Racing Marks
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=8549
Printed Date: 29 Jun 25 at 7:07am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Racing Marks
Posted By: redders
Subject: Racing Marks
Date Posted: 17 Nov 11 at 4:12pm
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We currently use plastic 45 gallon drums as racing marks. The drums are half filled with concrete to make them stand up, a metal fitting is attached to the bottom of the drum and chain is used to attach to the anchor. Anchors recently have been made from truck wheels/tyres. The reservoir has a totally concrete bottom so anchors can only hold by their weight alone. Issues: 1. The buoys are heavy and tend to bounce around on any chop...the main consequence of which is that the chain and mounting fittings wear quickly. 2. The weight needed to hold such a heavy and quite large buoy is also v heavy. 3 If the chain or fittings fail we loose the ground tackle 3. Inspection of the chain and related metal wear is best done by diver (The Water Authority is not keen on divers!). 4. Hitting a mark is not a good idea! Some may see this as an advantage  What do your clubs use?
Edit by Mark to get rid of the long space at the end of this post |
Replies:
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 17 Nov 11 at 4:22pm
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For club fixed marks we've got some plastic or rubber marks which must have been bought 30 or more years ago. They're nothing like as big as a 45s - maybe a couple of feet across and 30 inches high I guess.
Difficult to comment on whether you system is OTT without knowing how wide/long and deep your pond is, but the system certainly doesn't sound underspecified... |
Posted By: redders
Date Posted: 17 Nov 11 at 4:32pm
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Jim, the reservoir is 120 acres with depth at the marks anything from 80 feet to 25 feet. We have 12 marks in total. Why I ask the question is they are a big issue when they fail and difficult to maintain to stop failure. There must be a better solution using some type of inflatable mark and lighter ground tackle, the question is what type is best and where they are available? ------------- The older I get the faster I was! |
Posted By: crosby mafia
Date Posted: 18 Nov 11 at 12:13am
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We used to have chains on our marks. Regularly lost ground tackle as the chains wore through, due to movement and rust at the top. The salt water caused very quick corrosion on the first two - three feet under the buoy. We've changed this year to using thick webbing lifting strops, big shackles onto the buoys and cable ties to keep the pins insitu. So far no ground tackle losses or buoys, and survived some big gales, which usually saw the buoys dragging their tackle then snapping the chains.
------------- Better a crap day in Abersoch than any day at work. |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 18 Nov 11 at 4:10pm
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We mostly use harbour marks, but we have a few Polyform ball fender/buoys which work OK. They are not cheap, £150 for a big one, but should last well if not abused. |
Posted By: Mister Nick
Date Posted: 18 Nov 11 at 4:15pm
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We've got some big buoys (sort of scaled up spherical fenders) that are permanently out on the reservoir, with other temporary marks occasionally being laid. They seem to work fine, don't cause any damage if you hit them and they're lasting well. :) Another place I sail usually has to lay those massive fluorescent orange marks for racing, and use a couple of the close together permanent 'round the cans' marks (provided they're not being used for yacht racing). No idea how good the temporary marks are, they all look the same to be honest so I can't tell if they're new or the same ones as last time. The permanent ones take anything in their stride, they're built to take hits from 35ft yachts so light dinghies don't really cause them any issues.
------------- |
Posted By: old fart
Date Posted: 22 Nov 11 at 11:31am
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At Lyme we use plastic inflatable marks - pillar buoys for cub racing, and larger ones for open meetings & champs. Ground tackle is anchors with about 10 metres of chain, with rope up to the buoy (usually champs marks have a sinker for the cable just under the buoy. Occaisionally the anchors get stuck and we have to cut the cable. We have got used to the ribs putting out the marks each day - it keeps the crews practiced laying & recovering - and judging the wind direction!
When we had fixed marks they did not last long & were never quite right for any given wind direction
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Posted By: bluesam3
Date Posted: 11 Mar 12 at 9:03pm
| We use old 55 gallon cans sealed up, with a heavy chain attached to four points around one end joined together (far enough down that ropes coming from it are a good way down so they don't get in the way in the event that they go out horizontal), then a fair length of rope going down to the anchor chain and the anchor itself. It generally works well (except when someone got a little confused and painted one of them with the attachments at the top, so we've got a buoy that's upside down at the moment, but never mind), but you don't want to be doing it if you want to move them around a lot, at least not if you like your back. |
Posted By: Matt Jackson
Date Posted: 12 Mar 12 at 1:11pm
Nice understatement there, Jim.
It sounds like a complete nightmare. What's wrong with standard inflatables with light chain? The lighter they are the more chance you have of getting them inspected.
We use similar to http://www.compassmarine.co.uk/product_cat.asp?CategoryID=15 - these from Compass Marine I think they are no bigger than 70cm. ------------- Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36 |