I have been in a RC at the finish of a regatta many times. Its very hard to remember many numbers, say in a 4 second sequence, OK 2-3 but 6-7 or more?, its pretty hard, to remember and write even when someone is calling them out and then the fool is adding corrections -- sorry no 00345, but 00357 was umm -- no that was after 0987. Ive done it many times, its bloody hopeless and no RC -ever--ever-- tells the finishers what really happened in that tight knot of 8 boats that finished wide across the line (sorry guys we have no idea which of you actually crossed the line a whisker in front of the others so we just made it up, you dont reallly care do you? You seem to be getting upset, calm down, its only a sailing race). Its especially hard in a mixed regatta where PY is scored and you have to write times too. So its much much easier on the RC to call out Caroline, A, Ched, Rose, Pirate, VMB, Loco, Chevron, Prickly fish, NO-GWBush! or whatever you have on your sail. And also easier to be able to see them when some of the numbers are covered. Trust me its "way better", just hard to get people to sign on to a new thing (even if its an old tradition) when they have never seen it here in the US and been living in the cookie cutter age with numbers as long as your arm like in the hobie and laser fleets. These skiffs will change your mind. Of course the IOC and youth world authority have got their way with the 29er and the 49er but other skiff fleets have always had logos to identify the boat. --Rose Here are a few examples from the simple to the complex ----- Original Message ----- From: Kevin Schultz To: Greg Ryan ; swiftsolo@xxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 5:33 PM Subject: Re: Distinguished sail numbers the only problem with that comes in a big fleet for the race committee, although it will be a while before that becomes a problem. on keelboats its not a problem, but for dinghys sail number is best in fleets that have more than a boat or two crossing the finish line at a time, and how do you recall a boat by logo?
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