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Author Crew for Racing
Steve Lee
Lawrence, Kansas

Boat Name: LeeWay

Model/Year: C22 1976

Hull No. 6029

Hailing Port: Perry Yacht Club
07/12/2004 6:25 PM Pacific Time

How many crew are typically used for racing? I hear that many of you sail single handed, but do you race that way? Are there Catalina 22 Assn. requirements for crew at Nationals? What is optimal number of crew?



Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
07/13/2004 5:27 AM Pacific Time

We race non spinnaker and race with a skipper and one crew. On the down wind legs have the heaviest person forward and the lighter at the helm.
Joseph Schuler
Princeton, NJ

Boat Name: Cats' Feet

Model/Year: 1971

Hull No. K26

Hailing Port: Raritan Bay, NJ; RYC
07/13/2004 7:36 AM Pacific Time

Heaviest person forward? Is it faster that way? What about on upwind legs?
Jim Johnstone
Austin, TX

Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Lake Travis, TX
07/13/2004 7:01 PM Pacific Time

Light air genoa = 2 crew

Heavy air = 3 crew

Spinnaker = 3 usually until you are really good then 2 could do the job

Class rules require the owner or a family member to be at the helm except for brief periods

The boat sails down wind better with the stern edge out of the water, hence crew and skipper move toward the front to accomplish this.
Steve Lee
Lawrence, Kansas

Boat Name: LeeWay

Model/Year: C22 1976

Hull No. 6029

Hailing Port: Perry Yacht Club
07/13/2004 9:56 PM Pacific Time

Thanks Jim. So, 1 helmsman and 2 crew fior light air and 1 + 3 crew for heavy & spinnaker handling. Besides the extra crew needed for the spinnaker is the extra person there for rail weight?

I'm kind of surprised there are not class rules for # of crew (or crew weight) for national level regattas.

On another racing point, if you have a swing keel are you required to keep it down when running?

Thanks for all of your answers.
Jim Johnstone
Austin, TX

Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Lake Travis, TX
07/14/2004 8:18 PM Pacific Time

Steve, by crew, I meant all who are aboard so a crew of 2 = Helmsperson and one other person. A crew of 3 is a Helmsperson and 2 other people.

Jim Johnstone
Austin, TX

Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Lake Travis, TX
07/14/2004 8:30 PM Pacific Time

Steve, the swing keel must be down for racing. You want it down going upwind so you do not make leeway and to provide a righting force that will counterbalance the force of the wind on the sails.

Although this is not as important going down wind, the C22 rules say we must keep our swing keels down.

Dinghy sailors usually raise the centerboard while going downwind. C22 racers leave it down.

Look here for C22 one design rules:http://www.catalina22.org/ (C22 National Association URL)
Jan P.
Grapevine, TX

Boat Name: Being Time

Model/Year: 1974 C22 Poptop/swing keel

Hull No. 4244

Hailing Port: Grapevine
12/07/2004 7:33 PM Pacific Time

I haven't crewed in the nationals (although may this year).

I have raced two auxiliary series with C22's with adjusted handicaps in both the spinnaker and the genoa series.

We won both series (although first series through default). First race we had 4 people, and it was a little crazy, since it was summer and pretty light air. Since then we race with three, the helmsman, foredeck and cockpit crew for the sheets. I sit up on the foredeck in front of the mast usually - or high side on the upwind legs just up near the mast. My job is to watch for boats, and wind and call them out, as well as to call out distance to the mark. I only crewed for two spinnaker sets, and didn't quite have it. I did help with the genoa pole sets on down wind legs.

Catalinas are all butt heavy, so weight needs to be as forward as possible to help keep the boat balanced. Also crew should sit still and move as little as possible.

I'm still new and learning, but two series has taught me a lot about racing. I hope to go to one of the seminars in January.

Jan
Jan P.
Grapevine, TX

Boat Name: Being Time

Model/Year: 1974 C22 Poptop/swing keel

Hull No. 4244

Hailing Port: Grapevine
11/13/2005 8:14 AM Pacific Time

Update, I did crew for the nationals, with just myself and the captain. Many of the other boats had crews of three. If you are not flying spinnaker, and winds are light, 2 is optimal.

In the silver fleet the top boat was a guy who had won other national events in other fleets. His crew were two teenagers, his son and a friend. I have to admit he was really good, but he really belonged in the gold fleet, not a beginner fleet. The other two we were competing with had crews of 2, both younger guys who had more experienced ones to coach them. We came in fourth, losing our third place in the last race due to a couple of foulups, one of them being a major overwrap.

Weight forward on downwind, the bowman should be indicating windshifts to the captain. Upwind, weight distribution usually depends on wind conditions, high wind, out on the rail, at the beam. Note the crew cannot hike out their bodies over the rail, except if needed for safety for a short time. In light wind, should stay central in the boat and do not move. I usually hang out at the mast on top of the cabin if it's light wind, then duck under the boom on the tacks. In high wind tacks, I lay flat on the cabin top and get on the rail as quickly as possibly when the tack is done. In moderate winds I jump up in front of the mast and hang on.
 
 
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