[Santana 22] 2008 Spinnaker Series

Pete Trachy pete at tolachi.com
Thu Aug 16 14:30:12 EDT 2007

Double Handed Lightship:

My thought on the spinnaker series was that it would attract the more
experienced members of our fleet.  Many of them already do some short handed
sailing and have ocean racing experience.  When I did the DH lightship it
seemed like a very appropriate race for the Santana 22.  We almost had a one
design start with the boats entered.  Granted there are days out there when
I would turn around and not finish the race.  However, the same can be said
for Knox/Bonita and it didn't seem to be an issue for that race to be on our
schedule.  I also would like to point out that both the express 27 and moore
24 classes have very sucessfully included doublehanded racing in their main
fleet series.  Both fleets see large turnouts for the 3 bridge and the
double handed farallones.  As a class I believe we have a responsibility to
educate less knowledgeable and experienced members.  However, I think that
we also have to recognize them as adults who can make their own decisions.

Anyway, given our showing last year I would be disappointed not to see it
included.  I will advocate for it, but if the people taking part in a
spinnaker series do not want to see the race included I can live with that.

Knox/Bonita:

I am personally against including this race as only 3 boats showed up for it
the last time I did it.  It was right in the middle of our white sails
series if I remember correctly.  I feel that is part of what led to light
turnout and it is why I have deliberately chosen races that are not at the
same time as any of our ODCA races.  This year Knox/Bonita will the be held
on the same day as our season closer.  I think this is a great race, but the
timing is problematic and I do not think it should be considered for the
series.

Big Daddy:

I thought this was a great opportunity to get in some close one design
spinnaker racing.  The fleet has turned out well for the pumpkin in the
past, and I thought this race made sense as well.  If we don't include the
big daddy, I would like to see some other event with multiple races included
to keep the series balanced between longer distance races and round the
buoys action.  The wheeler regatta is one option.

2nd Half Opener:

Not my favorite race, but I could be convinced include it and even show up.
it would be nice to have something happening in July.  We seem to have had
good turnout historically.  One additional concern is that it seems
Nationals might be within one weekend of it next year, if not a direct
conflict.

Throwouts:

Perhaps we should have 5 races in the series and give one throwout?  That
would let everyone skip there least favorite race and give a little more
flexibility for the inevitable scheduling conflict.

With that in mind I would propose:

Big Daddy (course racing on Saturday only)
Double Handed Lightship
Vallejo Race
2nd Half Opener (distance race on Saturday only)
Great Pumpkin (course racing on Saturday only)


With regards to what pat said about the light turnout.  I feel that in order
to make this happen we really do need a minimum of 5 boats on the line.  i
think that if a race is going to attract less than 5 it should be canceled.
Hopefully this would put the screws on people to really be serious about
their commitment to show up or not.  I'm open to other ideas here, but I
really hated showing up to race against 1 or 2 other boats last year.

I like the idea of a shorthanded series, but am personally not willing to
put it together.  From prior experiences fleet moral suffers when people are
spread too thin and turnout is low.  I'd like to see a successful spinnaker
series before I extended to try to put together an additional even.
However, I would certainly support anybody who wanted to take it on
themself.  it is something that tom mcintyre and tom montoya over in alameda
might be interested in.

Pete


On 8/16/07, Nancy & Pat Broderick <broderic at sonic.net> wrote:
>
> Michael,
>
> There are several other races that are not SSS which might be
> interesting and very possible doublehanded possibilities in our boats:
>
> 1.      Rites of Spring.  Some Santanas already sail this OYC early-in-the
> season doublehanded race - usually in March.
> 2.      Jazz  Cup.  One-way trip on Labor Day to Benecia.  Much like the
> Vallejo races;  you  just don't turn left into the Mare Island Strait.
>
> However, I'm reluctant to get too much on the racing table.  While a
> lot of boats have signed up for this year's YRA series, only a few
> show up to race.  Last year the Santanas barely made the 5-boat
> minimum to stay qualified for YRA One Design racing. It isn't the
> number of boats that sign up initially; it's the number that sail 50%
> or more of the fleet-scheduled YRA Championship races the fleet's
> signed up for.  That's how a boat "qualifies" and YRA requires a
> minimum of 5 boats "qualifying" in order be a One Design Fleet.  I
> don't think this 5-boat "qualified" requirement is clearly
> understood.  It isn't the number who sign up; it's the number that
> actually race.
>
> YRA is talking about setting up an HDA "small boat" division that
> would compete on ODCA closed course (round the buoys) races in order
> to keep older 22 - 27 (Ranger 23 through something like Catalina 27)
> foot boats sailing in YRA.  If the Santanas don't "qualify" 5 boats,
> that's probably where they'll end up if they want to sail YRA races.
>
> It's similar to what ODCA has done for the "heavy 30s" - Newport 30,
> Cal 29, Cat 30  (PHRF 180) fleets whose participation fell below the
> minimum 5-boat requirement.  The HDA has the  "SF 30 Fleet" that
> provides the same thing for boats rating around PHRF 135.
>
> Often the Santana spinnaker races are also very light.  While these
> races don't count either toward the YRA Championship (the Santana 22
> "white sail" races) nor toward "qualifying" for YRA purposes (only
> races counted toward YRA championship points count), Race Committees
> are understandably upset when only one or two - or none - show up to
> race - either for white sail or spinnaker races.
>
> Pat
>
>
>
> On Aug 16, 2007, at 9:26 AM, Michael Andrews - MTC wrote:
>
> > Really good input Pat.  I wasn't aware that there were so many
> > opportunities to race short handed in the Bay but, now knowing there
> > are, I would like to see a short handed series made up of just
> > those in
> > the Bay races.
> >
> > Michael
>
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