GBCA Discussion Forum

Preliminary results for Icicle 3 are posted.
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016%20Icicle%20Series%20Results.pdf

Please send me corrections if something is not right.
I am still waiting for Cruising Club fleet times before publishing all the finishers in that class, so please send them to me if you sailed. I know there are a few out there who said they would e-mail them.

Thanks for sailing yesterday!
Bob H.

Preliminary Results  for race 2 are posted:
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016%20Icicle%20Series%20Results.pdf
Cruising club times for race 1 are available:
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016Icicle2Cruisingclasstimes.pdf

If there's an error please let me know ASAP so I can correct it. (Send me an E-mail or text)
Please provide any missing cruising club fleet time to me also.
Thanks,
-Bob H.

The reason we collect the times for the Cruising club is so we can adjust the handicaps after the races.
Other fleets are not required to record times, and it's a lot of work to compile it. If someone can collect times from the other fleets and provide them to me, I'll post them.

GBCA received this recently and if you have an interest in other handicapping systems, you may find it worthwhile to attend.
-Bob H.


To: All Sailors and PHRF Certificate Holders


The Galveston Bay PHRF Committee invites you to a discussion of rating rule options and a presentation of the Offshore Racing Congress'  "ORC Club Rule"

We are pleased to have Mr. Dobbs Davis of Annapolis Md. make the presentation and lead any discussion of various rules.

Dobbs, who is the head of ORC's promotion and development, is a well known professional sailor, having participated in virtually all  of the worlds major races. He is an International Measurer for multiple rules;  a prominent journalist, and a popular  panel moderator.

The purpose of this gathering is not to replace PHRF, as there will always be a PHRF fleet on Galveston Bay, but to offer information providing options for a scientific and more precise method of handicapping and scoring races for those who so desire.

U.S. Sailing has recently reached an agreement with ORC to administer their rules in the US, and issue their Certificates upon receiving the minimal confirming measurements done locally.

Please plan to join us on:

Wednesday  January 27                         Lakewood Yacht Club
Refreshments beginning at 6 PM           Presentation at 6:30 PM
       

Preliminary Results  for race 1 are posted:
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016%20Icicle%20Series%20Results.pdf
Cruising club times for race 1 are available:
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016Icicle1Cruisingclasstimes.pdf

If there's an error please let me know ASAP so I can correct it. (Send me an E-mail or text)
-Bob H.

Here we are, in SE Texas, and the Sailboat racing continues!
The 2016 Icicle Races, sponsored by Cruzan Rum are starting in January!
Please thank Cruzan for again sponsoring the races!

This will serve as a virtual Skippers' meeting.

The Sailing Instructions are posted here:
http://gbca.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/2016%20Icicle%20Series%20Sailing%20Instructions.pdf

Changes from last year are noted as Red text in the SI's. The most significant changes or things to be reminded of are below:

1. The instructions about luffing other boats ARE GONE. The normal 2016 RRS apply here.
Play nicely with each other, don't force anyone into a steel and concrete range mark and don't hit anyone, (or anyone's boat.)

2. We're subdividing the spinnaker sprit class: Spinnaker Factory Sprit and Spinnaker Aftermarket Sprit. It's spelled out in the SI's. The three Spin fleets will have three separate flags. This is an experiment. If you own a aftermarket Sprit boat, please get your fellow sailors to come out so we know there's interest. If there isn't enough interest, we may be obliged to go back to the 2015 divisions for the Rum races this summer.

3. If any mark has gone missing, yachts will round the coordinates given in the SI's. (Take a picture of the mark wreckage and the ship that did it, too!)

4. We've clarified the fleets that use PHRF ratings and those that use the club handicap. Note that GBCA does not administer PHRF ratings. If you want to sail in the PHRF fleet, you need to get a rating from the good folks at PHRF-GB. Please go to www.PHRFGB.com

5. The purpose of the GBCA Club Handicap is to give cruisers and less experienced racers a fleet to sail in. The GBCA club handicap is not a PHRF rating, although it is applied in the same fashion. Don't confuse the two. If your Club rating drops below your PHRF rating, then congratulations; it's probably a good indication you should change to a PHRF fleet. If you are one of our well known racers and want to sail in the Club handicap, The GBCA board may assign you a lower handicap than the PHRF rating for your boat.

It is VERY important for club handicap racers that you to provide the time for your finish to us so we can adjust the ratings.  We will try to make the ratings change a little more than they did in 2015. Your Fleet Captain was a little too conservative and will try to do a better job this year.

6. All boats must fly a flag during the entire race. Please fly it prominently!

7. If you are the first boat, or think you are, please provide the next four boats to finish behind you so that we can score the races. There is a form attached to the SI's that should work for this purpose. Please write legibly. If you can't make the after race party, you can e-mail the results, or send them via text message to the Fleet Captain: 281-216-4082 rdhunkins(at)Verizon(dot)net. Please do this as soon as possible so we can award the prizes.

8. The Last Icicle Race is the Judge Smails Memorial Regatta - Get out your blue coats, White duck trousers, ascots and Captain's Hats!. Gophers and golfing equipment are optional. A prize will be awarded to the boat with the best crew decked out in this garb.

We're looking forward to seeing you all out there!

-Bob Hunkins, 2016 Fleet Captain

One of the tetrahedrons used from the Fall regatta is still on the bay, located near the spillway park in San Leon. Tramp could not get to it since it's in about 4' of water.

We're looking for someone with a shallow draft power boat who can help us recover it.

A clarification to the fleets for the Fall Regatta:
PHRF Spin A is intended to be boats with Sprits
PHRF Spin B is intended to be boats without Sprits.
The entry form on-line has been modified to make this more clear. My apologies for any confusion.
If you registered for the wrong fleet, please let us know and we will re-assign you to the correct fleet.

Thanks,
Bob H.

We're looking for someone who can work as a mark set boat. Should be easy - Drop two 8' tetrahedrons at specified coordinates, leave them there until the racers are finished using them and then pick them up. Contact me at rdhunkins(at)veriaon(dot)net if you're interested in helping.
Thanks!
Bob Hunkins

Per discussions at the board meeting last Tuesday, the Notice of Race has been updated.
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/11347/2015FallNOR.pdf
Chili entries will be brought to the post race party on November 7th.
There will be two chili prizes:
-Entrants who sailed in the regatta
-All Chili entrants regardless of their sailing status in the regatta.

Entrants are requested to bring enough Chili for sampling by a maximum of 10 judges to be appointed by the Commodore or his delegate.

Thanks,
Bob H

I don't have any details on the Chili side of this event, but I do have a NOR for the racing side. Similar format to the Spring regattas in the past.
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/11347/2015FallNOR.pdf

Registration is open:
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_registration_form.php?regatta_id=11347

And no, if you've uploaded a PHRF certificate for a race earlier this year you do not need to do so again.

Results are posted:
http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=11129

Thanks to all who sailed, and congratulations to Stinger and Tenacious!

I have posted the SI's for the Offshore regatta (a little early, I know)
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/11129/2015OffshoreSIsFinal.pdf

I have checked the phrfgb.com website for the ratings submitted. If I had a question regarding a rating, then I sent that competitor an e-mail. If you did not receive an e-mail we have your certificate or access to it on PHRF-gb

Skippers' meeting is still set for 1900 tonight.
See you then.

After review of the photos, it is confirmed that Petite Helene finished 4th.
The Results have been updated to reflect this.

In case some people are wondering, I want to call attention to this Sailing Instruction:
-----
IX. Finishing
The first yacht in each class to cross the finish line will be the winner of the class and be required to record the next 4
places in her class by legibly recording the boat name and or sail numbers. The finishing information then must be
presented to the race chairman at the social event following the race. Remember, to score a first place, a yacht must
both cross the finish line first and record the next four finishers.

GBCA Club Handicap: The first yacht in the GBCA Club Handicap class to cross the finish line will be the winner of the
class and be required to record the next 4 places by recording the boat name and or sail numbers. The winning yacht
shall also record the finish time for the next 4 places. Each yacht finishing shall record their finish time and report it to
the Fleet Captain or another Club Officer at the post race party or by email or by posting on the discussion forum.
The race ends at 21:00. Any boat that has not finished by this time will not be scored.
------

The first three boats in the cruising club handicap fleet that crossed the finish line did not provide finish times to us. That's why they did not get points. It's incumbent on the racers to record finishers.

If you think you sailed a fast race and don't see someone in your fleet (same color flag and/or sprit config) hanging around 1/2, you should consider doing that. Worst case you find out that you're sixth or seventh by a long shot and wasted a little time getting to the party. That's the cost/benefit analysis that the skipper will have to make!

If you're not sure about it out on the water, another option is to talk to your competitors at the party, and determine who should have been first, put together the results, and get it to us there.

Let's try this again in January with the Icicle races!