Guest Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Have just finished the Richmond Wednesday race. Was lovely except we nearly killed some ignorant person on a boat called Rainbow. They had, in their ignorance, decided to motor through the Multi start line, yes the small area between the bouy and bridge with 1 minute to go? 2ft at 20knots and no where to go. So between them and the other 6-8 monohull idiots blatantly in our area, thanks Powerplay, who ignore the rules and are a danger to all around you, see rule 11.3 in the sailing instructions. I have much respect for the unsung heroes, the races volunteers, but if the RO doesn't take control and clear the start area, someone will get hurt or worse. The Squadron has moved the start line for good reason as when you have 100+ boats starting a race, it is very hard if the start area is only the small area between buoy and bridge. If they wont lay a line like the Squadron with more room, then we must protest to make it safe. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Lodge protests I say. Don't wait, be proactive. Unless someone agitates nothign will happen and people will keep ingoring the requirement. Lodge 5 protests a week for a few weeks and the club will be motivated to act. Link to post Share on other sites
RushMan 31 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 The OOD spent 10 minutes before prize giving reminding everyone of the rules. I agree the start line area is rather cramped. Link to post Share on other sites
RushMan 31 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I have been pondering how much room is enough... At 20 knots Vodaphone can cover 3km in 5 minutes The problem is there is a formula one car trying to play on a go kart track. Huge differences in speed with not much room to spare. How about the multis head off 5 minutes earlier ? Their start would be A divisions 10 minute gun. Link to post Share on other sites
samin 0 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I have been pondering how much room is enough... At 20 knots Vodaphone can cover 3km in 5 minutes almost any of the multihulls and even some monos could be doing 20 knots winding up to the start The problem is there is a formula one car trying to play on a go kart track. Huge differences in speed with not much room to spare. How about the multis head off 5 minutes earlier ? Their start would be A divisions 10 minute gun. how about the other skippers just stick to the rules. M division isnt the only one with issues in the prestart Link to post Share on other sites
Clipper 346 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 The problem is there is a formula one car trying to play on a go kart track. Huge differences in speed with not much room to spare. How about the multis head off 5 minutes earlier ? Their start would be A divisions 10 minute gun. No, the problem is some people don't follow the rules, or in many cases, even follow common sense.. How about people just follow the rules? i.e. don't motor around putting up mains inside the designated starting area while other divisions are trying to start. How about the boats with 10 peope on board use one of those sets of eyes to look for other boats? Link to post Share on other sites
Clipper 346 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 snap Link to post Share on other sites
Mothership 6 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 One of two things can happen. This can be made complicated and unwieldy, with rule changes, start changes etc etc and no underlying changes in attitude or behaviour from the boats involved. Alternatively, enforce the current rules, and boats stay out of the start area if it's NOT your start. Easy (one would think). Link to post Share on other sites
RushMan 31 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I agree Mothership but how far back from the startline do you need to be to allow enough room for Vodaphone ? They started from further back than fullback yesterday and missed the start by how many seconds (not sure as we were trying to get a gun so didn't have time at that stage) One thing I would like to see is a bank of lights on the tower. Five lights in a row that count down the last 5 seconds to each gun. If you try to stay away from the start line it is impossible to hear the hooter some nights and see the flags go up and down. Just my 2 cents worth. Link to post Share on other sites
Clipper 346 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 11.3 Boats whose warning signal has not been made shall avoid the starting area. 11.4 The starting area is defined as Spring Regatta – Gold Cup 100 metres southwest of and 50m northeast of the start line. Wednesday Night Races, Winter Races, Friday Special Races, Harbour Races, Flap Martinengo Race, and Destination Races The starting area is defined as an area bounded by a line 50m to the east and parallel to the starting line, 200m to the west and parallel to the starting line and 50m to the North of a line through Westhaven Buoy in the direction of the southern pier of the main navigation span of the Harbour Bridge. Link to post Share on other sites
samin 0 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 One thing I would like to see is a bank of lights on the tower. Five lights in a row that count down the last 5 seconds to each gun. If you try to stay away from the start line it is impossible to hear the hooter some nights and see the flags go up and down. Just my 2 cents worth. I agree I find it hard to hear the horns and see the flags. Not sure what the solution is tho. Do they broadcast it on the VHF? if not maybe thats an easy fix for everyone Link to post Share on other sites
RushMan 31 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 The starting area is defined as an area bounded by a line 50m to the east and parallel to the starting line, 200m to the west and parallel to the starting line and 50m to the North of a line through Westhaven Buoy in the direction of the southern pier of the main navigation span of the Harbour Bridge. Any idea how far the start line is to the bridge ? Link to post Share on other sites
Mothership 6 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 What's written in the sailing instructions would be a good start i.e. keep out of the start box when others are lining up. One cause is people who get out there late and come straight across the starting line. Whilst it isn't always possible to do something about this as something can come up for one crew member holding the whole boat up, but there are a few boats that seem to leave heading out until the last minute every race, although the problem is by no means limited to the aforementioned. As for llghts, can't see the clubs going for that, but broadcasting the start on VHF would go a long way to helping. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Have just finished the Richmond Wednesday race. Was lovely except we nearly killed some ignorant person on a boat called Rainbow. They had, in their ignorance, decided to motor through the Multi start line, yes the small area between the bouy and bridge with 1 minute to go? 2ft at 20knots and no where to go. So how do you propose to stop the general public leaving the busiest marine entrance of the largest marina in the Sth hemisphere from using a public waterway only to find some yacht/s screaming around at high speed that has left it/themselves next to no escape routes. Just keep calling them ignorant for being selfish enough to think the general public can use a public waterway? One cause is people who get out there late and come straight across the starting line. Start the multis last and they will have plenty of room....... but then they will have to sail thru the monos and will bitch about that .... best start them 1st then....... but then they bitch boats are in the way. Looks like the best way is Multi Wednesday racing will now start at 6pm on Thursday I have a teacup, who's got the storm?? Link to post Share on other sites
Clive 13 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Lodge protests I say. Don't wait, be proactive. Unless someone agitates nothign will happen and people will keep ingoring the requirement. Lodge 5 protests a week for a few weeks and the club will be motivated to act. I did and handed it in.... was told that Rainbow V was not racing so I binned the protest.... think they must have been a random yacht coming out of the marina. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 To the general public using public spaces as you are fully entitled to do, I'd like to pass on my apologies for some of my fellow yacht racers who have incorrectly assumed you are ignorant, when it does appear the ignorance is fully on the other foot..... yet again. I'd like to think next time us racers will be more situationaly aware. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites
markm 30 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 um, think a yacht under motor is still supposed to give way to sail KM. And, notwithstanding that a boat may have every right to do so, motoring into a start area occupied by 100 yachts going in apparently random directions, well if I were on board I think I might not be bringing up phrases like situationally aware. Link to post Share on other sites
w44vi 17 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 To the general public using public spaces as you are fully entitled to do, I'd like to pass on my apologies for some of my fellow yacht racers who have incorrectly assumed you are ignorant, when it does appear the ignorance is fully on the other foot..... yet again. I'd like to think next time us racers will be more situationaly aware. Thank you. KM politicly correct ! Has hell frozen over are pigs flying? Link to post Share on other sites
Clive 13 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 um, think a yacht under motor is still supposed to give way to sail KM. Exactly! Ok they may not have been aware of VF coming to the line quite so quickly but there were a load of other mulit's converging on that smal area.... if motoring I would have thought that you would have kept well away. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 um, think a yacht under motor is still supposed to give way to sail KM.Totally but then I am one of the few who know the rules so never make the assumption the other boat does also. Or maybe W.U.F could just mean Wind Up Friday Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.