdMike L2.03.01.0(6.0 DNC)(5.0)4.04.0(6.0)1.03.0 DNF3.02.0(6.0 DNC)46.023.0
4thLiz(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC1.0 Crew1.0 Crew1.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)3.0 DNF4.0 Crew4.0 Crew3.0 Crew64.030.0
5thNora2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)6.0 Crew1.0 Crew(15.0 DNC)3.0 Crew2.0 Crew6.0 DNC77.030.0
6thJason(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)(6.0 DNC)3.03.02.02.06.02.06.0 DNF5.0 Crew5.0 Crew64.034.0
7thMark4.0 Crew4.0 Crew4.0 Crew1.0 Crew4.05.0(9.0)(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC84.043.0
8thCarla6.05.03.05.0(10.0 DNC)(7.0)5.03.0(7.0 DNF)3.0 DNF(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC75.043.0
9thRobert4.04.04.01.0(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)7.04.0(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC92.045.0
10thJean5.0 Crew6.0 Crew7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC3.0 DNF4.04.03.087.046.0
11thTom N7.0 Crew7.0 Crew6.0 Crew4.0 Crew6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)(8.0 Crew)(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)3.0 DNF6.0 DNF5.05.082.049.0
12thOlivier(7.0)7.06.04.06.0(8.0)(8.0)5.05.03.0 DNF(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC80.049.0
13thDanika9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)1.0 Crew1.0 Crew1.0 Crew97.050.0
14thBurak2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC97.050.0
15thHannah(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC3.0 Crew3.0 Crew2.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC91.050.0
16thKaren(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF4.0 Crew4.0 Crew3.0 Crew93.052.0
17thStefan(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF5.06.04.097.056.0
18thAnnie(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)8.0 Crew(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC93.059.0
19thEllen(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC4.0 Crew5.0 Crew(9.0 Crew)(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC101.059.0
20thDeb(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC103.062.0
20thCorrine(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC103.062.0
20thLeopold(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC3.0 DNF8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC103.062.0
23rdTony5.06.07.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC109.062.0
23rdMerve5.0 Crew6.0 Crew7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC109.062.0
25thAaron(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC8.0(10.0)6.0(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC107.064.0
26thEric(8.0)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0(9.0)7.0(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC105.064.0
27thStephen(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(9.0)6.0(10.0)9.0 DNC8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC108.065.0
28thShiela9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNF8.0 DNC(15.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC114.067.0

KSC Catamaran Regatta, Sat Aug 10

I was hesitatant to post speak too loudly about this based on the lack-of-wind we’ve been having this year, but it looks like the KSC Catamaran Regatta can take place, Sat Aug 10! Let’s hope the forecast doens’t change too much, and we’ll see how many races we can get in. No entry fee,

Schedule:

9:30-10:00 – Come to club, grab a boat, start rigging up
10:00 – Skipper’s meeting on deck
10:30 – First warning signal (3-min start sequence)
Around 12:00 – break for lunch (BYO sandwiches, snacks, etc)
Around 12:30 – resume racing
1:30 – latest possible time for a new start sequnce to begin
Around 2:00 – done racing, head back to KSC and de-rig
3:00 – results announced

This is a chance for all you multi-hull fans to go head-to-head with your fellow cat sailors. Those who normally come out to our weekly races will notice a slight change in the course (although it might look familiar to anyone watching the Olympics this year).

Boats like cats and skiffs generally sail much faster downwind on a broad reach than going directly downwind. As such, windward-leeward courses are typically used for these boats. We’ll use a 2-lap course for the regatta.

  • cross start line
  • first upwind leg (round mark to port)
  • first downwind leg
  • pass through gate – round either the mark to starboard, or the comittee boat to port
  • second upwind leg (round mark to port)
  • second downwind leg (finish through gate)
2-Lap Windward-Leeward course

Why a Windward-Leeward course? The short answer is because it allows more chances for tactical decisions. Boats like cats sail faster downwind on a broad reach than pointed directly downwind. This means on a leeward leg, you’re probably going to be reaching. If we used a triangular course and a gybe mark, then it forces everyone to reach in the same direction, and the race becomes somewhat processional. By using a windward-leeward course, it give you the option to reach to either side of the course – good sailors will be able to make decisions about which side has the better wind speed/direction/etc, and can take advantage of their skills to perhaps pass boats which made the wrong choice. Similarly, having a gate at the bottom of the course allows a boat to come in on either tack and round in the direction of their choice, to better put themself in contention. Port/starboard rules still apply though, so beware if you’re the port-tack boat screaming into the gate 🙂

KSC Racing Update

Hi folks,

Your KSC Sailing Director here with some updates about racing the year.

First of all – if you’ve never been racing, come on out on a Wednesday, and we’ll get you in a boat! It’s a great excuse for a sail, it is totally laid back and friendly, and we have a ‘nobody left ashore’ policy. Show up at the club somewhere been 5:30 and 6:00, and we’ll match skippers/crew on the fly. If you want to sail, we’ll make it happen! New sailors welcome!

Ken, Steve, and Olivier/Tom (behind Ken’s sail) at the start line for Race 1

Looking for Organizers/volunteers – 12-Mile-Island, Cat Regatta

We have tentatively set dates of Saturday July 13 for the 12-Mile-Island race and August 10 for the catamaran regatta. If you have an organizational bent in you, or are otherwise interrested in helping out, please contact me at [email protected]. The organization isn’t that difficult, it’s mostly get word of the event out to likely participants, and figure out if you need support like a race-committee (and if so, who’s going to do it).

Wednesday Race Season

Our annual weekday series is well underway. Once again, we’re aiming for short courses with lots of short races. The first couple of race nights went great (getting in 7 races over the two nights) but the 3rd race night was cancelled due to lack of wind. Hopefully we’ll get some luck in the coming weeks. Steve, Ken and Mike have taken an early lead (full standings below) but it’s not too late! We discard results for one out of every the races, so even if you’ve missed a few weeks, had a bad night in the standings, or anything like that then the scroring system automatically doesn’t count your worst results

Quest/Feva Head Start

Last year, we noticed that the RS Quests and RS Fevas were often at the back of the fleet. This might be because the boats (especially Feva) are a bit slower than the Lasers and cats, but also they tend to be favoured by the recent learn-to-sail grads and by sailors bringing families/guests out. Either way, we figured we’d give the RS boats a bit of a head start this year. It gives the veterans in their fast-and-fancy boats a challenge (can I catch the RS boats?) and it gives the RS boats a fighting chance to celebrate a victory, instead of be resigned to the back of the fleet. Mike and his family were the first winners in a Quest, taking the 3rd race. We might tweak the system a bit later in the season, but so far people seem to be liking the system.

Current Standings (update Jul 4, 2024)

RankBoatR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9TotalNett
1stSteve1.01.0(2.0)(2.0)1.01.01.01.0(3.0)13.06.0
2ndKen S(3.0)2.0(5.0)3.02.02.03.0(4.0)2.026.014.0
3rdMike L2.03.01.0(6.0 DNC)(5.0)4.04.0(6.0)1.032.015.0
4thNora2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)6.0 Crew1.0 Crew51.019.0
5thMark4.0 Crew4.0 Crew4.0 Crew1.0 Crew4.05.0(9.0)(8.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)47.022.0
6thJason(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)(7.0 DNC)6.0 DNC3.03.02.02.06.046.022.0
7thLiz(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC1.0 Crew1.0 Crew1.0 Crew(8.0 DNC)8.0 DNC49.024.0
8thRobert4.04.04.01.0(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)7.04.056.024.0
9thCarla6.05.03.05.0(10.0 DNC)(7.0)5.03.0(23.0 DNF)67.027.0
10thBurak2.0 Crew3.0 Crew1.0 Crew6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC60.028.0
11thHannah(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC3.0 Crew3.0 Crew2.0 Crew(8.0 DNC)8.0 DNC54.029.0
12thOlivier(7.0)7.06.04.06.0(8.0)(8.0)5.05.056.033.0
13thEllen(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC4.0 Crew5.0 Crew(9.0 Crew)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC64.038.0
14thTom N7.0 Crew7.0 Crew6.0 Crew4.0 Crew6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)(8.0 Crew)(8.0 DNC)8.0 DNC62.038.0
15thTony5.06.07.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC72.040.0
15thMerve5.0 Crew6.0 Crew7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC72.040.0
15thJean5.0 Crew6.0 Crew7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(10.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC72.040.0
18thAaron(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC8.0(10.0)6.08.0 DNC8.0 DNC70.043.0
19thAnnie(9.0 DNC)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC6.0 Crew(8.0 Crew)8.0 Crew8.0 DNC8.0 DNC68.043.0
20thStephan(9.0 DNC)8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC(9.0)6.0(10.0)8.0 DNC8.0 DNC71.043.0
21stEric(8.0)(8.0 DNC)7.0 DNC6.0 DNC7.0(9.0)7.08.0 DNC8.0 DNC68.043.0
22ndShiela9.0 DNC8.0 DNC7.0 DNC6.0 DNC10.0 DNC(11.0 DNC)(11.0 DNC)(23.0 DNS)8.0 DNC93.048.0

KSC Racing 2024

Welcome to the KSC Racing Season, Wednesday nights this year, starting June 12.

I’m Jason, your sailing director this year at KSC, and I’m here today to convince you to come out racing. Racing at KSC is exceptionally informal, and is more “an excuse to hit the water” instead of a real competition. No expereince nessessary (racing experience or even sailing experience), and it’s all about fun. Oh yeah, it’s free too!

So, what you need to know:

  • Race starts at ~6:30 – I recommend you show up at the club sometime around 5:30-5:45, rig up, attend the skipper’s meeting at 6:00 and hit the water to sail for the race course
  • We tend to get in a large number of short races. So if you miss the first race, it’s no big deal
  • Nobody left ashore policy is in effect – if you want to sail/race, we’ll get you in a boat. Students welcome!
  • Food/beverages on the clubhouse deck after racing

I’ve updated our general purpose “Racing at KSC” document with details for interrested racers, but don’t worry, there’s a skipper’s meeting if you have any questions. Alternativly, just look around for someone who looks like they know what they’re doing – the verteran racers will bend over backwards to help you out and to make sure you have fun out there.

The wind forecast for this week looks nice, with a base wind of ~7-8 from the SW, and some stronger gusts building as the night goes on.

Lone invitation

KSC Spring Update

The snow is gone and before you know it we’ll be back on the water for the 2024 sailing season! We have a few updates and some important dates to mark on your calendar.

Registrations are Open

Just a reminder that membership and training registrations are open, you can signup on our website. We have the following training sessions available:

  • Adult Learn to Sail – 3 sessions available May to July including weekday evening and full-day classes.
  • Junior Learn to Sail – 9 sessions available July to Aug full-day (9-4:30) classes.
  • Family Learn to Sail – 1 session that overlaps LTS3 & JLTS2 which allows parents to learn along with their kids.

Launch Day – April 20th

Our 2024 Launch Day has been scheduled for Saturday, April 20th, starting at 9 am.

We need all current & past members on deck for this event where we’ll pull the boats out storage and prep the grounds for the upcoming season. There’s lots to do but it goes quickly if we have lots of help. Like every year, this will take place rain or shine. Be sure to bring gloves, boots and workwear with you. We will be removing the boats from the clubhouse, prepping boats with masts and rigging, and hauling some of the boats to the beach. The dock will wait for a later date (see below). A potluck lunch will follow, if you would like to bring something hold tight, more details will be sent soon.

Public Open House – May 4th

KSC Public Open House

The 2024 Public Open House has been scheduled for Saturday, May 4th, from 12-4pm.

The open house is when we invite members of the public to come check out the club and see what we’re all about. If you’re available that day, come on down to the club and bring along any of your interested friends or family. We’re located at 1610 Sixth Line Road along the Ottawa River.

New Dock Delivery and Installation – May 11th

Thanks to a Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Capital Grant, the club was able to purchase a new T-shaped floating dock. The new dock is tentatively scheduled to be delivered and installed on Saturday, May 11th.

Wednesday Race Nights

This sailing season, Race Nights will be held on Wednesdays starting June 12 until August 28 (weather and water levels permitting) so you’ll want to put it in your schedule now. The 1st race usually starts around 6 pm so you’ll want to arrive early on race night to select and rig your boat, and get out to the race start in time.