Funny, But I have been sailing now for 37 years and for all that time the starting of many fleets was never a problem. But in these modern times where we all seem to think we know more than our forefathers, we have created a newer, slicker, smarter way to do things.
I best liked Tim's answer -- pretend it doesn't exist.
Problems:
*Takes a lot air horns -- there is a lot more noise going on then ever before -- horn to let you know something is going to happen, horn to let you know the class flags are going up, horn to let you know the prep flag is going up, horn to let you know the prep flag is coming down and horn to let you know the class flag is coming down for the start.
*Too many flags. One of the first things I learned on my way to being a Senior Race Officer is to eliminate flag clutter. Some RC boats fly flags all over the place and you have a hard time distinguishing which means what -- particularly with the sun at certain angles that makes all flags look like the same color.
And often a flag might be used simply as a telltale to check out the wind. Then the problem is that if there is any sort of recall flag, penalty flag, etc., they are usually all bunched in with the rest of the flags. By the way, recall flags should definitely stand out by being far out on the bow and not close to any other flag.
*Starts take longer. Here at the Tradewinds we post on the board the order of starts and stick to that for the duration -- that way everyone knows when to start. And we do it in three-minute intervals. So, six classes can be started in 18 minutes.
On the other hand, the new starting order has a class flag go up at 6 minutes, the prep up at 5 and finally a start. That is six minutes a start, and for 6 classes that is 36 minutes to get the races started. By that time the ones that started first are almost ready to finish.
Proponents of the new starting say that they can start classes at any time. So, instead of your class sitting around waiting for a slower class before the sequence can resume, they simply go into sequence with the class flag(s) that will be starting.
Sometimes this can work, but you need a lot of folks on the RC boat (those doing the starts, and those still taking finishes on the starboard side of the RC boat (usually the finish line is on the starboard side, while the start line is on the port side). And that can be pretty distracting for both the scorers and for the starters.
If you have ever worked on a RC boat you would know that it is pretty intense making sure the times are perfect and the flags are perfect for each start, and then things get really intense at the finishes being sure to get each boat in proper order, with the proper sail number, and time.
Putting all this act together in a three ring circus sounds confusing.
OK, one more problem. Wind shifts. No way you can adjust weather marks or any other marks when there are fleets all over the place. Thus you end up with a really crappy course with an offset upwind mark. Not good.
In other words, if you have a lot of starts, you can't beat the old system. The race officer has to plan so that the boats all finish around the same time. That is simply done by giving the faster boats a longer course, the slower boats a lesser course. If the wind shifts, you shift the marks after the last boat rounds the mark that needs adjusted.
All the rc crew helps the start of each race, and they help in finishing -- takes fewer people as well
But, then again, we are so much smarter than people that raced sailboats before us.
Rick
