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Thread: Match racing in the bay?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    430

    Default

    BAMA had the online racetrack. It was a pretty fun course.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    19

    Default Low-key racing proposal

    Any SIP racing needs to be:

    • Easy to run and score fairly. (i.e. no on-the-water race committee)
    • Extremely low risk of injury or damage that might require external intervention.
    • Low stress and fun!


    Make it look and work like a day sail, but the "racing" is all scored afterwards.

    I'd suggest a slightly virtual contest where all scoring is done via GPS track. Use an existing app (e.g. Strava) that makes it clear that the results weren't doctored and came straight from the phone app. Allow for a long starting window, perhaps 5 minutes + 30 seconds per boat, to prevent pre-start chaos. Very long first leg to allow the fleet to spread out before the first turning mark. Maybe even require a short video clip of you and surrounding boats as you approach and again when depart each mark. Offset marks where possible. Single-handed only, no temptation to combine households.

    It wouldn't be windward-leeward racing. Tactics would be minimized. Strategy and boat-handing to the fore. Public safety nearly equivalent to day sailing.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,688

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    Based on what my club/harbor and the USCG are saying (via 'Lectronic Latitude yesterday), I'm going to try to stay off the Bay. My sailing is essential only to me, and that's just psychological.

    My son is stuck on an aircraft carrier that hasn't ported in 40 days to protect the sailors, my DIL is an ICU nurse working long shifts, and so on. It's what I need to do. YMMV

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    2,095

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    While I'm dying to get out on the water, I'm with Bob on this one.

    Yes, I flouted my county's orders to not travel more than 5 miles, on Sunday. Joan and I did a bike ride that at it's farthest point took us more like 9 miles from the house. But I would feel very indulgent, going sailing, when I can do "boat stuff' at home right now...build that windvane, modify the e-rudder cassette, make stuff for the Piper and so on. It's only a month more to wait, maybe....just a few weeks.

    But that's just me.
    1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
    1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
    Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"

  5. #15
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Richmond YC
    Posts
    62

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    From what I saw in the L38 post yesterday, and a few other communications with coasties, I'd say all it would take for them to follow san diego in ordering all non-essential vessels to stay in their slips, would be 1 911 or mayday call on the water from a recreational boater, causing a CG crew to have to scramble and pull in shore duty folks away from other jobs to support them.

    That being said, I've gone out a couple times, in super mellow conditions, for some mental health sailing with my live-in co-skipper. We all gotta do what we gotta do, but I strongly advocate for extreme caution and zero organized events on the water until SIP is lifted.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Alameda, CA
    Posts
    136

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    I am reading that many here are concerned. I get it. I among other things am a professional first responder, a navy veteran as well as self employed business owner. Frankly we have been living in a COVID19 community here in the bay area since late November 2019. The bronze rivet is the the social distancing problem. Sailing solo or double handed sailing or racing isn't a problem. It is all conjecture about what authorities will do to people who endeavor to do an informal, safe sailing event as we lift the SIP orders in the upcoming weeks. Whether we sail alone on the bay for exercise or with a group of other boats really doesn't matter. We have always had an obligation to do our part to be safe out there, to care of our other sailing friends, as well manage our recreational boating risk.

    But getting back to the biggest bronze rivet, we can not count on having a committee boat or deck as we have known. The virus isn't going away and we can not let our valuable friends cluster like they have. Adding additional sailing electronic and managing the tracking is other hurdles that are being some want pressed takes the fun out to the point of almost why bother.

    We are going to be dealing with this virus for a while. Thinking it is going away in summer isn't going to happen. In reality this is a multiyear problem. The economic and social consequences for many of us will change in the next months to come. I put out this proposal as just one idea. The other around the island event was as safe as I could think of by myself. I hoped to be challenged by smarter and more socially connected like minded people who will begin to think outside of the box until we can go back to the way it was.
    Last edited by Black Jack; 04-15-2020 at 11:15 AM.
    Without friends, none of this would be possible.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Benicia, CA
    Posts
    69

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    Checked with Solano county and asked about an organized, family oriented or single handed regatta-since the coasties are doing what the counties tell them to do regarding their SIP requirements. They responded nyet, no, don't do it, and made up a bunch of stuff that boiled down to they ain't gonna agree to allow an organized recreational venue of any sort. One of the situations where it is better to ask forgiveness if you need it, but never ask for permission.
    Respectfully, Thom

    SeaRail 19, SriRacha

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Alameda, CA
    Posts
    136

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thom View Post
    Checked with Solano county and asked about an organized, family oriented or single handed regatta-since the coasties are doing what the counties tell them to do regarding their SIP requirements. They responded nyet, no, don't do it, and made up a bunch of stuff that boiled down to they ain't gonna agree to allow an organized recreational venue of any sort. One of the situations where it is better to ask forgiveness if you need it, but never ask for permission.
    If we do informal non-sanctioned events - we are just outside taking the airs and getting our exercise, the coast guard is happy to see us out there. The few days I have gone sailing in the estuary during this event, we have been greeted with waves and smiles by our fine young men and women who patrol our waters. Really, the worse thing the authorities may do is ask us to go home if we get too crowded or look too organized. I doubt in the weeks and months ahead that either will be the case. In my own business as well as hearing form my wife's great company - the new normal isn't coming for a long time, the ideas of active lifestyle will be modified but can not be detoured to those who actively seek it.

    There are many people in the bay area who would love to shut down boating for growth and development. Every time we in the bay area reduce the amount of boating, the boating activity and access to the water - the greater the argument is reduce marinas, dry storage space and put further restrictions to launch facilities. It has happened in Redwood City, Alameda, Sausalito, Petaluma and along the Napa river. The response to this virus pandemic is profound in ways we can not imagine. These days we are living in now will effect how much freedom and access we have in the months and years to come.
    Last edited by Black Jack; 04-17-2020 at 02:28 PM.
    Without friends, none of this would be possible.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,688

    Default

    Certainly, go sailing. But if you need assistance or in some other way you poke the bear, you could shut down recreational boating on SF Bay for all of us. It only takes one phone call from the right authority. And it's likely we'll know it was you who caused it.

    With the Corona Challenge, you're encouraging a group of boats to join you as you sail past the Coast Guard station on YBI. That's poking the bear.

    So sure, go sailing on your own boat. But please stop trying to organize events on the SSS website.

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