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Board » Practice Racing » Mark Boat Rounding Rules - Proposal for discussion

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So how can we get a better reading of the finishing line - I do not know, but I can imagine that one sets a marker for the finish line and read by the order under "Boats". Viewed we place the finishing line so that this shows the order from the real starting point and this should be done in a fair manner.

Enough writing for today :-)
(b) undertake a penalty turn, of at least two course changes that are visible in the track, and remain included in rankings.
I'm, with you RC, I'm always easy:)
Finishing Line: Often it is very clear who is winning etc but on the occasions when it isn't, then logging in as the SOL boat allows those keen to get the finish list as correct as possible to view the line from a third-party point of view.

:-)
The suggestion made above by NORJawik about marks would bear some further examination, with regards to both mark rounding and finishing.
There have been occasions, I believe, where marks have been moved AFTER a race was announced? I am referring specifically to those yellow dots which are used in the main races.
Therefore, for these practice races, set up a temporary rounding mark instead of each Mark Boat, and another temporary mark in the center of the finishing line, which must ALWAYS be at 90 degrees to the course from the LAST rounding mark, regardless of wind direction.
The Marks can then be removed prior to the start of the REAL race.
This way all questions about whether a boat has rounded properly, and the order of finishing, will be resolved automatically.
p.s. Boat who are merely practicing could be directed to stay away from the practice race course so as not to participate in the rank numbering.

--- Last Edited by Rod at 2011-03-29 15:53:31 ---

--- Last Edited by Rod at 2011-03-29 15:57:02 ---
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.
Just a few belated thoughts:-
1. Insert the real race waypoint marks only after the last practice race has ended--they are not needed by those who are merely practicing.
2. Place the first temporary mark just off one end of the startline, so that "practice race participants" will be automatically listed right at the race start.
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.
Changes to real race waypoints are only made after a race has opened for practice when such changes are considered absolutely essential/critical.

The practice races that our little group indulges in are NOT part of what SOL offers. That I am involved in setting them up is mere coincidence. I was practice matchracing before I became SOLgoddess.

Even if feasible, it would be entirely inappropriate for the small practice race group's activities to interfere with the running of SOL races and how most SOLers practice for them.

Our group is based in SailTalk Chatroom because many SOLers were unhappy with the way we hogged (and still would hog) the chatroom!!!

My motto is "if it isn't broken don't fix it" - practice racing in our informal way has been happily running for a couple of years now and the simpler we can keep it the better, in my view.
Practice races are an 'Extra', and we are all grateful for the support that we get from SOL.

We do NOT want to change the established 'real race' program!

There are things about Practice Race Mark setting that you don't consider. Some people have to abandon and sail on untended.

"Right" and realistic, or not. we need a beach to catch them. Other things come into play too.

The bottom line is that this is FUN, and a chance to learn, and help new SOLers. It will never be a cutthroat championship.
In my opinion 270 deg, course change before the end of practice race is an equivalent punishment,taking in consideration that there is also the performance loss.

Eventually we could oblige that this penalty is payed not just prior to arrival as than performance loss is annulled.

This of course is just in the situations when you miss the mark for a little(1 hop)as what you actually gained is definitely less than what you have to pay due to the penalty 270 deg.

However if the change of the course around the mark is close to 180 deg.some may try to round purposely one hop earlier which would actually be two hops, one towards mark and one back in 180 deg or so.If that would ever be the case 360 deg.penalty should be payed.
Surely the problem is: "Who is to decide?"
It seems vastly unfair to put this extra duty upon Rainbow Chaser.
The advantage of sticking with the "established" rules of the RRS is that these decisions are usually obvious to all.
Furthermore, the point has been made that these are 'practice races' mainly for 'newbies'. Surely it is best to practice any sport in accordance with the rules which must be followed AFTER the practice is over?
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.
The Goal of Practiseracing is to learn the behavior of SOL in general, proper Markrounding is only one Point within a lot of others.
As a false rounding is not obvious at once, forcing one to go back all the way for a proper rounding, ruins every other Efforts in learning for only one single Aspect, which besides is a quite negligible the longer SOL-races get.

One Server-Hop makes something about 50m. So doing a 360 in three consecutive steps cost you 150m plus the loss in Performance. Enough to Take you out of the lead, but close enough to stay in touch with the fleet and measure your sailing.

I think Trackupdates are done every 10 min... say you get the next in 5 min. That are 15 Sevrverhops or 750m. Going back would punish you with about 1500 m or 0.8 nm! Completly Silly in a Race of maybe 8nm in total.

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