TMCA Spring Fling and GBCA Offshore Regatta

[Bob H]

Offshore racers and cruisers
GBCA is partnering with TMCA to run an offshore race from the Galveston Jetties to Sabine Pass on May 22nd.
The NOR is available here

The cost to enter the regatta is free, but we ask that you register for the TMCA spring fling at Pleasure Island Marina in Port Arthur, Texas.

The passage across Lake Sabine should be deep enough boats with draft of 6' and less. For those with a draft greater than 6', there is the Sabine Pass Port Authority Marina on the Sabine ship channel. TMCA is arranging for transport to and from Pleasure Island, and you can arrange for docking there through TMCA.
More information on the Spring Fling is at the TMCA Spring Fling website.

A basic information flyer and point of contact for questions and docking at Sabine Pass Port Authority marina can be found here
Waypoints for crossing Sabine Lake are here

Hope you'll come out to the Spring Fling!

[Stellar of Course]

Any information on start times for the Spring Fling offshore race?  If we are starting early morning I may wish to bring the boat to Laguna Harbor or Galveston Yacht Basin Thursday evening.

Ron E
Stellar of Course

[Stellar of Course]

We (Stellar of Course) and Walter and Beverly (Shaken Not Stirred) will be headed to Lake Charles on Monday after Spring Fling. If anyone is interested in traveling along with us we would be glad to have you join us. Plans are to sail to the north end of Sabine Lake and thru the Thousand foot cut into the intra coastal. Maybe overnight at Shell Island and then on to Lake Charles. Stay at one of the Casino Marinas for a day or two and then head back home. Last year I made this trip and stayed at Taylors Bayou Outfall on the way home. Nice anchorage but need screens as bugs can be bad. From Taylors Bayou to Kemah is doable in one day.

So, if you are interested just let me know.

Ron Eddleman
S/V Stellar of Course

[Bob H]

No official times yet, but from some back of the envelope calculations, slower boats would need to start fairly early, (0500 ish) order to get there at a reasonable time.

I hope to get something more concrete later this week.

[daysailor]

We racers really need more start information on the Spring Fling Regatta since it greatly effects trip start, crew notice, etc.  Can we get something soon.
Daysailor

[Bee]

I would like to add my support to the need for more information about start times --- etc.  Friday's are a tough time to get crew.  It would help to know what my start time is so necessary arrangements can be made in a reasonable time frame.

[Christopher]

It's approximately a 55nm course with a pursuit style start.  The intent is to have boats finishing by 1700 hrs so they can attend the party with band on Friday night.  So boats with a rating of 300 are likely to be starting at sunrise on Friday morning.  SI's are still being finalized.

Laguna Harbor is offering complimentary overnight staging Thursday night before the beginning of the Spring Fling.
See more information on the TMCA Spring Fling website by clicking here: TMCA Spring Fling

[Bee]

That's all fine and understood but the issue is do we make a mad early scramble from LYC or do we head down on Thursday and play musical cars?

[Bob H]

We plan to start the race at 05:00:00. We need to start early enough so that boats will have a chance to finish at a reasonable time.
The largest handicap at this time is 301. The smallest is 33.
The formula to calculate the start time on a handicap is:
seconds =55.27x(301-R), where R is the rating and seconds is the amount of seconds after 5:00:00AM.
To find your time, add the seconds to 05:00:00.

This will be in a list of all competitors provided with the Sailing Instructions for tomorrow's meeting, at GBCA 7:00pm sharp.

Hope that helps.
-Bob

[Bee]

As a mathematician I cannot do 'arithmetic, but that would appear to be an 08:25:25 start for Stinger.  Given reasonable winds we should finish around 16:25:25.  Neat.

Thanks

[Bee]

Is there a mistake in the marks for this course?  In particular for Sabine Jetty Channel marker 27?

[Charles]

Is there a mistake in the marks for this course?  In particular for Sabine Jetty Channel marker 27?

Had to have been a finger slip.

Correct coordinates for Sabine Jetty Channel #27 are:

29? 41.340 N    093? 50.317 W

[Bob H]

Thanks for catching that, Bee.  I do believe it was a finger slip.

Sabine pass marker 27 as listed in the original SIs is incorrect.

The corrected position to be placed in the SI's is:
N29deg 41.358'
W093deg 50.319'

I will update the SI copy online when I have access to the original files later this week.
An official notice has been posted on the online notice board
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_notice_board.php?regatta_id=9880

[Bob H]

TMCA/GBCA Spring Fling racers:
The winds this Friday are predicted to be 9kts and building, from the East going to South East. But that of course may change.

It has been rightly pointed out to me that for the boats starting later, even though they are supposedly faster, will still have difficulty getting to Pleasure Island or Sabine before dark.

A solution to this is to break up the pursuit starts so that each fleet starts based on the largest handicap in each fleet, as opposed to the largest handicap of all yachts sailing. This will allow us to compress the amount of time needed to get everyone started and yet maintain the pursuit start paradigm. Hopefully, this will allow more boats to arrive before dark.

I will publish a change to the Sailing Instructions as soon as practical and advise everyone at that time.

To determine your starting time (for planning purposes) use the following formula:

seconds = 55.27 X (MAX-PHRF)
MAX: Largest PHRF rating in your fleet (PHRF Spin, PHRF Non-Spin, GBCA Cruising, TMCA)
PHRF: Your rating.
seconds: time after initial start in seconds.

Your start time: 05:00:00 + seconds.

I will publish appropriate starting tables in the SI amendment.

Please let me know if there are questions.
Regards,
Bob Hunkins, PRO

[Bob H]

GBCA TMCA Spring Fling Offshore race competitors,

Revision 2 of the Sailing Instructions are posted at this location:
https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/9880/2015GBCATMCASpringFlingOffshoreSIs.pdf

You are responsible for downloading the electronic version and reviewing it, and printing it if desired prior to the race.

As indicated in the previous message, there will be four pursuit starts instead of one. The base starting time will remain 05:00:00. Offset times for boats in each class will be taken from the yacht with the largest handicap rating in that class, rather than the entire racing fleet. The intention is to start more yachts earlier, and allow the possibility of more yachts to reach the destination before dark. Note that this is an intention, not a guarantee.

A suggestion was made to move the starting location to mark 6A Rather than Mark 11. This suggestion is deemed impractical for Race Committee logistics.

Competitors are reminded of Racing Rule of Sailing 4:
"DECISION TO RACE
The responsibility for a boat?s decision to participate in a race or to
continue racing is hers alone."

Thank you again for entering; may the winds be favorable.
Bob Hunkins, PRO