GBCA Discussion Forum

Quote from: Jeff K on February 25, 2016, 08:26:05 AM
When I was given the great job of tracking the PHRF boat of the year scoring three years ago, I saw that it was really just a participation award. I was also told, that was the intent but I didn't like that answer. So I actually spent a decent amount of time taking the results of six major regattas on the bay and comparing them to the participation award winners. I mean no disrespect to the previous phrf boat of the year winners because I'm one of them. My idea was to take the winners (w/l spin & non-spin, distance spin & non-spin) of those six regattas and have a 1 day phrf championship race off. Consisting of one distance race and one w/l race for the spin and non-spin classes. It would be sponsored by the phrf board along with a different club each year. You could easily add the one design winners and make it a Bay Championship.   

The idea was voted down because of some good arguments. Where are you going to stick another race day in at the end of the year, volunteers for RC, what if the guy with the most wins can't make that one day regatta and / or what if a guy with 6 regatta wins lost the race off to a guy with one regatta win?

Personally I like the idea of a Galveston Bay Championship Regatta but there would be some problems that would need to be worked out.

I like that idea. Do it the first weekend in December when the weather is still pretty nice (usually) and there's not much going on. I'll volunteer to organize the Race Committee (people, equipment and boats). The only change I would make to what you suggest is make it 2 days instead of one. A one day championship leaves no flexibility for a lack of wind. You would hate to crown a Bay Champion based on a 4 knot floater.

To clarify, I never said Symmetrical boats couldn't be competitive with the Asyms on the bay.

On a Windward Leeward course the Asyms should have no advantage whatsoever. It's all very hypothetical at this point because there are so few Symmetricals in that rating band, and Race Committees split them apart, which to Kevin's original point makes no sense. And as I understand it there is no longer a rating hit for a boat with a conventional pole to fly an Asym off it, so a J35 (as an example) could carry an Asym for when the wind goes light, fly a Symmetrical off the pole when the wind is up and running deep and probably have an advantage over the sprit boats.

Again, all very hypothetical on Galveston Bay in 2016.

If the participation numbers are already down, splitting those limited numbers doesn't make much sense and it doesn't encourage the fleets to grow.

If someone was thinking of buying an old J35 or something similar to race around here, they would be crazy to do it, there's nobody to race against. You will never race against the J109's or the J105's, even the 1D35 that's coming back is going to have a sprit. So, if someone is inclined to spend 60-100K on a raceboat with an interior (which used to be the core of the racing scene on Galveston Bay), I don't know what you would buy and who you would race against.

And I'll go one more than the Sprit/Non-Sprit/Aftermarket Sprit class breaks, is it more fun for anyone to have 3 boat One Design Classes? That just isn't enough boats to be tactically interesting or provide lead changes, tight mark roundings, competitive starts, etc.

It would be nice to see if just one-time a year every 30+ footer on the bay with a PHRF rating between 40-100 in a Windward Leeward class together. Score a sub-class for the 105's and anyone else with 3 or more boats so they get their 1 Design recognition. You may actually see 10 big boats in a class for the first time in a decade and I know it would be fun.

In summary, big fleets are fun, encourage big fleets, not small ones.

Oh, and if getting PHRF ratings on one-offs and modified boats is tough, let them sail windward leewards against each other in a range of conditions. You will eventually get the data points to get better ratings. Never letting them race against each other just exacerbates the problem.

Marc

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/myrtlebeachonline/obituary.aspx?n=charles-holdorf&pid=176762020&fhid=4143

Wow. 15-20knots and cancelled.

Just saw Marvin Beckman is one of the finalists for the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award. That is a huge award and being a finalist is of itself a great accomplishment and well deserved. Congratulations, Marvin and good luck winning the watch.

Yeah, I have to agree with the Peanut Gallery based on the limited info provided by the pictures. It looks pretty light-air and assuming Captain Kidd does not have it's motor in gear, I can't imagine how long it would take for that tub to alter course significantly in what looks like no more than 8 knots of wind (which is probably being generous, 6 may be more like it). I mean, you would probably lose a protest on that one against another competitor for not giving ample opportunity to keep clear. I would think it prudent to provide a boat not racing with even greater opportunity, especially something as heavy and under canvassed as that thing.

As an aside I would suggest that it is impolite at best to post highly selective pics (why not post the pics of you in mid-gybe to at least offer the proper context?) of an incident that both boats are probably at fault for with the intention of damaging a man's lively-hood. But that's just me.

I like the idea of a true series, multiple races over three different dates. I hope it gets a big turnout.

The Texas Navy Trophy should be scored differently. As it stands now you can win the trophy without doing the two offshore triangles. If TRW is scored as one event in a series and the two triangles scored as separate events with no throw-outs there is incentive to do all three events.

And I don't think 20 mile daytime races should count equally to 100+ mile overnights.

Participation in the offshore triangles dropped dramatically after the scoring of the Texas Navy Trophy was changed around 8 years ago. I think that the prestige of the trophy also subsided when that happened. It's probably beyond reviving now, but I applaud any efforts in that direction.

Now that the Freeport Municipal Marina is open, maybe someone should look into next year scheduling the HYC & LYC Spring offshores into a distance race to Freeport one weekend, leave the boats at the marina for a week and then do a return distance race the following week.

Something has to be done differently. The present situation is depressing to watch.

"What would Judge Smails do?" I like that a lot.

Marc

I have to say, that HYC distance course is a very good race course.

We hopped in it at the last minute when no PHRF B materialized, just thinking we would sail around the bay with friends like a rum race. It turned out to be a much more interesting course than I ever expected. The 8.5- 9.0 miles, were almost half Windward Leewards with 5 or 6 mark roundings, the legs were short enough to keep things interesting, the mix of boats meant that even the reaching legs involved opportunities to pass, or defend your weather hip. We had a few jibe sets, a sale change or two mid-leg. The long weather leg off the start put a premium on starts and upwind tactics. The long downwind leg to finish provided the chance to work the angles and puffs. All of this while sailing in the relatively flat water and little trafficked far upper bay off HYC.

I recommend that as a nice change of pace if you ever want to do something different. From a race management perspective it may not be completely crazy to do that course sometime as 1 race of a regatta otherwise made up of WL races, since it can be sailed in under 2 hours with any kind of wind.

Marc

A less than shining moment from yesterdays festivities.

Oh, and thanks to Ed Christie at C&C Sailmakers for providing the sail material for the boats.

You'll be racing with brand new Kevlar sails.

The race course is built (Thanks a bunch Simon) and everything is ready to go.

We've arranged for parking across the street behind the Petsmart on Shepard.

Texans game starts at Noon.

Texas Raingutter Regatta starts at 2PM

Come early for Hubcap Grill's new burger truck. Houston Chronicle says they're the best burger in the city.

$1 beers and Mt Gay Rum specials

Prizes from

Sur La Table
Truluck's
Tony Mandola's
Houston Rockets Tickets
Houston Aeros Tickets
Classic Cafe
And Many More

I can think of no better way to spend a wet and rainy Sunday.

Bobby Mac and I are putting on a Rain-Gutter Regatta this Sunday in Houston as part of a party/fundraiser we are sponsoring to support HLS&R youth scholarships. Everyone is welcome to attend and you'll find the NOR below.

What is a Rain-Gutter Regatta? you may be asking yourself. It's a bit hard to explain, but here's a great video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uykq0cSzveQ

Simon Thomas has been nice enough to build the race course and we're ready to go.

Texas Rain-Gutter Regatta
Notice of Race

Sunday November 14, 2010
The Vintage Lounge
2108 Kipling
Houston [/u]
ORGANIZING AUTHORITY[/b]

Texas Rain-Gutter Racing Class (AKA Bobby McNaughton & Marc Holdaway)

RULES

Rules will be announced verbally prior to racing

ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY

Up to 10 Boats/Teams may enter on a first come first serve basis with registration beginning at Noon. There is no entry fee.

SCHEDULE

Noon: Registration begins and bar opens (not entirely coincidentally)
1PM-3PM: Build kits will be released to participating teams. Teams have until the start of racing to design and build their boats.

2PM: Race Course opens for Tank-Testing and practice. This step is highly encouraged to ensure the sea-worthiness of your yacht. If your yacht exhibits dog-like tendencies there is still time to make modifications.

Immediately following the Texans victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars (Approximately 3PM): Racing begins.

YACHT DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Each team (four crew to a team) will be given an identical kit to design and build a racing yacht whose hull conforms to the following box rule:

LOA: Not to exceed 8?
Beam: Not to exceed 3?
Draft: Not to exceed 1.5?

Only materials supplied in the kit can be used to construct a competing yacht. Only tools supplied by the Organizing Authority can be used to construct a competing yacht.

FORMAT

Racing will be a round-robin format. Upon completion of the round robin round, the top four teams will sail a semi-final and then final series to determine the winner.

INFORMATION

For further information contact Marc Holdaway at mholdawa@yahoo.com.