Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association Options

[JKing]

BBYRA:

It's been afew years since I entered BBYRA, due in no small part to lack of assistance I got trying to get a J22 fleet going. It's no secret that I have felt that BBYRA has been pretty non responsive to the needs and wants of sailors and sailing in this area. Possibly, there is hope for some change.

I will limit my comments and suggestions to PHRF 4 because that is where I would be if I returned to BBYRA sailing in my J22. And PHRF 4 seems to be in a state of flux right now and there may be a relatively easy solution to the problem. Try this on for size:

PHRF 3 is nearly gone, with only three boats entered. Those three boats are very close in rating to the fastest rated boats in PHRF 4 (in the 180 range). PHRF 4 has 8 boats entered, but about half of them do not like doing up and down short course, mulitple races per day racing. They would rather have longer races with a longer weather leg and fewer mark roundings, and no more than two races per day. The others do like up and down racing, and would like to have three races per day. I think both groups can be accomodated without a major increase in resources.

If we were to add PHRF 3 to PHRF 4 and split the total into say P3A and P3B, with the first group doing W/Ls and the second group doing a single triange with a long weather leg, I think you would make a lot of folks very happy, and pick up a few more boats to boot. On of them would be me. And I would bet you that a number of cruiser/racers not racing now would come out.

The single triange course has been used for PHRF 4 twice in the past two years. The cruiser/racer types loved it, but the racers didn't. Why not have both? Also, the single triangle course can be modified by extending the reaching legs. This also gets the less maneuverable boats off the middle of the course. And to cruiser/racer boats that elect not to use a kite are not hurt as much on a reach.

Granted the dispariaty in ratings would be greater. I think we all know that when you have more than an 18 second per mile spread, the ratings don't work too well. It's also true with waterline differentials in boats that rate the same, but these are issues that are always going to be with us until we have 200 boats racing on the bay. Let's just try to do the best we can with what we have.

And one final note: I know there is a lot of discussion about the quality of race management in some of the clubs in BBYRA and there have been calls for a paid principal race officer to run all the races. Whereas I think that would make the racing better in the short term, I think the ego problems would eventually tear it apart. How about having a more senior and experienced race officer stand next to the PRO selected by the club running the race? This would turn the race day into more of a learning experience for the PRO (which it should be, but they never have anyone to learn from) and still keep him (or her) in charge, defusing any ego issues. If we did this I don't think it would take long before it wouldn't be necessary most of the year. Just use it when new and less experienced people come on board.

I hope you will take these suggestions seriously and I will be more than happy to answer and and all questions.

Jack KIng
(in case you have forgotten)
USSailing Regional Race Officer
USSailing Judge
USSailing Basic Race Management Instructor
USSailing Level C Sailor Athlete

[dinnerkeyadmin]

There you have it folks. No invective. No criticism. No attacks. The man has put forth some suggestions in a very straightforward fashion. Racing is not my area of expertise but having seen this topic get bogged down earlier in a lot of personal ping-pong. I'd encourage others to take this opportunity to respond in the same professional and objective tone.

Disagree if you like, but return the challenge to engage in an enlightened discussion on some of these issues. That's what this forum is intended to be about. I know this is a topic that several people are passionate about and with Government largely uninvolved, who knows? Maybe we can even accomplish something?

Dave