GBCA Discussion Forum

Quote from: BJSailor on April 24, 2011, 08:21:25 PM
So, here?s a summary of the comments so far, in no particular order of importance:
-   Competitors Briefing the night before
-   More of the race during daylight
-   More marketing and publicity to get the word out and participation up
-   Increase the importance of the individual offshore events as part of the larger series (Texas Navy Trophy)
-   Finish the race in the Bay
-   Optional Competitors Briefing with official documentation posted online
-   Cost (both positive and negative aspects)
-   Timely results


Keep the suggestions coming!!!  This is an opportunity to identify improvement.

Adding more suggestions for improvements:

-  GPS race tracking on individual boats
-  Keep fees at a price point that is considered reasonable to the customers (sailors)
-  Marketing (repeat, I know...)
-  Include and acommodate trailerable boats
-  Resurect the format and scoring of the past incarnation of the Texas Navy Trophy
-  Roundtrip stopover event(s) in Freeport (down one week, back the next - offshore distance races)
-  Run Texas Race Week out of Freeport

Keep the suggestions for improvement coming!  
Before things dry up, I'd like to float another topic in this discussion - fleets / classes...
It's great when there is a 30 boat event.  But, is it competitive and fun when those boats are broken up into 8 different fleets?  Do the sailors actully enjoy a 3 boat class or would you prefer larger classes and more boats on the start line?  How about increasing the minimum class size to at least 5 boats?

So, here?s a summary of the comments so far, in no particular order of importance:
-   Competitors Briefing the night before
-   More of the race during daylight
-   More marketing and publicity to get the word out and participation up
-   Increase the importance of the individual offshore events as part of the larger series (Texas Navy Trophy)
-   Finish the race in the Bay
-   Optional Competitors Briefing with official documentation posted online
-   Cost (both positive and negative aspects)
-   Timely results


Keep the suggestions coming!!!  This is an opportunity to identify improvement.

I'm going to toss out one of the things that bugs me. 

With the standardization of technology from cell phones to 4G interweb connectivity, there is no reason that results can't be posted near real-time.  Mark them as provisional, but post results before the sailors are back at the dock (or at least before they get to the party).  This goes for daily results as well as final day results.

Many RCs are on nice boats - nice enough to support the use of a cell phone to take a pic of the handwritten results and e-mail them ashore or to call the results ashore for scoring (on a nice day you can do this from an 18' Whaler).  Many RCs have boats nice enough to support a laptop (or iPad) and 3G aircard to get on to Regatta Network and score truly real-time. 

That's what I'm talkin' about!!!
Great ideas and comments so far.  I'll summarize later this evening.

Jonsey, what's your point about cost?  You think fees are too high?

Not trying to be argumentative, but take 7% off the top that goes to Regatta Network.  Have you priced fuel lately?  Meals/food for parties has not gone down in price.  Nor has rum or beer.  Awards / trophies?  Priced those lately?  My point is that costs have gone up significantly to put these events on.  Of all people, I sympathize with cheap sailors and their abhorance to spend money if it doesn't make the boat go fast. 

If costs are higher than you want to pay, where can organizers cut costs that wouldn't drive you away?  Again, serious question...  Where do the sailors think that RCs can reduce the costs of an event that you might find satisfactory?

Doesn't matter to you???  C'mon, it seemed to matter to you a great deal last evening!  Don't whimp out on us now that we're looking for solutions and improvements!!!

Seriously, what would you do differently for this event?  A 90nm overnight offshore race beginning near the Galveston Jetties.
Competitors Briefing?  NOR?  Entry?  Start times?  Courses?  Fleets / Handicaping?  Finishing?  Awards / Party?

It's not exactly a piece of cake to organize and run even a small event like this.  It takes a lot of people who have to give up their weekends so the can NOT sail, but are running the event.  And I'll guarantee you that every single one of those folks who put un events like this at all the clubs in the area would love nothing more than to do their volunteer job better and to present an event for the sailors that everyone is happy with.

I ask in all seriousness here, not trying to troll for a reaction.  What would you like to see different in an event like this that would make it better for you?  This goes for everyone, not just SFLS.

Quote from: sailfastliveslow on April 24, 2011, 02:50:10 PM
BJ, thanks for asking!  Shows a deep concern for the consumer.  Don't matter to me.  My boats a meter too short anywho.

Let's look at possible improvements for a minute...

For a 90nm overnight offshore race that starts and finishes at Galveston #11:
When would be the best time to have the Competitors Briefing?
What should the start time be (remember, one objective here is an overnight race)?
When would be the best time for the awards / party?

What can be done to increase interest?  What can be done to get more sailors / boats to participate?  

Although I neglected to mention Kevin in my previous post (apologies...), he certainly got plenty of mentions in my briefings and discussions in Chicago as the Wizzard behind these initiatives.  The credit here as well as Nationally goes to Kevin:-)

At the USSailing Yacht Club Summit at the beginning of April, there were over 180 Yacht Clubs and sailing organizations represented and more then 300 total attendees.  There were many topics presented / discussed on some amazingly open forums - including race management, membership, participation, handicap and one-design racing, and many more.

There was an overwhelming majority of folks who agreed that, in our current environment, the single best change to racing formats that have been made to increase participation was to re-introduce fixed mark races and move away from what are now termed "boring windward / leeward courses" (their terminology, not mine).  Across the country, clubs are increasing their participation by moving toward distance (and short) fixed mark courses that challenge the sailors to actually trim their sails to something other a beat and a run.  More non-spin boats are participating.  More handicap boats are participating.  More cruising boats are participating.  And guess what - one-design participation has increased also!  Windward / Leeward courses definitely have their place for many one-design fleets and shouldn't be discounted, but all change isn't necessarily bad.

There was another positive item that came up at the Yacht Club Summit that a number of clubs have used to get more sailors and boats on the course - CLUB HANDICAP racing!!!  There were 30+ clubs that use some type of club handicaping as a tool to attract cruisers or non-racers to come out and play.  I don't think anyone at GBCA would be a bit surprised at how excited many clubs were to hear the details of how GBCA has implemented their Club Handicap system.  I had about 15 minutes of briefing time (allocated 5 minutes) and the interest / questions had to be continued after the session.

Take a look in Galveston Bay at the organizations that have increased or decreased participation over the past few years. Those that have increased race participation have listened to the racers and adapted their formats, races, and schedules to provide a product that satisfy the largest majority.  Informal races (Rum and Icicle races), one day events, fixed mark races, distance races are all now proving themselves as the product that the sailors prefer.

There were a lot of take-aways from the Yacht Club Summit.  Many of them confirmed that some of the things we're seeing on Galveston Bay are what are successful in other places too.

Maybe those folks back in the 70's knew something.

All Yacht Clubs in Area F (Brownsville to Jackson Hole) have been given two mandates for 2011 (as determined at the Area F meeting earlier this year) - 1) get more children sailing, and 2) get more sailors drinking beer after racing.  The first is self explanatory.  The second is a mandate to get more sailors and boats out on the course and racing and then to show up afterward to socialize.  Devising alternatives to two-day windward / leeward events seem to be doing just that across the country in Area F, in Texas, and in Galvestion Bay.  Kudos to those GB clubs that are thinking outside the box and/or paying attentiion to those things that get more sailors drinking beer after racing!

Many of us have very fond memories of the fun and challenges of the overnight offshore races we've had over the years. Most of those memories are about the journey and not the desitnation.  I hope this event isn't cancelled again this year.

C'mon folks, time is short!!!

NOTE -
.  Registration deadline is Sunday, 24 April.  That's this Sunday, as in 3 days from now!!!
.  No late registrations will be accepted.  Sign up by Sunday or we're SOL.
.  4 Boats to make a fleet.  If there aren't 4 boats, there's no fleet.  If there's no fleet, there's no race.
.  $100 registration.  Dig deep for one day of racing.  These events are expensive to put on, so pony up!
.  Mandatory Competitors Briefing on Friday, 28 Apr.  You'll never know the signals, marks or courses unless you're there.
.  PHRF GB certs. are mandatiory.  Danelaw is now legal:-)

No excuses!  This has been on the calendar for months.  It's not like you didn't know that the second leg of the Texas Navy Trophy was going to happen next weekend.

Politics???
I'd think it has more to do wit $$$'s
It's not that the J-Boat is overpirces, it't more about sailors being cheap bastards.

Chris,
I've been keeping track of the visibility issue between orange and yellow for a couple of years now.  I think I have to agree with Chris that the orange marks seem to be easier to see.  I've noticed from the RC boats (stationary and with elevation and binoculars) that orange is more visible than yellow - especially in less than optimal conditions.
Good example from working on the Finn regatta a couple of weeks ago - I was at the leeward end of the course and I could see the orange weather "change" mark attached to the boat, but had a hard time spotting the yellow "primary" mark in the water.  Visibility was very good that day.

Ya'll need to change the subject real quick.  Move on to a different topic.

What Brad said...

Ash Beatty made quite a respectable showing.  He was leading the fleet around the course for most of the first race Sunday.

OOPS!  I'm pretty sure the Fleet Captain intends to sail the floating mark courses where we normally do and also wants to include those parts of the bay that includes the fixed marks that are also used.  I'll have a word with the Fleet Captain and see about making a change to the NOR.