Sunday 26th September

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TEAM PURSUIT with a difference
Last year we held a very successful OPEN Team pursuit where we invited teams from other clubs. This year we would like to have an event for OUR members. Of course last year we put out our strongest team as the official club first team – but that didn’t stop plenty of rivalry between Solo teams and Laser teams, or young(er) solo sailors v old(er) solo sailors but we felt this year we should change the rules to encourage even more of that.

This year we will use PERSONAL Handicaps
This means that teams of superstars will have (almost) no chance! So we would like you to form LOTS of teams – three boats per team, all results count.

Jim is working out personal handicap bands based on recent results and input from fleet captains where required – they will be similar to those used in the Wed and Anniversary series, but updated with recent results so there may be some promotions and relegations.
 

Everyone is allocated a band – 0, 1, ... 5 where 0 are the scratch sailors who get no handicap help, and 5 are beginners who get a substantial handicap help.
 

The goal is to have a fun day – one 75 min pursuit race – ideally with EVERYONE entering – you will need to check which band you are in and get the start time for your class and band on the day. The pursuit format and personal handicaps mean that each start should have only a few boats so no worries about mass starts. For those who don’t race so often this is a great chance – the personal handicap bonus might make you a highly desired team member.
 

Teams can be fleet based, family based or whatever you like. We will also be happy to create extra teams on the day for anyone not already in a team.

It would help us plan numbers if you could tell Gareth your team (or if you would like to sail but have no team) There may be a prize for the best team name...
 

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For those who haven’t done pursuit races you find out your start number when you enter (based on personal handicap band and class). That gives you a start number which basically means the number of minutes after the nominal start time. Faster boats get higher numbers so they start later. For example you might have number 7. That means you start 7 minutes after the base time. The Race Officer will hold up the number 20 seconds before your start until ten seconds after and there is a sound signal every minute. With the personal handicaps you might have a negative number like -5 meaning your start is 5 minutes BEFORE the nominal race time. We’ll have plenty of people to explain on the day.

The base start time will be 10:45 – if you have a NEGATIVE number your start will be that many minutes EARLIER. If you have a faster boat with a positive number you start LATER. The finish will be at 12:00 so a nominally a 75 minute race just like our monthly pursuit series (more for some, less for others).
 

At 12:00 there will be a long sound signal (as loud as we can) and the positions at that time are the finishing positions. The committee boat will finish the leaders and we will have safety boats patrolling back down the fleet to get everyone’s finishing position. Please – no overtaking after the long sound signal, we will get every position as quickly as we can – keep sailing until you are told you have finished but hold position. Remember EVERY PLACE COUNTS.