confused...team racing

lallychops

can someone please explain these terms in simple english. crewing for a person who says these things while i stare blankly. tips on crewing for team racing greatly appreciated.

overlap broken...

flog the jib?

no water.../i have water...

cheers

slideshow bob

The ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing has all the details on the rules - see here: http://www.sailing.org/racingrules.php

Your best bet would be to get a good book on the racing rules. Elvstrom's book has good explanations of the rules in practice. The rules for fleet racing are modified for team racing (also in the above rules download) to make the racing more tactical.

lallychops wrote: »

tips on crewing for team racing greatly appreciated.

Sail with a good helm who's willing to explain stuff at a level you can understand.

Answers to specific terms follow...

slideshow bob

lallychops wrote: »

overlap broken...

In racing the right of way changes depending on whether a boat is overlapped or not. It can be an advantage to a windward boat to break an overlap.

Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap
One boat is clear astern of another
when her hull and equipment in normal position are behind a line abeam
from the aftermost point of the other boat’s hull and equipment in normal
position. The other boat is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear
astern. However, they also overlap when a boat between them overlaps both. These terms always apply to boats on the same tack. They do not apply to
boats on opposite tacks unless rule 18 applies or both boats are sailing more
than ninety degrees from the true wind.

To over simplify things if you are clear ahead, the boat behind can't hit you or come too close. If you are overlapped and are the windward boat, you need to stay clear. You are overlapped if the bow of the other boat is ahead of the back of your own boat.

slideshow bob

lallychops wrote: »

flog the jib?

Let the jib sheet out so the sail flaps. Typically used to slow the boat down. It trashes the sail though, so don't do it often on your own boat.

slideshow bob

lallychops wrote: »

no water.../i have water...

This relates to rules 18 & 19. They are long, complex rules which are subject to much debate during and after races.

These terms are typically shouted alternately between boats approaching a mark. The boats are each claiming the right of way at the mark. The boat shouting "no water" is saying, "you do not have right of way, so stay clear and do not get in my way". The boat shouting "I have water" is saying "I have right of way so kindly leave me plenty of space here".

A usual situation is:
"no water" to which the response is "I have water"
"NO water" -> "I HAVE water"
"NO WATER" -> "I HAVE WATER"
"GET OUT OF MY WAY" -> "I HAVE RIGHTS"
BANG, sometimes followed by CRUNCH,
"PROTEST" -> "PROTEST"

lallychops

much much appreciated!!