Heavy air sailing... "Blow the main!!"

This year's Lakefest had some eery similarities to Lakefest 2009...  Both scratched racing on Friday due to too much wind.  Both ended racing early on Saturday due to the wind being too light.  Both had moderate to heavy wind on Sunday.  Both had dramatic and costly collisions with some similarities.

Both of the collisions had elements of trying to turn the bow down in an evasive maneuver, but having too much mainsheet trim to allow that to occur.  In both instances, the skipper was "hard over" on the wheel/tiller, but the main needed to be eased...  really fast!  In one case, the skipper called "blow the main," but the main sheet trimmer was not able to respond fast enough.  In the other case, the skipper called for "ease the main" and it was being "eased," just not fast enough.  When the wind is over 15 knots, there is no way to turn one of these boats downwind without releasing the mainsheet.

My point here is not to be critical of these skippers or the mainsheet trimmers (I was personally involved with one of these situations and served on the protest committee of the other).  My point is, most likely we have all been in this situation one time or another; whether it's racing or cruising.  Our challenge is that in North Texas, we don't get as much practice in heavy wind as we'd like, and when we do see the situation, we aren't as prepared as we need to be.

I remember skippering a charter out of Kemah, and I gave the mainsheet duty to a friend of mine that was new to sailing.  We went over "trimming" and "easing" of the main and things were fine.  We had a great day on Galveston Bay and he really got the hang of it.  Just when we were heading back to the marina, we got hit with a gust, as we were entering the channel to Clear Lake, and I was rounding up; right into oncoming traffic.  I quickly yelled "blow the main!!"  My friend just looked at me with wide eyes and that look of "what the hell are you talking about?"  I lunged over and released the mainsheet from the cam cleat and all was well.  It was totally my fault, I never told him what to do if I called for blowing the main and we certainly never practiced it.

Similarly, in racing situations, if that understanding and practice has not been made between the mainsheet trimmer and the skipper, you won't get the kind of practiced maneuver when you need it most.  I would suggest that this be practiced often.  Maybe even every time you do a bear-away set at the windward mark, get in the practice of calling "blow the main" (I understand this assumes a symmetrical spinnaker, but you get the idea).  The skipper gets used to saying it and the mainsheet trimmer gets used to knowing exactly what to do when he hears it.

Our goal for Lakefest needs to be "No Rule 14 infractions!"

Just my 2 cents....

Be safe,
Capt. Dave