Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » Flag Officers » Race proposals » Match Racing

Page: 1 2 Next

I've an idea for how to run a match racing series that hopefully would not add much to admin or server requirements. Please comment on what you think. The key points will be:
1) How much interest there is amongst us
2) How can we get it to work without adding to the valuable workload of our volunteers.

I'll explain my idea in a few posts, so that each one is not too long.
First point about when and how to run the races. My main idea for this is to piggy back off the existing practice races and/or timed races. Another possibilty would be to add short windows of races specifically for match racing run very much like the timed races.

The way the match racing would work, is two boats decide to go head to head, arranged mutually through the forums or chat in another race. They agree a start time. Similar to a timed race or practice race, they start at the agreed time, sail the agreed course and whoever crosses the finish first wins that race. So they score the win.

Points would need to reflect number of races entered as well as wins, say 3 points for a win and 1 for a loss.
To make it easier to organise with the couple of hundred keen sailors we have here:
1) SYC members only
2) arrange in divisions, initial by ranking, then by performance - up to 20 in each division but depends on what is managable
3) divisions run over a set period, say 3 months, which gives time for the races to be held
4) promotion / relegation after that period
5) next period (season) starts

We could have an end of year finals series, or something similar, if that adds to the interest.
Some of the challenges - please comment if you know about these issues.

1) Accuracy of timing. Practice races may be too approximate for this. Is there a way of logging start and finish times more accurately that would suit?

2) Length of race. Most of our races (except the practice ones) are more than 4 hours long. Is this too long for this format?

3) Any admin or organisation issues, or would we be happy with this being reasonably informal.
PS, this was inspired by losing to sadlersailing by 8 seconds after 5 hours going around the Isle of White. That felt like a match race!
76T had proposed a conceptual 8 Metre Rule Class event that had similar aims or could be well adapted to this particular discussion.

read here
None so blind
Main problem is match racing is not possible on SOL....
There is no enforcement of ISAF rules

And I don't quite see what 1 on 1 would add to SOL.
There are some good ideas in terms of a 'season' and divisions etc, but again I cannot see what 1on1 adds here?
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__
May I suggest that some thought be given to the idea of a "start line" as in IRL racing? Boats could leave the "docking point" 1 hour prior to the start, BUT twa=0 would not be allowed until after the start (so the boat MUST be constantly in motion.) I realize that this could penalize those who cannot be at their computers at the start, but that too corresponds to IRL. (Calculate the time from dock to start line, set DC time and course, and go---if over early, must re-start, again as IRL)
'Starting' is usually considered to be a significant part of IRL sailboat racing---to neglect it here is somewhat un-realistic.
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.
Interesting idea Rod, though I am hard pressed to figure how and afternoon local-time start and a middle-of-the-night start in the same race mirrors IRL. In the current format, I have the same start in the same wind in the same boat as the Big Boys. (My talent is then applied and I either creep or vault to the back of the pack :)) Since many races appear to be won/lost in the first few hours, it feels like an underway-start would penalize more people than benefit.

Also not sure how the server would identify and then notify of an early-over start. A DC off by even one second would essentially result in just going for a virtual sail for the several hundred miles or more. I suppose you could set a close DC and then go TWA=0.01 and have a reasonable chance, but I believe your point is that to be able to compete effectively, you MUST be at your computer at the designated start time or the race is a toss.

Only other alteration I can think of would be to have multiple start times (this goes back to a "Divisions" conversation) but then you are only racing against those choosing that start time and I don't see how the all-important rankings would then be managed.

I'm sure others may have a more learned perspective and will look forward to reading more on this thread.

SP
Start time would be same for all, and could be done on DCs. 'Over early' would be seen as a position number which would rapidly get larger. It would add the requirement to chose a tack, and to choose which end of the line. It would spread out the fleet much like IRL.
Among other things, it would help to make SOL into an 'off-season' practice for those who also race IRL, even if radio-sailing such as I do.

--- Last Edited by Rod at 2012-01-20 04:04:08 ---
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.

Page: 1 2 Next

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Port Huron to Mackinac 2025


First run in 1925, the race from Huron to Mackinac is considered to be the world's longest consecutively run freshwater sailing race. Let's go - 260nm in X-362 Sport's awaits!!
Throw away unnecessary ballast from your boats. Fresh water has less buoyancy, which means greater draft and greater resistance to movement, which means lower speeds, etc.😊
Race #1959
INFO from brainaid.de
X-362 sport PARTICULARS
NAM_AWIP WX Updates:
0245 / 0845 / 1445 / 2045
Ranking:
ARQ4 - ARCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Oct 20th 17:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Carnarvon to Dondra


From here, our home in Bharatavarṣa is now north west of us – said Sinbad to his fellow balloonists. Perhaps we can ride the wind first further north, and then catch the winds that every year bring the rain, perhaps not. It’s 2600nm and we could be aloft awhile, so, Master el-Quarters, victuals only, no sandbags, provisioning the giant hamper. It will be not a picnic!
Race #1886
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Oct 15th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Alicante TIMED Race 2025

Welcome to beautiful Alicante on Spain’s Costa Blanca. Dine on some local tapas and paella before racing your America’s Cup foiling winged-sail AC72 catamaran on this 208nm race out to and around Isla de Formentera returning to Alicante after rounding the mark at Cap de la Nau. There should be some very fast times! This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1958
INFOby brainaid.de
AC72v2 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ4 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
25 October at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Oct 12th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha 2025

The adventure continues as we launch the next to last leg of the RWW series. This leg takes us from Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha, an island in the world heritage archipelago with the same name, 220 nm off the coast of Brazil. This race doubles up as #7 of RWW and #10 of OCCH. A 4400 nm journey of endurance, strategy and pure adrenaline. The RWW series is as whole, part of the 2025 ocean championship. Get ready for this exhilarating challenge as we set sail on the third to last leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! This leg will be raced aboard the Judel Vrolijk 62, pushing sailors to their limits as they navigate the open ocean. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Southern Atlantic? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1955
INFO by brainaid.de
JV 62 PARTICULARS    
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230    
Ranking: OCQ4 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Oct 06th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Camel or Balloon 2025 - Khartoum to N'Djamena


As there is a lull in the calendar, your PRO has decided to risk an experiment – a balloon race over land, using a workaround to eliminate the recognition of water/land transitions. If it fails, the server may crash, and we abandon PDQ, hopefully after leg 7 of the ABS race to Suez has been decided, and before the start of the 1st OCC of Q4. Camel or Balloon – c 1000 nm from a field on the north bank of the Blue Nile at Khartoum to a field on the north bank of the Chari River at N'Djamena!
Race #1956
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: none
RACE CLOSE: Sunday,
October 26 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Sep 28th 09:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client