WSC Pierce Invitational

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Schedule for May 26th, only two months away! (the last of the snow hopefully is melting as I type this, and our furnace won't light...brrrr!)

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Sailing instructions and scratch sheets are online at:

windjammers.org/racing.html

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Well, that was interesting. Anyone have any results?

[spirit]

I'm still waiting for the B flag.

[pointyboatsailor]

So when things go wrong, it is from a series of events:
1. there was no Race Committee Team meeting with the WSC officers and the race management crew.
2. the WSC RC wanted to co-ordinate with the MYC RC group as they were racing in the area. Your WSC RC had the committee boat anchored and the pin set, BEFORE the MYC wind-ward mark boat went past the WSC RC to set their mark. Then two WSC officers came along and said the WSC RC had to move. The RC position was we were set-up, why did we have to move? Our marks were set before the MYC windward mark was set. The WSC RC lost 15 min. in doing the reset.
3. The SI's contain the language:
9. Starting and Finishing: "......except for combined class starts where the flag of the first alphabetical ascending class flag of the combined class group will be used."
So the Race Committee wrote on the course board:
A-B-C: R-P-H-S
Meaning that all three classes were to a "combined class" start, with "D" Class which was the next line on the course board sailing a different course.
If the RC had wanted there to be a seperate class start they would have written on the course board:
A: R-P-H-S
B: R-P-H-S
C: R-P-H-S

Another problem was the SI's didn't have a diagram of how courses were to be posted.

Lastly, a combined start was done in '06 for the Overnight Race, so this is not new to WSC.

So that is what happened with the race management team for the Pierce.

[flyingcloud]

Where are the results?

[Edgar]

Wasabi's crew had a great time at the Pierce this year and the confusion about the B class start did not effect our race. We started late with the class D start as did most of our competitors and didn't even know that we should have been in the combined start until long after the finish.

But I can't agree with the statement in the above post:<< "So the Race Committee wrote on the course board:
A-B-C: R-P-H-S
Meaning that all three classes were to a "combined class" start, with "D" Class which was the next line on the course board sailing a different course.
If the RC had wanted there to be a separate class start they would have written on the course board:
A: R-P-H-S
B: R-P-H-S
C: R-P-H-S">>

In my experience, Race committees would always write the courses the first way to make the letters as big and visible as possible. Nothing in the sailing instructions suggest this is an indication of a combined start. Further the signal system is flawed because there is no way for the B class boats to determine if it the first start is a class A start or a combined Start until the prep flag for the next start is raised. In the future the committee needs a definitive way to communicate the starting sequence.

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Preliminary results are available at this link:

windjammers.org/WSC_Pierce_PHRF_PreLim_results.htm

[Shaun Ensor]

In the 2006 overnight race combined start, the committee boat made it clear to the competitors that it would be a combined start " before the race ".

Shaun

[Admin - Bob Adams]

I think we'd improve communication before these events become a problem by including a VHF pre-race announcement whenever there is something unusual about the race. It would have been helpful for the RC to announce the combined start a short while before the first signal.

[Hugh Jass]

Edgar said:

Wasabi's crew had a great time at the Pierce this year and the confusion about the B class start did not effect our race. We started late with the class D start as did most of our competitors and didn't even know that we should have been in the combined start until long after the finish.

But I can't agree with the statement in the above post:<< "So the Race Committee wrote on the course board:
A-B-C: R-P-H-S
Meaning that all three classes were to a "combined class" start, with "D" Class which was the next line on the course board sailing a different course.
If the RC had wanted there to be a separate class start they would have written on the course board:
A: R-P-H-S
B: R-P-H-S
C: R-P-H-S">>

In my experience, Race committees would always write the courses the first way to make the letters as big and visible as possible. Nothing in the sailing instructions suggest this is an indication of a combined start. Further the signal system is flawed because there is no way for the B class boats to determine if it the first start is a class A start or a combined Start until the prep flag for the next start is raised. In the future the committee needs a definitive way to communicate the starting sequence.

Agreed on that being the biggest flaw - it's pretty easy just to hoist all the flags for the starting classes together, so why not do it? Unless you have some serious physical problems, hoisting two more flags will not kill you. Anyone who has ever used a VHF knows how flakey they can be, so relying on them to clearly communicate instructions is not very smart. It's a nice adjunct, but no replacement for clear instructions.

But having said that, did everyone get a good look at the big boats on the return leg from the BLock Island race? The big boys must have been doinf OK, but imagine how painful it was for the smaller boats in that shifty wind!

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Speaking of the BI race, our good friends Teri & Pete Binkley on Wild Eyes from the Branford YC won the PHRF1 division, and received the Terrapin Trophy for best corrected PHRF time and the Governors Race East Trophy for best elapsed time PHRF division.

[EDGAR]

We passed right between Bon Bon and Blue Yankee on our first spinnaker leg. Beautiful boats, and a good photo op.

By the way, confusion aside Saturday was a fun day of racing. Lots of big shifts, wind holes and come-from-behind clouds with good breeze. The Race Committee set a perfect course and made their best call on handling the confusion over the combined start. They deserve thanks.

And, for the record we are still in favor of the combined start concept, The Sydney to Hobart race with 100 boats from 30 to 100 feet is a combined start. It's more fun, more challenging allows more time sailing, is better practice for the fleet and makes the overall standings more meaningful. It also gives the faster boats from B and C some boat-to-boat competition with the smaller boats from the next class. All good things.

[Admin - Bob Adams]

I just noticed this undated statement at the bottom of the Windjammers.org front page.

"The Pierce Regatta results are pending a redress hearing. We have extended the deadline for filing for redress. Please send requests by email to Steve Hackett at: sbhack59 “at” aol.com. Steve is currently away. A hearing will be held in about 10 days when he returns. Thank you for your patience."

Since this notice had no date on it, I don't have any idea when the hearing will be held. I'll email Steve and see if I can get any info on it.

[Admin - Bob Adams]

I just saw this over on the Windjammers.org website:

"The Pierce Regatta results are pending a redress hearing which was held 12 June. Final results along with the redress hearing decision will be posted shortly. Thank you for your patience."

[Admin - Bob Adams]

Final results posted here:

windjammers.org/WSC_Pierce_2007_Final_results.htm

Both the B-Class and C-Class results were discarded by the hearing committee's decision. The A-class and D-class results stand.

[spirit]

I raced the NYYC regatta in Newport a couple of weeks ago. The R/C would make a sound signal then explain in detail, on the VHF, what that sound was for AND what the next sound would BE for. Should I find myself doing R/C I will do the same. I just have to find a british guy to do it. Or a french girl..ya thats it.
If anyone has a problem with it say so now.