Oh, fer crissakes! I wasn't trying to be whiney - I just was trying to be constructive. I went out of my way to point that out. I knew this wasn't an HCA event - that's why I read the SA's and knew about the separate S/F lines. I was just pointing out the differences because I think(personal opinion) the HCA's been spoiled with high-quality event management - and I want Rick's regatta to be better for everybody next time. I wasn't demeaning Rick's experience or abilities - I just felt like the courses and starting sequence was from an earlier era - which they were!

I race in upwards of 15 events a year - and this was the first ABCAC course I've sailed in over 3 years! The point is not about having a B mark - it's about having a reach immediately after the first weather leg. All it does is stretch out the fleet and force everybody to one side of the course. Eliminating this pracitice was not done for spinnaker boats - it's been the practice at all major Hobie events for years.

Personally, I was annoyed that I made the effort to get out to the course on time and had yet had to wait on the water for the stragglers to get out. There might have been a fourth race possible (and a throwout) if it had. I can see your point, Jake (being trapped), but ultimately it's every competitor's responsibility to get to the line on time. You were lucky that Rick waited.

Starting 6 classes using the old sequence uses 21 minutes, not 18. Using the ISAF sequence would have only used 9 more minutes - less than a third of the time that was wasted in the postponement of the first race. If you say you're going to start at 9:00 AM, then start at 9!

I think if you ask anybody who was sailing that morning, they'll tell you they were cold. My crew became hypothermic - she was shivering violently, then stopped. That's a bad sign, so I took her in. If we had not been sitting around so much, that might not have been necessary.

BTW - 90% of the races in the Hobie 16 NA's and the Hobie 17 NA's had downwind finishes. It's not just for spinnaker boats.

Rick - you're not listed on the US Sailing web site as being a Certified Race Officer. Every person I mentioned in my previous post is, except for Mike Walker, who is a Senior Canadian Race Officer (listed on the CYA website).