For those of you doing Huntington Lake later this summer, here's a nice
guide that the local Laser fleet sent around:
http://fresnoyachtclub.org/files/2013/10/Racing-Primer.pdf
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 19 May 2016 09:49:25 -0700
From: "Mike Gillum" <mike at gpsawnings.com>
To: "'Stephen Aguilar'" <sailsteve55 at gmail.com>,
<laser-class-d24 at mailman.stanford.edu>
Subject: RE: Huntington lake.
Message-ID: <001e01d1b1ee$67a38ec0$36eaac40$@gpsawnings.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Stephen,
I have several things to add to Charles Witcher?s
outstanding thoughts on sailing at Huntington Lake;
1. Lake level is 7,200?+/- which means the air is very thin so the
puffs that appear menacing don?t really pack the same punch as those at sea
level. Doesn?t mean you don?t hike out rather don?t waste a lot of time
messing with the cunningham only to find out that puff is now 100 yards
astern of you and you didn?t feel it. Hike and sheet.
2. Huntington Lake is being filled with recent snow melt so dress
accordingly! It may be 80-85 in the Launch Ramp Parking Lot but the water
is in the low 40?s.
3. Lots of Sunscreen, long sleeves, and a good hat are the ticket as
you?re nearly a 1-1/2 miles closer to the sun.
4. Drink lots of water even if you don?t think you need it as
dehydration is a problem.
5. Long start line with south pin usually favored as there?s a
geographical starboard tack lift into the Boy Scout Camp but the Committee
pin can also work from time to time.
6. Place your hand palm down on a table and spread your thumb and
pinkie as far apart as you can. That?s pretty much what most puffs on
Huntington Lake look like when they hit the water and why you?ll often see
boats going up the lake on the same heading but opposite tacks. Middle of
the puff isn?t the place to be unless you?re going downwind!
7. Act like Rambo and forget about the compass! Get your head out of
the boat to look for puffs and the direction of the other boats on the lake
to get an idea of what evil might be lurking up ahead!
8. If you?re not going up the lake you?re going across the lake! You
always want to be going up or down the lake at all times!
9. Good rule of thumb is if you?re bow up relative to the boats around
you stay on that tack and if you?re bow down you want to tack immediately
unless there?s a really good reason not to.
10. If the boat you easily crossed a minute or two ago is now crossing
you and sailing in a huge lift accept defeat and tack to leeward knowing
that the next shift you should be back ahead of them again.
11. Miss a shift going upwind? Be prepared to eat the next shift to be
able to get back into phase! Sailing from side to side of the lake chasing
shifts is very slow and I know all too well from past experience.
12. As you go up the lake the wind velocity slowly drops so controls need
to be eased to power up and the direction starts changing quicker and
quicker the closer you get to the ?Damn? Dam.
13. If you?re already heading straight up the lake on either tack the
next puff that?s heading your way probably isn?t another lift so as soon as
the main starts to break immediately tack otherwise you?ll lose most all of
the benefits of the lift on the new tack!
14. From the ?Damn? Dam up to Mark 5 anticipate tacking on anything that
remotely looks like a header as the new lift will not last more than 15-30
seconds and if you sail into a header/header combination then make sure
your roll tacking skills are up to snuff so you don?t lose any more
ground. Remember risk/reward!
15. Avoid the North Shore like your life depends on it! Most often
you?ll get lulled by a huge port tack lift along the shore which allows you
to sail up the lake but rarely is there a starboard lift to exit stage
right and sail back out on. I?ve seen a few old-timers (think 50-60 years
of sailing there) in Thistles and Day Sailers make it pay but they?re the
exception to the rule.
16. Remember how shifty it was upwind? It?s just as shifty downwind so
there?s really no time to relax so anticipate looking astern and gybing a
lot if you want to sail down the middle.
I?ll be racing a Day Sailer wearing my large straw hat so let me know if
you have any questions.
Mike Gillum Laser #131139
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