GBCA Discussion Forum

  What is going on with PHRFGB.com. every time I try to log in it says the site is not secure and does not connect to the site. It also happens when I try to go through the GBCA helpful links.

  The calendar has the first Fall Series scheduled for Oct. 21st. So where is the Notice of Race and/or registration?

  I have registered for RR#7 PHRF Spin. BECAUSE the powers in charge have moved the start times later these past few years, and my boat does Not have lights, I have been forced to forgo some of the races or start an hour or so early. My plan for next week is to start early so I can make it back to the dock before dark. If anyone has an objection to me starting early, PLEASE take it up with the BoD's, they are the ones that have decided to exclude us small boat racers from this series/event by moving the start time, that forces finishes after dark.
  I prorate/adjust my finish time so it is corrected and falls in line with the other racers.
 
  A few years back we had 8 to 10 J-22's doing the Rum Races. Then we were thrown in with the A-Kite boats in a mostly off wind race, and then the times were moved back, finishing us after dark.     

  The SI's say you are using US Sailing, Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024. I noticed that an arbitrary time is being given to boats that did not race. Also boats that missed a race are given a place equal to or less them the boats registered.
  I don't know how to explain the arbitrary time, and how it is factored in the scoring. BUT, according to RRofS 21/24, Appendix A Scoring A5.3 boats that did not come to the starting area shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of boats entered in the series.

  I know I edited the rule some to simplify my point and drop wording that does not apply, because I am not referring to boats that showed up and did not start or finish, or sailed the wrong course, just boats that did not show up on a given evening.

  Today I, got an email announcing the addition of the ORC class, with an informal skippers meeting on June 1st. While you are making changes to the Rum Races SI's, make one or two more changes. Drop the over and under Square/Sail area for the two PHRF spinnaker classes. Go back to similar spinnakers race against similar spinnakers, ei. A-kites against A-kites and Symmetrical kites against Symmetrical kites. The Rum Races are mostly an off wind race that favors A-kites. And everyone knows the two different types of spinnakers have very different aspect of sail that do not match up well.
  I will give you the over/under sq./sail area was an interesting experiment, but it's time to drop it as it is an unfair advantage to one sail design over the other, depending on the wind direction.

Also, move the start time back. Last year with the later start times, I was not able to do several Rum Races because my finish would be after sunset. My boat does not have lights as many small race boats. It is almost like you don't want us small boat racers out competing.     

  May faverable winds fill your sails.   

  Where is the site/link to register for the 2023 WNR's? There is nothing in Regatta Network or on the GBCA web page.
(I personally will be in and out of the area for the next few months, but would like to get my boat registered so my crew can enjoy racing.) 
Thank you again for putting on this stress release event.

  I checked the GBCA calendar and found the fallowing.
10/29 Fall series #1
11/12 Fall series #2
12/03 Fall series #3/ Chili Chase
  I went to Regatta Network and could not find them listed. It may be time to start thinking about the NOR's.

  While standing around finishing our beers/rum drinks and discussing how to save the world from Mars invaders, we also talked about what we liked and disliked about WNR's.
1. Everyone liked to simple format of down the lake and back.
2. The final fleet groupings seemed to work the best.
3. Going to GMT corrected start time made the most since.
4. Everyone thought the Markbot was a good idea but was ahead of it's time and needed tweaking.
5. Some thought that some boats from other fleets/starts may have interfered with their race strategy.
6. To a person everyone said they had FUN and enjoyed the simplicity of how the races were run.

Thank you WNR's race committee for a great job.     

  Because of lightning in the approaching storm last night, the J22 fleet decided to bale and head back to the safety of the marina. That became a race in its own right, with crossing and lead changes. So in the interest of finish scoring, this is the results at the crane.
1. 368 Allie Cribbs
2. 578 Gary Thies
3. 35   Brant Koepke
4. 892 Walter Caldwell
5. 878 Tom Meeh ### In a sling therefore scored last for unfair advantage.   

  Many times this season "Markus" time has not corresponded with corrected GMT time. It has been off by as much as 10 minutes or as the past 2 weeks 35 seconds and 20 seconds. Many of us ether have GPS synchronized watches or insures there timing is synced with GMT. This has caused crowding around the mark-bot to adjust our start clocks. Maybe for the last series or next season, we use GPS time, where "Markus" just gives us the start order. and is the end of the start line.
  We, start the sequence at 1815 per SI's and each start is 3 minutes apart only without "Markus" doing a time check. First start 1818, Second start 1821, Third start 1824, and Fourth start 1827.
  This could lead to less crowding around Markus before the start and simplify programing "Markus".
ANYWAY, thank you to the race committee for doing a great job, and keeping everything sorted out.     

  Got my email copy of the Cannon this morning. It states that the first race is May 21st. With this being 13 days from this posting, the big question is where is the SI's?   We need time to find something to complain about.
  Also, good to see the new "J" Mark. Looking forward to going back to the original course.      Tongue in Cheek,, can we have a pool on who will be the first to snag it with there keel or rudder?       

  After a VERY (less then 4ft.) close call with a power boat last year, near the committee boat, I started watching power boats a little closer. I noticed that around 9 out of 10 power boats head south of the Clear Creek Channel once they clear markers 7/8, this includes the Boardwalk Beast. This puts most of the boats that come out to race in direct line with power boaters.
   I know it would require redrawing a few race courses, that have been used for a couple of years, ei. The J.Kevin Box Conundrum, this years Bay Cup I, and a few other distance races.
   But, with all the extra wording that has been added to the SI's in the past few years, ( insurance, life jacket, waivers etc) this would be a simple fix for a little more safety of separating racers from a majority of power boats.       

  I go into the document link for the J. Kevin Box Conundrum Regatta, Notice of Race, and the title is "2022 Performance Cup Regatta". The instructions are for the Conundrum Regatta, but the title is for another regatta.
  You may want to fix that to avoid confusion. 

  In the Cannon dated Feb.7th, it was stated, that Wednesday Night Racing would begin April 6th and the kickoff party would be April 30th, ( I think that was a misprint). Anyway, with six weeks to the first race, should there be a Notice of Race and Registration, coming out soon?
 
     

  I understand that fewer boats are turning out for round the buoys races. But why a complete change in format and major separation of the two races that have for years been considered one regatta with two formats? And most of all why throw them in with the cluster mess of a Rum Race? Every Singlehanded / Mixed Doubles regatta that I have helped run or been in have been run on a single weekend and have been windward / leeward around dropped marks.
  I understand that this regatta was not run last year because of restrictions, but that should not have mint that the memorandum of purpose or deed of gift should be ignored. If the board wanted to make changes to MoP or DoG, there is a simple procedure that involves bringing it before the membership. When I left as recording secretary, there was a file of all the Deeds of Gifts and Memorandums of Purpose, that covered all the regattas. The Rum Race did not have one, as it was an evolving format to try and get people, down to their boats on Friday evening, later changed to Saturday, to increase participation.   
  On a side note, I have not been in a single Rum Race this year that I have not been fouled, in some cases having to crash tack to avoid being t-boned by someone on port tack and at mark rounding's. The R/R states it is run under the 2021-2024 RRS, but it would be nice if more then a handful of participants actually read and understood the rules.         

  On July 31, HYC will be holding the Catherine Spiller Regatta, and August 1, the Fairfax Moody Regatta. Here is an idea to avoid having to have these boats sail down to the Clear Creek channel after a day of racing, and a return trip possibly after dark to do the next days race, and still do the Rum Race.
  Allow those boats from the HYC regattas to start between, Low Range marker "E" and HSC marker 73. When they get to Clear Creek channel they round CCC marker "2" to port, sail to mark "E", round to port and record their time when the pass between "E" and "73".
  They would fallow all the requirements of the SI"s including the start times, except the one leg separation on the starts.
  I don't know if any of the women crewed boats would show up, BUT we would at least be reaching out to them for this one time.   

  Just flipped over the GBCA calendar for June, and noticed that "The J. Kevin Box Conundrum Regatta" is scheduled for June 19th. I went into Regatta Network and found that registration cut off is 1700 June 14th.
  I know there are other events planned and scheduled before then, but shouldn't this event be on the web site home page with a link to register, or a notice of postponement with a reschedule date.

  Last night, I got an email from John. Registration is now open at http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/21952
They are also looking for help setting out the marks before the races.

  The NOR's for the Performance Cup 2021are up. But when you try to register, and go to select your registration, you can only get Registration Fee (Late). Can this be corrected as we are over two months out from the regatta and definitely not in the late registration time frame.   

  This is something everyone that has anything to do on or around the waters of Clear Lake / Clear Creek needs to respond to. While it effects us sailors, it also effects all boating and will cause severe devastation to the sport / commercial fishing. I know we don't think about it, but Clear Creek and its estuary system is one of the most productive fish nurseries on the Gulf Coast. This proposed Flood Wall, Gate and Pumps will limit Fall spawning and chew up the fingerlings in the pumps in the Spring.
  While I, am more into sailing than fishing, I do enjoy eating fresh seafood at the local restaurants. This project will effect them as well.
  As we all know, this project had to be thought up by someone who does not understand water flow. A flood up stream does not mean an instant flood down stream. That flood up stream will flow like a rat through a snake, working its way down stream.
  The houses this project is trying to protect were built in a floodplain, and will eventually be flooded. We can not control Mother Nature, (Harvey and every hurricane has proved that).