From: chandler@tabasco.West.Sun.COM (Don Chandler)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Olympics Sailing News/Results
Date: 30 Jul 1992 21:45:52 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: chandler@tabasco.West.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: tabasco.west.sun.com

In article 712525306@ogre, will@ogre.cica.indiana.edu (William Sadler) writes:
>In <l7gag1INNscm@west.west.sun.com> chandler@tabasco.West.Sun.COM (Don Chandler) writes:
>
>>Also, what is "the black flag rule"?  As far as I know, we never used such a
>>rule in SF Bay.
>
>With the black flag up anyone who is over the line within the 1 minute
>timespan before the start is automatically DSQed.  Sometimes race committees
>will fly this flag if the fleet has several general recalls.  The one-minute
>rule (requiring that you sail around the ends if over within one minute)
>also helps prevent general recalls.

Interesting.  The "Round-the-ends" rule, according to the Rules, is
signaled by the "I" flag (square yellow flag, with black circle in the
middle).    The general practice here (SF Bay) has been to not have the
round-the-ends rule in effect, and then, when a fleet does have a
general recall, put it into effect for their second start sequence, for
exactly the reason you cite: prevent yet another general recall.  

I know that the various YRA's have their own standing rules, but,
still, I've never seen a black flag used here nor have we run races
where a yacht was automatically DSQ'd for being over early.  It
certainly isn't part of the suggested USSA Championship Sailing
Instructions or the USSA Rules.  What is the rationale behind having
this provision?

>What I hate is when the committee boat calls your number but not the
>number of the guy to leeward of you whose bow was in front of yours.  You
>go back to the line thinking that at least you'll beat _one_ person
>(the guy who was ahead of you but who didn't restart) and then discover
>after the race that the rc didn't even get his number.  I'm really

AHA! Spoken like a true racer who believes it's the RC's responsibility!!!
Sorry to take pot shots at you, but "What you hate" isn't the issue.  It
is your responsibility, and the guy to leeward of you, to insure you start
correctly---no matter how much a given situation p#$&%%es you off, it does
not move the onus to the RC.  If he really is over early, your recourse is to
protest the guy to leeward.  Most of the time, though, if the RC really
can't see a lot of boats that might be over early, the right call is to
do a General Recall.

>beginning to think that there is no such thing as a good race 
>committee.  Maybe their is a school that they go to:  The courses are
>things like " How to set a line so that the starboard end is so favored
>all 30 boats try to start there" and "How to be absolutely vague on
>shore about race instructions then change your mind when on the course".

The "school" is OJT.  We in SF Bay have a Certified Race Officer program
that has gotten National attention (USSA).  The requirements include several
years racing (as skipper or watch captain), acting as Principal Race Officer
for many races, lots of Protest hearing time, attendance at a couple seminars,
recommendations, etc.  YRA of SF Bay also produced an award winning slide/sound
show for training new race committee volunteers, and I believe it has been
transferred to video tape.  This program was put into effect many years ago
and has been very successful in improving the overall quality of on-the-water
race management.

FLAME/SPEECH ON:

The problem is that most active racers don't want to be bothered putting their
time in on the RC boat !!!  One of the most difficult tasks I've had over the
years is to convince the guys who race 50-60 days a year (yeah, we have lots
of 'em here in the Bay) to spend just one day on the RC boat.  One of the most
gratifying things that ever happens to those of us who do race management is 
to hear those same racers, once convinced to do it, tell us how much they 
appreciate the difficulty of the task, how much they learned, etc.  I split
my time about half between  racing (serious racing on an IMS boat and club racing in  
my own boat) and half race management.  The excuse that serious racers don't have
time does NOT cut it !!!  If every one who raced even mildly seriously spent
one day a year on a race committee somewhere, the whole quality of racing would
probably improve 1000 %  !!  Fact is, this is YOUR sport -- you, the racers --
and there is no great "they" who make the rules and run the races.  Quality
racing can only happen when those who know racing best -- racers -- participate
in managing regattas!

FLAME/SPEECH OFF

I'm not trying to attack you personally, but in general, the people who
criticize RC's are the very one's who could help improve racing.  The knowledge
that racers have of setting the line correctly, course selection, etc. is
invaluable, and, yes, we do get a lot of non-racers on race committee (like
we have much choice :-) ).  You will also learn a lot by taking the time to
spend a day understanding the difficulties the RC faces: people who don't 
register on time; currents/depths/wind that make anchoring impossible, let 
alone accurately; errors in sailing instructions made on shore, but that
have to be deciphered and dealt with on the water; etc. etc.

Well, there you have it....the opinion of a well-battered RC person.
Please don't take it personally, but I've been on a mini-crusade to get
more racers involved in race management.  My yacht club's current Race
Committee chairmen are avid racers taking their first cut at running
races, and have admitted to me several times that they never realized
what was involved, how easily things go wrong, and, actually, how much
fun it is!  Try it, you might like it!

Don