Thought I would start this thread for topics of interest for the Cruising Class.
(Bee, please stay out. Thanks. ;))
Texas Race Week.
This is a great opportunity for you to sail your cruising boat on the ocean, where she was designed to be! If you've ever done the Harvest Moon Regatta you know how fun it is, and how good that sense of accomplishment feels. And I guarantee the party will rival the HM party. Twice.
There is already one cruising boat signed up, so just two more and the Class will be made. That boat won the regatta last year, but they are vulnerable. (And if you sign up soon I will let you in on a simple secret to do well!)
So sign up for Texas Race Week, sail in the next two rum races (http://www.gbca.org/resources/Documents/2012%20Rum%20Race%20SI.pdf) to establish your handicap and get your crew work down.
If you need to borrow any safety equipment, let me know.
I am checking on work schedues and crew schedules to see if we can make this happen. I will keep you informed.
S/V Stellar of Course
Ron E
Sorry Walter, leaving to Saudi, for work on July 15, will be there for a week or two. Best of luck to all the cruising class that enters. "KATANA"
Well so far none of my normal crew is available for this race. If anyone is intersted in crewing on Stellar of Course we may be able to enter the race. I will be leaving town on business this Sunday and return July 18th. So I will need to register by Saturday night and then work to get the boat ready for this great offshore race.
I have raced Stellar of Course in the past 11 Harvest Moon Regatta's and even won a few of these races in the cruising class.
If you are interested give me a call or reply on the list.
Ron Eddleman
s/v Stellar of Course
Hey guys. We'll be selling new GBCA caps at the TRW skippers meeting and at the Rum Race party.
And..... there will be some special limited edition "Cruising Class" caps as well! Bring your $$. Very cool.
We were contemplating transferring to the PHRF Non-spin class for a change. Since we just purchased 40.00 bucks worth of Cruising Class orange caps, we've decided to stay where we are. Thanks Walter!
GBCA Performance Cup this weekend.
Where are you guys? Why haven't you signed up yet?
Waiting to see what the weather is? It will be perfect.
Is it the cost? Is it the courses? Are you waiting to see who else signs up?
Planning these things is alot easier for the organizers and better for the class if you sign up earlier.
The racing and the party will be even better than the rum races.
I thought the Cruising/Club Handicap class was getting stronger, but now I'm not so sure.
Let me know why you show up in droves for the rum races, but not the other GBCA regattas.
I am going to resurrect this old thread...
I have raced the Icicle Series in the cruising class since 2010 on 4 different boats. Here are a few observations from my perspective(mainly as a small boat owner/sailer):
#1 - in 2010 very few of the boats in the class flew spinnakers. Now it seams that about 1/3 do. Which is great except when your a non-spin boat and the winds allow flying the chute on 2 of 3 legs. Might consider splitting into a spin and non-spin cruising class for Icicles and Rum Races.
#2 - I sail smaller boats, Catalina 25 "Wind Bandit" and now O'Day 28 "High Cotton". I wonder why we don't see very many of the sub 30 ft boats sailing? Are people with smaller boats(say 31 ft and less) not wanting to race against the bigger boats even with the handicaps? I saw how well Yankee Lip (Catalina 22) did in the spin fleet.
I had no comment on the Rum Races since I have never sailed one so things may be different in the summer.
Now that I have opened my mouth, I will take another step down the path to the dark side and join GBCA this year and volunteer to help with the cruising class.
Kent
"High Cotton"
Welcome, Kent and thanks for your offer of help in the Cruising Class.
It's not my place to address your concerns regading spin/non-spin issues in the Cruising Class, but I will see that the question is raised.
It's probably been discussed before, but for those of us new to the Icicle and/or Rum Races we'll try to clarify the rules.
Thanks for your offer to volunteer; stand by for calls for help.
Thanks, again.
I know the cruising class uses totally different parameters for establishing ratings but under PHRF-GB the non spin formula used is in no way meant to rate a spin boat vs a non spin boat. The non spin factor is formula based and it's only to be used for racing non spin boats vs other non spin boats.
Based on the moving handicap rules of this class, won't it all come out in the wash eventually? I think that was what Kevin Box had in mind when this was set up - everyone has their number adjusted after every race to pull all competitors together regardless of boat length, sail plan,or initial handicap number.
The Super Chicken knows all, computes all, and makes all good.
Go Chicken!
Quote from: hayesrigging on January 21, 2013, 09:04:56 PM
.... under PHRF-GB the non spin formula used is in no way meant to rate a spin boat vs a non spin boat. The non spin factor is formula based and it's only to be used for racing non spin boats vs other non spin boats.
By analogy, does the PHRF-GB ratings formula differentiate between an asymmetrical and symmetrical spinnaker? Should the spinnaker class be split into separate classes for non W/L races?
The chicken computer (Kevin) has a good thing going for club handicap. Unlike the customary asymmetrical J-Boat spin class in the icicle and rum races of late.
Ken Read seems to support what Kevin (the chicken computer) is doing, albeit behind the times.
http://www.sailingworld.com/racing/getting-handicap-racing-on-par
In my opinion the GBCA Cruising Class is one of the best ideas ever. This is a superb opportunity to have a lot of people who don't spend a lot of money on sails or work a lot on hoisting and dousing a complex sail (spinnaker) to hopefully have a lot of fun on the water. Its really great to see these boats out. Makes for a really beautiful day.
I have learned a lot about having more sailing fun from just talking to the cruising folk and I really want them to continue and grow. The images of all those great boats out on the Bay is super. Hopefully more will join GBCA and come out and play with the rest of us. I don't think we should necessarily complicate their efforts. Let the Super Chicken take care of it.
Quote from: kentwm on January 21, 2013, 12:45:42 PM
#1 - in 2010 very few of the boats in the class flew spinnakers. Now it seams that about 1/3 do. Which is great except when your a non-spin boat and the winds allow flying the chute on 2 of 3 legs. Might consider splitting into a spin and non-spin cruising class for Icicles and Rum Races.
Did the first-to-finish boat the last two races (Skalawag) fly a chute? I don't know, I couldn't see that far ahead!
Great comments, all. Chris, the golf handicap article by a golfing sailor was especially enlightening. Indeed, Walter, Todd's Scalawag does not fly a spin and yet we see him 'in the rum' quite freqently in all types of wind. Good insight from Bee, BJ Sailor and Kevin H. as well.
So, Kent, hope this thread is helpful and encouraging. Your 'High Cotton' did very well under trying conditions in the first Icicle. I would take a lot of encouragement from that race and believe that the efforts of Kevin Box and others to level the playing field will work out over time.
Thanks for joining and for caring enough to look into the 'nuts and bolts' of the club handicap class.
Spinnakers may help you, but if you do not know what you are doing it can hurt your speed, leaving it open in the club class opens your mind to learn how to fly a kite and experience something new in sailing or just scares the sh#t out of you. I have won races with and without a kite, I have passed boats flying a kite went I was not. FireWater pulled to first places in a row without a kite. I say leave it open, to encourage others to feel ?the force? of the kite. By no means am I an expert with a kite or an expert sailor, but when I have a kite up and flying it rite, I am in my happy place! Last year I have seen more Cub Class trying kites that would not have ever tried if the class was not open, so this is a good thing. Now go out and have fun and flight a kite! ?KATANA?
Terry.. I admire your enthusiam. Let us not forget your spin rating is 156 and you are now sporting a 207..
Notice I am not doing well this year, I am training a new crew of new poeple(non-racers) in hope of bring more people to the joy of club racing, and they are starting to enjoy it, now that it is starting to warm up. So I hope show improvement and lower that rating, and maybe if lady luck is with us, let them feel "the force"of the kite. Now go buy a kite, so you can feel "the force" to! "KATANA"
Go Terry
Go Katana
Best wishes
Shawn
Firewater
Stuck in Freeport
OK y'all have this stuck in my head now so I just had to share!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g89NxTTycxc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g89NxTTycxc)
Catchy tune DollFin.
What could possibly go wrong with a spinnaker?
I like this song too...
http://youtu.be/yyBUc8bqzp8 (http://youtu.be/yyBUc8bqzp8)
Braaa-zillll!
We may be out for Conundrum and Rum races later this year. Got other less fun things to do these days. This is the first Icicle Series in four yrs we've missed. Training new people is not an easy task. Good luck Terry.
Braaa-zillll! ;D
Did we get any pictures from last Saturday?
Check out the Icicle post. I was a little late. Check out Maarten's post as he has some good pics coming in with the spins behind him...for a while.
5 Cruising boats signed up for the Spring Regatta so far. Can we make this the largest class?
You're not going to get better weather than this weekend! Plus you get a cool shirt with your entry, not to mention a good party.
Would you guys put up with a J105? Might be a bit unfair, but just think of the kudos when you kick my butt.
Quote from: Bee on March 12, 2013, 01:33:53 PM
Would you guys put up with a J105? Might be a bit unfair, but just think of the kudos when you kick my butt.
Bee, you are welcome to join. But don't think you will start with your normal PHRF rating. And don't be leaving your airconditioner on the dock!
Quote from: ShakenNotStirred on March 12, 2013, 11:35:01 AM
5 Cruising boats signed up for the Spring Regatta so far. Can we make this the largest class?
You're not going to get better weather than this weekend! Plus you get a cool shirt with your entry, not to mention a good party.
Based upon requests and feedback from previous regattas, I'm planning to use the Rum Race (w/ pursuit start, times adjusted for the 1100 morning start), as the course for the Club Hanidcap distance race this weekend. One race per day. Just need to decide which way around.
You've asked for it - now you're getting it. So sign up!
Quote from: Bee on March 12, 2013, 01:33:53 PM
Would you guys put up with a J105? Might be a bit unfair, but just think of the kudos when you kick my butt.
We can go non-spin and pole out the 155!
But we would need a pole.