RTIR - only 900 entered

PhillM

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Just been thinking about RTIR this year and noticed only about 900 currently entered. I have either entered early or very last min. Does this seem a low entry year and if so, any particular reason?
 
Just been thinking about RTIR this year and noticed only about 900 currently entered. I have either entered early or very last min. Does this seem a low entry year and if so, any particular reason?

I'd noticed that too... Only 286 entered in IRC currently, 429 finished last year... But 570 in ISC currently, vs about 650 last year, so will probably end up close in numbers for the cruisers.

Looking around our rating there are a lot of regular Solent boats missing. Hopefully there will be a bit of a last minute rush. Can't think of any particular reason it's low, other than Entries for all events this year being very light. Cowes is currently well behind where I would expect.

Might be a good year to get a decent result!
 
Couple of years since I've done it.
£130 seems more than enough?
Or maybe the tracking app requirement is annoying people?
 
I've entered for the first time this year so speaking as a newbie I found it a little bit of a mixture.... Entering was dead easy on-line, the course seems simple enough, and there's plenty of advice on their website around what I need to do, on the other hand the small print around what I'm supposed to have on board, all the rubbish questions about Media etc, and then this need for them to be able to track me either through AIS (which I don't have) or some app I'm supposed to put on my phone just comes across as a bit big brother. It's just a local sail around an island after all and they'll cancel my class (without refund) if the weather gets even remotely interesting. I'm looking forward to it, hopefully it will live up to expectations.
 
I've entered for the first time this year so speaking as a newbie I found it a little bit of a mixture.... Entering was dead easy on-line, the course seems simple enough, and there's plenty of advice on their website around what I need to do, on the other hand the small print around what I'm supposed to have on board, all the rubbish questions about Media etc, and then this need for them to be able to track me either through AIS (which I don't have) or some app I'm supposed to put on my phone just comes across as a bit big brother. It's just a local sail around an island after all and they'll cancel my class (without refund) if the weather gets even remotely interesting. I'm looking forward to it, hopefully it will live up to expectations.

that app used to be voluntary, and had significant security issues. Once you tested it, it continued to track you until the race, so that many of the owners could be seen to be in eg central london during the week or so before the race. I told them, but I don't think they fixed it.
 
that app used to be voluntary, and had significant security issues. Once you tested it, it continued to track you until the race, so that many of the owners could be seen to be in eg central london during the week or so before the race. I told them, but I don't think they fixed it.

Thanks, I won't bother testing it until the day before the race then! Presumably I just delete the app afterwards?
 
Thanks, I won't bother testing it until the day before the race then! Presumably I just delete the app afterwards?

I presume the tracking service cuts out after the service period paid for by the sponsors, but I doubt that deleting the app does anything to stop it. Check the Internet tracking app.after the race day.
 
Couple of years since I've done it.
£130 seems more than enough?
Or maybe the tracking app requirement is annoying people?

Unfortunately with a family or inexperienced crew, gambling £130 on the weather being suitable became a bit much for me. Shame as I love the race, but I've entered so many years and not even turned up to the start given a f6 or above was forecast. It's not just the entry fee. My insurer wanted £50 or so to add racing cover, plus a marina stay etc an you are north of £200. I'm not complaining about the value here, it's a great race and very well organised. I doubt the Isc make much, if any, money on it. It's just personally I can't justify the cost on the chance the weather will be fine. Different if you are a die hard racer with strong crew
 
According to the website it is now up to 1052 entries. I remember last year a lot of entries came in the last couple of weeks. I think a lot of people leave it till the last minute which is why they offer the reduced entry fees for early booking. Speak of which, I need to make sure I get my entry in before the 4th July when the entry fee goes up!

However, entries have certainly been down the last few years. Back in 2009 there were 1,734 and in 2011 there were 1,852. By 2016 this had dropped to 1,392 and last year it was 1,280. I suspect we're on track for a similar number this year.
 
Do folks wait to see what the long term forecast is perhaps? After all if they can cancel your class without redress it's bound to factor in your decision making process if you have a small boat.

I wonder what their approach would be if they cancel your class and you decide to just sail round anyhow?
 
Do folks wait to see what the long term forecast is perhaps? After all if they can cancel your class without redress it's bound to factor in your decision making process if you have a small boat.

I wonder what their approach would be if they cancel your class and you decide to just sail round anyhow?

I can see why that might factor into the thinking of occasional racers. But it isn't going to influence regulars.

For starters, if we made the call to go RTI the week before the race it is extremely unlikely that I could get enough regulars to put together a worth while crew. We decide our calendar for the season in February at the latest.

And then we're just used to dealing with the whims of the weather. I've been to weekend long events where we've not sailed at all. Either no wind or far too much. You just live with it. There was a winter series where we sailed 4 weekends out of 8. A cowes week that barely got 3 days sailing in... It's just what happens when you do a sport that relies on the weather.

If you got cancelled but sailed anyway, they won't give you a result. But they're not going to take any action. Of course if you then flipped your tri round the back of the island I can imagine your insurance having something to say...
 
I do appreciate the serious racers would have sorted themselves out long ago, but my understanding was that quite a large chunk of the usual fleet were casual racers looking for a good day out and they are also the ones less inclined to blow the entry fee.

With regard to insurance etc I'm sure you're aware that sailers tend to push their boats a whole lot harder when racing, well I certainly do, so the chances of breaking/flipping them then are a whole lot higher. Cruising around to the back of the Island to watch the "big boys" sail past is an entirely different matter.
 
I do appreciate the serious racers would have sorted themselves out long ago, but my understanding was that quite a large chunk of the usual fleet were casual racers looking for a good day out and they are also the ones less inclined to blow the entry fee.

Yes... Except that right now it's the IRC fleet that's behind last year's numbers and the ISC (cruising) fleet that looks to be about the same as last year!
 
Sorry mate, these monohull classes go clean over my head, (or is that straight past the lee float....) but I understand what you mean. Good luck anyhow, I would say see you down there but I wasn't planning on doing a second lap.....:)
 
I was going to enter.
But I have to have a MOCRA rating as they no longer offer a bridge deck cat cruiser class. A MOCRA rating involves a full measurement including the weigh scales. Far too much faffing and expense for a jolly round a bit of rock.

Blatent discrimination as the ISC offer a cruiser class for non serious racing types.
 
Tomahawk mate, I don't think you need a full MOCRA rating to enter the bridge deck cruiser class. From the NOR:

"Boats entered for the Bridgedeck Catamaran Cruiser Class will be allocated a rating (valid for this race only) by the Island Sailing Club through MOCRA. Boats racing in this Class will not be eligible for Multihull overall or Line Honours Trophies."

I think they contact MOCRA to get advice on what the rating should be but you don't need to be measured or weighed as I understand it. If I'm wrong I apologise, but that was how I read it.
 
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