TOPIC:

Starter for 10 (I'm banging the drum again!)



Can you confirm that there will be no requirement to stick anything at all to the paintwork on my boat. I'm fed up with having to get bits of it repainted and it puts up the cost of big events enormously.

Hi Guys



There are some constraints within the charter for the Internationals, which we need to take account of. However the bottom line is that in order to get the required number of races in there has to be some decisions made that may give us scope or constrain us depending on how we interpret these rules.

The first is the length of the first beat, other items are like the phrase "Olympic Course". Does this include sausages? I am currently taking opinions and it would appear that a port hand course in the shape of a reverse "P" with a long first beat and then a port hand triangle with two reaches, followed by a number of triangles/sausages. Gate starts have not yet been discussed, but will be covered off with David at the SSI to see what options we have.

Food for thought and I would like your input and suggestions.

Derek Gibbon

NAA ChairmanDerek Gibbon2008-09-03 22:24:10

Olympic course used to mean Triangle sausage, repeat etc.

Current Olympic course is windward leeward as in just sausages for almost all the classes.

I personally am against triangles only, and not just because I am crap on the reaches!

The Olympic courses in days of old did contain Triangles and sausages, however with the advent of aysemetric style spinikers windward / lewward courses (or just saugages) have become the norm for those fleets. The Albacore being more of a beating reaching machine is obviously suited to triangles if the triangles are the right shape. I suppose the downwind leg on the sausage is for some people the bit they like (goose winged) I personally prefer reaches, I'm sure there will be both!



So practise for me on the run and others on the reaches will only go to improve the overall experiance!



Does anyone know how we can get rid of the beats?



Derek 7176 & 6852

ps I intend to see David Kent soon about courses and Sailing Instructions etc so any comments get them in quick.Derek Gibbon2008-09-08 14:23:43

Olympic races seem to be shorter with more to count, why not adopt a similar approach. Three, one hour races a day, a lot more fun.



Peter L 7993

I am not interested in doing just triangles even if it is blowing. Why can you not sail down wind when it is blowing?

Almost all Olympic classes just go up and back these days.

Hi Derek,



I would like to see the triangle/sausage course used as a norm as this tests us on all points of sailing, unless its a complete hoolie when we should give the committee the choice of reverting to triangles, and a race time of about 2 hours for us slow starters to catch up a bit!

Hi Trevor



I am sure that we can get something organised along the lines you suggest. I would obviously need to know what kind of numbers and how structured but I don't think it will be an issue.



Which in some respect brings me to a fundemental question... in principal and without 100% commitment who is intending to attend, to race?



Could you please let me know, either an email to DerekGibbon@aol.com or a response to the forum which I will start and just reply.



Derek Gibbon 7176

At the Southampton Boat Show Yesterday I met someone from Largs and she said there were many yachts there. Can we organise Yacht trips for WAGS and other family members - maybe half day jaunts? Trevor

Well over 100 people have visited the this topic since I asked for non racing options and one (Phil) response is to encourage non sailors (WAG's, family etc) to take sailing lessons. This is do-able in both dinghy and big boat sailing from the sailing school attached to the Marina.



I had kind of thought that cruising or non sailing related options would have been what I was going to hear! Over the past 24 years I can remember lots of people asking about a cruising section, maybe they are not the kind of people that use this forum to stay in touch.



Could I therefore ask if you could ask your fellow club members what they would like at next year Internationals 12t to 18 July 2009 and let me know.



Derek 7176 & 6852

ps I will be racing and that is organised so maybe we should just race and let the status quo be!

Good idea Derek, maybe we could get a sailing instructor or two for the week so that any non racing people can have some sailing lessons. This will encourage families to attend.



What does every body else think?



Phil

I have recently visited the Largs area and also spoken to David Kent (SSI) about some options for next July. These include several non sailing/non racing options. I would like to encourage family participation and know that for some it makes the championship A. do-able and B. worthwhile. For example David Hammond and family spent time in the area after the Scottish/Europeans and enjoyed themselves. I need feedback asap so that I can start to organise options. Maybe Albacore cruising with a support boat, learn to sail in cruisers/dinghy, golf, etc or ofcourse there is just good old sightseeing!



I await your feedback.



Derek Gibbon 7176 & 6852

NAA ChairmanDerek Gibbon2008-09-13 10:17:36

Hi



With less than a week to go to the Scottish/Europeans in Largs I thought it a fine time to start this topic. There will be a number of NAA Committee members at the event and ofcourse Crawford the current IAA President and main man in the organising of this event will be there. So lets get the ball rolling by asking questions before the event so we can share them at both committee level and with he organising club... Largs Sailing Club & the Scottish Sailing Institute.



There will be US & Canadian participation and last years winner of the Europeans will also attend, sadly as a spectator as he has hurt his back, but I'm sure he will have his tupence worth when it comes to the chat etc!



So fire those questions up North and we will make sure that nothing is left to chance for July 18th - 24th 2009.



Derek Gibbon 7176 & 6852

NAA Chairman