I almost knew that question would happen, and I think any "board" evaluation would not consider the circumstances and only look at the final figures, but here goes:
My crew was a friend of mine who had a Union 36, that's a double-ended bowsprit Taiwan cutaway keel boat. We did pick up two other crew, a girl who was on Craig's List and someone the "Kiwi Express" lent to me (really didn't need anyone else though. Turned out he just added weight to the boat, if not worse, because all he did was watch the other boats and distract us by telling everybody where they were).
Anyhow, being my first ever PHRF race my crew, Mike (unfamiliar with my boat), was setting out the sail bag, sheets, halyard, topping lift, downhaul, and pole for the spinnaker getting it ready for the weather mark rounding. He asked how much longer until the start and looking at the watch I said that was almost 10 minutes ago! Dang!! HUGE mistake! we sailed under light air over to the start line but by now our class (and the rest of the fleet that had already started) was on a beam reach and seemed like halfway over to the other side of the channel. Since the boat seemed to be going well we decided to go close hauled against the flood and see if there was any way to make up for lost time, and we did. Wound up ahead of our class. Yea! Point "A" on map.
Big Mistake (I think): There was a Cal 40 beating up the main channel and we assumed he was in our class and started to duke it out with him and were keeping up. Point "B" Our class (and the rest of the fleet) went into Skunk Bay (Point "C") where the surface was like glass and because our boat speed and wind was good we kept dueling it out with the Cal 40, but against a really strong flood.
Downwind: Rounding the weather mark (Point "D") we were the LAST boat in a fleet of about 120 boats. By now the flood was in full force. Had a hell of a time rounding that mark in light air but finally made it. By now the fleet and their spinnakers had done a horizon job on us. Setting the chute we set off down the main channel and, low and behold, were catching up with them. By now the flood was nearly finished and the ebb was starting. What gives?
As it turned out, the fleet was literally standing still balanced by the tailwind but against the ebb tide ripping over a shoal area (Point "E"). We stayed in the main channel where the current wasn't quite as strong and caught up with them but way to starboard of the rhumb line. Hmmm... so I sailed past the last turning point buoy, tacked to it and by now we were ahead of the fleet except for the sleds, rounded the buoy under very light air (Point "F")and with the ebb flowing strong, we used the boat momentum to make the rounding then headed back out to the main channel again while being sucked back with the ebb until we got into deeper water, then laid the finish line (Point "G"). It took quite a while for those in the fleet to figure out what we did and then they followed suit. Sometime later "Kiwi Experess" passed us and then the Hobie 33. The C&C 34 (Boat of the Year) almost caught us.
The race committee never blew the horn as we finished so we had to wave arms, I think because we didn't have any race numbers. When we did hear the horn I'm not totally sure it was for us as it could have been for one of the other finishers.
We only had the symmetrical spinnaker and it would have been nice to have a reacher of some type due to the tight wind angle. The racers come more fully equipped with sail inventory so they have choices. Don't know what ever happened to the Cal 40, may have been going north on their cruise for all we know.
Kind of a long story but will try to shorten it up as much as possible. [Edit: on the map, our course is Blue, the fleet is Green]So much has gone by but I want to ask John why he feels so abused by a 4th place finish and just seconds out of 3rd place. To me it doesn't sound like the fleet handicapper had it that wrong about your boat given that you are not a regular racer. I agree that putting a Hobie 33 in your class may have been wrong but sometimes, if there aren't enough boats, stuff like that happens.
My crew was a friend of mine who had a Union 36, that's a double-ended bowsprit Taiwan cutaway keel boat. We did pick up two other crew, a girl who was on Craig's List and someone the "Kiwi Express" lent to me (really didn't need anyone else though. Turned out he just added weight to the boat, if not worse, because all he did was watch the other boats and distract us by telling everybody where they were).
Anyhow, being my first ever PHRF race my crew, Mike (unfamiliar with my boat), was setting out the sail bag, sheets, halyard, topping lift, downhaul, and pole for the spinnaker getting it ready for the weather mark rounding. He asked how much longer until the start and looking at the watch I said that was almost 10 minutes ago! Dang!! HUGE mistake! we sailed under light air over to the start line but by now our class (and the rest of the fleet that had already started) was on a beam reach and seemed like halfway over to the other side of the channel. Since the boat seemed to be going well we decided to go close hauled against the flood and see if there was any way to make up for lost time, and we did. Wound up ahead of our class. Yea! Point "A" on map.
Big Mistake (I think): There was a Cal 40 beating up the main channel and we assumed he was in our class and started to duke it out with him and were keeping up. Point "B" Our class (and the rest of the fleet) went into Skunk Bay (Point "C") where the surface was like glass and because our boat speed and wind was good we kept dueling it out with the Cal 40, but against a really strong flood.
Downwind: Rounding the weather mark (Point "D") we were the LAST boat in a fleet of about 120 boats. By now the flood was in full force. Had a hell of a time rounding that mark in light air but finally made it. By now the fleet and their spinnakers had done a horizon job on us. Setting the chute we set off down the main channel and, low and behold, were catching up with them. By now the flood was nearly finished and the ebb was starting. What gives?
As it turned out, the fleet was literally standing still balanced by the tailwind but against the ebb tide ripping over a shoal area (Point "E"). We stayed in the main channel where the current wasn't quite as strong and caught up with them but way to starboard of the rhumb line. Hmmm... so I sailed past the last turning point buoy, tacked to it and by now we were ahead of the fleet except for the sleds, rounded the buoy under very light air (Point "F")and with the ebb flowing strong, we used the boat momentum to make the rounding then headed back out to the main channel again while being sucked back with the ebb until we got into deeper water, then laid the finish line (Point "G"). It took quite a while for those in the fleet to figure out what we did and then they followed suit. Sometime later "Kiwi Experess" passed us and then the Hobie 33. The C&C 34 (Boat of the Year) almost caught us.
The race committee never blew the horn as we finished so we had to wave arms, I think because we didn't have any race numbers. When we did hear the horn I'm not totally sure it was for us as it could have been for one of the other finishers.
We only had the symmetrical spinnaker and it would have been nice to have a reacher of some type due to the tight wind angle. The racers come more fully equipped with sail inventory so they have choices. Don't know what ever happened to the Cal 40, may have been going north on their cruise for all we know.
I was more upset with myself for knot talking to the right people and not getting myself more informed. The Measurer/Handicapper for Westsound was trying to go on vacation to Hawaii and apparently "kinda pulled a number out of a hat" without doing very much research. The feeling I get is for the new guys the handicappers prefer to err on the high side or they'll get chastised by the established group. I neither has the time nor the interest in arguing my case. Epilog: The skipper I crewed for before getting my own boat a few years later became President of PHRF Northwest. When I told him my story there was no support or sympathy what so ever "That's the way it is" and that hurt.With regard to the PHRF fee, which seems to me what you are really upset about, I don't know why they do that. It is a bad policy that is keeping at least one boat off the race course.
It would be really nice but .... it'll probably never happen. Actual vs. spec'ed weight correction factor would be a possibility. Just had our boat out for a bottom paint job and the lift operator said we weighed 8 tons using his uncalibrated gauge. That's 16,000 lbs vs the spec'd 12,600 lbs. I think his gauge is off I know we're a LOT heavier than new.The weight issue: When I had the 356 I used to argue that there should be a division of cruising boats that are required to have a grill, corian counters, three anchors and chain, dacron sails, ..... and towing a dingy (As long as it they do it for every race) so that those loaded cruising boats could get in on the fun. I was only half kidding. A lot of sailors don't want to make endless trips to the car for an afternoon diversion. I think there really needs to be an accommodation to the less competitive part of the fleet that could get those cruising boats off their moorings and into the fun.
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