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Thread: +3 bay races in summer 2017 - what would it take?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    Default +3 bay races in summer 2017 - what would it take?

    Hi - what would it take for the SSS to add 3 "in the bay" races next summer (2017)? Day races, to be clear, without any related overnight. I have to think there is demand out there -- after all, the SSS gets 100+ boats in the 3BF, Corinthian, and Round the Rocks.

    Would it require higher membership fees? More volunteers? Piggybacking on YRA races?

    I think there is a lot of be said for doing this. Bay races are obviously cheaper and more convenient -- and will attract more boats than ocean races or overnights ever will. It seems like a no brainer to have more of them, esp. if one of the club's main goals is to promote the sport. Having more in the bay races would also, I think, help create a stronger pipeline of future ocean racers.

    Unfortunately, at the moment the SSS schedule is weighted in just the opposite direction: 5 ocean/overnight races vs. 3 in the bay day races. This inherently attracts big boats, or people with time, or people with money (the 1% of sailing?)

    For the long-term health of the club and the sport, shouldn't the club weight its schedule towards the bay?

    - A 99% sailor

    P.S. Happy to help organize this if need be.

  2. #2
    pogen's Avatar
    pogen is offline Sailing canoe "Kūʻaupaʻa"
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    Nov 2008
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    Actually the season is evenly split.

    Bay -- 3BF, RTR, Corinthian, Vallejo 1-2

    Ocean -- SHF, HMB, Drakes 1+2, SHTP/LP

    Plenty of small boats do the ocean races. They just need appropriate safety gear.

    IMHO if anything the club should do more to encourage the bay-only crowd to do ocean races, and DH boats to start doing some races SH.

    Mark roundings and starts are already scary enough without bringing on more bay-only DH'ers.

    Just my 2 cents.

  3. #3
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    Sep 2012
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    I didn't consider the Vallejo as a bay race b/c it's an overnighter - so fair point.

    Still, there is a HUGE gap in the summer -- almost 3 months with no SSS races (in the bay or otherwise). That creates a real problem - what do I do in the summer? Where can I race? I'm in the YRA series to fill the gap, but it's not the same without you guys

    Then comes the fall and it's all overnighters and long distance ocean racing. Outside of the equipment requirements (which my boat meets), it is just super hard to make that happen from a logistical pov (kids, work, etc. -- how do you all find the time?!)

    I really don't see it as either/or between ocean and bay. Instead, I believe it's a win/win: more bay races = more potential sailors who will become ocean racers. Bang for the buck, you are always going to get more people to the line for a bay race.

    And I think there ways to deal with large fleets -- different courses for different classes, putting more time between starts, requiring qualifying races of some sort, and/or maybe even making some of the races single handed only.

    Quote Originally Posted by pogen View Post
    Actually the season is evenly split.

    Bay -- 3BF, RTR, Corinthian, Vallejo 1-2

    Ocean -- SHF, HMB, Drakes 1+2, SHTP/LP

    Plenty of small boats do the ocean races. They just need appropriate safety gear.

    IMHO if anything the club should do more to encourage the bay-only crowd to do ocean races, and DH boats to start doing some races SH.

    Mark roundings and starts are already scary enough without bringing on more bay-only DH'ers.

    Just my 2 cents.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Having worked with YRA on the schedule, I can tell you that adding anything to the 800+ events already on the calendar is difficult. We added Drake's Bay by combining with OYRA, and as you know I've promoted adding shorthanded divisions to existing single races (like IYC's Silver Eagle) or series (like the Berkeley Midwinters). Without fail the response from race organizers has been "bring us the entries and we'll give you a start."

    Any of the YRA races are open to shorthanders if you just gather 4-5 of your friends and enter. The Ditch Run had a shorthanders division this year. The Silver Eagle (6/25) is ready to receive your entries as posted elsewhere on the forum. Then on 7/16 SFYC has their Midnight Moonlight Maritime Marathon. A few of us thought about asking for a shorthanders division last year in the MMMM but didn't plan far enough ahead. How about this year?

    The only thing this doesn't change is the SSS series scores, although even that could be considered: a "Super Series"?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    Maybe it's a matter of awareness / not being in the SSS calendar?

    On the forums here, there are a few of us scrambling around trying to get folks to participate in various races (me the YRA series, Jackie the Silver Eagle, etc.) It seems hard to make that happen.

    What if the SSS just put the YRA series into its calendar for next year with an asterix? The qualifications could be: a) that you have to pay for the race in addition to your SSS membership, b) that it will only occur if at least 5 boats sign up, and c) that it won't count towards season standings (at least for the first year.)

  6. #6
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    Sep 2007
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    We currently show the OYRA series dates and a few others, but we could add a few non-SSS Bay races and label the list(s) "BAY" or "OCEAN" to highlight the options:

    http://sfbaysss.org/main/racing/

    When I receive the YRA/Latitude 38 Calendar in January, I create and prioritize a list of the races I want to do that year, transfer that list to the family/home calendar and work out the conflicts. I know several others who do it this way. Between my list, invitations to race on other boats, non-racing SSS duties (like inspections) and non-sailing stuff, I'm pretty much booked. Maybe we should consider publishing "SSS Bay Super Series" and "SSS Ocean Super Series" lists so the extra races get promoted and onto our calendars. It's indeed fun to race with other SSS skippers in non-SSS races.

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