J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum Racing Tools and Techniques 2nd race with the boat and blowing 18 knots

Wow we had fun - well at least for one leg upwind.
The boat is a rocket to weather!
Most boats had dropped to a 3 and we carried the 2 with a full crew on the rail. We were way faster than our 141 #.
Of course we had to do a 720, had slow sets and takedowns and ended up 5th out of 9. But hey, we are new to the boat.
It was the strangest feeling driving this boat to weather even in 18 kts. It was in a groove. I didn't need to move the tiller at all virtually - no weather helm hardly, but if I did have to steer for some reason, the boat was not exactly responsive. It just wanted to go up the course. I'm probably not articulating this very well, but it is a different feeling boat at the helm. And, I have had a J24 & 29.
Does anyone find it difficult to see from the helm in this boat?? I find I'm driving from my knees half the time just to see better.
Anyways, we are hopeful on Lake Superior with our new J30.

I sit outboard on the rail and use a tiller extension so I can see forward. In light air it may be on the leeward rail and look through the slot.

In heavy air, you need someone to ease the main so you can turn off the wind. The transom hung rudder is very responsive, but you need to balance the loads with the sail trim.

Undoubtedly. My guy on the main has never sailed before. I told him that he is the fat kid on the teeter totter.
Our foul was from a boat tacking over to starboard close to us while we were on port. No chance to dip with the main in at all.
I drive w/ the extension but still find it difficult to see.
I'm sure I will get used to it. Part of having a green crew is that your head and eyes are always in the boat.

If you and your crew are fully hiked, including your mainsail trimmer, you should have a good view forward of the waves off the windward bow and the jib tell tails. Those are what you need to see to steer. But from that position (except with the #3) you cannot see much ahead and to leeward making you dependent on your cockpit crew to check for traffic, particularly on port tack.

Chris:

FYI. Here on Narragansett Bay, RI, it's not at all unusual to have those 15-20 kt. days of sailing. When you are on port tack, it's important to anticipate boats coming across on starboard. I have my genoa trimmer and mainsheet trimmer with sheets in hand, not cleated if we see a potential starboard crosser. We constantly communicate about the closing starboard boat. It's important to ease both sheets early so you can dip the stern of the starboard crosser. If you want to go to the right side of the course, don't be afraid to take the dip. Better to be early and safe than late and not make it, have to do a crash tack, risk the genoa tearing because of a backwind, or the worse possible scenario, smashing into the starboard tack boat. Teamwork in heavy air is critical. We do a lot of talking on our boat. Everyone knows the drill.

Bob Rude
#352
Mmmmmm

the boats love to go up hill in a breeze typically the blade will out point the 2 and as long as its over 16 true will be just as fast I keep my smallest guy on the main so he can take looks to leeward without messing up boat balance (and check trim) The guys on the rail should all be leaning out which will give you a nice lane to see thru between there backs and the shrouds
As stated if you have to duck some one you will need to ease out the main other wise the boat will not turn down This is also true at the windward mark

Since then we had 2 more races.
First a really light air race w/ left over lump in Lake Superior. This race was humbling....9th out of 10. We started well, but on 3 occasions we went to zeros on the knot meter and watched the light little boats like the Olson 30's and B25 just slink away from us. I would stop, the lump would push the bow down and I would be on basically a beam reach trying to get the boat to move again.
But on Sunday, we a had a Bermuda start race of 10 miles. All the handicap is built into your start time. We were third slowest in the race - so third to start. It was officially our first bullet w/ the boat. We just slipped across the line before a Mumm 30 and an Olson 40. That was fun!