Birdseye
Well-known member
anyone doing them and if so which ones? I fancy a bit of longer distance racing but need to get a better idea of whats involved.
two handed offshore races
- Thread starter Birdseye
- Start date
bbg
Active member
Done quite a few, but none in the UK. What do you want to know?
lpdsn
New member
A mate who does single-handed offshore racing joined a club called Petit Bateau. I think they also cover double-handed sailing. They've since changed their name, but I can't remember what to. I found this reference with a web search http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/146965/Petit-Bateau-Channel-Week, so maybe asking on the Y&Y forum will help.
Racecruiser
Member
Two-handed it's JOG and Royal Southampton for inshore/coastal and cross-channel offshore.
JOG website here http://www.jog.org.uk/ I'm on the JOG committee so pm me or contact the Secretary (details on site) for more info.
JOG website here http://www.jog.org.uk/ I'm on the JOG committee so pm me or contact the Secretary (details on site) for more info.
bedouin
Well-known member
I did a few of the 2 handed races a few years ago.
The Royal Southampton series are friendly and fun.
As with all offshore racing it is very little to just sailing a predefined course as quickly as possible - don't tend to be the round the cans type. So little more to it than sailing to the same destination 2 up.
The Royal Southampton series are friendly and fun.
As with all offshore racing it is very little to just sailing a predefined course as quickly as possible - don't tend to be the round the cans type. So little more to it than sailing to the same destination 2 up.
michael_w
Well-known member
I used to do a lot of double handed racing with SWMBO. Not so much lately as the current cruising boat, is a bit like racing an elephant ie; a bit slow and ponderous.
In addition to JOG and Royal Southampton, RORC offer double handed racing too. A boat that goes well upwind without crew weight is very useful. Our party piece was to set up the Monitor windvane and then SWMBO and I would go and hike on the rail.
In addition to JOG and Royal Southampton, RORC offer double handed racing too. A boat that goes well upwind without crew weight is very useful. Our party piece was to set up the Monitor windvane and then SWMBO and I would go and hike on the rail.
Birdseye
Well-known member
Who / where / what /how.
Appreciate that6s a bit vague but I wanted to pick up on peoples practical experiences . I have what I think is a suitable boat but no pint in joining a series where all the other boats are flyers with IRC numbers well over 1. Mine is .93
r_h
Active member
We did the JOG offshore series last year on Zest, plus the RWYC's Round Britain and Ireland race.
This year we're generally doing RORC events instead of JOG, including the Fastnet, and have just returned from the AZAB, which we did two-handed outbound and Kass my partner sailed the return leg solo.
That's SORC - Solo Offshore Racing Club - www.offshoresolo.com
This year we're generally doing RORC events instead of JOG, including the Fastnet, and have just returned from the AZAB, which we did two-handed outbound and Kass my partner sailed the return leg solo.
That's SORC - Solo Offshore Racing Club - www.offshoresolo.com
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bbg
Active member
"How" I might be able to help with. The others I have to leave to UK sailors.
As for the "how", here is one practical tip that is not exclusive to double-handers or to racing. Get a Petzl e+LITE headlamp. It is small and very light. It is not super-bright but is good for close work. Not so good for looking at the telltales. It also has a red lamp for night vision. Wear it around your neck at night. You have a handy lamp whenever you need one and can easily slip it onto your head if necessary. You can set the toggle to the red side so that comes on first (without going through the white). One of my favourite pieces of night-time kit. Even when I sleep I have it around my neck.
As for the "how", here is one practical tip that is not exclusive to double-handers or to racing. Get a Petzl e+LITE headlamp. It is small and very light. It is not super-bright but is good for close work. Not so good for looking at the telltales. It also has a red lamp for night vision. Wear it around your neck at night. You have a handy lamp whenever you need one and can easily slip it onto your head if necessary. You can set the toggle to the red side so that comes on first (without going through the white). One of my favourite pieces of night-time kit. Even when I sleep I have it around my neck.
Racecruiser
Member
Who / where / what /how.
I see you're in Falmouth and I don't know what goes on there 2-handed (although JOG Week a few year ago was based there and it was great). JOG/Royal Southampton and RORC all start in the Solent.
Don't worry about an IRC rating under 1.000 - we rate 0.923 on our Elan 295 and generally race more or less fully crewed but did JOG Yarmouth w/e 2 up in tons of wind on the Sat and little on Sun - got 3rd and 1st across 4 IRC classes although Sunday did favour the smaller boats starting first. Sunday was sailed without a spinny halyard as it went up without the sail at the start - ooops, kept us busy swapping the one genny halyard from one sail to another several times while bare-headed.
There is an excellent article in Yachting World on 2-handed racing by Matthew Sheahan - 'Just the 2 of us', Feb 2014 edition, worth seeking out. Should answer most questions.
RH has written an article on 2 handed Round Britain in Y&Y as I recall - very good piece can't remember when. Worth asking him.
It pays to think ahead more 2 up and prepare properly for each manoeuvre. Never tried the spinny halyard tail over the stern technique before but it really works - had 2 turns on the winch and the tail acting as a drogue as we went for the drop at Warner east of the Solent forts F 5/6. Too much friction and the sail wasn't coming down so whipped a turn off and down it came under perfect control - well almost ........ Don't like the idea of a salt drenched halyard inside the mast but there are worse crimes!
Off to the boat now!
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bbg
Active member
If it really bothers you, when you are finished racing run the halyard up the mast with a sheet or something attached, hose down the halyard or soak it in a bucket of fresh water for a few minutes.
But I have to say that I did it for years, rinsed the halyards maybe once per season and never had a problem.
It is a foolproof way to drop all sails, not just kites. As you say, start with an extra turn and you can easily whip one off.
michael_w
Well-known member
If it's blowing the dogs off their chains, the letterbox takedown works well. For thems that don't know: Lead the kite's lazy guy through the gap formed by the loose fotted main and make it off somewhere. Blow the halyard (over the side method) and the guy. Gather the sail via the lazy guy. Never fails.
Birdseye
Well-known member
fascinating - never thought of using it on the mainsail. I put admiralty stopper knots in the ends of halyards - I wonder if that will be a bit too much drag.
having said that, why would I want to slow down the drop of the main? Its usually the reverse - I want to get it down fast and completely without having to go to the gooseneck to drag it down.
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bbg
Active member
It isn't to slow the drop of the main - you can run the halyard over the stern without taking it around the winch. The purpose is to make sure you get a clean drop without having to go back to the cockpit and untangle a mess at the clutch.
I am thinking of a boat where everything is led back to a bank of clutches on the coach roof. If all your halyards are led there, you can stream each halyard and be sure you will get a clean drop.
If you have big stopper knots you can make the smaller. And you shouldn't have a stopper knot on the spinny halyard.
I am thinking of a boat where everything is led back to a bank of clutches on the coach roof. If all your halyards are led there, you can stream each halyard and be sure you will get a clean drop.
If you have big stopper knots you can make the smaller. And you shouldn't have a stopper knot on the spinny halyard.
lw395
Well-known member
We do that with the dinghy main halyard when coming ashore in a blow and we need to know it will come down cleanly.
Javelin
Well-known member
I costed up how much it was going to cost to meet the RORC offshore rules and increase in insurance cover and it was well over £4000 so sadly the idea has gone on the back burner for a while.
PaulMcC
New member
I've had a look at the outlay as well and for me it's not that bad (liferaft is the big expense). I'm aiming to tick off all the smaller jobs this winter with a view to being ready for JOG races next spring amd will sort a liferaft if I can get a reliable crew commitment. None of my usual crew are particularly keen to commit a set of weeekends at the moment which is annoying but the boat is solent based. If anyone is keen to race a UFO34 next year drop me a PM.
Racecruiser
Member
You may want to hire a liferaft - we do, no servicing expense or capital outlay. Suggest Universal Safety http://www.universalsafety.co.uk/ who offer a discount to JOG and they sponsored a race this year.
Liferaft only required for offshore Cat 3 races - Cat 4 races inshore/coastal not required.
PaulMcC
New member
Thanks. I'll look at that.
temptress
Well-known member
A few years ago when we were in the UK Swmbo and I did Jog/rorc /royal Southampton 2 handed for a couple of seasons. We really enjoyed the offshore racing and loved the friendless of the Royal Southampton races. Go for it.