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Unconventional Regatta Ideas
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Author:  abbman [ Tue Jun 05, 2018 10:39 am ]
Post subject:  Unconventional Regatta Ideas

Hey everyone. I was wondering if anyone could share some non-traditional racing/event ideas with me. My home club does buoy racing every month, but we'd like to try out some new ideas that may get some of the more casual sailors on the water with us without the intimidation of crowded start lines, starting sequences, and rounding rules. We typically have a mixed fleet of monos and cats, but only about half of the active sailors actually race. I've read about pursuit races and like that idea a lot. What other fun "racing" events have you done or heard of?

Thanks in advance! Fair winds!

Author:  John Lunn [ Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Unconventional Regatta Ideas

"Rabbit start" racing.
Match racing
Sailing backwards racing (on very short courses, please)
Sailing with no rudder
there are others......see Rick White's book for more ideas.

At our S.Club (go to http://www.nsc.ca), we have regular, long-distance (for a lake) and regatta racing, plus we have some 'fun' races.
The best is our annual Turkey Trot, on (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Each boat has a handicap, slowest boats start first, in sequence, fastest starts last.
The course is a circle, about 2 miles in diameter.
The start is usually about 300 yards to the east of 3 o' clock, round the 3 pm buoy, then twice around the circle anti-clockwise, back to the start. First over the line wins. Participants include big/small, fast/slow keelboats, cats, and dinghies. Last October, a Tanzer 22 won. Three years ago, we came 2nd to an International 14. Anyone can win. Given the October temperatures up north, you need a great deal of rum to have a good race. Then we hit up the Club House for turkey and trimmings.

In summer, we have a Harbour Master's Race. This is inside the harbour, on Mango's or Bic's or equivalent boats. A short triangle course, with crowds cheering from the dock and Club House.
The trick is not to spill your beverage while tacking.

If you don't like these suggestions, make up your own rules, but most of all, have fun.

Author:  abbman [ Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Unconventional Regatta Ideas

John,

Thanks for the reply! These all sound like fun to me!

I really like the Turkey Trot idea, and a harbormaster's race sounds like a great way to get some of the old, unused sunfish sitting around the club back on the water.

Author:  fusioneng [ Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Unconventional Regatta Ideas

Most of the Hobie Island clubs do things like poker runs, cookout’s, and we have also done sailing/pedal races that are like relay races, basically 5 or 6 equally equipped boats run a closed course, each of the 5 teams have typically ten people, everyone must do at least a couple laps, then they tag out and switch sailers. Winning team gets a prize, ( usually a Hobie hat or T shirt). No reason it couldn’t be a sailing race, it’s fun watching the crew changes.
A lot of times we just do a recreational group sail where we sail to a destination have lunch maybe on a remote sandbar somewhere, ( everyone brings their own lunch). Many times there are a dozen or more Islands.
Other times everyone sails as a group to an oceanside restaurant for lunch, then groupsail back.
Lots of different skill levels usually, all recreational sailing. Sometimes if someone falls way behind , I offer to tow them back up to the group.
All just for fun
FE
Edit: We are not the only ones, the Windrider, Silloette, and Weta groups do similar stuff.

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