03 October 2010

Two Climes, Two Boats

I thought I could handle it. I nice little family cruiser for . . . family cruising and a rippin' little racer for my own enjoyment. Sounds like a good idea. Two different kinds of boats for two different kinds of sailing. No conflicts, right? Well, it doesn't work out quite like that. Seems I've had this problem before only this time it's even more mixed up since I started racing the cruising boat and the family likes sailing on the racing boat more than anything. Now what. Hmmm.

While pondering that for a few months, it was time to get down to the marina to check on Lapras (and make a "to do before selling" list?) And hey, why not take Surfing Pikachu along for a little sail out Potrero Reach. That'll be nice. Lapras was still nicely tucked in her berth looking ready to go if a bit slimy on the bottom. Time for another haul-and-scrub, I guess. One of the "joys" of owning a bigger boat. After sitting in the cabin for a bit and feeling weird about being on such a nice boat without going sailing on the nice boat, it was time to get the Weta wet.

They say the San Francisco Bay Area is a region of many micro climates (I sometimes wonder if a bunch of theys say that about wherever theys live.) The so called Richmond Riviera in one such. It can be blowing freezing snot out in the middle of the Bay and toasty warm off Point Richmond. It was hard to tell what was what on this day. At the Marina (East end of the Riviera) it was windy but warm. I rigged the boat for a good blow and once out on the water was glad I did so. Just fifteen minutes later, however, I tacked around the Liberty ship, Oak, opening a view all the way down the reach--nobody heeled over down there. The farther West I went, the warmer and calmer it got. By the time I cleared the breakwater there was barely enough wind to power the boat through the Bay chop. The return trip was the exact opposite beginning at two knots and topping out at 13.

Also on the topic of two boats, there seems to have been a lot of chatter lately on the Weta forum regarding the relative speed of the Weta to the Laser. It would seem that some are having a hard time beating Lasers in the local mixed fleets. That's weird. While I don't have much experience in Lasers, I spent a lot of time in Mr. Bruce's 30 year afterthought, the Megabyte. In most conditions, the Megabyte had no problem overhauling the Lasers especially downwind. Now, I've never put the Weta up against the Megabyte, but I know I certainly never did 9 knots to weather in the Megabyte. And 13 knots off the wind, as I did this day (without the reacher, even), would have been unthinkable in the Megabyte.

Of course, to compare these boats is sort of pointless, and one would choose their ride for a variety of different reasons. Regardless, with the Weta class growing as it is, mixed fleet racing will be a thing of the past (as it almost always is for the Laser) and the only thing that will matter is how fast one can make their Weta go relative to their buddy's Weta. That's good racing.

Enough about all that (I got sick of all the back and forth on the forum after a while--wanted to scream, "just shut up and go sailing!!") Oh, one more thing. The Marina Bay ramp is not such a good place to launch from when the Rivera is rippin'. Well, I guess launching was OK. Getting back was no fun, though. The wind angles were just all wrong for making a nice controlled docking maneuver. Took about four tries to get it right--must have looked like the noob that I am.

4 comments:

Dan said...

From what I've read, and from sailing a Laser, the Weta at double the weight and with ama drag would tack much slower than a Laser, but should then overtake on the reach and run? Where is the Weta forum? I first came across the blog while searching for Folsom lake sailing and Weta's and found your awesome Youtube video with the family - made me a future Weta owner! And if you need a crew or want to lease out either boat, let me know!

David said...

Hi Dan,

Are you a Folsom Lake local? I sailed with the Folsom Lake crowd a bunch the past few years before I swapped my Megabyte for the Weta. They are a great bunch of sailors out there. For no good reasons, I somehow never sailed on Folsom, but met up with them at a variety of other venues.

As for links, try these:
Local distributor
Yahoo Weta group

And at risk of perpetuating a debate that has little value, just a few additional points to consider regarding the relative speed of a particular 14' multihull vs. a 13' monohull. When you include the weight of the typical skipper, this multi is only 25 to 30 percent heavier than that mono. The multi has 62% more upwind sail area (and the benefits of the sloop rig). Yes, the multi is slower to get through a tack, but don't think catamaran here. Put the helm down and the bow shoots right through the wind-no backwinding needed. The slow part is getting the tiller flipped around, the extra sail trimmed, and the butt all the way out to the new windward ama. I have found the Weta to be remarkably fast upwind, especially when it's windy. Yeah, the skinny leeward ama is buried, but the main hull is planing, and the weather ama makes a fine perch to allow the skipper to get his or her weight farther outboard than even a trapeze would allow. Here's what that looks like: My man, Bruce! And off the wind, the boat just screams. Or, maybe that was me doing the screaming, screaming with delight.

Dean Fulton said...

Geez - you're so verbose, lately. And I'm falling behind on my blog reading...
Sound like you need to quit your job and take up sailing full time.
Or park Lapras on your side yard so your I'm-not-using-my-boat-enough-stress doesn't get pushed over the edge by your slip fees.
My in-town buddy Greg is dreaming of trailering his Cat250 (water ballast) down south and sailing to Catalina.
The V15 Fleet 53'ers are having their Tomales Bay regatta this weekend - which we've never done.
Fleet Week is this weekend and you've never been buzzed by the Blue Angels.
So many things to do - so many boats to sail.

David said...

Dean, you're not helping. So, when you gonna sail my Weta?