OK, I know it's not even December yet, but I thought I'd start a thread to hear what people thought was the most interesting or sticking thing that you learned this year.

To me the thing that sticks the most in my mind is the thread on the use of the downhawl as the principal adjustment to the mainsail (over the mainsheet and traveler) when the weather picks up. I never even thought the downhaul needed to be touched once the sail was raised and set.

Anyone else?

I've learned that there are sometimes when I *really* just need to "Let go of the chute".

Tracie

Tracie

I think I remember that time (speed can hurt)

I learnt that I need to read windshifts better when there is no wind.

Soma,
I learned that lesson in the Tradewinds Regatta a few years ago. It was blowin stink, and dogs were blowin off their chains, it was 40 freakin degrees (in Key Largo that is really cold) and I was working the downhaul like a gorilla to keep the boat at a reasonable heel. It is better than spilling air or twisting off the top and then having to reestablish flow. You really have to be in tune with each other to know when to hand the baton to the skipper.

Arbo: Have you considered that when you downhaul, you flatten the sail, open the slot _and_ twist off the top?

Learnt a lot this year, and one of the best lessons came from this forum (later published by Mary in "Catamaran Sailor"). Proper gennaker handling..

I've learned that F18 is awesome! and that it's difficult to oversheet the mainsail going upwind and I've learned more about the warning signs that we're approaching the limit of controlability. I've also learned that 500 miles is a long way to go on a catamaran but I can't wait to do it again...or even further.

I learned more about how to run races this year. I took a class last year, and really got to put into practice what was only theory for me before. Things like setting the right size start line to allow the fleet good tactics without a dozen recalls, when to use a gate and when to leave it in the boat, setting a "crooked" course to even things up if the geography forces a "favored" side, and making the course the right size based on the breeze to make the racing fair and fun, so that everyone is tired but happy at the end of the day.

I'm ready to get back to sailing - I think the race management experience will help me, as a skipper or crew, get my head out of the boat even more. I've been able to see what's going on with the fleet, but now I think I'll have an even better grip on what's happening on the course, as well.

I also learned how to use a chain saw. See, there was this hurricane... well, that's another thread.

I learned not to trust my husband to tie everything down securely on the trailer. Expensive lesson.

And I learned that when a semi passes you and honks and points his finger aft, you need to pull over and check your load.

Mary,

I think we need to know the details about how you learned what you did!

I suppose it happens to everybody eventually when you trailer boats. A long time ago our daggerboards slid out the back of our boat box as we were going up a hill. Another sailor coming from the same regatta saw them, picked them up and returned them to us.

One time we got off the expressway after a regatta and saw somebody's jib lying beside the off-ramp. We stopped and picked it up and eventually located the owner.

And way, way back, Rick had a whole Tornado (named "Tension") jump off the trailer at 60 mph. It dragged long enough to hone the bottoms down pretty thin. Actually, it was totaled.

So, you would think we would know better by now.

Last spring we were on our way back from Hobie Midwinters East at Pensacola. We were cruising east on I-10 on the Panhandle. A passing truck honked at us and pointed back. We pulled over and checked the trailer. Sure enough, we had lost one of the Hobie Wave mast sections -- the lower aluminum section.

It's expensive to replace, so we got off at the next exit and went back west to look for it. We actually found it, but it had been flattened -- probably by that same truck that passed us.

Rick has always made fun of my overkill hogtying of everything on the trailer, so I let him do it when he's around; but I notice that now he seems to be using more lines and knots than in the past.

I learned alot this year, mostly from you guys, some by experience....
1. don't nap in a shipping lane
2. 1000 ft. ore boats can come out of nowhere(see above)
3. if you have to hang onto the tiller with both hands, you might think about adjusting your rudders
4. when everyboat on the lake is screaming towards shore, you should probably double check the sky
5. pitchpole has a meaning...a very violent meaning
6. need a righting line to right a cat (see 4 and 5)
7. finally what i learned most is when in doubt, ask the smart people of the catsailor forum!

1) When you break your mast at 10am on 01 January, you`re not getting off to a good start.
2) Spinnakers can be used in surprisingly higher windstrengths than I`d imagined.
3) The windspeed you CAN hoist the kite differs from the windspeed you CAN`T by one knot.
4) Mosquito catamarans NEVER pitchpole, until they do.
5) Webbing straps on trampolines don`t stop you from flying forward in a pitchpole, but they DO help you remember the incident a few days later. (the bruises still hurt.)
6) Hanging from one leg by above-mentioned strap waiting for the boat to turtle so you can get out, thinking "Wonder how a quick-release harness would fix THIS one !!
7) The boat tracks nicely in a straight line, and goes much faster under spinnaker, once the skipper has fallen off.
8) If you capsize twice on one leg, you won`t win the race.
9) you only fall off when you`re leading the race.

Cheers
Steve

After my wife passed in March, I've learned not to sweat the small stuff. To enjoy every day to it's fullest even if it's not your best day. To appreciate the pure joy that sailing truly is...even if your upside down!

John Bauldry
Hobie Tiger 1317

Depends which finger.

GARY

I learned that I prefer to start last and pass people than start first and be passed.

I learned it is pretty scary to round the weather mark in first place and realize you don't know where the next mark is when you have no other boats to follow.

I learned that when you are singlehanding, you are the one who has to check the course on the committee boat.

1. Being in the top six at the nationals is cool, despite that there were only six boats in the nationals

2. Shrimp boats in Galveston Bay have the right of way!

3. When someone yells & swears at you in Vietnamese, it's not hard to know they are swearing (see #2 above)

4. Listening to "Boatless Bruce" in Longbeach can be a good thing sometimes!

5. Designing/building tilt trailers is a lot of work!

6. Keeping the 52 ft Beachcat on steroids "Afterburner" 5000 yards away from a US Navy jump jet carrier that's on the Rhumbline of the Newport Beach CA to Ensenada MX race is not optional

7. At a distance of 200 yards & while heading at 24 knots towards the military vessel from #6 above, a terse radio hail regarding the 5000 yard radius will happen, followed by the launching of an inflatable power boat complete with foredeck mounted mini-gun and nervous looking teenage gunner

8. Being 1st place across the finish line in Newport Beach, CA to Ensenada Mx race (and still being 1st on corrected time by 3+ hours) is cool

9. Having no bullet holes is cooler!

9. Winning all possible trophies in Ensenada (5) is way cool

10. Trip back up the coast sucks

Re: Learning by Mike Dobbs-
The skipper of your Navy carrier was probably emotionally enhanced in his response because of the skipper of the US Navy carrier in the Persian Gulf. They ran over a Dhow this year, and this Navy captain is now "On the beach" as they say. Besides, I remember that Afterburner looks pretty big with all sail up, doing 20+ knots - please say Hi to Bill for me.

I was reminded (twice) to check for leaks before going to a big race- because it happened twice this year. Remember that experience is good- it allows you to recognize a mistake faster when you do it for the second time.

Here's to sailing off without the drain plugs!

Here Here!!! And here's to your crew leaving his shoes on the island after you finally drain the boat (and having to explain to the race committee via VHF why you're going the wrong way after the racing is done)!