[Sailsss] The Singlehanded Sailing Society of SF A long-term members thoughts...

[jeff berman]

Dear members and non-members,

I have received many responses of support and discussion with regard of the
EBE race.  Thank you all who did.  It appears, as hoped, we all have learned
from this event.  This past member puts good words to our situation, I
thought it was certainly worth sharing.  Please come to next Wednesday's
meeting for further discussion and clarification.  All questions of SSI and
racing rules will be happily answered.  I am sure we have many opinions to
be heard, let's hear yours too!

Member kept anonymous for respect of privacy.

I am not currently a member of the SSS but have been and have raced with
them off and on for about 20 years.  I have raced on the bay and ocean for
35+ years and am familiar with the problems of dealing with commercial
traffic.  I have both benefited and been hurt by having to alter course or
having my competition alter course because of a freighter.  We do this for
fun, it shouldn't be life and death as it could easily be when a sailboat
meets a freighter.  On my boat we call it "the big boat rule" because the
big boat makes the rules.  I also know the feeling of hoping that the
freighter will turn so I won't have to.  If the freighter indeed had to
"slam on the brakes" they felt it was serious and it's kind of like when we
were kids and playing cowboys and Indians when someone says "bang you're
dead" you you have to lay down and die.  I believe that YRA's  take is that
if you do that to a freighter you are not only thrown out of that race, but
for at least the rest of the season.  I have also raced boats with inboards
and outboards and know that if you have an outboard and have it stowed
below, it isn't easy to whip it out even in light air to get out of the way
of a freighter.  Just a thought for discussion but for singlehanding
especially, what if they were required to leave the motor on the transom so
it could be used at a moment's notice if necessary.  It would somewhat
inhibit the performance of the boat but if all the outboards had to do it
the effect would be more fair.  I used to have a Ranger 26 and sailed it to
3 season championships with the motor on the transom, so the penalty isn't
that great.  I don't know about applying the requirement for doublehanders,
but it still would be a thought.  I think the biggest benefit would be in
light air because that's when you would need it the most.  I'm sorry that
some over competitive sailor put the program in jeopardy as I just bought a
Wyliecat mostly for sailing the shorthanded races.  I have always felt that
the average SSS racer was a better seaman than average because he had to be.
I hope that continues.  A crew member of mine has a saying "a superior
seaman uses his superior skill to avoid situations requiring the use of his
superior skill".  

I appreciate the effort that you are putting in to the SSS, keep it up!

 

See you at the meeting!

 

Jeff

 

 

 

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