GBCA Discussion Forum

  I am not against ORC being added to some regattas, but it should be administered as designed. That means accurate wind readings to adjust for the correct rating for each given race. It should not be a replacement for PHRF (as flawed as it is).
  As for the Racer/Cruiser class, it has its place but not the way it was designed for the Rum Races a short while back. The over/under of sail area vs displacement was too arbitrary, it forced me to sail against boats with two and three time the waterline and sail area.
  As for the cruising club handy cap. I agree it is a good way to get novice sailors into racing. But, it should only be for a limited time (say 2 years at most) and it should be adjusted after each race/regatta as designed by J. Kevin Box. If you placed in say a Rum Race, your rating was adjusted down, or if you came in last it was adjusted up. Forcing you to be a better racing sailor and learn the rules and tactics.     

  I got mine via USPS, but because you are on the west side of Houston, yours' may be tied up in the sorting machine change over. They started with the north side sorting center first.
  USPS pulled out there sorting machines at the main sorting centers to replace with larger ones. The new larger sorting machines are to large for the centers. They are having to knock out walls and reconfigure the buildings to get the new machines into the centers. According to press releases they are about a month behind on getting packages sorted, and out in the west side center.   

Never mind it is phrfgb.org
Not .com

  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.

My bad PHRF for J22 is 174 not 146  loose index finger.

  Why does the J22's have two different start times? The PHRF is 146.
ORC is 11:40+
PHRF is 11;46+
Thanks Gary

  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.

  I would personally rather see the Sailing Instructions. This has always been a nonregistered event so NOR's are not needed. 

  I listened in on the informal skippers meeting with the purpose of explaining ORC rating system. I found it very informative, with a serious effort to explain and clarify the ORC rating system. SOO, now please post links to the different web sites that were referenced during discussion.

  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.   

  This is very unclear. "Head down to (what??) Head back up to CCC buoy #14. 
   If this is going to be an addendum to the WNR's SI,s, it needs a little more information.
See you Wednesday on the lake. 

  After looking at an overlay of the new oyster reef being built off Bay Cliff/San Leon, the coordinates for GBCA marker "J" is just in it, on the southern edge. Maybe it can be moved into Clear Lake for the summer and used as mark "L".  And we go back to day mark 8 for the summer Rum Races, until construction is finished and we know a safe place for "J". Just a thought.

  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.