Originally Posted by Team_Cat_Fever
Originally Posted by Mark Schneider
The MHC is getting ready to submit a set of gear requirements to the Safety at Sea Committee of US Sailing. This would set a standard for Yacht Clubs to reference when giving beach cats a start.

The other half the equation is the PRO and the OA. when should they pull the plug.

Rick White recounts this event.
Quote

Loc: Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ...
Talk aboout blowouts, I recall the 13th Annual Key Largo Steeplechase held on Saturday the 13th of December.
First day wasn't bad, but the second day the race started in winds over 25, and were said to gust close to 50.
of the 45 boats, only 3 finished.
With the winds out of the west most of the boats washed up on shore all along the Keys on the Bay Side.
The start is on the ocean side and the winds were sailable at the start, so most of the boats were already on the inside of the Keys when the bad stuff hit the fan.
All but a couple of boats, that is. One boat was never seen again, both sailors were rescued.
Marine Patrol and Sheriff were threatening to arrest everyone and confiscate their boats -- saying it was a frivolous activity on the water.

I believe Mary said in her editorial about it, "All water activity is frivolous, except for fishermen and drug runners."
laugh
Rick
_________________________
Rick White
Catsailor Magazine & OnLineMarineStore.com


I have been on both sides of this issue....as a competitor and as the OA.....

Personally, I think you have to rethink the problem each and every time.... After things have inverted... you don't want to have half assed this one.

When and Who should pull the plug?


The RC should pull the plug if the start and marks boats can't get out or there is no possible way to run a race. If it's a distance race with no start or chase boats then it should be up to the skippers.Start the nanny state stuff and I'll GUARANTEE, you will regret it. If you're giving an inch as a stop-gap measure they're going to take a mile, either way. You just gave in until something happens to institute their own ideas.

p.s. The race Rick is talking about was my first Steeplechase, and got me addicted to distance racing and the self reliance that is needed to do it.
Yeah, there are the nannies. But there are the Crash Dummies too who are looking for a place to practice their main goal. To crash something.

What you would kind of hope is that there is something in between the two extremes. I don't see that there is much problem with what has already been established about boat limits and gear requirements or qualifications. The weak area is NOR. Look at any other major sporting event and there will be a note that says something like: "In case of bad weather..." A NOR can read "In case of winds exceeding the stated limits for your cat, the race organizers may call the race for those boats. Please keep an eye on weather forecasts. If a race is called because of excess conditions, you sail entirely at your own risk and you must make provisions for someone else to pull you out of the water." Like the Coast Guard. With a tight economy, it cost too much money to show up and have a race called for some un-communicated odd set of reasons. If guidelines are given and the risk is accepted to show up when conditions may be extreme and a race may be cancelled, then there is no one to blame but me for jumping in the car and going.