We’re preparing a new version (v1.6), due this week, to correct some minor bugs and implement some of the ideas that have been appeared recently.

To celebrate it we could organize next week a 2 hours event, Europe vs. Rest-of-the-World.

Only registered users, max. 15 user boats, no robots, team tactics allowed but sailing by the rules (14 excepted).

Israel counts as an non-european country (to give you American sailors some advantage).

We have to agree about the day and hour. Maybe Thursday? Time the sooner the better, you don’t want to win because we are sleepy and tired, do you? What about 10PM GMT (that’s midnight in Spain)?

The announcement has not been made in the European fora. Let’s check first there are any Americans to fight <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

I am so there! I am sure PAN (tikitpete) will be there as well.

we'll take it anyway we can!

When: Thursday, Jul 20. 22:00 GMT till 24:00 GMT
Where: Europa’s Cup ad-hoc field at www.tacticat.com


Max.Boat No.: 16
Robots: 0
Limited to users registered either in Tacticat or Adecat

1st Act
Team races. 1 hour.
Blue team: Euro sailors
Red Team: Rest-of-world sailors
Sailors can adhere to the team they prefer. We will try to get a 8-8 distribution or the closer possible for two balanced teams.
Points for the first half of each fleet. Classification done manually (not going to write the code for it!).
All sailing rules except 14 apply.


2nd Act
Match race, half an hour aprox. To the best of three races
One boat per team, designed among the team sailors.


Standard Tacticat course in all cases: Start – A- offset – gate – A – offset – Finish
Field will be open for training a couple of days before.

Prizes : we have no sponsor… we have no real prizes. Match race champion will have a virtual cup in his/her boat.

refresh my memory, what is rule 14 ?

Yep , I also order foot by its chinese name and not by its number

Wouter

I don't remember how to say "avoid contact" in chinese. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You EAT foot? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> So what is the chinese for foot?

What sort of foot? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

How you know he eats them? By now, we only know he orders them <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm there! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm there...(that is if USA wants me...) but I don't have a clew about team racing.
I think there is a least 1 more guy from Israel who will be happy to participate.
Let us know.
Ziv

I think we're going to be forced into a competition for the eight available spots. As I understand it, the "Europa Cup" is Europe vs the World. So, if someone wants YOUR spot, they need to compete for it. My 2 cents.

We will try to have more than 8 boats per team.
But, as this has been something not very well planned (my fault) I propose the next.
- Boats will be given according to 2 ideas: WTS ranking (count the 10 best races of last month) and country (we dont want an ALL-USA team.
- I, amando estela, will have the last word. So you know who is to blame.
I know it is not very democratic or fair but if someone has a better idea please tell quick.

aestela.

I'm cool with this.

I don't like democracy in these things, leads to endless discussion and disgruntled people that for some reason does seem to occur when a fair "dictator" makes the final decisions.

Alotting boat according to the best 10 race over the past seems like a good approach to me, but then again I'm 5th overall so this pretty much means I'm. That is if not a horde of European sailors sudden beat my high score !

Wouter

Europa’s Cup. Last instructions.

Boats available: 12 per team.

Boat assignation: 9 boats directly assigned for those first in the WTS classification. The other 3 reserved for countries other than Spain, USA or Israel and special cases.

Team Captains: Will (try) coordinate the team somewhat. If they accept, Tinini will be the blue captain. Jack the red one. (Because both have one of the highest rankings and know most of the other sailors).

Rules: Try to follow Tacticat usual policy:
- You don’t know or you are not sure…. 360 when blacktagged or protested.
- You know (or think you know). Do as you deem, but try to explain why when not doing your 360s
- Rule 14 (avoid collision at all cost) does not apply.
- Slight contacts during pre-start will not require 360. (I’ve never seen someone doing 360s because boats touched a bit at the start line). But charging full speed against closehauled boats at the start line requires 360!!!!

Team tactics:
- Everything allowed if rules allow it.
- Collisions on purpose ARE STRICTILY FORBIDDEN.
- Boat-boat messages are allowed using any mean (Tacticat message system, Skype…)
- Change of users between races is allowed. To fill the voids of people abnormally disconnecting or for other reasons.


Other:
- This has not been tried before. Stress tests show that there should be no problems for 24 boats and 10+ spectators but….
- If you have problems with your rudders (bad connection) steer safely.
- Messages are allowed but let’s try to focus on the race. Jokes when finished.
- Don’t use the notification channel (key N). Will be reserved for captains and system adminstrator.
- Spectators, try to be quiet. (I know this is impossible but…)
- The Europa’s Cup field is already online.

I would like to propose that an arbiter is assigned (spectator) that keeps track of penalty rounds.

Reason : it is allowed per racing rules to choose your time of doing a penalty turn as long as you do them before the finish with the exception being hitting a bouy.

The added section to the rules known as "sportmanship" asks for promptly doing penalty turns, however promptly does allow you to continue sailing till you have sufficiently clear space around you. In the past I've seen more and more boats doing penalty rounds at crowded bouys or right in the gate. In real life you can ruin other racers race with that and punishable as such it is also unsportman like. Doing a penalty round right after the offset mark is often also not a good idea when a train of boats is coming down behind you on a reach. When hit the system penalizes the wrong boat in these cases as the boat taking the turn has all the responsibility to stay clear.

In the way of match racing it is allowed (as far as I know) to not do you penalty rounds if the other boat has an equal amount of penalties. You can cross them away against one another but please someone check this. This will mean that pretty much all penalties, when taken, are taken right before the finish line. Somebody needs to keep track of those.

Additionally in match racing penalties acquired pre-start ARE important, how do we deal with those ?

Shall we require any penalties acquired in the pre-start minute to result in either a 360 before the start or during the race itself ?

Wouter

Please let´s go KISS with this, otherwise we´ll end up in endless discussions. Your boat goes black, do a 360, and do it soon without interfering with other boats. If it is very clear that the program made an incorrect decision (this is not frequent), don´t do the 360 and tell the other competitors. If they all shout at you, do a 360.

Actually by not fixing these issues you are actually risking endless discussions. Because truly; the racing rules do NOT sufficiently enforce these situations.

And as we are going to match and team race for halve the time we can be sure that teams will go to the maximum room allowed by the rules while racing.

Kiss should never be equated with laissez-fair (ignore and do nothing)

Wouter

OH for godssakes! It's a bit of FUN!!!!!

Good. But we have to find someone. Not easy. I will not be racing (I will be praying the system behaves <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />) and may be can keep score.



That's the way. 360s ASAP, as soon as you are not affecting other sailors, even with your bad air.



Good point.
I have no idea about match racing but it is clear (now) that the final instructions apply only for the first act. Match race will be between 2 boats. And clearly penalties are due also during the prestart.

Two VERY important points.
1. Let's try to enjoy a 'top-level-international-event'. We would do it from home, with a beer (well, whatever). No transports, no drysuits, no...

2. People will be watching. Would you risk to be known WORLD-WIDE as 'the guy who cheated'?. (You is not Wouter or anybody else, please). In case of doubt do a 360.

(This post will be translated and posted in the Spanish Forum)

Amando Estela.

Based on WTS classification, the nine (9) boats for the Usa/World team would be assigned to the 9 first present sailors in this ordered list:
1.Hobiecat (ISR)
2.Jake (USA)
3.Robi (USA)
4.Hobie4359 (USA)
5.BrianK (USA)
6.Pan (USA)
7.wlrottge (USA)
8.stank (USA)
9.Opher (ISR)
10.Gertie (USA)
11.schifty (USA)
12.NCSUtrey (USA)
13.Skipper0802 (USA)
14.Oldschool18 (USA)
15.Timbo (USA)
16.Paulprotocol (USA)
17.RyanMcHale (USA)

The 3 extra boats will be reserved (if present, if not sailors from the above list will take boats) to these sailors:

Indulgent (AUS)
TigerMike (AUS)
mmadge (CAN)
Bobcat (CAN)


Europe's team has already a list. Using the same criteria.