I posed the following question to the fleet listserve after the downwind start in the third race last Tuesday:

What is the strategy for a downwind start. For instance, when do you set your spinnaker, when do you raise the pole?

It sparked quite a discussion…

Jakob:

It really depends on the starting line and which gate you want to round, but assuming the line is reasonably straight and assuming you don’t favor one gate over the other: Come in half speed or so on starboard tack approaching the committee boat.  Certainly not close hauled, but fairly tight.  This gives you all the rights in the world: Leeward to the windward starboard boats and starboard to the port boats.  Put your pole up and time your hoist.  After the hoist you will find yourself still on starboard with rights and you’d want to soak as much as you possibly can while staying clear of boats that got under you.  If you get to execute the hoist right at the boat you may even have room to jibe to port to get clear air, otherwise you’d fight for it with the rest of the gang until it opens up.   Really the big problem with the suggestion above is that there will be 15 other boats with the same intensions and there is only so much room at the boat…

Stevan:

Lessons learned from big boat starts, which are often downwind:  

Use the power of starboard/leeward at the right side of the line.  You can come up under boats to weather and control the”turn-down”.  Have your pole ready to go up, but raising the pole is secondary to getting the kite hoisted.  I hoist as soon as we are turned down and have a reasonable ramp down to the line.  We hoisted at about three seconds before the gun.  Be prepared to immediately jibe for clear air and the left side of the course to come back at the fleet on starboard later.

Or, if the right side is favored, reach behind the fleet on starboard with your pole and kite ready to go, timing it to get above the pin about a boatlength above the line, hoisted and going fast.  Watch for people luffing from below.  A little late to the line is fine.  Be ready to set early and get ready to immediately reach up around the pin to get in the passing lane.  But DON’T get in a continuous luffing match. 

Karl:

It depends a lot on how far the leeward mark is as well.  Part of the excitement last night was because the mark was so close and the breeze up enough that it was very difficult to get any sort of separation in the fleet.

Hans:

I did just what Jakob describes, but I was extra conservative.  normally downwind starts are something you’ll only see in distance racing, where the start is nearly irrelevant to the outcome on the course.  but even in a short race like yesterday, remember that since a late start gives you clear air, there’s not much advantage to timing the start perfectly.     the guys in the back tend to catch up to the guys in the front because their air is clearer.   makes a bigger mess at the leeward mark though…

It seemed to me that Jakob’s strategy looked a lot like a windward mark rounding, but I realized the rules were different. I asked the following question which led to some interesting discussion on rule 18, proper course, and more:

Me:

If I am understanding Jakob, you treat the committee as sort of a windward mark. Approach on starboard and round it. Is that a correct interpretation? Rule 18 wouldn’t apply in that case however. Correct?

Karl:

Correct but if you can lay the committee on close hauled, 18 DOES apply. 
 
Furthermore, until the gun goes off, you have HeadToWind luffing rights (no proper course).
 
Note also that like any start, you want speed to get out ahead and clear.
 
We had considered doing a gybe set around the RC just to get clear air, but the distance and bearing to the gate precluded that strategy.
 
On a leg as short as yesterday’s, starting late DID cost you, as you could never actually pass the wall of boats ahead of you.

Later in the discussion Karl would retract the statement on rule 18, but he raises the critical point. There is no proper course before the start. Normally when approaching the committee boat for an upwind start rule 18 comes into play, or rather doesn’t come into play, when there is no room given to a windward boat trying to squeeze in at the mark (barging). But in the case of the scenario laid out by Jakob, the ”barging” boat is the leeward boat, and has “head to wind luffing rights” as Karl says.

 Here is Dave Perry on proper course before the start:

Notice also that there is no proper course before the starting signal. That is because a proper course is the course sailed to finish as soon as possible. Obviously, you can’t start racing toward the finishing line until you are allowed to start; therefore, there is no proper course until after the starting signal is made.

This gives the leeward boat in this situation a lot of power.

Stevan:

There is no proper course before the starting gun goes off, but windward/leeward still apply and so do the rules about acquiring overlaps.  But if you are reaching in on starboard at the boat, you pretty much are guaranteed to be overlapped with any boat heading toward the mark.

There is no 2 boat length circle at the RC, its not a “mark of the course”.  remember the start mark is at  the other end of the line (and there really isn’t a 2 boat length circle there either that I’ve ever heard applied – anyone???). 

Even if the overlap is gained from clear astern the leeward boat can luff up to head to wind. As Dick Rose writes for Saling World in Same-Tack Scenarios at the Start, rule 17 doesn’t apply before the start either:

Also, because boats do not have a proper course before the starting signal, Rule 17, which requires a boat not to sail above or below her proper course under certain circumstances, doesn’t apply. 

I’m curious about the distinction of mark vs “mark of the course” as mentioned by Stevan. The commitee boat is a mark, which is why rule 18 doesn’t apply there, since it is a “starting mark surrounded by navigable water” (see Bring Your Own Plate by Dellenbaugh).  The pin is also a starting mark, but is it also a “mark of the course?”

Karl:

Sorry to clarify my mistake about 18.  Rule 18 in its specifics does not apply in that it is “starting mark surrounded by navigable water” and thus there is no 2 BL circle.  OTOH, your “proper course” is to round the mark and windward/leeward applies, so even if you have a slight overlap, the windward boat has to stay clear of you can cannot sail down on you in a way that precludes you from rounding.  
 
Similarly you cannot bear off in a way that obstructs the leeward boat’s luffing rights.

Rich:

So, if we do another downwind start, I wonder if we’ll see 25 j24s trying to get overlaps and luff each other up at the committee boat?

I get the feeling we’ll be seeing more downwind starts…

Karl:

Well the other strategy is to come in with speed, on a reach, roll over the boats that are luffing to get overlaps, bear off and gybe set with speed.  Of you are carrying extra speed, then you pop free on the gybe and are clear to sail your own course.

I may have to try that.

We were caught off guard, didn’t get the spinnaker set before we had to reach to the leeward gate under genoa. That is sort of our night. Many highs and lows, wrapped spinnakers, a torn leach cord, a crash gybe that nearly dumped the crew.

On the high side we were dialed into the puffs and made nice work of the beats. It makes it a bit more painful to see the spinnaker in a un-recoverable figure eight when you actually have a fighting chance in a race. But the breeze was up and mistakes get magnified. A character and experience building exercise for sure.

One lesson was learned on the downwind start. When we made it to the windward mark all boats were leaving it to starboard, which we have never done before. Here is the relevant section of the Lake Washington GSIs:

9.3   Start between the starting buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. Pass each rounding mark in the order displayed and on the same side as the starting mark. Finish between the finishing buoy and the orange flag on the race committee boat. When a number, such as “2″ or “3″, follows the course letters, it signals a multiple-lap course. Sail the course as many times as is indicated by that number, crossing the finishing line at the completion of each lap.

Since we started downwind with the pin to starboard, all other marks must now be left to starboard. The leeward mark was a gate so this rule didn’t change anything there. Lesson learned.

When we got back to the dock we did some practicing with the spinnaker pole to sort out some of the issues we are having with douses. I wish we had more time for practicing, I know it would make all of the difference. But it’s hard enough to field a crew one night a week as it is. This is really the biggest challenge for us right now.

All in all, it was a great night on the lake, our crew is getting deeper, and everybody lived to sail another day. 

As a result, I’ve deployed a new weapon in our arsenal, one that I’ve wondered  about trying for some years, but somehow never got around to.  The Dinghy Start isn’t something I’ve had a lot of experience with. While I learned to sail on Lasers and FJs out on San Francisco bay, I never took it to the next level and race them.  By the time I raced, it was as crew on bigger boats, and, you don’t do a Dinghy start in a J-105 or a Cal (at least, not where I’m from). 

But, we always call the J/24 a ‘big dinghy’ and she certainly is sensitive to weight, and yes, a dinghy start is powerful in certain conditions.  This was how our basic pattern went, wait for a start with moderate wind, 6 to 10 knots, let’s say, get your boat up on the line (or maybe just 1/2 boat length or 1 boat length off the line, with ONE MINUTE to go, on a close hauled course.  Then, ease everything, and I mean, ease it all the way.  Let the main all the way out, let the genoa, all the way out.  Then, wait. At about 30 seconds, trim everything in, and go!

We had two really good starts thanks to the dinghy start out on the lake two weeks ago, but there’s a lot to learn . The critical things are 1) there’s no major current on the lake, if there was current, it certainly would add an element of timing and distance that’s completely different. 2) You have to stop your boat and hold her, on a closed hauled course. Use a point on land or use your compass, but don’t get into irons, you need to be able to trim-and-go.  3) Luff those sails.  If you don’t have the main all the way out, you’ll still move forward, which is not the idea.  4) Learn how long it takes to accelerate. I’ve found about 30 seconds in 8 to 10 knots is about right.  But, once we got rolled by boats that came powering up under us.  We should have trimmed way earlier. I think we waited until 10 seconds to go one time, which was wayyyyy tooo late.. argggghh .  

The reason I like this start a lot is that it forces you to get to the line, in the front, with one minute to go, and so, you’re there.  Next, you’re on starboard, so that’s cool.  Any boat approaching to windward, well, they don’t have rights anyway, so who cares. As to the leward boats, they HAVE TO give you opportunity to keep clear. They can’t just come and barrel into you. They have to give you time to trim in and head up.  Also, any boats that were to leward of you before you luffed, are now gone, because they didn’t luff.  

The negatives with this start are that you may feel that there is a lack of control.  But as long as you stop the boat, close hauled, trimming in and going is pretty easy.   Also, you have to watch you equipment, boom and genoa, and make sure you don’t foul anyone.  

Find a spot on the line and give this powerful method a try the next time you’re on the lake!

First of all, here was the situation:

Our strategy was to avoid the crowd at the pin. Unfortunately, with Tundra Rose (TR) to leeward of us and the starboard tackers in front of us, we felt boxed in. As we approached the pin layline, TR “helpfully” suggested that we should “make our turn.” We went for it. We tacked under Hot Pursuit and then began the luffing game. As we drifted there the jib backwinded and we tacked.

I sent the email to Joy for 2 reason: I wanted to explain to Hot Pursuit why we were there in the first place, and I wasn’t sure why we tacked and was hoping for some insight.

Here is the response from Bates McKee who was skippering Hot Pursuit:

This was an unfortunate and clearly unintended incident, so not a problem.  The collisions were very low speed because we were at that point stalled on the starting line, nearly head to wind.  We were lined up and ready to sheet in and bear off for the pin-end start, but once Juju tacked to leeward we headed up with an obligation to keep clear up to head to wind.  I believe Juju intended to hang and wait (although from that position were not going to make the pin with enough momentum to round, so an eventual bear off and jibe or circles from hitting the pin seemed inevitable, and an earlier recognition of that inevitability would have avoided the incident).

Having said that, Juju could have remained at or near head to wind if the jib sheet had been entirely released.  The reason the boat tacked was because the jib remained sheeted, and began to back at perhaps 10 degrees off the wind (still on starboard).  A rapid complete jib release would have maintained forward momentum and steerage, avoiding the tack – this is  communication between helmsman and trimmer, and is similar to ‘shooting’ to round a mark when just below layline at the last moment. Ideally at a start this is done with speed and forward momentum already established, (a very late shot when within one boatlength to leeward of a mark to be fetched, helmsman heads up gradually all the way up to near head to wind, simultaneous jib complete release, then once the midpoint of boat is beyond mark hard helm to weather or even skulling to bear off, and stern swings to weather clear).  Once the jib backs (still far from head to wind) the helmsman completely loses steerage and the eventual result is inevitable.  This ‘shooting the mark’ is a good maneuver to practice for all of us.

Regarding the global situation, when approaching on Port and overlapped with Tundra to leeward Juju may have had the right for room to pass astern of the ‘obstruction’ (the starboard tack boats), although limitations apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water wherein the correct maneuver is to tack and bear away rather than getting room to pass astern).  See the rule below – this is the basic situation on open water when there is a need to pass astern starboard tack boats – the leeward boat must give room for the windward boat to
pass.  An early hail is prudent, but in any case the obligation is clear, and if Juju was not within two lengths of the starting mark then Tundra needed to give her room if they were overlapped – may have been close to this zone in this case.

It never occured to me to ask for room. Looking back I’m not sure if we were entitled to room under rule 18 since I can’t be sure we were “about to round” the staboard tackers (and how that factors in), nor whether we were within two boat lengths of the pin, but I should have been thinking about that possibility. And I also understand know what it looks like so see a boat setting up perfectly for the pin (HP), and what it’s like to foul that boat. Something I don’t want to repeat any time soon!

But the biggest lesson for me was that we should be looking for the jib to back well before going head to wind and to have it fully released if and when it does. 

I’m very thankful to Joy and Bates for taking the time to answer my questions. The willingness of the better teams to help out the novices is outstanding. Hopefully it will help us get off the back of the fleet and shorten the races so that Hot Pursuit can get more races in!

To the extent that a Section C rule conflicts with a rule in Section A
or B, the Section C rule takes precedence.

18 ROUNDING AND PASSING MARKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS
In rule 18, room is room for an inside boat to round or pass between an outside boat and a mark or obstruction, including room to tack or gybe when either is a normal part of the manoeuvre.

18.1 When This Rule Applies
Rule 18 applies when boats are about to round or pass a mark they are required to leave on the same side, or an obstruction on the same side, until they have passed it. However, it does not apply (a) at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water or at its anchor line from the time the boats are approaching them to start until they have passed them

[kml_flashembed movie="/swf/starting_skills.swf" height="305" width="400" base="/swf" play="false" loop="false"  /]

You can purchase the full video at the JWorld website or at Sailvision.

Now it was a waiting game. Main in Genoa out the boat can stop and lose very little distance to leeward. 15…10,9,8, genoa in main out, get the boat rolling, now point slightly below the pin, 4,3, genoa in main on slight luff to clear the pin and we are off, Klatt on our windward quarter, all clear, off to the races we go.

Full article: http://www.northsailsod.com/class/j24/j24_whatsnew.html#55

Between 3pm and 5pm the wind shifted 180 degrees even though it was blowing 15+. Closer to race time it seemed to have settled on a Northerly, but then continued to shift 15 degrees or so to the east or back to the west each time the committee nearly had the course set.

This left time for us to set and douse the spinnaker, realize that we were STILL delayed, set spinnaker again and did about 8 well needed practice jibes down the lake. After feeling a lot better sequenced, we headed back up toward the boat. Still delayed, so it left plenty of time for everyone’s favorite discussion to pop up: our starting strategy. Specifically the age old tradeoff “Is it better to start at the favored end but get buried in the second or third row, or work farther down the line (or all the way to the pin) and start in clear air.”

More about the second race where we don’t finish DFL after the fold…

Last season we’d consistently try to start near the middle or on what we believed was favored, get into the serious traffic at the favored end (we usually have close to 30 J24′s on a starting line) proceed to get completely knocked off our game by the close quarters sailing and the ease at which we are luffed up to or over the line, dive behind the line into the 3rd row and get an agonizingly slow speed start. Rinse. Repeat. It was going nowhere.

So this season we’ve been safely picking the unfavored end just to start at the line in clear air. Our committee tends to set a pretty even line, so we’ve ended up getting to halfway up the course while the boats buried in dirty air are just finally getting over the start line. Maybe we’re just rationalizing a less stressful start, but it’s been working. I swear.

Of course we intend to work our way back into the mix and learn to get a favored end, clear air, front row, full speed start, but it’s been a while since we dipped our toe back into that. Last night we tried again.

In short: we got sandwiched in tight, had no strategy for defending any room to leeward, got luffed up by Tundra Rose, tried to stay up, flopped over to port, flopped back to starboard, then found ourselves over the line at the start. We heard the starting horn, and the beeping of the countdown timer on our mast, but could probably have seen Mercer Island around the bow of the of the committee boat had we looked.

We found ourselves just upwind off Tundra’s starboard side. Tundra’s tactician yelled for us to cross over them and head back below the line to clear our OCS. They had, of course, defended a healthy lane below them which left us room to cross and head back INTO the teeth of the fleet, but made it safely through a thicket of boats to get back behind the line. Very smart for Tundra to get us (as an OCS boat) out of their clear air. Unfortunately we were only one of many boats to OCS so the committee called a general recall.

So in the space of about 60 seconds leading up to the start we had appeared to thrash about wildly then spin around and head back into the fleet. It was both dramatic and ridiculous. This may be a theme that should land on the list of “alternative boat names tha we didn’t go with”.

There were laughs from other boats, and a few “HEY JUJU, WE ARE COMING ACROSS ON STARBOARD, THAT MEANS WE HAVE RIGHT OF WAY, DON’T FREAK OUT” jokes during the next pre-start. Needless to say we had enough of big fleet starting tactics and limped back out to our pin end territory for the next race.

We worked up to the pin end and got a nice clear start for the first race. Somehow made MANY bad crosses and yet still found ourselves in the mix at the first rounding. We must have been in a very favorable shift most of the way up. No fiascos for the rest of the first race, but we came in last by a few boatlengths.

The second race saw a very nice clear start from the pin end heading toward center of the line. The fleet was heading out towards the pin end for the start so we found ourselves not so alone for our start. We came down the line on port towards the oncoming fleet and were able to pick a lane to tack into between the first and second boats across, and smartly tacked over to starboard. We were sailing fast, in clear air, and ahead of many other boats in the fleet that had been deep in bad air nearer to the boat end of the line. Our first upwind rounding went well, downwind went well, and we tried to take advantage of an opportunity at the leeward rounding (still determining if this was a foul on our part, or a cunning tactic) that allowed us to pass two boats. We held our ground on the way back up to windward. The last downwind run to the finish found all (seriously, ALL, in a tight parade) boats ahead of us staying on the left side of the course on the way to the downwind finish.

We took a chance on breaking with the fleet and opting to stay slightly to the right and in clear air, even if we weren’t on as favorable reach as the rest. It paid off for us. We steered for the boat end of the finish line, made up ground against several boats stalled in the long lineup on the left side, and finished ahead of 4 boats.

Our best finish ever!

(Aside from the time last year when we got T-Boned before the second start, retired to the marina and got to the bar FIRST. I think it’s the first time I haven’t stood in the line for nachos for > 25 minutes.)

The starting flag sequence is given in Lake Washington Racing Program General Sailing Instructions:

10. THE START

Races will be started by using RRS rule 26 except a blue shape will replace flag P. [Note for web version of racebook: This link to RRS rule 26 is to the 2001 rules. Rule 26 is unchanged in the 2005 rules, but US Sailing does not have the 2005 rules available individually.] The race committee may give a hail to the next class whose warning signal is about to be made.

Which refers to the RRS:

26 STARTING RACES

Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded.

Start Flags

So this is what the sequence should normally look like (with a “blue shape” replacing the P flag):

At 5 minutes:

At 4 minutes:

At 1 minute:

Recognizing these flags will give a more consistent pre-start countdown.