Lakewood Yacht Club's 28th Annual Harvest Moon Regatta?

[Andrea]

[Andrea]

This year the Bacardi fleets have separate classes and trophies for Heavy Displacement boats (Bacardi OakHeart) and for Sport Boats (Bacardi Superior), so the ever popular Bacardi Cup will go to a light to moderate displacement racer cruiser or cruiser racer.  We will also recognize an over all Harvest Moon monohull fleet winner, based on corrected time... this will incorporate all monohulls, including the cruisers and non-spin boats. 
Port Aransas is more popular than ever, so we may have to enforce a 200 boat limit, unless more space becomes available.  We are already half way there, with just over 100 registrations, so don't delay.   www.harvestmoonregatta.com

[Andrea]

The Safety and Navigation Roundtable is Saturday, September 13th beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Lakewood Yacht Club ballroom.  If you are doing the rum race in the afternoon, stop by and catch some of the morning's program or check out the new Gill UV long sleeve T shirts which will be on sale in the ballroom foyer until 10:30 a.m.

[Andrea]

Each Crew Member and Skipper will receive a 16 oz tumbler with travel lid for use during the race.
Register before 5 pm on September 21 to avoid a late fee

[Jeff K]

We are having a hard time finding adult life jackets that have the (HMR) required legs straps. Can someone send us a link to what they are doing?

Tkanks, Jeff

[B_K]

Google

NRS PFD Leg Straps

[Emmett715]

This was an issue while preparing for this past Newport-Bermuda race. A list of add-on kits was passed around. These are good for attaching to the webbing of an inflatable type life jacket.

Mustang Leg Strap Assembly
Landfall   #SMA3032       $39.95
Defender   Item   550462 $49.99

Universal Deluxe Thigh Straps - West Marine   Model No   13928593
WMPFD#WM-DIS      $34.99

SOSpenders PFD Crotch/Thigh Strap      Model# G339ACC
Landfall   #SSACS List      Price   $19.95
      
Spinlock   Leg/Thigh   Straps      (Standard   equipment   on   all   Spinlock   Deckvests)
DW-DTS/L ? Crotch Strap for Deckvest Lite - $20.00
DW-DTS/2 ? Crotch/Thigh Strap for the Deckvest - $40.00

As far as I know, you can not stitch your own strap to a life jacket without voiding the Coast Guard approval.

Most new Type I lifejackets should come equipped with the straps. I personally recommend having a set that complies, plus add on straps for the crew's inflatables. For our 4 1/2 days of drifting it was nice to have a life jacket without having to wear the crotch straps at a whopping 1/4 knot of boat speed.

[Keith]

Yes making leg straps mandatory but hearing everyone talk about how much beer they drank on the race.... Priceless.

[Jeff K]

Perfect, thanks guys!

Yep Keith, we are just trying to be legal.

We all have expense and comfortable racing life jackets but have never heard of the crotch crimpers!

[Bee]

Fortunately for me there is not enough left down there to crimp.

[Stellar of Course]

I guess I missed the requirement for these leg straps. Where is this mentioned in the HMR rules??

Ron E

[Tye Dyed Gary]

On the LYC web site Harvest Moon go to Early Planning. Under Enter the Race, #2 Special Equipment Requirement.  It refers to US Safety Equipment Requirements 3.1.1 you will find the crouch strap requirement.

[Gladden]

Andrea, et. al.,

The latest divisions of fleets seems odd and not fair.  The cruising spin fleet has the faster boats not competing against each other but spread out to compete against LYC boats that have handicaps virtually guarantying them adjusted time wins.
Division A,B and D have six boats each.  Division C only has four boats and the most dramatic handicap spread i.e. sixty-nine seconds per mile, handicap for the LYC boat!

You originally grouped similarly rated boats together and that seemed most fair.  Otherwise this year?s race awards seem to have been won at past PHRF committee meetings and LYC race committee discussions.

Greg Gladden
CHIRON

[Andrea]

US Sailing decided, in its great wisdom, to do away with the ISAF Special Regulations and create its own new "Simplified" Special Equipment Requirements.  The beloved crotch strap requirement comes from there.   Some of their other requirements, when taken literally, are even more onerous.  We hope all skippers will exercise some common sense in making their boats safe and comfortable.  Our inspectors are not looking to weed out competitors on technicalities...which is why competitors are not able to protest on safety requirements.... We are only looking for the guy, or gal, who says "Safety be Damned!  Win at any cost."

[Stellar of Course]

My crotch straps came by UPS today, we are now officially safe.

Ron E