Over in the Slip to Ship event topic
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There is discussion of basing fleets on the ability of the sailors, rather than the boats.

This was common "back in the day" of large one-design fleets in order to encourage beginners to race. They would "graduate" to the main fleet after doing well in the novice group. This strategy is also common in other sports which have a large number of entries.

Over the years these "B" or novice fleets have disappeared from beachcat regattas do to the small number of entries.

I know from this site that there are a LOT of folks sailing now that either have never raced or raced 20-30 years ago and are now getting back in the sport.

If a particular regatta offered a fleet for beginners would it sway you to give racing a try?

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Great idea. i'd certainly go and learn more. Every race i've entered i've finished dead last or DNC/DNF
It would be nice to have novice racing, It might sway sailors out of the woods

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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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We are looking at going to our first race ever in two weeks. Since I have a Prindle 18, I have to race in the F18 class. I never raced in my life, and my crew will consist of my wife and my dog :) Ya, I see a DNF, or better yet a DNS in my future.

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New Prindle 18-2 Owner
Former Prindle 18 Owner
Multiple Hobie 16s
Boylston Massachusetts
Webster Lake Indian Lake Narragnsett Bay in Rhode Island
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Peter, no open class? Don't be discouraged, I would try to complete half the laps of the F18s. That would be great success starting out.

A B fleet sounds nice, but again the problem is a numbers one. I think most of our races would only have 0-2 people in that fleet.

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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I feel what should also be brought back for non spin boats is A B C buoy coarse not just A C.

I have yet to go to a regatta that doesn't have an open class. Most hosts usually know that there is going to be a few boats out of the mainstream of one designs.

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Doug Klem
Pensacola , Fl.
Blade F16
Prindle 18-2 w/spin
Prindle 18-2 x 3
Prindle 19 MX
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The fleet that I race in does one fleet for spring series and a A and B fleet in the summer, all one start but its nice to know that you have a chance because the A fleet is top notch.

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Cesar (Cez) S.
Hobie 16 (had a few)
Nacra 5.2 "Hull Yeah"
Vectorworks XJ - A class (not named yet)
West Michigan (Grand Rapids/Holland Area)
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The starts are the only thing that bother me as a skipper especially when trying to make the line at speed based on time and distance rather than sitting head to wind just off the line. Longer starting lines and starting the experienced racers first would be a great help to most new racers in my opinion.
@ peterk123 Sailing a P18 in a F18 fleet is not going to go well. You would do better trying to tag along with the hobie 16s if they will let you. PHRF for the P18 is 74.8 and the Hobie 16 is 76 while the F18 is 60.

Rider_55, If we were to do it, we just hang back at the start and then try to follow for as long as possible, more to just watch what the other sailors do.

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New Prindle 18-2 Owner
Former Prindle 18 Owner
Multiple Hobie 16s
Boylston Massachusetts
Webster Lake Indian Lake Narragnsett Bay in Rhode Island
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Wrote an email on this kind of topic today...definitely need to do something to encourage new sailors to come up
@Peter, PM me your email address if you don't mind...not sure which event you are trying to sail in...the F18 guys are really really open and friendly, I know some of them need crew. I think you'd have a better time sailing in the class that is racing and learn a lot more more quickly. Faster is more fun

I can't imagine being grouped with F18s without a spin, those guys would get upset pretty quickly bobbing waiting for the non spin boat to finish every race. You would def be better off with the 16's or in a jib and main portsmouth fleet.

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Cesar (Cez) S.
Hobie 16 (had a few)
Nacra 5.2 "Hull Yeah"
Vectorworks XJ - A class (not named yet)
West Michigan (Grand Rapids/Holland Area)
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peterk123

Rider_55, If we were to do it, we just hang back at the start and then try to follow for as long as possible, more to just watch what the other sailors do.

The thing is a Prindle 18 can't do what an F18 will do. We cannot sail near the same upwind angles due to the lack of boards or nearly as deep into the wind due to no spinnaker. The P18 will sail similar angles to the Hobie 16 both up and downwind and the slightly faster rating should help a less experienced racer keep up.

You guys scared me off. I'm out. I don't want to crew because I wanted my wife to experience it as well. Plus it is a five hour hike to get there. Sounds like it is not worth hauling the boat. There are plenty of chances to get involved in other ones. This is a Hobie sanctioned event so I doubt I can mingle with the Hobies in a race.

Funny story about crewing. I did that once about fifteen years ago on a nacra 6.0. I never raced before and the skipper was practicing as much as possible because he was trying to qualify for the olympic tornado class at the time. The guy was a complete lunatic. I have never been screamed at so much in my life. It was so bad that I started laughing at his profanities. I finished out the first day but passed on day two. Fortunately, I blew out my back pulling up the daggerboard during the race. Funny thing was, in between races and on shore, he was a super nice guy. During the race though, he was off the charts crazy. I learned a lot about downhaul though. All I remember is he would "tell" me to crank the downhaul everytime the boat hiked. That boat would sit right down and take off like hell. It was an awesome ride.

You racers are bananas.

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New Prindle 18-2 Owner
Former Prindle 18 Owner
Multiple Hobie 16s
Boylston Massachusetts
Webster Lake Indian Lake Narragnsett Bay in Rhode Island
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It's called being focused!

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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Peter,

I'd appreciate an email...I think you experienced the crazy end of racing, not the normal spectrum. But things need to be put in context...a lot of loud talking can happen when things are happening fast and you're in a competitive race environment and you're a green crew...I suspect you were subbing in for a pro. Guys I was trying to hook you up with are nothing like that.

I'm pretty confident you're looking at Madcatter...you should go and bring your wife...likely they will have a B-fleet of Hobie 16's, very open group. I suspect they'll let you start with them, just don't get in the way, start a minute or so late and let RC know they can start the next race without you so the serious racers don't get all pissy.

Sam, it was actually fun, although waiting between races was a drag. For some reason, we had to do two that day. The guy was very good. We were just in different worlds. Boy, the more we talk about this, the more I begin to remember. I remember hating to tack because I knew I was going to get yelled at if it wasn;t perfect. I would be like, "dude, what are you talking about? We never went into irons!" (that was a joke but I'm sure that I thought that)

Another thing that comes to mind was the broad reach. He had me on at the front and on the leeward side. He trapped and was off the stern. We flew. We were not running a spinnaker, thank god, since I never used one in my life.

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New Prindle 18-2 Owner
Former Prindle 18 Owner
Multiple Hobie 16s
Boylston Massachusetts
Webster Lake Indian Lake Narragnsett Bay in Rhode Island
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samc99us

.I think you experienced the crazy end of racing, not the normal spectrum. But things need to be put in context...a lot of loud talking can happen when things are happening fast and you're in a competitive race environment

Yes, there can be a fine line between "urgent requests" and abuse!

Of course I'm always sweetness and light on board but I do try to take a minute before a race with a new crew to explain that the volume of a request is only meant to indicate the speed I would like it done, and not a reflection on their mother or ancestry.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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