Solo Nationals

The lost race was almost entirely the competitors fault since they were happy to follow Tom Gillard when there was no S flag flown.  We possibly lost a race because the PRO could not get a back to back race off quick enough before the wind destabilised … though this would have depended on the fleet getting off first time.  Possibly the worst decision was to let a gate start go when the pathfinder was headed and sailing into a dying breeze, though the race still yielded a result.  So only one out of eight races could be perceived as poor, but the need to get races in could mitigate for this.

Originally posted by Sailerf 13k is that not enough to expect a rational race officer and team? Or can they still hide behind the word volunteer?

I think any race officer who has run a nationals in the last few weeks given the weather pattern deserves a medal. Its easy to criticise with hindsight, I come away from every race I run with a huge list of what I could have done better. Thats part of the learning process, but competitors criticising often should have just sailed better - Its easier to blame someone else!

Edited by Paramedic - 04 Sep 21 at 7:19am

Think it pays to look at the bigger picture SailerF.

Instead of blaming an individual volunteer or being prejudical against volunteer RO's think about what's going on.

Class racing up to National level is a minority amateur sport. It is currently hemorrhaging skill and experience as numbers decline, Old experienced sailors disappearing at the top and fewer new participants to make up the numbers at the bottom.

So many smaller clubs that used to be able to put on a good class event no longer have the depth of experience to do so.

I'm fortunate in that my club can still do it although the number of members that can run a major race is in rapid decline. Some that can do it will not do it because understandably the RO is nobodies friend and some of the participants are just plain rude. 

I think in this declining sport you have either got to adjust your expectations or get on the class committee and make sure your Nationals are held at Hayling, Weymouth or the like. Blaming volunteers, regardless of their skill levels, who are trying their best is not constructive in any way whatsoever. Respect is always a mutual arrangement, if you want the respect of the volunteers then you have got to respect them......otherwise why should they do it?

And sometimes things go wrong.

Originally posted by Sussex Lad Think it pays to look at the bigger picture SailerF. Instead of blaming an individual volunteer or being prejudical against volunteer RO's think about what's going on. Class racing up to National level is a minority amateur sport. It is currently hemorrhaging skill and experience as numbers decline, Old experienced sailors disappearing at the top and fewer new participants to make up the numbers at the bottom. So many smaller clubs that used to be able to put on a good class event no longer have the depth of experience to do so. I'm fortunate in that my club can still do it although the number of members that can run a major race is in rapid decline. Some that can do it will not do it because understandably the RO is nobodies friend and some of the participants are just plain rude.  I think in this declining sport you have either got to adjust your expectations or get on the class committee and make sure your Nationals are held at Hayling, Weymouth or the like. Blaming volunteers, regardless of their skill levels, who are trying their best is not constructive in any way whatsoever. Respect is always a mutual arrangement, if you want the respect of the volunteers then you have got to respect them......otherwise why should they do it? And sometimes things go wrong.