From the F18worlds website:

[quote]
Why doesn’t the race committee use a gun for the sound signals/ Well the answer is simple and complicated.
The Austrian juror should have his two staring guns with and did not appear yesterday. Panic in the organization. Phone calls where made to locate the wising person. After a while Helmut Czasny was on the phone but not very clear about what had happened. Our own juror Eline Moerenhout couldn’t believe her ears when she found out what the true story was. Helmut took the train from his home town to Rotterdam and was carrying the two staring guns in his suitcase. At the German border the police came on board of the train and arrested him for possible terrorism. Helmut forgot to bring his license and was thrown in a German jail. After a debate of several hours he was released and send back to Austria. He couldn’t get the guns to the race in time but arrived just in time to do his job at our event. The race committee is looking for policeman who like a day at sea shooting in the air.
[\quote]

What kind of starting gun?

Air horns won't get you arrested.

Hey, Matt, don't give the terrorists any new ideas.

Yea, but with a fleet like that, you would need about 20 or so up and down the line???!??!?!?

In the old Nacra Districts days, we used to use a shotgun, there was no mistaking that sound!!!!!!

The anti-terror squad dont like starting guns!

Ariel Sharon (Israeli prime minister) visited us two years ago. He was to drive by our sailing club, and the bomb squad checked it twice before he was to pass. Confiscated our starting gun and ammo, but left our starting 'cannon' (fires shotgun shells/blanks, which also was left behind).. Fortunately, we were not arrested.

Personally, I think this has gone way to far. There is a significant difference between a starting gun and a real gun. Namely, that the barrel is blocked and all driving gases are released elsewhere. Any policeman worth his pay, with basic training, should be able to see the difference to a real weapon.

Compressed-air horns are just as nice as a starting signal, If not as dramatic and traditional. It's all about the flags anyway.

Yes, but you cannot hear them 100m away in a F6 !

At this year's Scottish Series (Scotland's most important yacht regatta) a boat from our club started right at the committee boat end - the helmsman's brother got blown off the rail by the blast from the starting cannon...

Many years ago at our yacht club, when they were using an 8-gauge shotgun to start the weekly races, one time the gun was being fired down the line at the start and the wad (blank) from the shotgun put a hole through one of the sails.

There's this guy in Columbia, SC with a steam powered boat (yes, that's right) and he's got a cannon on the bow. He's a sailor and usually comes out to the regattas. When he unleashes that cannon, besides scaring the crap out of me, I can feel the strong percussion as it hits the sails.

That is a good solution to prevent crews from starting to close to the start vessel and making a big mess overthere.

Wouter

The best starting guns are those propane kind. Chip Short bought one and loans it to us for the Tradewinds and Wave Nationals, etc. They are really loud and do a heck of a job.

Pretty interesting how they work. When you click the button propane gas fills a large, hollow barrel and after 3 seconds a spark ignites the gas
So, in the countdown you click the button right after 3 seconds
Rick

I think the anti-terror squad would go bananas over one of those..

... and the gods-honest truth...

at the Shearwater triangles race in Ocean Springs Mississippi a couple years ago, the RC realized that they'd left their horns on the beach. The owner of the committee boat went below, and came back up with a 30.06 rifle.

For the starts, we shot the rifle down into the water. A 2-ft geyser of water every sequence.

NOBODY barged the committee boat. NOBODY was over early. What nice starts we had.

And a guy from Florida was quoted as saying, "You know you're in Mississippi when they have live ammunition on the start line."

OK, Rick, where can I find one? Of course, I am actually asking is if your Online store has one?

It's called the CF-Salut. They are mainly used to scare birds away from airports.

Propane Cannon link at US Sailing

It's loud enough that the cops said they would take it away from me if I ever fire it at my house again.

I have wondered what would happend if just before it went off you put a potato in it! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Rick

Flying mash !

For any of you that were lucky enough to encounter my ground crew for the Tybee 500, James "That 70's Guy" Boicourt, he fabricated the all time greatest potato cannon that, well, had alternate uses as well. Such a device could be used for starting sequences, and the best part is that you don't need a permit for carrying a PVC pipe around town.

Dave ask Chip. That is his baby. He used it at the Clearwater Sailing Center and for some of our TBCSI events till he moved down with the conchers. My ears are still ringing and the smile on chips face just get's bigger.

Terry