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Max wind for Regattas?

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Fleet
Navigator

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USA
151 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/03/2012 : 05:37:50

I'm trying to set a max wind requirement to hold/cancel our club races. From the forums racing experience what are some of the max wind requirements that you have observed? Our racing fleet consists of 22' to 38' boats.

Fleet
Kamikaze
1983 Hull #397
Lake Guntersville, AL

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2012 : 06:28:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Fleet
 I'm trying to set a max wind requirement to hold/cancel our club races. From the forums racing experience what are some of the max wind requirements that you have observed? Our racing fleet consists of 22' to 38' boats.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It depends on the sailing venue and wind direction, size of boats and experience of the sailors. I'd say in most places the race committee should begin to think about postponing or cancelling a race at 25 kts, and should get serious about it at 30 kts. If the body of water is large, and the wind direction will permit a long fetch that will generate big waves, then the RC might postpone or cancel at a lower speed. If the venue is a smaller lake or narrower river with a wind direction producing a short fetch and smaller waves, the RC might allow the race to continue even with windspeed approaching the high 30s. If most of the racers are inexperienced in sailing in big winds and seas, the RC should lean toward an earlier cancellation. Bigger boats are more stable in bigger waves than smaller boats. Ultimately, the decision to race is the responsibility of each skipper, but the RC should generally consider the safety of boats and crews in making their decision. My personal criteria has always been whether sailing offered a high potential for damage or injury. If so, one race isn't worth the risk.

Overall, if I was on the RC, it's unlikely that I would postpone or cancel under 25 kts, or allow the race to start at or above 35 kts. Within that range, it's a judgment call, based on all the conditions.

In any case, I wouldn't make a specific windspeed range mandatory on the RC. I'd give them a suggested windspeed range, and then urge them to use their best discretion, based on concern for safety of the participants, and I would never criticise a RC for deciding to postpone or cancel.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9087 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2012 : 08:43:52

One more factor: The near-term forecast and NOAA warnings. I know of one death and several dis-mastings caused by blatantly ignoring those on a Sunday race. That argues for the fairly broad discretion Steve suggests.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/03/2012 08:47:01

klassi1
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2012 : 19:20:19

I race on an inland mountain lake and we have yet to cancel a race due to high winds. Some boats have opted not to go out if they felt the winds were above a safe range for their boat. I suspect that steady winds above 30-35mph would be the limit. We often have winds in the mid to upper 20s gusting over 30. We just reduce sail and recruit extra tactical ballast.

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Fleet
Navigator

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USA
151 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2012 : 05:13:28

Thanks for the inputs. Several of our racers have to drive a couple of hours to get to the Marina. We are going to establish a "hotline" that the racers can call to verify the status of the race. Hopefully the hotline will eliminate wasted trips. Unfortunately for us, recruiting crew is kind of tough, so bringing along addition rail ballast is very unlikely. Alot of our racers race with their spouses and sail short handed. It's unusual for us to have a boat with more than three people on board. Sailing/racing in heavy wind with your female spouse will probably stress most relationships! A couple of years ago, we were very new to racing and we were racing against a beautiful Elliott 770. It was Feb/March and winds were 20/30 knots. The Elliott's keel snapped, the boat rolled over totally and luckily all four crew were able to get out safely. Upon observing that disaster, we decided that our crew will always race with PFD's on and racing in winds above 20 knots really stresses the Capri's equipment. I think what I'm going to do is set a soft 25mph wind limit and pay attention to any small craft advisories. If the weather service issues a small craft advisory, then that will automatically cancel a race.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2012 : 07:45:31

Our race comittee has landed itself in hot water since they have established both upper and lower wind thresholds for next season.

There is much to be said for encouraging folks to head out in less than ideal conditions while surrounded by a fleet of other boats who are burdened with the task of assisting in a rescue. If you are uncomfortable, rule 2 (I think??) places the responsibility with teh skipper as to whether or not to sail a race, not the RC. If you don't have a fleet heading out, you are forced to go alone into that stuff to learn to sail in heavy weather.

In some races we have a curfew of N hours. In others there is no curfew. This encourages folks to learn to sail in light conditions.

When the wind pipes up, our lake is famous for tall choppy waves. Very challenging in strong winds. Waves build very quickly and learning to ride them can be a challenge. Storms here tend to be brief but severe. Last season teh RC measured winds in the 30's for 3 (I think) races and no one was hurt, although we did have one MOB, and 2 boats took on water and were forced to retire. This over a series of 11 races.

We did have one sailing-related drowning on the lake this season though - during a club race in under 5 knots of wind, and on one of the most experienced boats on the lake. The skipper had competed at the provincial level, and the crew was a well regarded sailor and was previously a competitive swimmer. In that instance winds were too light for the single crew on board to turn the boat and get back to the MOB in time. I believe there was an issue with the sails during the turn as well. Boats nearby assumed that since it was such an experienced crew, no assistance would be needed for the recovery. No life jackets were on board.

Edited by - Prospector on 01/06/2012 14:30:31

cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2012 : 08:40:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Fleet
 I'm trying to set a max wind requirement to hold/cancel our club races. From the forums racing experience what are some of the max wind requirements that you have observed? Our racing fleet consists of 22' to 38' boats.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It depends on the sailing venue and wind direction, size of boats and experience of the sailors. I'd say in most places the race committee should begin to think about postponing or cancelling a race at 25 kts, and should get serious about it at 30 kts. If the body of water is large, and the wind direction will permit a long fetch that will generate big waves, then the RC might postpone or cancel at a lower speed. If the venue is a smaller lake or narrower river with a wind direction producing a short fetch and smaller waves, the RC might allow the race to continue even with windspeed approaching the high 30s. If most of the racers are inexperienced in sailing in big winds and seas, the RC should lean toward an earlier cancellation. Bigger boats are more stable in bigger waves than smaller boats. Ultimately, the decision to race is the responsibility of each skipper, but the RC should generally consider the safety of boats and crews in making their decision. My personal criteria has always been whether sailing offered a high potential for damage or injury. If so, one race isn't worth the risk.

Overall, if I was on the RC, it's unlikely that I would postpone or cancel under 25 kts, or allow the race to start at or above 35 kts. Within that range, it's a judgment call, based on all the conditions.

In any case, I wouldn't make a specific windspeed range mandatory on the RC. I'd give them a suggested windspeed range, and then urge them to use their best discretion, based on concern for safety of the participants, and I would never criticise a RC for deciding to postpone or cancel.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Steve, I have spent a LOT of time racing over the 50 years I have been sailing, and also spent considerable time as a Race Committe Chairman. You summed it up really well!

In the late winter and springtime we routinely sail in 20-25kt breezes here in Central Florida.

Chuck

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2012 : 08:59:26

Thanks Chuck.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3323 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2012 : 11:02:48

We often race in winds of 20+ with gusts around 30. I now race in winds that 10 years ago I wouldn't have left the slip! The more you race in higher winds the more confident you become in dealing with them. (We had one race 2 years ago where, during the race, the RC clocked 35k gusting to 50!! We had a 150 up and a full main...we survived but I wouldn't want to do that again).
I'm with Steve that the RC should have some guidelines, but it is always the skipper's responsibility to decide whether to race.
In our big Wurstfest Regatta back in November we had wind in the high 20's with gusts. A San Juan 21 from out of town won our fleet with his stock sail plan and another experienced racer in an Holder 20 dropped his jib every time he went to weather and finished 3rd in his fleet.

Edited by - Derek Crawford on 01/06/2012 11:06:34

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2012 : 19:36:35

Our only requirement is sustained winds of at least 3 kts. to start a race. It's left up to the RC to call it a day if the winds get too high. If there is lightning very close by, we will call the race immediately.

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