Hey Mark -



We're off the main subject a little, here, but you make some interesting and important observations. Your post goes more to how the Area Reps are working with organizations to put on the Eliminations each year.



There are many different fleets within Area D - we're pretty diverse. Some pockets of the traditional one-design fleets are thriving, but one-design racing has fallen by the wayside in other locales, be it Hobie, Prindle, Nacra, etc. I haven't been around a particularly long time, but I already have seen the ebb and flow of Nacra 5.5s, Hobie 18s, and Prindle 19s here and there around the southeast. I just was made aware this week of a G-Cat fleet on a lake in SC. Some of the clubs and organizations around the area host nothing but, or predominantly, Portsmouth racing with imbedded one-design fleets. Your example of the Catfight is a good one, and there are similar regattas to hold up as examples in Area D - the St. Augustine Summer Sizzler, Spring Fever, Panama City's Spring and Fall Series, Key Sailing's Winter Series and Icepick regattas, Rick and Mary's annual Tradewinds Regatta. I have heard criticism of Portsmouth racing from strong one-design areas, but the idea of an open regatta with overall Portsmouth scoring and the "five makes a fleet" guideline is working and working well. So, you see, the Qualifier is not the only Portsmouth event on the calendar down here.



My idea as Area Rep was to take the Qualifier and piggy-back it onto another, successful event. I say its my idea, but its not really - this was done by the previous Rep as well. The challenge has been to de-mystify the scoring and convince the host organization that there isn't any extra effort involved in having their regatta called the Qualifier. My responsibility to the host organization is to provide a template for the SIs and NOR, and to offer myself as scorer so that nobody else has the headache of sorting out fleets and checking the math.



Here's how its working this year - early on, the Clearwater Community Sailing Center folks indicated they were willing to discuss the possibility of hosting the Qualifier with a regatta they were already planning - the Florida Multihull Championship. We worked out a NOR that met the requirements of US Sailing, but also pulled in the goals for the event that the club specified. Then we started with the Alter Cup SI template and worked in the language for the FL Championship. The real key to the whole thing is to make sure that everyone racing for the Qualifier starts at the same time and sails the same course - everything else is just playing with the scores to pull out the one-design fleets and declare the individual class state champs. Throw all the scores together, and voila - that's our Area winner.



As to your second point, its important to keep in mind that US Sailing is striving to be inclusive - limiting the type of boat that can compete in the Qualifier as narrowly as you suggest is not something that I think should be done. I already feel that US Sailing's excluding boats over 22 feet is questionable. The intent is that if you have a boat and it has an unqualified rating, you can come and race. Period. No manufacturer, no fleet, no class, no organization can tell you to take a hike. There won't be a seperate, smaller course, and you won't get second-class status. Sail your rig better than the guy next to you on the start line, and you've got a shot at the Cup. Or just come and put together best series you can under the most fair conditions the host can provide. Whatever. Bottom line - the Qualifier isn't about one-design or formula. It's not intended that way and I don't think it would work that way. The person who gets around the course the best is the one that should win and go on the represent the area - its not about who's best on a specific type of boat. There are already very healthy one-design and formula championships for that.



Whew... what a rant, eh? Didn't mean to go on and on. Thanks for your post - please understand that I am struggling to get a handle on what sailors think here in this area - I won't even begin to claim to understand how things are up on the Cheasapeake where you live. I hope you'll take a few moments and pass your thoughts along to your Rep, who is certain to have a better perspective than I (me?).



Regards -



John