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A walk round the Model Engineer and Modelling Show French Brig Kit ) reviewed YACHTING small YACHTS The One Metre changes again! The ‘rulers’ have been at it during the winter months and the results of their deliberations start to appear. It’s been fine weather in places but we still haven’t got much Sailing in! reports —_ a2 efi —= — MIKE KEMP —————— iie Left, Match Racing – Offwind. The leading yacht of this pair will be feeling the influence of the other yacht’s wind shadow, but being ‘clear ahead’ can steer whatever course she likes to break free. Right, The Start. No 53 has successfully crossed the short start line ahead and to windward of No 174. It should now be very difficult for 174 to get in front, unless she is significantly quicker than her opponent. January they approved a new version of the One Metre Rule. I guess this will immediately raise the hackles of many who say the rule is complicated enough and has been ‘mucked about’ with too much already. At the time of writing I did not have access to the detail of the revisions except what was said in the release – which was not much. Asummary of that is that the proposals to place some sort of limit on the thickness of Keels and to permit the use of a second set of shrouds were not adopted. The former would have the Guildford club gained a good start following their Mermaid Trophy meeting. Don’t be fooled however, they have a strong group of skippers who ‘do the rounds’ and could be difficult to beat in 1995! It’s only a mini-summary this time and it’s only Radio because there have been no Vane events yet. Top Five Clubs and Individuals in ‘95 Radio League Top Five Radio Clubs ist an Club eee,d 4 ee Score 297 oe idea?); the latter would have allowed oth Three Rivers 26 the use of those awful spreaders which Top Five Radio catch on jib leach lines (another good Individuals negated some of the benefits of f having havi access to Carbon Fibre fins (a good better and easier control of the shape of » an aluminium or wooden mast without idea?). Two proposals were adopted; one relating to Rig corrector weights (is lead going to be permitted in the mast?) the other to ‘Formica’ (and presumably to other similar paper, cloth or wood chip based and Melamine surfaced laminates) which has been used by some for decks and things. One item has been ‘permitted’ which relates to removable RC containment one assumes this relates to a removable containment for the Radio Control, not to a containment for removable Radio Control. Look out for a fuller detail and expose next month which should be soon enough because they become effective on the 1st June 1995. The MYA League Yes the competition is under way already, remember there were some pre-Christmas events that qualify for points in the 1994/95 competition. The scoring is under way using the system decided by the ‘94 MYA AGM. which reflects the number of races as well as the number of competitors. As might be expected with one of the key events in any MYA year calendar qualifying MODEL BOATS APRIL 95 Ath ist Bikenhoad i a CO 2nd ___ Roger Stollery 3rd. 4th 5th ~—s Robert Owens Graham Bantock Martin Roberts 57 : vee 30 30 30 29 Match Racing Ever since I have been writing this column in Model Boats and before that, in RC Boat Modeller, periodically I have been saying something about the Match Racing series. It came to my attention recently that there may be many ‘out there’ who are a little mystified by the term and are wondering just what is a Match Race. With the MYA Champion’s Cup looming, to include a significant bit of match racing, and a new season about to get under way it seemed a reasonable idea to answer the question “What is a Match Race?” By definition a Match Race is a race between two yachts: only two. Thus the first point about a match race comes to light, there are only two positions of outcome – win or lose! Almost certainly the earliest form of racing as applied to the boating world, it is simply the serious arguments about ungentlemanly process of two boats competing with one another to see who can get to cross the finish line first. When three or more craft are involved, arrangements conduct so eventually some rules were devised to control the activities of the are made to permit them all to sail against one another in a one to one competition. Certainly this form of racing was the way that serious model yacht racing started and continues with vane steered yachts. In the Free Sailing days before radio control permitted more than two yachts to be controlled on the water at any one time it was almost the only way yachts were raced; apart from events where progress over a course was against the clock (there are not many of those about ‘cos clocks don’t sail very well!). In the full sized boating world match races are still not common: although notable competitions such as the America’s Cup have raised the overall awareness of this style of racing. In such meetings a group of yachts sail against one another a given number of times, three or five, to see who achieves the greatest number of wins. In Match Racing there is only a win or a loss, nothing else: second is a loss just as is a disqualification and a win is a win, almost no matter how achieved. So it is in the Radio Controlled Yacht scene: I was convinced many years ago that this style of racing has much to offer the small club that wants to try and raise its awareness of racing control of yachts. Match Racing needs very little specific pre-regatta organisation and can quickly adapt to the odd extra or missing yacht entrant. That opinion remains although my own club has ditched the system for it’s Sunday morning sail about. Every race has the same basic phases and probably the best way to expand on the match race and how it works is to take these stages, one by one: having a look at some of the key points along the way. The Pre-Start In the very early days of full sized match racing skippers were ‘at it’ right from the moment they left the jetty. No doubt this gave rise to a number of yachts on their way to the racing area. At a given signal, just like medieval knights lining up for a joust, the yachts may advance on one another in attempt to gain the upper hand. There are two main aims during the period leading up to the start signal: one to get the best position on the normally shortened start line, the other to try and make sure the other yacht does not! If at all possible a secondary aim is to try and catch the other yacht in the ‘burdened yacht’ position. In other words cause the opponent to infringe a rule such that a penalty must be taken. This is a bonus if the ‘good’ yacht can get a good start because any penalty for a pre-start infringement has to be taken after the start signal, thus ensuring the ‘good’ yacht gets a decent lead up the first leg. This differs from the current rules governing fleet racing where a pre-start infringement can be exonerated immediately, prior to the start if desired. The rules governing the time leading up to the start ensure that each of the two yachts is allocated one end of the start line. During the time prior to what is known as the ‘preparatory’ signal each yacht must take up a station on the outside of the course: the line delineating this area is described as a line perpendicular to the starting line through the starting mark at her assigned end of the line. Another way to look at the lines is to imagine a large letter ‘H’ laid on the water with the cross bar being the start line. Yachts have to take up a position outside the side bars. During the period between the preparatory signal and the start of the final count-down, what has become known as the pre-start entry time, the yachts have to cross the start line from their side of the course and into the start zone behind the line. Once they cross the line they become fair game for an attack of the rules and manoeuvre variety that goes on until the start signal, after which they may proceed to cross the line and continue the battle while travelling around the 13 WN press release from the [YRUMYRD received at the end of anuary gave notice that at their Permanent Committee meeting in course. However as the aim of the match is to cross the finish line before your opponent, having started correctly, there can be a considerable delay before the race is actually seen to begin. Tactics during the pre-start period vary. Some skippers actively ‘attack’ the other yacht trying to force an error by catching it on Port Tack or to Windward: by driving, like a sheep dog, the opponent away from the line and into dead air, other competitors or spectators. Other skippers adopt various defensive tactics, one of the most effective according to some of the experts is to simply sail away from the start line as if to commence a long timed close reach in to the start. Some others adopt a seemingly disinterested approach and almost refuse to get involved in pre-start antics. Traditionally the two yachts commencea circling oe routine where they literally sail around in circles just behind the line. Whilst the circling is progressing the yacht ‘behind’ will attempt to get into a leeward position to prevent the opponent from gybing around on to the other tack. If this is successful it may be possible to force the opponent over the start line early: this can be particularly effective in the few moments prior to the start if the ‘forcing yacht’ can remain below the line. Even if she has to go over early that is often nota problem providing she has maintained an ‘escape route’ back to the line: while ensuring that the opponent does not havé such an easy route back. With Radio Controlled yachts many of the tactics used in larger yachts are not truly effective due to the superior manoeuvrability of the smaller craft. Nevertheless when two of the more belligerent match racers get at one another the minute immediately prior to the start signal can be pretty hectic! Why the circling? One theory is that by timing the circles accurately a successful yacht can come out of the circle bang on the correct time and tack to take off up the first beat successfully covering the opponent who has conveniently come out of the circle late and in the wind shadow of the leading boat. Unfortunately it rarely. happens that way! The First Beat Once the start is out of the way the main aim is to get to the first mark sufficiently ahead of the opponent to be safe on the off-wind legs. This may seem to trivialise what is a very important part of a race but is often closer to the truth than many realise. Many Match Races are already won by the time the leading yacht reaches the first mark. If an opponent can be covered right from the start up to the windward mark and the leading yacht can arrange for its last covering tack to put it on the lay line to the first mark she has every possibility of gaining a really significant lead around the rest of the course. After all, in such circumstances the trailing yacht has at least one more tack to put in to reach the first mark – often two, if we take the mark-rounding into consideration. Up to the windward mark the trailing yacht can only strive to attack by finding better wind conditions, by pointing just that little bit higher to try and close the gap or by trying a little bit of psychology. In the latter case it sometimes possible to trick a leading, covering, yacht into sailing beyond the point where they should tack onto the lay-line for the mark. Thus when they do eventually realise they have been ‘sailed’ beyond the mark the trailing yacht can get onto the lay-line and, with luck will have an overlap as the two yachts converge on the all important first buoy. Offwind Legs The off-wind legs of the course are really the only parts of the race where the boat behind actually has the advantage. If the attacker can come out of the windward mark close enough there is a very good chance that by the time the two yachts reach the leeward mark the roles will be reversed. Why is this? The yacht behind feels the effect of any wind changes first; at the same time, if it can be placed correctly it will blanket and disturb the effect of the wind on the leading yacht slowing it down. What can the defending yacht do? It can defend! By using something other than a straight course it can try to avoid the wind shadow: something much easier to do with a radio yacht or small yacht than with a full sized twelve metre. If the attacking yacht manages to establish an overlap the defender can suddenly attack using the Luff. Remember, the overall aim is to get to the finish ahead of the other yacht so it doesn’t really matter if the luff develops into a duel that takes both yachts all ‘ over the lake. Unlike a luffing match in the middle of a fleet there are no other yachts that are going to overtake. It is not unknown for the two yachts to zig zag down the run as they gybe from side to side trying either to shake off or cover the other yacht – depending upon their relative position. They will attempt to get the inside position at the leeward mark and, from there, build a race winning beat back to the windward mark- or the finish. This zig gagging is controlled by the rules to some extent. The match race appendix to the [YRRs modifies the rule relating to bearing THE WORLD LEADER IN SAIL CONTROL away whena yacht is within three of her overall lengths to leeward. The rule now says that the separation distance is only two yacht lengths and actually allows the leading yacht to bear away under such circumstances if she does not impede the other yacht and gybes onto another tack. Of course in carrying out such a manoeuvre she lays herself open to further attack because a yacht tacking or gybing has to remain clear of a yacht on a tack. The other factor that comes into play is that gybing inevitably looses some speed allowing the opponent to gain, nearly always translated into about half a boat length of distance, sometimes more. If the gybe takes the yacht into a better stream of wind it can be worth it. The Main Windward Leg The return from the leeward mark to the windward mark is a chance for both yachts. Although the yacht behind no longer has the advantage of feeling the wind changes first it still has many opportunities to attack. To be really successful it needs one or more of a combination of attributes. The ability to sail fast while pointing high can be a great benefit and considerable distance can be recovered with such a yacht. The skipper needs to be able to maintain the speed of the yacht through its tacking operations. Smooth tacking can also make significant gains, particularly as the trailing yacht usually has the advantage of dictating when the tack should take place: it is the leading and covering yacht that has to follow the ‘lead’. Another good attribute of a trailing skipper is to be able to watch two yachts at the same time: studying the behaviour and reaction to wind of the leading yacht whilst successfully piloting the other one. If the leading yacht is sailing into a dull patch of air a decision has to be taken whether to try and persuade it to sail just a little further before inviting it to tack away and follow you into a fresher patch that you have spotted on the other side of the course. Conversely is the leading yacht starting to become just a little over-pressed as the wind streak increases: should you leave it there knowing that your yacht can handle such winds or should you try and escape while it is easier for you to tack. If your cover tries to tack in the strong gust she may find it difficult and present you with the chance to escape. Once the cover has been broken the options become greater. If sufficient distance can be gained it should eventually be possible to arrange for the yachts to come together with the attacker on starboard and the other on port: the attacker suddenly has the upper hand. Or do they? The port tack yacht often can have the advantage because by ducking the stern of the incoming right of way yacht defence suddenly becomes attack. Should the yachts both decide that the best sequel to the cross over is to tack: the previous port tack yacht becomes the favoured one. When these two tack simultaneously the one ‘on-the-right’ is in the right. This benefit is even greater because by bearing away slightly to go around the back the previous port tacker will almost certainly have gained a little speed so will probably get the tack in quicker and, with a little more luck, find herself in a close covering position. The roles have been reversed: the attack has been successful. Any attempt by the now leeward yacht to try an instant counter attack by pinching up to windward will probably fail because it will have lost some speed in the crossover and will also be starting to suffer the effects of the blanket of the windward yacht as the airflow bends around its sails. Its only chance is to try and prevent the new windward yacht getting far enough ahead for the blanket to take effect. In this case the leeward yacht still has two advantages: one – it can go really high to windward without the other yacht reaching the ‘mast to stem’ position, secondly – it can use the reflected wind effect from its sails to apply what is known as the lee-bowing effect. The major problem with the lee-bow is that it can be terribly difficult to apply successfully with a radio yacht because of the closeness required to be effective. An incoming port tacker has the opportunity to lee-bow the starboard tack yacht but rarely does so. Tack too early to avoid the charge of ‘tacking in my water’ and the effect is just not there. Tack too late and there is the justifiable charge of ‘tacking in etc..’ In the few years that I have been racing radio yachts I can only remember one really and obviously successful tack into a lee-bow that worked. Ian Cole was the victim and his ‘Hush-Hush’ (that tells you how long ago it was!) Marblehead was stopped in its tracks in front of the Cotswold clubhouse: indeed Ian only got going again by tacking off onto port. If the starboard tack yacht gets an inkling that this tactic is going to be tried it is relatively easy to defend against – despite appearing to stick strictly to the ‘do not alter course’ part of the rule. Next Time We complete the rest of the Match Race ‘Course’ and look at the Rules, plus cover the first of the season’s race reports – the MYA Champion’s Cup and more One Metre Rating Rule changes. of W hirlwind® For SAIL WINCHES Keith Skipper 26 Sebert Road Bury St. Edmunds and all your other Radio Control requirements Mail Order Direct Tel / Fax [+44](0)1284 704482 14 samme MODEL BOATS APRIL 95 |
