That pretty much sums up the excitement from mark roundings all 3 days.

The amazing thing is that he saved that pitchpole (photos 248-260). I've got to get some shoes that stick like that. I just wonder how his crew got back on the boat to finish the race.

I was not as lucky (photos 277-288) Even after studing those photos, I still can't beleive the hulls dug as quick as they did. We had overstood the mark and were reaching down to it, but I had my traveler way out and was dumping the main when I was coming off the wire.
I've sailed H20s for 12 years and I'm use to bearing off in high winds with a overpowered main. It just happened so quick. I'm sticking to my story of microburst gust.

Well, I'm playing golf this weekend.... Hope I don't trip over my golf shoes.
Have a good weekend

Would anything have been different if the traveler stayed centered (or almost centered) and the main was dumped? I've always been taught that creating that "twist" is going to depower on a reach more effectively. Going on memory, the NF18 that saved the pictchpole looked to have the car centered or almost centered. Also notice the force of the mast moving forward on the NAF18 sequence and creating a very loose forestay (jib is bagged up). I've known that this happens, but have not seen such a dramatic capture of the effect of pitchpoling on the jib.

Obviously, no amount of depowering helps in certain wind ranges.

His luff was just loose on the jib - look at a few pictures before the pitchpole.

Guys, I just got a new PC, but can't seem to get to Walter Cooper's photos. I clicked on "Recent Events", but then the list of events didn't link to anything. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

Go to "print sales"...not sure if this link will take you straight there because you have to agree to terms....but try:

Print Sales @ Walter Cooper

Picture 247 - Main way too eased, boat flat, crew forward by beam (look at her right foot bracing on the front beam): pitchpole recipe waiting to happen! Solution, as you make the transition from sailing upwind to bearing away, get that weight (way) aft and fly the weather hull around the mark with the boat powered up (traveller centered, trim main to control heel but keep boat powered). Weight aft keeps the leeward hull up, heeled leeward hull is able to use more bouyancy, and higher speed keeps the water release further aft.

Pictures 277 & 278 - You can see the same thing starting to happen. Crew weight is way too far forward. Look at how the leeward bow is already down. The eased traveller and relatively tight mainsheet is not letting the main twist off. That would allow the top to depower which helps unload the leeward bow.

Here's a good drill. Go out on a windy day and sail upwind. Just practice making the transition from sailing upwind with both crew on the wire to sailing on a beam reach. As you bear off, both crew need to get back by the rear beam immediately. Keep the boat powered up, try to fly the boat through the transition with 10-20 degrees of heel, keep the jib trimmed correctly (don't let it stall), and watch the water release on the leeward hull as it moves aft and the boatspeed picks up. Once the boat is in this trim, it is easy to ease the main and come in off the wire and turn further downwind.

If you can find pictures of Tornado racing, look at how far aft the crews are as they make the transition from the beat to the reaching offset leg. The driver is always on the rear beam keeping the boat under control.

I was out last night in 15-18 knots of onshore breeze on Lake Pontchartrain with a very short and steep chop sailing my A2 which has much smaller bows than any F-18. It was wicked fun to jump on the back end of the boat and fly the hull down to a beam reach. Just by making the transition aft, keeping the hull flying, and keeping the speed up, I never once felt in danger of pitchpoling.

Now go out there and rip into those turns!

Bob Hodges
A-Class USA 230

See the attached picture.

Driver is at rear beam, weather hull is flying, main is eased and twisty, jib is probably trimmed correctly, boat looks fast and under control and has made the turn. It would be better if the crew was further aft but having the driver in the back of the bus is making it work.

Here's Johnny Lovell and Charlie Ogeltree making the transition. Charlie has just come in off the wire. Look at how much control Johnny has of the boat by trapezing off the rear beam and controlling the power with the centered mainsheet and slightly eased mainsheet. Jib is trimmed perfectly (look at the telltales). Leeward bow is up and speed is fast. An excellent example to learn from from our US silver medalists.

The next picture is perfection. Again the driver is in the back of the bus easily controlling the powered and very fast boat. Look at the trim of the leeward bow and even with the crew forward, look at how high the bow is and how far aft the water release is. Fantastic!

Last one, sorry for the repition but these as so good.

This is Gaebler and Struckmann in perfect reaching form about to make the transition to set the chute. Again, powered boat, very fast boatspeed, look at the trim of the leeward bow, about 15 degrees of heel.

The Tornado sailors are the best catamaran sailors in the world, no doubt, and you can learn so much from them.

And here are the world famous norwegian tornado sailors showing to perfection how its done (it's saturday evening here, so please forgive my weak humour)



This works very well in moderate winds, in strong winds I am very careful on the reach to B mark. Then it's out traveller and then sheet out. Goal is still to fly a hull, but control and watching your wind is more important. Staying two-up on the trapeze until past B mark can also pay off in stronger winds.

Team Velocity 2 took some video shots while on the water during Spring Fever.

Check them out at www.velocitysailing.com

Definitely check out the video(s). My lovely girlfriend is the one who took the video off of Velocity Sailing's Hobie 16 (VS 2, yes we are fully represented in all fleets!). The 3rd video is taken on Joran Lake right here near Raleigh, and the others are from Spring Fever on Lake Hartwell in GA.

I ordered some pictures from Walter Cooper Photography today. If anybody's planning on ordering any make sure you do it before the 20% discount expires.

Bob, Thanks for the class!

Tad and Trey, That was really fun to watch! Please thank the lovely girlfriend for me!