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 Post subject: Where did the B mark go?
PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 8:50 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:45 am
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Location: Clinton Lake Lawrence, KS
Today, while everyone else was racing, we sat on the beach talking with a young Tiger sailor relocated here from California. (no other 18's and no other Tiger's = no racing :( )

I asked my son if the college Laser racing was the standard Olympic triangle course, i.e. ABC, to which he replied yes. I commented the last Hobie regatta I participated in was was three marks (sometime about '92 to '94). The Tiger sailor recalled it was about that same time when B mark went away

I asked why it was eliminated and his reply was something to the effect it's thought a truer test of your sailing skills when forced to make a decision of which side of the course to take to C mark, as opposed to with an ABC course just making left hand turns.

Does anyone know the reasoning that went into this decision to eliminate B?

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 7:28 am 
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Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Hi there John,
If you look up the name "Stephen" in the frighteningly accurate bestselling comedy book "What NOT to name your baby", in which people BECOME what they are expected to become according to what they are named, you will see that a "Stephen" is a person who collects records and knows all sorts of odd facts about stuff that nobody cares about. So here's one for you :lol:

In a sailing races over the years it has been noted that there are never any significant position changes on the reaching leg - to "B" if you will. The changes and strategy almost all occur on the tacking and the running legs. Therefore a combination of different lengths of up-and-down wind legs is preferred as a course. Your "B" still existed actually, it is ideally dead up wind of "A" then "C" is further downwind of "A". The racecourse runs sort of in the shape of a giant paper clip.

I must go and collect more odd facts now... :roll:
Happy Sails!
-Stephen

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:29 am 
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Location: Clinton Lake Lawrence, KS
With the B mark off the end of the starting line, in the triangle shape, I was involved in many regattas where position changes on the reaching leg (A to B) were eminent. In this part of the country, with high winds, the PPP (pitchpole probability) factor comes in to the fold. When you're chasing the leaders or leading a race at the fastest point of sail, do you have the kahunas to sheet in and get that leeward tip a little closer to the back side of a three foot wave? :twisted: So many times you could do very well in a regatta just by not pitchpoleing.

To me, that "on the edge" experience was one of the most exciting parts of racing. :D

I'm sorry to see it gone :?

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:24 am 
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Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Hi John,

Absolutely true!! He who has the biggest cajones wins the reach on a multihull for sure. Unless he bits the big one of course. I like that PPP!! Goes well with BTTW (balls to the wall) But then Hobies go mega-knots and monos go knots so it is a different kind of race altogether. I also love the start on a Hobie race. There is nothing quite as nerve-wrackingly satisfying as a vying for position at high speeds - especially if you can pull off a portside dip-start :twisted: Buhwahaha !!

I know in our mono-hull club races that the reach is not important as far as speed BUT he who has the best tactical knowledge and right of way comes out ahead if there is a doggy-pile at the B mark. That is why our club still uses the "old system", if for no other reason than to test our patience and ability to scream "STARBOARD" with more authority than the other guy :roll: :lol:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:40 am 
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John --

I am with you BIG TIME! What happened to B-mark? I gotta agree that a leeward gate has definitely improved the racing. But race committees would do well to mix it up once in awhile and move that gate to a reaching mark.

The adrenalin you feel when single or double-trapped on a reach is undescribable! At the end of the day, when everone hits the beach with water pouring out of every orifice of their body, the race everone is talking about is that nukin' reach!!!

The whole point of sailing a catamaran is that we can produce our own wind. Sure we do that upwind and downwind. But it really becomes apparent on a reach!!

I don't think it would hurt the racing one iota to include a lot of gate racing, but also one or two reaches over the course of a weekend. At the bigger events it probably needs to remain gates. But at the local level? Let's put the excitement back in Hobie racing!!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:24 pm 
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Location: Clinton Lake Lawrence, KS
Does anyone feel like the change was instigated so we would all run out and buy new boats with spins :?:

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 Post subject: It was a plot!
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:37 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
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It was a plot!

All the cat manufacturers got together with US Sailing and ISAF and made them change the rules so we could sell more boats! :wink:

Naaa... the deal is, the B mark courses were fun, but they were not tactical races. The reach out is follow-the-leader then the semi down wind leg is pretty much the same. Upwind and downwind courses offer more opportunity for tactical racing.

BTW, I liked the reaches myself. Power on baby!

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 Post subject: Reaching
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 5:45 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2003 7:14 pm
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Location: West MI
OK, so everyone likes to reach but no one likes the parade. If race management would just add one reach leg to every other race just think how much more fun the regattas would be.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:19 am 
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Read again (PPP), depending on winds, the reach may or may not be a "parade".

DVL you're right on. Of all the combination of courses it would be easy for an RC to mix it up, there's not just SABCF on the triangle menu.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:54 pm 
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Location: San Diego
The challenge is to force the spinaker boats onto a close enough reach that holding the chute becomes a challenge. When it's windy and half the boats are flying the spinnaker and half are not, or some of those flying can not lay the "B" mark, then you have set it right. The reach from "B" to "C" now becomes the spinnaker boats raging reach.

Sometimes it's not about tactics but fun. With or without the spinnaker, the blaster leg is what may keep the guys at the back of the pack, or on the old beater 16 comming to the race. I think that thought is lost on a lot of the "A" fleet guys and the PROs who run the show. Most of the fleet is not racing to test tactics and skill, but are there to have a great day of sailing with a great group of people.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:41 pm 
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Location: Long Beach, CA
Mike Mike Mike...tsk tsk tsk

I do not think there is any need for a reaching mark with spinnaker boats. It is bad on the boat and we already have the pucker factor with that much sail up. In wind it is a scary deal to be the first up with the chute.

Eileen and I were the first to the weather mark in San Diego and thought that we could run the spinnaker to the reaching mark. The next three boats thought not. We were able to make it there...just. We also put about 2Xs the distance on the next boat, but I did not like the ride. It also turns into a follow the leader course, which I hate, even if I am the leader.

I just have to say no, no, no.

Later,
Dan

P.S. I-14s have to have a reaching mark according to their class rules. It is an art to set it in the right position to minumize carnage. I know some I-14 saillors, they say it is rare that the mark is set right.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:02 pm 
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See there, I knew it! And Dan just confirmed it, it's a conspiracy! It's all about the spin class now! :P

Hammond said
Quote:
With or without the spinnaker, the blaster leg is what may keep the guys at the back of the pack, or on the old beater 16 comming to the race.


If they'll let this crazy old man have anything to do with it I'm going to accidentaly set a triangle course, and if we're lucky enough to get the three Tigers within six hours of here to show up we'll have them run only courses one, two, five and six as we certainly wouldn't want to cause them any undue hardship or discriminate against them in any way. :P

Besides, those Tigers could get in the way of our fun and they didn't name the regatta we're resurrecting the "Pitchpole Cat" for nothing!

Beaters Rule!

1982 H18
1980 H16

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