remembering a course
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Beginner questions
Forum Discription: Advice for those who are new to sailing
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6302
Printed Date: 10 Aug 25 at 2:41am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: remembering a course
Posted By: desteve1
Subject: remembering a course
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 10:01am
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when I took part in the club race I kept forgetting the cource and ended up doing 1 lap too much.( Im quite slow in my 4.7) Is there a simple way of remembering the course? ------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |
Replies:
Posted By: tgruitt
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 10:28am
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Write it down on a piece of duck tape stuck to the deck!
------------- Needs to sail more... |
Posted By: asterix
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 10:52am
| you need to keep looking out for shorten course flags too |
Posted By: Wee Man
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 10:56am
| Duck tape is the answer to all problems, but make sure you take it off at the end of the race as it can leave a nasty mess if forgotten about. |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 1:26pm
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Sounds like you are having a problem with the number of laps rather than the course itself. You should get a honk as you cross the finish line. Without knowing the finer points of the system for courses and the like used at your club it's hard to know if the following advice is of any use. Onyhoo, for what it's worth, I do the bobsleigh pilot thing and 'think' myself round the course to plant the shape of it in my head. ------------- Ex-Finn GBR533 "Pie Hard" Ex-National 12 3253 "Seawitch" Ex-National 12 2961 "Curved Air" Ex-Mirror 59096 "Voodoo Chile" |
Posted By: asterix
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 1:45pm
| actually you might not get a honk as the rules do not require that |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 2:14pm
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Probably your best plan is to enrol on the cadets Get Ready to Race course in the Easter holidays, then you'll learn all about racing, including starting, finishing, remembering the course, going faster etc. There is more info coming in your membership pack later this month. You should also sign up for the beginner Laser training on 3rd April - speak to Jeffers about this one. In the meantime, were you racing with the lasers, the handicap fleet or the cadets? There should always be a cadet/novice start, so make sure the race officer knows you want one. What I do is have a piece of white sticky back plastic permanently stuck on my boat, then I use a chinagraph pencil to draw the course on, as well as write down which side the mark is to be rounded on. Courses at Hunts can be tricky because the marks aren't fixed, and they use coloured flags not numbered marks. The course will always be drawn up in the club house where you sign on, so copy that onto your boat. There will be a number of laps given too, but they tend to put a stupid number then always shorten the course. The shorten course flag looks like this:  so if you see this on the flag pole it means you should be finishing next time you go through the line. The best way to start off with is to note of who starts when you do, then keep an eye on them during the race to get an idea of what's going on. If you fall a long way behind the race officer may shorten you a lap early, so keep an eye out for the flag. Jeffers is your fleet captain, if you ask him nicely he may offer to buddy you through a race or at least go though the course with you before the start. If I'm there you could ask me too, or James in the phantom. Hope some of this helps, Nessa ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: desteve1
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 2:53pm
It's not the laps I have a problem with, it's the marks. thanks for the help guys ------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 2:58pm
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Hi Steve, I have sent you a PM. I hope Santa bought you lots of stuff for your boat  .Cheers, Paul ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: desteve1
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 4:39pm
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not quite everything ( I have to pay off all my debts). I need a clamcleet for my (new) outhaul system. ------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |
Posted By: Quagers
Date Posted: 02 Jan 10 at 7:34pm
| Dry wipe markers work quite well |
Posted By: ChrisJ
Date Posted: 03 Jan 10 at 8:52pm
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A roll of white / yellow or similar light coloured sticky tape from B&Q (or similar). A (thin) permanent pen from Staples (or similar). Kept with the tape in your life jacket. Write the course on. Stick the tape to the boat. Peel the tape off at the end of the day.
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Posted By: desteve1
Date Posted: 04 Jan 10 at 9:13am
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would a laminated map also work?
------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 04 Jan 10 at 9:28am
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A laminated outline showing things like the factory and the club house, busway etc would be a good idea, then you could draw the marks in - I've seen lots of people who do this. Part of the problem is that they move the marks around at Hunts, I think because of weed etc. The have another area to write down the order of the marks and which side to round them. We all get it wrong sometimes. The worst thing is when it happens and you're in the lead....you rapidly lose the lead as you desperately search for someone to follow....  ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: desteve1
Date Posted: 04 Jan 10 at 11:10am
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I checked yesterday and it looked as if there was a permanent grid and the marks were drawn around that ------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 04 Jan 10 at 2:52pm
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Yes, but ignore the marks painted on to it. In fact I think I'll see if I can get them removed.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 05 Jan 10 at 9:14am
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The marks on the course board are for the old permanent marks which were removed when the lake was dragged as the solution to the weed one year. They would probably require a lo of work sealing them back up and sorting out the anchors to get them back usable so IMO they are unlikely to go back in especially as it looks like dragging will be our only option next year.....
------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: nev_12345
Date Posted: 07 Jan 10 at 3:31pm
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Laminate a piece of white card, tie a china-graph pencil to it (you can get them for 50p from B&Q I think, though I got mine from eBay) and velcro it to your front bulkhead. Really simple and really works well- just rub it off with your sailing glove, and it wont smudge if it gets wet. |
Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 07 Jan 10 at 9:29pm
| For clubs such as Frensham where they use set courses depending on the wind, I carried a pile of overhead projector transparent plastic sheets and a set of cd/dvd marker pens and traced the map of the course which can then be stuck on the white boat. After a few weeks I'd got most of the courses drawn and was able to find them next time they were needed. |
Posted By: Barty
Date Posted: 08 Jan 10 at 12:30pm
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You could also consider http://www.micsltd.com/marinecard/ - http://www.micsltd.com/marinecard/ ------------- http://www.highlandtopper.com - For Topper boats & spares in Scotland-highlandtopper.com |
Posted By: desteve1
Date Posted: 17 Jan 10 at 3:41pm
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yay it worked thanks guys ------------- laser 81188 (looking for a name) |