USNA Short Course: Chapter One

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Down2TheC

Both boats are moving and believe me, if the boat is moving to the left in relation to the land behind it, you're crossing behind. Moving to the right, you're crossing ahead. If land is more than a mile away it's as good as fixed.* I jump to the bow for a ducking sit. and take bearing drift on his transom and call it out to the helm. We always cross well inside the other skippers comfort zone. (Never touched, but could have shaken hands)

I dont' disagree at all.

Often however we are sailing to the ocean and there is no land bearing behind anyone.

You need to employ appropriate strategies at the approprate times, including leaving a little more room if need be.

And, of course, I am talking racing where every foot to leward given away has to be earned back it is important.

So the type of sailing you are doing counts as well.

[Down2TheC]

Right. For cruisers at night, I'd recommend watching the bearing drift of a contact the second you see it so if it's constant over time you can plan a course change early to get some drift.

For racers you're getting an early estimate of if you'll pass or need to duck. And when you have to duck, you can lock a proper course in and trim to it rather than the last second swings. Saves your speed and decreases the impact of the blanketing. (when you're racing a full keel/furling main, you have to take anything you can get... though I'm usually more concerned with how cold the beer is by the time we hit hte dock.)

And hey... Singapore? Sweet! Bet you get a little traffic. Did you get to see the Volvo guys?

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by jdoe71

Is it just me that thinks there's something wrong with this? ("Never touched, but could have shaken hands"). Why would you do that? There's no way I would ever purposely come that close to another vessel. It's not necessary, it's dangerous and it's damn rude. I keep well clear. I take action early so the other guy knows what I'm doing. I don't play macho games on the water with right of way.

This is the problem that causes angst between racers and cruisers. A racing boat will always minimise loss to leeward by getting as close as possible to the boat it is ducking round. For most racing people, this distance can be measured in inches. That is fine against other racing boats, but when they do it to a cruising boat, which is not expecting such treatment, it can create significant panic.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Down2TheC

And hey... Singapore? Sweet! Bet you get a little traffic. Did you get to see the Volvo guys?

Yes we did. We went to a skippers briefing and got a special flag that allowed us to ge up close and personal for the inshore races. We parked, alnog with about 30 other boats near the middle gate. We also spent some time at the marina drooling.

[donradcliffe]

If your boat is on autopilot, its course will not deviate and you can depend on the things on your boat like shrouds or stanchions to estimate angles --if you put your head in the same place each time. This is what I use at sea to determine if the apparent angle to a ship is changing.

If you are inshore, you can use DISTANT objects in the background as a reference, but not nearby objects where your angle to the object is also changing significantly.

If you are racing to a mark in current, steering to keep a fixed object ranging directly behind the mark is the same concept in reverse--you are trying to achieve a collision course with the mark.

[Down2TheC]

You've got a magic AutoHelm! Ours sways in a 10 degree range in the lightest of seas.
P.S. Love the First line. Your vessel is on my top 10 wish list.