Courses for Open Meetings

Here's a case in point, Poole Harbour:

Idyllic - all sorts of nooks and crannies to test your real-world ability to sail a boat faster than your neighbour from place to place, whether it's up to Gold or WH5, or round the back of Brownsea Island to Amy Group, sorting out the best of the tide, errant Condor Ferries etc on the way.

Why on earth would I want to go there and then sail the exact same courses as I could on some concrete bowl adjacent the M25?  No reflection on comments above, but in my observation, the supporters of the latter option are people at the top of the class who do not want their position threatened by any additional elements beyond those where they know they have an advantage. 

I can maybe understand it if you have the sort of boat like a 49er that is such a handful that it is enough to keep it pointing in the right direction, the right way up, but for things like Wayfarers/L2k's surely most owners would prefer to take advantage of their surroundings?  Those who don't should possibly be in a more racy class...?

Edited by Medway Maniac - 03 Apr 13 at 5:30pm

Poll Question: Which courses do you prefer at opens? Please read the comments first.
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Windward-leeward	8	[22.22%]
Sausage-triangle	12	[33.33%]
Other 'Olympic'-style course	2	[5.56%]
Courses used by the local club racing	14	[38.89%]
You can not vote in this poll

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Medway Maniac Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medway Maniac Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Courses for Open Meetings Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 5:29pm
	Here's a case in point, Poole Harbour: Idyllic - all sorts of nooks and crannies to test your real-world ability to sail a boat faster than your neighbour from place to place, whether it's up to Gold or WH5, or round the back of Brownsea Island to Amy Group, sorting out the best of the tide, errant Condor Ferries etc on the way. Why on earth would I want to go there and then sail the exact same courses as I could on some concrete bowl adjacent the M25? No reflection on comments above, but in my observation, the supporters of the latter option are people at the top of the class who do not want their position threatened by any additional elements beyond those where they know they have an advantage. I can maybe understand it if you have the sort of boat like a 49er that is such a handful that it is enough to keep it pointing in the right direction, the right way up, but for things like Wayfarers/L2k's surely most owners would prefer to take advantage of their surroundings? Those who don't should possibly be in a more racy class...? Edited by Medway Maniac - 03 Apr 13 at 5:30pm
	Wilsonian SC 3000 Class

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 5:53pm
	As a visiting sailor I wouldn't want to be in the lead .....not that that's likely.

Medway Maniac Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medway Maniac Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 6:10pm
	The navigation is, er, interesting at times, but it can be done, and is much more satisfying to me at least than staring at numbers spotting shifts on a compass - I can do that on a PC.
	Wilsonian SC 3000 Class

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 6:24pm
	My wife (crew) navigates. LoL

SoggyBadger Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Oct 10 Location: The Wild Wood Online Status: Offline Posts: 552	Post Options Post Reply Quote SoggyBadger Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 6:50pm
	Obviously any course worthy of the moniker "decent" would have at least one pub stop en route
	Best wishes from deep in the woods SB

Guests Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 13 at 10:18pm
	Am I blind? Where is WH5 on that chart? But I agree. One of the reasons for travelling is to do something different. Edit: Just found it! Edited by Peaky - 03 Apr 13 at 10:20pm

sawman Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 May 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 205	Post Options Post Reply Quote sawman Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 13 at 9:45am
	I was having a chat about this with my brother the other day. I havent really sailed much in the last 10 years, but spent many years racing triangle/sausage. These standard courses make navigation pretty straightforward and allow you to concentrate on sailing fast. On the odd occasion where club courses were set for opens, usually on river courses, the local guys had an advantage, but it actually made a refreshing change, and we pretty much treated the first race as an orientation race, learning the names and locations of marks. Having a mix is probably best, I can see the benefit of the standard courses, but it is nice to have a bit of variation. I learnt to sail on a small lake in the northwest, we had a good number of marks around the pond, and a list of standard courses, with the option to create a bespoke one, It used to amuse me when acting as race officer to set the most convoluted course possible, making the race more of a test of handling than outright boat speed.

Fredexi Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 04 Apr 13 Location: medway Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fredexi Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 13 at 2:59pm
	I try and avoid open meetings where sausage/triangles or any other sort of plastic course is set(and usually miles away from launch site) . Give me a varied course from a club line anyday.
	RFG

Oli Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 23 Mar 05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1020	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oli Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 13 at 4:41pm
	depends on the class and venue for me. if its a one design event and the venue is on a large estuary or sea then olympic/windward leeward is what i want. if its a local class open meeting or a special race type event then local courses would be better, especially on a restricted river.
	T-SHIRTS PRINTS

patj Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 16 Jul 04 Location: Wiltshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 643	Post Options Post Reply Quote patj Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 13 at 6:01pm
	I vastly prefer the variety of courses round the local marks. Learning your way around is just part of the challenge.