Revised NOR/SSI Posted 22 September 2016 affecting HMB and Vallejo races

[pogen]

Hi All,

We have posted a slightly revised NOR/SSI that will apply to the last two races of the season. The documents can be found on the Jibeset HMB race page, and on the main SSS site under Racing.

Or here: http://sfbaysss.org/main/nor

The only change is to the wording on the ballast requirement for racers in DH divisions racing with only one person aboard, which affects very very few entrants.

Aloha.

 

[BobJ]

I assume you meant to write "NOT substantially affected," but who's counting?

 

[Wylieguy]

This change is going to make it tough for the occasional Vallejo 1-2 racer whose crew cancels at the last minute - as has happened to me. He showed up in Vallejo Sunday morning with the flu and I opted to tell him to go home. I guess I could have run around the VYC boatyard and gathered up a bunch of scrap iron or old bricks to pile up in the cabin? Or kidnapped someone walking a dog along the street so serve as crew - err, make that ballast? Wait, would the dog count? Frankly I think the SSS has gotten too serious and has begun to look too much like all the rest sailing organizations. Maybe it's time for a Corinthian and "Pro" division split? Let the boats chasing the trophies chase away. Let the rest have fun. -- Sincerely, Disgruntled

 

[pogen]

OK I fixed the language in the copy on our website. The sentence is at the bottom of page 3.

This rule has been in effect all season, the only change is in the positioning of the penalty ballast.

The RC spent quite a lot of time to allow for flexibility, understanding that crew sometimes don't show up, while still trying to minimize the chances of someone gaming the system. We thought we had Red Teamed the language to death, but someone found a loophole, which is now being closed.

If we wanted to be hardasses we could much more easily say that boats racing in DH divisions must have 2 people aboard, and if your crew doesn't show up then your must race SH , and get DNC as far as your DH season score goes. But we are nicer than that.

150 lbs is about 19 gal of water, you can buy bottles at the grocery and lash them down below.

 

[Critter]

150 lbs is about 19 gal of water, you can buy bottles at the grocery and lash them down below.

Kind of hard to get to a grocery store and transport 150 lb of water back to the boat, if you're in Vallejo without a car.
I've tried to avoid criticizing and second-guessing the board's rules after all the harebrained ideas that I came up with in my time, but I'm with Pat on this one. It seems like a major potential hassle for the entrant while making a miniscule difference in performance.
Max

 

[solosailor]

I pointed out the water rule problem prior to the Drakes Bay race and it wasn't fixed until now re: centerline storage.

I'm still trying to figure out how you are "gaming the system" if you race singlehanded against doublehanders??? All the workload, slower tacks, sets, douses, no one hiking, autopilot vs. human, etc.

When my crew flaked for Drakes I got a chance to renew my basement emergency water storage with fresh 2.5g bottles from the race, thanks SSS.

The rule should be as it was..... you can race once a season singlehanded in the doublehanded class.

 

[Wylieguy]

Actually I was thinking of sailing the "2" part of the Vallejo 1-2 this year with my 8-year old Grandson. A way of introducing him to a full day's sailing and a course that might let him steer in a straight line for a long time (with a little coaching). He weighs 60 pounds or so -- at least at 76-years-old I can still lift him up fairly easily. If he comes along, I guess I'll ask his Grandmother, who will deliver him to Vallejo, to stop off at the feed store and pick up a 80 pound bag of chicken feed. That should solve the "weight" problem - fulfill the 150# weight requirement more or less. i guess I'll weigh my Grandson just in case & provide for the difference with bottled water if we come up short ### wise. And after we get home to the chickens, it should also provide lots of c.s. for the ### compost pile.

A friend who crewed on a J-105 in the StFYC Big Boat Series this past weekend sailed the SYC beer can race with me Tuesday night. Back at the club after the race, she wolfed down a pretty bad half pound burger and handfuls of french fries with relish. She'd been dieting for a month in order to meet her part of the crew's weight limit for the Big Boat weigh in. The crew weighed in a a few pounds under the limit, so her dieting paid off. Seems the SSS is going in the opposite direction. The next time she crews with me in an SSS race, I'll fatten her up with a steady supply of burgers before race day.

 

[pogen]

As long as crew is a human, there is no minimum or maximum weight limit.

If anyone wants my board seat to do a better job they are welcome to it.