The following update from BSC Sailing Secretary Piers Lambert contains some very important information for the BOD fleet about radios and signing on so please read it carefully.

From Piers Lambert – BSC Sailing Secretary

With the new season now upon us I would like to let you know of some changes to this year’s sailing.

For fleet racing this year we are going to try some different groupings. Lasers, BODs and Fireballs will keep their own starts as long as there are at least 4 per race start, and an average of over 5 per series is maintained.

For handicap fleets we are proposing an Asymmetric fleet, Fast Handicap and Slow Handicap. Cats and Fast Asymmetric boats are being put together. Slower asymmetric can choose to go in fast, slow handicap or asymmetric as we appreciate Topaz may not want to do the larger asymmetric courses, but for a series they have to stay in their chosen fleet!

With a lot of help from Alan Hicks, Malcolm Goodwin and Jeremy Newman we have redone the course card. The courses all have been made to fit lengths and to ensure that no courses clash to have fleets going around the same mark in different directions.  If you find problems let me know so we can refine them.  Within the restrictions of the river we have attempted to make the courses to the following:-

A – Short                  Slow Handicap/ very light winds
B – Medium             Laser/lighter days
C – Longer               Fast Handicap/Fireball/ Average wind strengths
D – Asymmetric      Long for Fast Asymmetrics
E – Upriver              For Transition and very windy days
F – BOD Offshore   BODs normal racing
G – BOD Inshore    BODs for very windy or very light days

Remember to get a new course card!!

To solve the problems of BODs not having time to sign on and get on the water in time with Park and Ride, they now have the option of telling a safety boat crew to sign them on – this must be done before the start.  Therefore, one safety boat will have to remain in the creek near the turning mark for them to be able to do this – after the start the safety boat will radio the race box to inform them of the BODs signing on.  The Race box will then add them to the signing on sheet. The BODs MUST however sign off at the signing off sheet on the board at the Starting Hut.  In the event the safety boat is called away and cannot take entries, then the Race officer is asked to use their discretion and add starting BODs to the race.

Also with the help of Dave Gibbons all the races have been uploaded to the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick scheme. The new PYs have ben published and these have been compared to the recommended Brightlingsea PYs from the RYA and the new Brightlingsea 2016 PYs constructed.  I am sure these changes will cause a lot of discussion, especially at the bar!

I look forward to seeing you on the water.

Piers Lambert
Sailing Secretary