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Re: Regatta schedule

To: keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Regatta schedule
From: BDally6107@xxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:10:08 EDT
Cc: mwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, swiftsolo@xxxxxxxxxxxx
In a message dated 9/12/2006 12:41:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Solo Folks,


One of the issues the CGRA Board  struggled with this last year is the common 
perception of the CGRA Gorge venue  as a "heavy air" venue. This is wrong in 
the same way that Jackson Hole is an  "expert only" ski mountain.   Bram is 
grossly mistaken about his  perception of the CL site as only a "heavy air" 
venue. 
Keith, Cascade Locks is not a heavy air "only" venue.  I don't know of  any 
place that is.






As I offered in my original email, to eliminate the misconception of some  of 
the members of the class, if the class is considering the venue, I will  
compile a wind profile to demonstrate that Bram's misconception is way off  
base.  
Having had this discussion with Bram on numerous occasions, when I  suggested 
the Gorge after Mark's comment, I knew Bram would chime in saying it  was an 
"inappropriate" venue.

Keith, the Gorge is an inappropriate place for a  NA for the current state of 
the Swift fleet.  First, consider the  possibility that I may have a rough 
idea of the state of skill of the Swift  group.  This rough idea has come from 
attending the two major regattas  we've had to date.  There is a common belief t
hat at least 2/3 of the  sailors at any regatta should be capable of 
finishing races in  the typical venue winds.  That threshold is about 11 knots 
right  
now.  We are a brand new class in which most of the participants have built  
their own boats.  These boats have expensive carbon masts and high quality  
sails that will not like the shallow water and current up near the point where  
most beginners seem to meet their demise.  To send new sailors out for  their 
first few sails in a Swift in over 8 knots is simply absurd.  The  skill level 
rose considerable from last year to this year and I expect that same  will 
happen next year.  Remember, 17 knots of wind has twice the force of  12 knots 
and 24 knots has twice again the force of 17
 
Second,  it is not practical to set the start times of racing or  clinics 
based on current wind speed.  Families on vacation do not want to  hang around 
all day waiting for the wind to die (or to come up).  Race  times and lay days 
need to be set before the regatta and racing postponed for  more that two hours 
needs to be canceled for the day so that attendees can do  other things.    
 



As to  a Solo regatta being a 5 to 6 year proposition to be ready  for the 
Gorge, that too is off base.  If the class grows, there will  never be a time 
we 
do not have less experienced sailors.  There will  always be a full range of 
ability levels.  This is as it should be.   In the Gorge, there are a range of 
wind levels in each day and from day to  day.  The one constant is wind.  We 
almost always have wind at some  level.  Skunked days are very rare. (If I 
remember, the kids got skunked  one day)

In 17 knots, approximately 30% would finish the first race and if the race  
committee were not immediately ready to start the second race, that number 
would  likely drop to 20%.  That is not a regatta!  We are in the same stage  
as 
the 49er class was two months after the first boats arrived.  In 5  to 6 years, 
the number of finishers will likely rise to the required  66%.
 
All of this is not to say the Cascade Locks is not an appropriate place for  
a clinic and regatta for seasoned Swift sailors.  It is a great place  and we 
will likely have 5 or six sailors in our area by next season that have  enough 
experience to attend such an event.  I look forward to coming down  in August 
and sailing in that warm water and 15 to 18 knots of breeze that has  been 
typical in the 15 or 20 days I have spent sailing there.
 
Best regards,
 
Bram

 
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