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Waiting for the stragglers? |
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ChrisJ
Far too distracted from work Joined: 07 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 337 |
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Topic: Waiting for the stragglers? Posted: 06 Jul 10 at 6:14pm |
Is this a good race officer or a bad one?? "the race officer did the civilised thing and signalled a short postponement to allow the stragglers to reach the race area before the warning signal".
Discuss!
Personally, I feel that one a start time is posted you should get there at that time. If you are late, the RO should NOT wait for you (UNLESS all boats are late). If some can get there, then all could get there. There may be local variations to this: for example a queue on the slipway waiting to launch. But in general: waiting for the stragglers mean that those who planned their launching correctly are hanging about getting cold, wet and exhausted while waiting for those that didn't do their planning correctly.
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ASok
Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jul 10 at 9:16pm |
Agreed - race at the published time. Get organised and leave the slip in plenty of time if it will be busy. I'm not perfect and have been late on many an occasion, but am willing to take it on the chin if I'm late.
There is nothing more annoying that sitting out there waiting for others to join the start. If RO's were stricter then people would start to get there on time |
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bert
Really should get out more Joined: 23 Apr 05 Location: norwich usually Online Status: Offline Posts: 584 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jul 10 at 9:31pm |
Start on time every time - the stragglers will usually learn to read a watch evenually. After all I have been known to be late but I can`t really blame you or the RO for not waiting. can I? No throught not |
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Phantom 1181
AC-227 IC 304 blaze / halo 586 |
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JimC
Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6649 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jul 10 at 11:43pm |
Depends completely on the circumstances...
Unexpected traffic jams on the way to the club - wait. Light airs and ridiculous time to reach the start line - wait and send the safety boat out to give people tows. The job of the Race Officer is to provide good racing for all the competitors: its not to play some kind of schoolmaster yah boo serve you right game... If half of them aren't there then the fun of the race is diminished for the rest anyway. I'd much rather the RO waits 5 minutes and have everyone there rather than have the race/series/whatever compromised because half the competitors are missing. Its supposed to be a sailboat racing competition not a getting-up-early-and-boat-rigging competition. One person, on the other hand, well that's probably just tough. |
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ASok
Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 8:01am |
I don't think its about getting up early and rigging to win a series. The race times at club level are either fixed permanently for an inland club or published months in advance for a coastal club. You can then plan to be there on time or not. I'd agree that unforseen issues on the beach or really light airs meaning that the majority are struggling, would need to be viewed and a delay might be in order.
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jeffers
Really should get out more Joined: 29 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3048 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 8:11am |
We get this a lot at Hunts. The RO waits to sound the signal until people are on the water. In reality the sailors are generally waiting for the signal to launch (especially when it is windy) as the start line is generally just off the shore. I always try to start on time, as starting the first race late has a big knock on effect on the following races. |
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Paul
---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
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A Seabadger
Far too distracted from work Joined: 11 Oct 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 222 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 9:09am |
Surely it depends on circumstances.
As a club we are trying to be friendly and encourage people to race. After all we are ment to be doing this for fun. I wouldn't postpone for 1 or two boats but often for various reasons most of the fleet can be running late. |
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I don't suffer from insanity...I enjoy every moment of it.
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bawbag
Groupie Joined: 23 Feb 10 Location: Uzbekistan Online Status: Offline Posts: 42 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 9:53am |
as said above depends on circumstances .
but
I've been to many regattas that it is impossible to get to start area in time left between briefing and start , especially venues with small slip access to water sometimes you cant even get on the water in time ! and thats with even attending briefing in pervy rubber kit and boat fully rigged.
but as for sunday morning hung over late arrivals (me ) tough ,thats what the discards for innit ? |
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Captain Morgan
Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Sep 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 211 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 1:09pm |
I absolutely agree with you JimC - We had one RO who set a line about a mile away from the clubhouse, which was a beat in about 3-5kts of wind. There was about 3-4kts of tide going in the opposite direction. The RO let the stragglers in the Laser fleet start late (>10mins. after the start), but then marked other stragglers DNC, some of whom started in front of the Lasers! Better judgement and common sense from Race Officers sound like the order of the day. |
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Rupert
Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 10 at 1:19pm |
Some places make you wait to be released from the beach. If the time between release and getting all the boats launched (maybe 1 or 2 at a time) and to the start area is insufficient, this is hardly the competitors' fault. If, however, a couple of people failed to wake up and are late, you just get on with it, surely. Anything between would have to be on a case by case basis. "Start and be damned" seems a very short sighted approach.
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