Race Management: How long should a race be?

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How long should a race be?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Race Management
Forum Discription: For race officers and competiors to discuss the topic
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5683
Printed Date: 10 May 25 at 1:02pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: How long should a race be?

Posted By: timeintheboat
Subject: How long should a race be?
Date Posted: 06 Jul 09 at 9:36pm

Following on from the "How Many" races - which seems to be aimed at club sailing. This question relates to Open and Championship racing.

How long should a race be in time?

It seems that at a lot of recent events I've done the indication is that the races will be about 1hr - but in reality fo the front runners end up being about 45mins.

It's a difficult balance, because when committee boats apply then upping sticks creates huge delays in races. Also more races means more time (in total) between races whereas longer races means a more dispersed fleet. It ain't easy.

Personally I'm happy with the current trend of more and shorter but do think that each event should include one longer race and that there must be a minimum of two main beats.

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Like some other things - sailing is more enjoyable when you do it with someone else

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 06 Jul 09 at 10:21pm

I think it depends a lot... Some races seem to "sort themselves out" quite quickly with minimal place changing occurring, others will chopping and changing much longer. On the one hand it might be good to shorten those races that have"sorted out" quickly, but on the other hand the RC is then vulnerable to accusations of not stopping until their mate is doing well...

Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 07 Jul 09 at 12:04pm

Around 45mins and 3 laps is ideal.

Problem is that in the light stuff that's probably a 1/2 mile W/L course and 1.5 miles in the windy stuff!

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Wanna learn to Ski - PM me..

Posted By: redback
Date Posted: 07 Jul 09 at 2:38pm

Yes 3 or 4 short (45min) races are good but only in open
water. I sail mostly on the Medway and it takes 30 minutes
to get to the big wide open spaces so our races tend to be
"passages". So its much better in our case to have 2 races
each of about 90 minutes. In medium breezes the longer the
better. I recently did a long distance race on the Broads
- it took 19.5 hours!

Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 7:01pm

Long enough to give a fair result! Which means 8-9 minutes for team racing, 15-20 for match racing... or much longer at some events. At big Star class events with 100 boats on the line if the beat is not at least 2 miles long boats starting at each end are not far from the lay line! So races with 3 beats and 2 runs are at least 10 miles long!

Personally, I would prefer, if fleet size allows it, more short races... more starts, more mark roundings, more incidents... I prefer not to sail long races when the result has been determined after say 30 minutes and there is still an hours sailing left.

Gordon

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Gordon

Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 9:01pm

Depends how many races per day, how many days you're racing (to sail a min. no. races) and if it's class or PY racing. The more races per day, the shorter they need to be. If you're PY racing it's not so evident that things have been decided early on, so you can press on undismayed and enjoy a longer race.

I really like 2 to 2.5 to hour races if it's only one per day, especially if I'm PY racing or in a nice place like Poole Harbour or on the Medway where you can actually go somewhere in the time available.

I've also enjoyed four 30-minute races back-to-back on a pond, with a very quick turnaround between races - but there lies a critical point: if the turnaround is slow, e.g. because there are multiple fleets, then too many races back-to-back can be a real flappy, sail-knackering pain, with more time spent hanging around than racing. Then I'd prefer just two decent races, maybe with lunch in between.

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http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC
http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class

Posted By: Rockhopper
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 9:31pm

six races for a weekend or a maximum of five in one day are what rs racing rules says normally as the others say about 45 mins for the first boat an hour for the back markers does seem the norm

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Retired now after 35 seasons in a row and time for a rest.
2004 national champ Laser5000
2007,2010,National Champ Rs Vareo

Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 9:42pm

Originally posted by Rockhopper

six races for a weekend or a maximum of five in one day are what rs racing rules says normally as the others say about 45 mins for the first boat an hour for the back markers does seem the norm

Five 45 to 60 minute races in a day? Count me out!

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http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC
http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class

Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 9:59pm

Originally posted by Medway Maniac

Five 45 to 60 minute races in a day? Count me out!

Did it at an Iso event at La Rochelle- was about an hour to and from the race area as well. Nearly eight hours on the water. Took lunches with us (dry bags strapped to the space frame). But that was a catch-up after losing a day.

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-_
Al

Posted By: Rockhopper
Date Posted: 23 Jul 09 at 7:50am

Thats the last resort five races in one day that is if you get blown out on a saturday so you can complete as series.We at broadstairs seem to get blown out or lack of wind when ever we have open meetings on one day or the other so five in one has become a bit of a set pattern. I think in that case its normally thirty min races for the leaders with three before lunch then two after

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Retired now after 35 seasons in a row and time for a rest.
2004 national champ Laser5000
2007,2010,National Champ Rs Vareo

Posted By: Paramedic
Date Posted: 03 Aug 09 at 8:35am

At a recent open at Hayling we had 2 days of 3 50 minuite back to back races (Class reccommendation is 1:10 for the first and then 1 hour for the lead boat) and it was fantastic.

I think races can go on for too long.