Rum race starting time

[ShakenNotStirred]

A few people have asked me why the rum race start was changed to an hour earlier than in the past several years. I don't know but suspect that maybe its because the course is a little longer.

A little history as best I remember, but maybe some of the more tenured GBCA folks can correct me...
The races started out as the TGIF races, and were held after work on Friday.  Since the start was after work, it was a little late, and always finished after dark.
The races then moved to Saturday, with the same start time as it was on Friday (I think).  More boats could participate since more people could get to their boats in time.
A few years ago the start time was moved to one hour earlier, still on Saturday.  This year the start time is another hour earlier.

My preference would be to keep the start time as it was, and move the time limit a little later (say 2130?) if that is necessary to accommodate a longer course.  Seems like on the nights when boats can't finish in time, it is very light (and hot) at the start and during the first leg, but fills in later. Adding another hour to the front of that misery won't make anybody thrilled.

Your thoughts?

[Bee]

Stinger's start is now 16:19:41 instead of 17:19:41. 

When our start was 17:19:41, we usually had a dock time around 16:00:00.  I have always felt that 17:00:00 is one of the hotter times of the day, but by the time we started the bay felt pretty nice.  Sun was heading toward sundown and since we were usually on a Westward board as we finished, the sunset was always spectacular. Typically we managed to get to the GBCA clubhouse early, but still frequently after sunset. Other then finishing in the dark the only other negative for me is that I get home late and I no longer like to drive at night all that much.

With a 16:19:41 start, dock time will likely move up to 15:00:00, and we will start very near the proverbial hottest time of the day.  No big deal, its Texas hot all day, and it will probably feel the same out on the bay anyway. I suspect that for most of the races the sun will still be quite high when Stinger finishes so  we will miss that sunset  .  The positive for me is that regardless of whether or not I choose to go to the party, I can get home an hour early.  Besides missing the sunset, the negative is I will probably stay at the party longer and so the positive will never happen.

I like seeing the sunset.  Before I got my bionic eyeballs, during 69 years without them, sunsets never looked all that great.  Now they do.

I vote for leaving the start time as it was.

[Tye Dyed Gary]

 Your history is basically correct. The earlier start time was to accommodate some of the boats that don't normally built with running lights. I know I, have had some close calls with more then a few power boats racing in the channel after dark.

[Tye Dyed Gary]

 To clarify my last post the Saturday starts were move up from the Friday starts for the reason given. I personally don't care what start time we use.

[Christopher]

Based upon feedback and requests from a number of skippers and crew, we moved the start up another hour this year to allow more people to make it to the after race party.  We left the cutoff time the same to allow more boats to finish in case of light winds.  Last year had a number of DNF due to time limit.
Personally I preferred the night racing we had years ago.  This is Texas where the summer is hot day and night. 
This is GBCA which is the place to race.  We also have great parties for which we need to facilitate more people attending and thereby possibly drive up membership.
We're trying new things all the time.

[Bee]

I can resemble that remark.

[Christopher]

Plus it's a test to see who is reading the SI's or just relying upon their memory of yesteryear.  New marks and new time, we'll see who starts when and goes around which mark(s).

[George E Cushing]

I would prefer to leave the start time as it was for most of the reasons outlined by Bee. More time in the sun before the wind fills in does not sound inviting. Additionally, with kids at home, taking a bigger bite out of the day for sailing is not optimal.

[hayesrigging]

On Psyched, rating 78, we started at 7:28 on Fridays and 6:28 on Saturdays in the 90s. Finishing at night was a blast!!  This is why we had the no luffing rule and the 2 boat length passing rule cause most of the racing happened at night.  Somewhere along the way "at night" was removed.  Now we need to remove this altogether and let the RRS work the way there suppose to.  I prefer the later starts personally.  Speaking of Psyched she will be out this Sat with blooper and all!!   Hope this year no one accuses us of cheating by flying two spins!!!

[Eric713]

I think the earlier start time is a good idea.  Years ago the Rum Races were dominated by performance boats which could finish the races fairly quickly.  The number of boats that participate in the Cruising Class has increased dramatically over the last few years.  Most of these boats require more time to complete the courses. The earlier start time will allow these boats to finish and make it to the party before it gets too late. One other option may be to allow the earlier start time for the Cruiser Class and retain the later start time for the other classes.  This may allow the participants to arrive at the party at similar times. Just my thoughts.  Its no fun finishing after dark when you can't see the sail numbers or boat names. In any case.. we are looking forward to Rum #1 Saturday!

[ShakenNotStirred]

I think the earlier start time is a good idea.  Years ago the Rum Races were dominated by performance boats which could finish the races fairly quickly.  The number of boats that participate in the Cruising Class has increased dramatically over the last few years.  Most of these boats require more time to complete the courses. The earlier start time will allow these boats to finish and make it to the party before it gets too late. One other option may be to allow the earlier start time for the Cruiser Class and retain the later start time for the other classes.  This may allow the participants to arrive at the party at similar times. Just my thoughts.  Its no fun finishing after dark when you can't see the sail numbers or boat names. In any case.. we are looking forward to Rum #1 Saturday!

...or add 30 seconds to all the Cruising Class ratings.

[Bee]

Hopefully someone will get a picture of that Blooper Blooping.  Actually hopefully the wind God will make the winds favorable for Bloops.

[BillBurge]

Everyone on our boat is disappointed about the earlier start time.  It's hotter, the wind is lighter, and leaving the house even earlier doesn't help things on the homefront.  One of my favorite things about summer is watching the sunset while sailing in after a rum race.  Eric713's suggestion of starting the cruising class earlier is a good one.  Maybe 30 minutes instead of an hour.  Leave the rest of us alone!  It wasn't broken!

[Charles]

Sailflow predictions for this Saturday:

3pm     7kts     88*
4pm     9kts     88*
5pm     9kts     88*
6pm     9kts     87*
7pm     9kts     87*

Doesn't look like the earlier start time is going to make any difference.

On the other side of the coin, we could start at 7pm, finish in the dark, and skip the parties.
Just sayin'.

[George E Cushing]

Charles,

More often it starts light and builds.
Why don't you poll the members and see what they want as far as start time goes. I think starting the cruising class earlier, if that is what they want, would be a good solution.

Balancing family and sailing is pretty tricky and the source of some pretty serious tension in my household and an earlier departure just adds to the problem.

This matter should be decided by the members of the club not by a committee.

George