Shorthanded Midwinters 2014/2015

[BobJ]

This is coming together. BYC's R/C says the starts and finishes are on the Circle at X-OC. They'll be delighted to give shorthanders our own start if we have enough entries.

Tides look okay for draftier boats: High on 11/9, Low but +2.2 on 12/14, Mid and flooding on 1/11. On 2/15 it will be Low at 1600 and a bit minus. If that race drags out you'll have to watch it on the shoreward part of the Circle.

A couple of us mulled over doing our own thing but let's support BYC (who supports us with Round the Rocks, etc.) and see how it goes. I'll sign up now (that's three boats already). Please give this your consideration and post here so we know how we're doing.

Click HERE to read the NOR and to sign up.

Thanks - this will be fun!
.

[Lightspeed]

Lightspeed is interested. She did the 2013-2014 BYC Midwinters with Paul Kamen & crew and won the Sat Div A series. The start and finish is on the circle. It is the Friday BYC chowder races that the finish is at the breakwater.

Lots of work shorthanded rounding marks with spinnaker sets and douses. My torn rotor cuff is doing better but I will need a three handed crew to compete.

[BobJ]

I'm still open to the idea of racing non-spinnaker since the legs are pretty short. I put in a plug for a reaching mark to get some separation from the fully-crewed boats - that would also work better for racing non-spinnaker. I think Philpott has a similar problem (rotator cuff) and neither her boat nor Gamayun's are currently rated with spinnakers.

All suggestions are encouraged.

[Lightspeed]

Bob, point of clarification. Singlehanded or doublehanded? I would very much enjoy a non-spinnaker singlehanded race on a short buoy course. With singlehanded traditionally a longer all day point to point race, I would encourage more to give this short fun afternoon venue a try. SSS will need to coordinate a singlehanded division with BYC if we want to use autopilots.

[BobJ]

The NOR just says "shorthanded." Per this thread, it sounds like Dura Mater wants to go single, Kynntana double, and I'll race single unless someone wants to race with me - I just want to get some sailing on the Winter calendar. In other series you can use autopilots either SH or DH - I'll have to check to see what BYC does.

Edit - I just sent the R/C a note to ask about autopilots (and whether they still have a credit for racing non-spinnaker). I'll report back.

[Lightspeed]

Thanks, if your looking for a head count I am in for singlehanded non-spinnaker first and happy to beat the drum at the RYC. If we can not get 5 to enter for our own div, then I will most likely want to move to Double-handed spinnaker. Thanks for bringing this up...Rick

[Philpott]

If I recall correctly non spinnaker simply gets a 3 sec/minute credit. There is no distinction between singlehanded and doublehanded. I have never seen another singlehanded sailor in a BYC race.

[BobJ]

I got another prompt reply from the R/C (thanks Bobbi!) - and do remember this is BYC's event, not mine or the SSS's.

Because of the casual nature of BYC's Friday night series, they do things there that don't happen with these somewhat-more-serious Midwinters, like non-spinnaker credits. So there aren't any. This is consistent with NorCal PHRF's recommendation that spinnaker and non-spinnaker fleets be scored separately. They are okay with autopilots for shorthanders.

What we know is there will be one shorthanded division, if we get enough entries for it. Right now I'm the only paid entry so there's not much more to discuss. If we get enough boats, we could discuss separate scoring within the division for spinnaker vs. non-spinnaker and/or singlehanders vs. doublehanders. My opinion is that since we will all probably be in the same division, only singlehanders should be allowed to use autopilots. This would even things out a bit.

But the first thing is to sign up.

[dhusselman]

Count me in. I will sign up tomorrow....

Dirk - TIJD

[BobJ]

Cool Dirk. Our boats match up well.