OK, here's a question for the group at large:
At a "Nationals" (ie. the biggest "title" event you will race in the entire year, costing you thousands of dollars and a week or more off work) do you want to share the race course with several other fleets, and wait for them to all finish before you can start your next race, or would you rather only have to duck and dodge and wait on boats you are actually racing against?
I'm happy to share the course at just about every regatta, the way we always have, but at the 'one big event' of the year, I don't think having our own separate course is too much to ask.
Who says we have to wait for all the other boats to finish? Only our F16 fleet. We can have independent starts after the initial rolling start. This works pretty well at Spring Fever (they finish at the top of the course and once all the F16 finish and head down to the bottom for the start they sound the 5 minute gun).
I'm not opposed to sharing the course. Logistically it's easier for the hosting club.
I say, Just Sail! Hit the beach afterwards and pop a brew with everyone that participated.
my 0.02.
tback
