On line registration is now open. Go to the Enter the Race page of the HarvestMoonRegatta.com website for the Notice of Race and the link to the registration.
New for 2010 is voluntary race tracking on a TrackLeaders.com website. All boats who provide a "Spot" link can be tracked on a single web page.
Also new for 2010, the Cruising with Spinnaker Fleet will be limited to poleless assymmetric spinnakers, or symmetric spinnakers using a tacker device; no spinnaker poles will be used in the cruising fleets.
Light weight racers will race in the Bacardi fleet using ORC Club handicapping. Heavier racer-cruisers can compete for the Bacardi Cup with an ORC Club certificate, or they may opt to compete for division trophies only, using a PHRF based rating assigned by the race committee.
The entry fee remains at $125, with a 10% discount to US Sailing members. Hope to see everyone in Port Aransas for the party!!!!
Just curious, what happened to the PHRF spinnaker class? Looks like it's poleless or ORC for LYC offshore races.
We have not had a PHRF spinnaker fleet in at least five years, since ORC was adopted for the Bacardi Cup. You are thinking of the Cruising Spinnaker fleet.
Two years ago we divided the cruising spinnaker fleet into two groups: Poleless, and otherwise. The creation of the poleless division encouraged several competitors to graduate into the cruising spinnaker fleet from the non spin fleet, and we want to encourage this progression, as these cruisers ultimately move onto more racing. Over the last few years we have had several racers drop into the cruising spinnaker fleet, causing much grumbling among the cruisers for whom Harvest Moon was, they tell me, originally created. After a J/105 won the overall cruising spinnaker trophy, it was time to move the racer/cruiser types and light racers out of the cruising fleet. They are now being offered a subdivision of the ORC fleet.
True racer/cruisers (sail area to displacement under 20) can choose to race in a racer/cruiser division, and use their PHRF based cruising ratings for division trophies, or they can enter an ORC Club division. If they have an ORC Club certificate, they can compete for the overall Bacardi trophy. Light racers and sport boats must race ORC Club.
The Roundtable is this Saturday, beginning at 8:30 in the Lakewood ballroom. Topics include crew prep, boat prep, racing rules, and several other topics of interest to new cruisers and old hands. Bacardi has again donated an "Early Bat" prize that will be raffled to one lucky skipper who has registered (and paid) to race.
We have a limited number of SPOTS available on line to rent for the race. We are also using Smart phone tracking via Moostrax. The Smart phones won't be reliable once you get away from the shore based antennas, but it will give us some coverage for those who do not have a SPOT available.
Saturday will be a tax free day for regatta merchandise, so it is a good time to come by and check out the new Tees, polos, and Columbias that arrive Thursday. Doors will open by 8 am Saturday so you can get some shopping in before the program starts.
This program is open to the public, so if you can't come, send your navigator or newbee crew.
Registrations are still flowing in; it looks like we should have a good turnout. We still have a few SPOT locators available for rent through the on line store at only $40, so if you have not made the decision to purchase one, but would still like to try it out, this is a great opportunity to share the race with your family and friends around the world.
Our theme is the Quest for Jean Laffite's Treasure, which is rumored to be buried on Mustand Island, so get out your treasure maps and your pirate gear. There will be champagne at the finish line, weather permitting (if our delivery vessels don't turn into emergency towing or docking assist vehicles.)
Andrea can you clarify the classes that are competing for the Bacardi Cup. Are both the light weight racers in the Bacardi fleet and the heavier racer-cruisers competing for the Bacardi Cup with an ORC Club certificate. Also if you do not use ORC in the racer cruiser fleet are you competing for a fleet trophy also.
Boats in the Racer-Cruiser division will use their PHRF based cruising ratings to compete for division trophies. They will not be competing for a fleet trophy unless they provide an ORC Club certificate and compete for the Bacardi Cup.
(http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/2791/HMR2010Logoquarter.jpg)Sunday, Oct. 3 is the cutoff for registration at $125 (10% discount to US Sailing members). The late fee kicks in after 5pm. We are at 199 paid right now. I expect to see 225 by the time we are done.
Check out our live race tracking website.http://trackleaders.com/harvest (http://trackleaders.com/harvest)
(http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/2791/SPOT1.jpg)We have Spots available for rent again in our on line store. http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_storefront.php?regatta_id=2791&clear_session=1 (http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_storefront.php?regatta_id=2791&clear_session=1) If you are going to participate in on line race tracking, don't forget to send me a photo of your boat.
SPOT registration link for tie in with trackleaders.com:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dFRaeGpsQk00eUdTZVUxWmJCY1pXeGc6MQ (https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dFRaeGpsQk00eUdTZVUxWmJCY1pXeGc6MQ)
I noticed in the form there is a smart phone option. I guess that's better than nothing until you get past Freeport where you lose cell coverage. Has anyone tried out/played with the phone option?
I have used it on my IPhone. You can see my tracks on the website. It is nothing like having a Spot and it burns through the batteries in about four hours, but our thought is that it is free and as boats get near the finish and within cell phone coverage, we may be able to see them.
It is very hard to schedule the docking committee when we have no clue where the fleet is. This year, with nearly a hundred people out of 226 boats sharing their SPOTs we will be in better shape to handle them.
There was one fellow who had Spot send me his spot link, but he did not fill out the form so I have no idea who he is or what boat he is on or how to contact him. So when "Robert" says he is disappointed because his track is not included, tell him to fill out the form so we know who he is.
No system is perfect. As most of us know, the trackers have their limitations.
They work best pointed at the sky, unobstructed.
Other things: The Gen1 SPOT default to 2 hours tracking after 24 hours, you have to re-cycle them to get the 10-30 minutes update mode (if you paid for that upgrade). On the SPOT Gen1 that's two blinking lights.
SPOTS and various trackers do allow RC to sleep in a little, but on the flip side you'll still get the calls from Aunt Jane in Topeka when the tracker doesn't check in frequently enough.
If you do own a tracking system, don't just blindly send friends and family a link.
It's also your responsibility to tell them the limitations of the system!
aka. they don't work like a cell phone! ::)
Figaro wishes all GBCA sailors a great race and a safe return!
GW
Traditionally GBCA sailors do very well this race AND win the party.
Sail safe and see you in Port A!
How's the fleet doing? Looks like its been a beating. Hope no one was hurt nor too much damage involved.
It's pretty windy down here. Busy night on the VHF.
I'd like to thank the Race committee for their insight. Stinger didn't have a prayer of winning the Commodore's Cup again this year. ;D
One of the more amazing posts I have seen. Always nice to know that there is a difference between wind conditions, currents, and other such stuff.
Any news on results?
They should be accessible on regattanetwork.com until our webmaster has a chance to add a link
There are no results listed any where that i have been able to find and i have searched many sites. Nothing!
http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=2791&show_divisions=1 (http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=2791&show_divisions=1)
see the results archive tab
Nice Youtube video/helmet cam of 'Kenai' a J44. Thanks Sponge!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzQOkfN8YZg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzQOkfN8YZg)
Notice in the beginning the seas are relatively calm...boy did that change after the sunset!
Here's the SPOT tracker race replay
http://vimeo.com/16145615 (http://vimeo.com/16145615)
Warning ? KATANA( Hunter 34) hit a sixteen foot, mostly submerged log, at least a foot round as we exit the first lock at the Brazos river. It was about 5:30 AM Monday morning we were just exiting the first lock and the current was moving fast and the boat lifted about 6 inch up then down, then up and down again then the motor came to a sudden stop, I could see about 2 foot of a log sticking out the port side just in front of the rudder. We were then pushed by about a 14 or more knot wind to the south side of the locks against a work barge. Were spent about an hour trying to remove the log with a rope and a long spiked pole(supplied by the lock master), we free the log and then were towed the Freeport were I dove under the boat and found a big dent in the rudder, and was bent back about an inch, and also the cutlass bearing support was damaged. KATANA is how waiting in Freeport to be hauled out.
Quote from: Terry Young on October 26, 2010, 09:38:23 AM
Warning ? KATANA( Hunter 34) hit a sixteen foot, mostly submerged log?
Scary! I hope no one was hurt!
Congrats to all on making the trip down the coast to Port A. this year! -certainly wasn't the easiest HMR blast down the coast that I've been part of but it sure could have been a whole lot worse.
Looking back on it I'd say it really wasn't that bad. I know that around 3:00 a.m. Thursday night I was probably singing a bit different tune however. -no good being drenched in salt water for 12 hours let alone 24!
Having only sailed Banjo Girl for 30 minutes on Tuesday since re-rigging her amongst numerous other repairs, improvements and changes before the regatta. The HMR was to be our shake down. - guess I can now check that off the list. I sure didn't intend to sail her that hard but for the most part things went well. Only real issue was rebuilding the shifter / throttle mechanism in the prior to getting in to starting sequence. -good thing that I carry at least 100# of tools and an electric drill on board, a standard requirement I guess when you sail a 40 year old boat.
The sail home on the otherhand was absolutely wonderful. A nice breeze on the quarter with only a moderate sea. I think I'll go on the record with saying it was pretty much idyllic. Cold Beer, bbq grill working and just a great sail! Listening to all the radio chatter on the VHF coming from the ICW made me even more grateful the crew was ready to go offshore again.
Thanks to Payton, Chris, David, Howard and Susie for sailing Banjo Girl with me in this years race.
Here's my video of the ORC start from Millennium Express. Lots of fun right at the pin :o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Bz1soysI8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Bz1soysI8)
A nice write-up/video on the event on the J120 Aeolus.
Thanks to Keith Magnussen of Ullman sails, first time HMR.
See the 10/25/10 blog. Even GBCA is mentioned!
http://ullmansailsnewportbeach.blogspot.com/2010/10/every-october-hundreds-of-boats-in.html (http://ullmansailsnewportbeach.blogspot.com/2010/10/every-october-hundreds-of-boats-in.html)
Video (updated)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO1hlNlZnk0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO1hlNlZnk0)
Thanks Chris wonderfull time with the regatta and everyone I had a chance to sail with and meet.
Try this link for the YouTube, they blocked my Frank Sinatra songs on the first version ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO1hlNlZnk0
My shaken and on Friday sometimes stirred photographs are at:
http://www.pbase.com/gtrinklein/hmr2010 (http://www.pbase.com/gtrinklein/hmr2010)
Slide Show:
http://www.pbase.com/gtrinklein/hmr2010&view=slideshow (http://www.pbase.com/gtrinklein/hmr2010&view=slideshow)
More HMR on the Sailing Anarchy http://www.sailinganarchy.com/index_page1.php