Garmin Hamble Winter Series 2016

[Judders]

It's that time of year again folks. The whole shooting match starts a week tomorrow with the first of the Big Boat days and come Sunday we can all get out into the slog that is the Winter Series.

I shall, of course, be on Magic, GBR9579 in IRC4.

Who else is partaking this year?

 

[flaming]

It's that time of year again folks. The whole shooting match starts a week tomorrow with the first of the Big Boat days and come Sunday we can all get out into the slog that is the Winter Series.

I shall, of course, be on Magic, GBR9579 in IRC4.

Who else is partaking this year?

Pretty sure the Big Boats are the second week? That's what they have in the programme. http://www.hamblewinterseries.com/programme

I'll be there, usual story! Could use a few more entries in IRC2, on the assumption that the J109s will again insist on their own class...

 

[Judders]

Ah yes, so it is.

Not sure the 109s merit their own class do they?

The Impalas could but we don't push for one because IRC4 would be about four boats if we did. Of course we get extracted results. It's not as good as proper OD racing but IRC4 was there when there were just two Impalas and it's important to ensure the event is there for everyone

 

[flaming]

Ah yes, so it is.

Not sure the 109s merit their own class do they?

The Impalas could but we don't push for one because IRC4 would be about four boats if we did. Of course we get extracted results. It's not as good as proper OD racing but IRC4 was there when there were just two Impalas and it's important to ensure the event is there for everyone

Same numbers as last year, when they had that impromptu class meeting over VHF just before the start!

The problem they have is that the IRC configuration and OD configuration are quite different. I'd love to see them racing IRC and giving us another 5 to race against, but I'll be surprised.

Instead I suspect they will start with us, sail the same course but not be scored with us. Worst of all worlds as then they are just in the way!

 

[savageseadog]

I noticed something that resembled overall results for last year, about 150 boats. Without ploughing through the SI's, are the courses the same for all the classes? Staggered starts?

 

[flaming]

I noticed something that resembled overall results for last year, about 150 boats. Without ploughing through the SI's, are the courses the same for all the classes? Staggered starts?

Starts at intervals for each class. Diffferent course reading for each class. Sometimes it's the same as the class ahead, sometimes not! Generally planned to give each class about the same length (time wise) of race. So IRC 1 will go a lot further than IRC 4. There is no cross class scoring, other than they do pick a "yacht of the series" but that's fairly subjective.

 

[Yacht Yogi]

Right now there are six J-109s entered in IRC. Last year they were entered as J-109 One-Design with their own class start but when arriving in the start area for the first race were informed that they would be racing in IRC and the one-design class was cancelled. This left them with their boats in one-design configuration with the wrong sails for their IRC ratings.
The class discussion that occurred on VHF last year has been conducted on Facebook and e-mail this year (you'll be pleased to hear). The race officer's preference is to provide IRC racing over one-design classes. The J-109s and Sigma 38s were not even offered an opportunity to build a class entry for the one design championships, where of those allowed to register, only the J-70s have met the 8 boat target to get a class start.

 

[flaming]

Right now there are six J-109s entered in IRC. Last year they were entered as J-109 One-Design with their own class start but when arriving in the start area for the first race were informed that they would be racing in IRC and the one-design class was cancelled. This left them with their boats in one-design configuration with the wrong sails for their IRC ratings.
The class discussion that occurred on VHF last year has been conducted on Facebook and e-mail this year (you'll be pleased to hear). The race officer's preference is to provide IRC racing over one-design classes. The J-109s and Sigma 38s were not even offered an opportunity to build a class entry for the one design championships, where of those allowed to register, only the J-70s have met the 8 boat target to get a class start.

So am I to understand that we will get the J109s in our class? I really hope so, we get great racing with them!

 

[Judders]

I do have sympathy with HRSC on this one.

If you take the 109s out of two, the Sigma 38s out of 3 and the Impalae out of 4 then you have lots of very small classes.

 

[flaming]

I do have sympathy with HRSC on this one.

If you take the 109s out of two, the Sigma 38s out of 3 and the Impalae out of 4 then you have lots of very small classes.

Indeed. The 109s are a bit of a special circumstance though, as their IRC configuration and OD configuration are so different (in most cases). This means you cannot simply dual score them.

I understand that there was a class meeting recently that discussed changing the OD configuration, but no agreement was reached on the basis that there was no single IRC configuration to change to. I do wonder if they are routinely put in this situation - i.e. not getting enough entries for a class and having to race IRC - often enough that they will revisit that.

 

[flaming]

And interestingly there are now as many J88s entered as J109s.

Now they could be dual scored, and probably should be as they struggle under IRC.

 

[Judders]

I tell you one thing I'm really not looking forward to and that's the latter part of the Sunday races of the big boat weekend. Having boats doing six knots down wind rounding the same marks as the Fast Forties doing potentialy three times that speed is an accident waiting to happen.

It's bad enough merging with IRC 1 but there are usually a few incidents every year as it is.

 

[flaming]

I tell you one thing I'm really not looking forward to and that's the latter part of the Sunday races of the big boat weekend. Having boats doing six knots down wind rounding the same marks as the Fast Forties doing potentialy three times that speed is an accident waiting to happen.

It's bad enough merging with IRC 1 but there are usually a few incidents every year as it is.

We had a couple of mark roundings with the Fast 40s at Cowes. They're really not a problem as they just go round the outside of you at speed and are gone before you've sheeted in. They're also full of very good pro sailors and so will apply the rules to the letter. If they owe you room, you'll get it.

It's the big non-planing boats that are more problematic in my experience. Mark roundings with Desparado are bloody scary, even if they do give you all the room you need!

 

[savageseadog]

Flaming: Please let us all know about collisions, serious infringements etc.

 

[flaming]

Flaming: Please let us all know about collisions, serious infringements etc.

Not sure what you're asking?

 

[savageseadog]

Not sure what you're asking?

Let us know if anything "interesting" happens. I don't just mean on your boat, the whole fleet.

 

[TallBuoy]

Let us know if anything "interesting" happens. I don't just mean on your boat, the whole fleet.

That would be rather unsportsmanlike, not in keeping with the RRS, IMHO.

 

[flaming]

Let us know if anything "interesting" happens. I don't just mean on your boat, the whole fleet.

Sorry, don't think that's really on.

 

[flaming]

Grumble grumble, windy all week, grumble grumble, very light forecast for Sunday, Grumble grumble, windy again on Monday, grumble grumble!

 

[flaming]

Also, I see the J109s have passed the magic number 8 in entries for the main series.... Will they get an OD start...?