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SSANZ Triple 2021


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Current plan is a month out at the latest

Just finalising NoR and Sailing Instructions 

So any changes you’d like to see please post here, can’t guarantee anything but good to have feedback to add to the mix.

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Please change the starting order back to one or two divisions every 5 minutes, and get rid of the split start line. The mass starts create far more chances  for collisions, and a far bigger wind shadow meaning those who don't get the best start are more heavily disadvantaged, sailing in bad air for 10 minutes or more.

Please change starting order so that fastest boats start first. With the small boats starting first means they get messed up for the first hour of the race with faster boats rolling them and giving them dirty air.  There is a good reason why all the yacht clubs start divisions with faster yachts first. There is no problem with waiting for shorthaul boats at the finish line - they sail a shorter course, and get in well before the longhaul boats.

 

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Personally having often sailed on small boats in this series, I'd vote for small boats starting first. These are long races and not like the ones from other clubs. Everyone has to deal with other boats being around, and it means you finish earlier. 

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Hasn’t been decided yet  but surely if you know that your going to have bigger boats sail through then you should be placing yourself on the course where your going to be least affected 

We your given limes make rum punch surely 

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Strange that none of the other clubs do it in reverse order! 🙄

Kinda ruins the first hour of your race starting first and being slowly rolled by a hundred faster yachts, never sailing below you, giving you dirty air. ☹️

 

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2 hours ago, ex Elly said:

Strange that none of the other clubs do it in reverse order! 🙄

Kinda ruins the first hour of your race starting first and being slowly rolled by a hundred faster yachts, never sailing below you, giving you dirty air. ☹️

 

Coastal classic does. 

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2 minutes ago, raz88 said:

Coastal classic does. 

Two largest races on the calendar 

Maybe someone’s doing it right ??

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The reason we started doing it this way was we get great footage of the whole fleet as the mixup happens, really demonstrates that you don’t need anything flash, just what you have and a mate 

At this stage I make it 2 for and 1 against 

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Not a fan of the split line or slow boats first. The start is a really important part of the race, win the start and get clear air is everyone's goal. Having to compete with far bigger two handed boats on the line elevates risk unnecessarily. 

Then having to thread through slow boats and gas is all the more reason to use a conventional start sequence.

If the issue is time then perhaps start earlier?

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I'm more concerned about SSANZ setting a fair line... which I define as a start line I'm struggling to work out where I want to start. This spreads the fleet along the line rather than bunching a the favoured end. Sometimes where wind/tide can make one end advantageous a deliberate bias needs to be build into the line to tempt boats towards the other end.

Secondly, I'd like to see starts delayed in very light flukey conditions until the breeze stabilises. Generally the boats don't travel very far until the breeze kicks in anyway but there will be big winners and losers... so I think better to delay a little longer and get everyone away to a fair start.

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I think it’s great that SSANZ starts in super light airs through to mighty fresh. No advantage to me in a heavy old boat but the ethos of sailing in what you have regardless seems a big component of what makes this format so rewarding. Also I agree with Josh the split starts and slow boats first creates a lot of opportunities to go ahead or backwards within your division, and it does make for the best footage in the epic LSD videos.

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The reason why the Coastal Classic changed their starts so that slow boats start first is because they often struggle to make the finish time. The wind often shuts down early morning leaving the slower boats becalmed in the bay. This race is the same length for all boats. This is one of the only races that does this, and there is a known problem they are trying to solve.

The reason why Wednesday night and Winter racing start the fast boats first, is to give them clear air and keep separation between the divisions. This helps reduce collisions and protests, and means that divisions are much less likely to impact on each other near the start of the race, which is the most crucial part of a race, as a small gain or loss here often leads to a big difference at the end.  The courses are shorter for slower boats, so all boats finish at a similar time.

When faster boats sail through a slower fleet it often leads to luffing matches, and uneven consequnces for the small boats that have the bad luck of having more big boats roll them than their competitors. To boost their chances, they then have to sail looking backwards, and end up changing their tactics to avoid boats in other divisions, rather than what they should be doing - focussing on racing boats in their own division.
 

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Elly we are on the same page, I previously gave my feedback to SSANZ re the new start sequence, the essence of it was:

  • off the wind it's tricky as you have competing divisions looking for clear air to windward i.e. a potential rollfest
  • on the wind, sbd tackers vs port tackers in different divisions = cluster
  • limited vis and maneuverability shorthanded exacerbates any issues

All of the above is more problematic in very light or very heavy air.

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I like starting before the larger boats and seeing them sail through.

Bad air can often be more than made up by a push from their wake.

The gold cup races place everyone on the same start line. That can get properly exciting.

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A race is about picking your way through a series of challenges. The more challenges there are the more chances there are to gain. The boat that plays it the best wins.   Personally I much prefer a race that offers the maximum challenges possible.  

 

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All good feedback, thanks

We meet tonight to finalise Sailing Instructions

All opinions will be weighted carefully 

See you on the water.

J

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