Hello IndyWave

You remind me that that is how I also got started racing... It was all about chasing the guy who pushed off the beach before me. Informal racing is great fun!

There is also a lot more to the racing game then chasing boats down and you appreciate how interesting the game can be when you go to a formal regatta. Stuart Walker, a prominent sailing author, who still races Solings and he fully appreciates sailors like your self; Sailors who enjoy the game but finish well down in the standings. His club always worked at keeping the last place sailor a full and respected member of the fleet.... his point... if the last place guy leaves... you have a new last place guy... and the next sound you hear is the great flushing sound! So racing can be less about the boat and where you finish and all about the class. It's also great fun to learn the formal racing game so you should not miss it!

Keep in mind that a regatta organizer has several factors to consider when they offer a start to a class.
1) Can the class sail to the race course in a reasonable time and is the parking lot big enough to hold more boats?
2) Can the PRO run the new class on the course without impacting the regattas existing classes. Many dinghy classes don't want more then three classes on the race course so that the racing goes efficiently. They vote with their feet if their racing experience suffers so the OA wants to get it right for everyone.
3) On a catamaran race course the wave's want a slightly different race course and the OA needs a few more resources to make it work (See recent discussion on tradewinds regatta for an idea of all of the considerations that Rick White is taking into account.
4) If they purchase the trophies... will the class show up in the numbers promised. No club likes to see unused trophies that they have to carry away and store or toss out ... nor do they want to give three trophies out to a fleet of three boats!

The term class means much much more then the fact that everyone has the same kind of toy. Class is as much about the community! Good luck finding that guy in your area who can organize your waves into a good local class and work out all of the above with a club to formally go racing. It's lots of fun!