> Probably the best "gimmick" race will be the _Man overboard Race_
 > The object is to retrieve the man overboard in the least amount
 > of time.  If I understand it right, the man overboard _must_ be
 > the normal skipper.  As the water in these parts is cold, it
 > does the best thing that any skipper can do:  Teach his crew
 > to handle the boat safely.  Can' be any better than that!
Unfortunately, the waters in Lake Waco are about 90 degrees fahrenheit in the 
summer... maybe we can try it in the winter when it gets down to the upper 
70s....
 > We've been steadily working at it, and I think we have the Race
 > Committee convinced to let the slower boats off the line first.
 > They've been doing a pretty good job of at least giving them a
 > shorter course to finish close with the faster fleets.  (see
 > below)
We have the B fleet start 5 minutes before the A fleet.... problem is that A 
fleet passes the B fleet just about at the first windward mark.... the B
fleet race is determined by which ones can pass that mark BEFORE they are
blanketed by the A fleet....
 > I do recommend something that is not "Full Handicap", though.  A
 > percentage knock-off of, say, 85%, will allow the slower boats
 > to be competive but not allow them to take first without sailing
 > each race a bit better.  Full Handicap allows the really poorly
 > sailed boat to notonly be competive but to make them the "winner".
 > The percentage adjustment "forces" them to work a bit harder,
 > with the goal of reaching their real rating.
I guess the big problem I have with the PHRF ratings used here is they 
"assume" your boat is race ready and do not take into account the local race 
conditions (short narrow courses which require lots of tacking in low 
winds)... since they don't look at sail or changes made to the boats, you can 
(if you want to buy the race) modify anyway you wish.... I have to race up to 
the potential of a cruiser racing long wide courses with high steady winds 
and full racing modification... so... I normally finish about 25 points over 
my rating.... and most of the other A boats with modifications finish about 
0
points under their ratings... giving me about a 45 second spread I can't 
compete with  So.. we drink lots of liquid refreshments in the hot 
weather 
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