What's the word? From where I sat it looked like the folks running the event knocked it out of the park. The race management on the yellow course where the ISAF Youth Multihull Qualifier, the Development Team Qualifier and the US Youth Multihull Championship were held did an outstanding job. But that's just me, I'm easy.

I agree, I loved all the two lap races vs. three laps.

But what was up with that F16 class general recall...?

I never heard a horn.

Surely it's the flag that is important. Sound isa bonus.

Surronded by boats, I couldn't see anything but other hulls and sails! If you are down at the pin end, it's impossible to see the RC Boat.

Seems to me that the event was a success. However, I can't find results for Youth or Olympics teams anywhere, including on the US Sailing site.




This is a popular misconception (I was guilty of it for a long time, too). The sound is actually a required part of the Race Signals, not a bonus. Race Signals are rules. The sound signals are also specifically required by RRS 26, 27.1, 27.3, 29.1, 29.2, 32.1, 32.2, 33(a), 33(b), 34 and 40.

Of course, RRS 26 also states: "Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded."

This is where people get confused. This part of RRS 26 specifically allows for sound failures of start signals to be disregarded. However, a good judge will tell you that this is limited to the start signals: Warning, Prep, One-Minute, and Start. The RRS makes no attempt to state that this applies to any other Race Signals or rules listed above, so it does not.

Having said that, for all intents and purposes, this has no effect on general recalls, other than to delay getting the boats to come back (you can hunt them down with a chase boat). It also doesn't matter (much) to PFDs required, shortening course, or abandoning or postponing a race, because the end result is the same, you can make any sort of loud noise (whistle loudly with your mouth, etc.); and no jury is likely to award redress (it would be extremely difficult to prove that a missing sound signal in these cases prejudiced one boat).

But, this issue has been known to come up in redress hearings for OCS, change of course, and missing marks, and has had mixed results.

BTW, a LOT of time is spent on signal errors (including how, when and why it's OK to ignore them or not) in the Advanced RC seminars.

Mike

Come on now Matt and Mark you knew I wasn't going to let this go. Put your big boy pants and and say something nice to the folks that put on the Tradewinds.

Leandro posted the USSA events results on regattanetworks.com

Dave... How can we say anything... we were not there..
So props to the volunteers and congratulations to the winners.
Best I can do is say the pictures look great.
If you want an evaluation that would improve things..... get one of the vets experienced in international competition to critique the organization.
If you want a gold standard event to compare things to... try comparing to American Yacht Clubs HPDO.
A 70 boat regatta is still one of the largest in the country... and... year after year it remains so .... That says a lot about the volunteers.

Can we please have a link? I keep getting blank pages.

Mike

I can't do anything but echo Mark's comments. I wasn't there, so I really can't comment. I do know some of the people that went that hadn't been to Tradewinds before - but I haven't heard anything from them yet. I'll pass along what I hear, if it's appropriate.

Yep, We had a great crew, lots of mark boats, lot of folks busting hump to please.
It did help me to have 10 years experience as PRO for the Miami Olympics Regatta for the Tornadoes and 49ers, and be on the RC for the Olympics in Savannah, GA. But, in this case, all I did was oversee the PROs on both courses. It was easy for me.
Also, Bert Rice was assisting Donitaon the boat, even though she did not need the help.