Bala Cat Open - race report

Last weekend, Ann and I took the Falcon out for its first proper open at Lake Bala in Wales. The weather forecast the week before was a bit mixed, and suggested that it wouldn't be an ideal weekend for either sailing or camping. We actually ended up with great sailing on two of the three days, but I think attendance suffered a bit due to the forecast, with a mixed fleet of around 15, made up of F18s, Nacra/Inter 20s, a Nacra 6, 3 As, a Shadow and a few others.

On Saturday morning, Lake Bala was a 4 mile long mill pond, without a ripple in sight. After several postponements, the wind suddenly arrived just before 4pm and gave every impression that it was going to set in for the day. Unfortunately, after a mad rush to get on the water, the wind gave up and swung through 180 degrees half way through the start sequence, leaving us with a downwind drift to the first mark, and the rest of race being a lottery of holes and massive shifts.

Sunday morning looked like it would have the opposite problem: an overcast sky, and a strong wind blowing straight down the lake onto the exposed shore of the club left us thinking twice about going out. Once we got out there, we found the conditions to be more or less perfect - flat water, and a strong but pretty much steady wind. I was so excited that I managed to capsize on the first tack of the first race.

The next three races went rather better and gave us our first opportunity to see how the Falcon stacked up against the bigger boats. The answer: very well indeed, with some close racing with the F18s, two 20s and the Nacra 6. On the water we got a 2nd, a 1st and a 3rd, and I think these stood on handicap too, despite Phil on the Shadow finishing uncomfortably close behind in all races.

Monday saw similar conditions, although the 2nd and 3rd races saw some big lulls, with the wind intermittently dropping from 15 knots down to about 6 knots. We had trouble in the 2nd race, finding more of the 6 than the 15, and then running over our spinnaker sheets. We made up for it in the last race and after a very close race with the leading F18 we managed to finish with a 1st (on the water and on handicap).

We finished 2nd overall, behind Pete and Jess Findlay on an Infusion, and ahead of an F18 from Tresaith in 3rd, and Phil on the Shadow in 4th.

The Falcon attracted quite a lot of interest, especially after it became clear that we were giving the bigger boats a real run for their money on the water. We got nothing but compliments on the boat, both on the performance on the water, and on the build quality and setup (well, one of the F18 crews said, "I don't know what it is or where it came from, but it can go back there because it shouldn't be that fast", but we took that as a compliment).

We're still getting used to the boat and there's definitely scope for driving it harder downwind thanks to the additional bouyancy up front, but we're really happy with the performance and the results this weekend!

In two week's time I'll be doing Rutland on my own, so we'll see how it goes singlehanded.

Paul

Nice write up Paul. I'm glad you enjoyed it, I have mixed memories of Bala though

It's a bleak place when it's raining hard and there's 25mph out of the NE!!!

Congrats on getting the speed out of the Falcon so quick too! Pete Findlay is certainly no slouch on an F18.......

Glad to hear you had a good time. However, I'm just a little bit concerned that you are probably going faster than before. As for the £20 entry fee for a 3 day event maybe others should take note!
I'm leaving for Rutland on the Thursday morning for the 'A' Class Nationals. Thursday afternoon Chris Field will be giving away a few of his tuning secrets and on Friday he has been given permission to borrow a Club RIB and do some training. I'm sure if you could there sometime on Friday he would keep an eye on you if you wanted to go for a Sail.

Do you know that Chris Field is a A class measurer? Maybe worth asking him if he could measure your Stealth while he's there...

Chris is extremely proactive at measuring the UK A Class fleet and I've never seen or heard of him charging for this service. It's just a shame our self appointed UK F16 measurer doesn't follow his example!

I was not self apointed. I made the offer and it was excepted. I'll measure boats if required; but I do have a day job.

I've made offers to do boats at events I will be attending; no-one has taken me up on the offer - if prople cannot be botherd; not my problem.

I've made offers, no-one took me up on them......

I am sure the associations would be more than happy to have more measurers. Are you stepping up Mark?

The fact that you haven't attended any event but the ECPR over the last two years *may* be a factor

Nearly true; I was in Mumbles for the 2008 GC as well.

You offering to become a measurer too?

Whenever enyone has asked and I have had to decline as I am working I have always told them that they can also contact Dave Chivers who is the main catamaran measurer in the south east.

I have given out his email address; as far as I am aware, no one has contacted him.

Er why are we giving Soobie a kicking when no one is even interested in measuring boats in the UK, all the F16's are all basic manufacturers boats and all would come in within a 5 or 10 kilo band of weight. To bother to measure the boats would simply be more trouble than its worth.

Sadly, I think we've got to get them measured for Como.

Paul

Just my two cents worth: learning to measure is not difficult but does require practice to be efficient, so there is no reason not to have a number of measurers. On the other hand, I've seen no real reason for measuring. All the boats I've seen are well within the formula. We in the U.S. are moving to have measurement certificates provided by the builders, which, imo,is the best option.

Measuring is necessary, if we want to be taken serious and if we want honest racing as sooner or later people will try and bend the rules.

As Pete says, work is in progress so the measuring has no impact on the owner/buyer (except that he has to pay a fee ofcourse :-) )

Gill

Well I have no intention in 'paying' to have my boat measured prior to the F16 Euro's. The organisers can carry out as many checks as they like when ever they like whilst I'm at the event.

I Know what you're saying Gill but a measurement form wont stop a cheater.

Mark,
Are you saying you'd travel all the way to Como knowing that you have no intention of complying with clause 8.1 of the NOR?

8.1. Each boat shall present a valid measurement certificate at the time of Registration and Equipment Inspection.

John
Maybe you should read the NOR again, this time without your rose tinted glasses on, there are so many errors that I reckon the whole event is a bit of a farce.
So in reality I think I can enter due to having a "Class Pass".

This is what I was up to last Monday

Hey Mark, I think we'd better -measure- that new F16 you are on, something don't look right...

;^)

This one has been measured

Just what I wanted to say Mark. I don't think you have an issue to have the A cat measured? It's same isn't it?

I know it won't stop all cheaters, but still I think it will make racing more fair. It might look unnecessary now as most of the teams there know each other and are friends, however things will change sooner or later and it you don't plan on buying a new boat every year paying a certificate once isn't that much compared to all the other expenses sailing brings along....

Looking forward to see you at Como!

Gill

This isn't the place to fully explain my views on this issue. However, I do intend to explain myself in due course on the F16 Private Forum.
John & Gill just check out what I said in a previous post. I said something like; I don't intend to 'PAY' for a measurement certificate. Don't forget written in the F16 Rules and Official entry forms there are means to still compete without a measurement form so lets just see what happens.

Hi Scooby
I've been thinking about your offer to becoming a Class Measurer. I also think Paul is considering becoming a measurer as well. As we will both be at an Open Meeting this weekend we can discuss the merits and probably get back to you next week so we can arrange a convenient time and place so you can show us the ropes so too speak. I'm not looking to become a RYA or ISAF recognised measurer just a UK F16 Association Measurer.

Well, if you organize a training of some sort to get more measurers I'll join as well. It's probably a good idea to have a measurer at Datchet to stamp all those F16 in the parking lot.

Go for it! Imo, the more people involved the greater the understanding of the process. That has to be good for the class.

Mark,

I'd assume you would apply to the head of the UK association (Paul, I assume) who would ok/ not OK it. and then it's a simple case of watching someone else do it a couple of times.

I've watched Chris Field do a couple of A classes and then it's a case of getting a couple of spirit levels and some tape measures and having a go!

Cheers Simon

That's great news as Chris did offer to measure any A'Class this Thursday. Lets hope a couple of them will take him up on this offer so I can watch him. I have previously seen him measure Nigel Lovetts 'A' back in 07 as well. I don't think the platform is the issue here but I will seek his and other peoples advice on sail measuring.

Your part right, every boat having a measurement cert won't stop cheaters. However it plays a major role in catching them out. Non conformance to measurement certificate is the way that a boat would be protested to be able to dish out penalties for cheating.

Having the manfacturers supply the cert is the simplest way to supply certificates. Any part eg. Sails and mast could be approached the same way and just added to the cert. At the moment I have been writing the measurements of the sails I build in the tack. Makes it easy for the measurer to check the figures that way. Most sails come from the builders as well so it's easy for them to do.

The role of the class measurers would then be to measure a boat if a protest occurs.

How is that better or easier than proving non-conformance with the F16 rules?

Paul

You don't know your protest proceedures very well do you?

So the main argument of your protest is that the f16 rules have been broken? Pretty vague to say the least.

Besides last time I checked the measurement certificate was part of the rules. So what is your point.

Every boat needs to have a measurement cert. I don't really care how we get them, it just has to happen.

My point is that if the boat doesn't match the cert then that's some fairly hard evidence that there might be some cheating going on. Simple. Protest commitees like simple.

The last time I read the rules you had to have a measurement certificate and paid your Association fees before being a memember of the F16 Association.
So in reality I doubt we have enough legitimate members (6) to make up a single National Authority a part from the USA perhaps.
It might be advisable for the GC to make a statement to clarify exactly what rules are and are not being enforced with perhaps a relevant and achievable time table for it's current (members/non members)to try to adhere to.
I'm aware that the GC are working hard to achieve ISAF recognition but as I have pointed out above I think they need to work on the basics first. There's a saying 'you can't run before you can walk' Perhaps the GC should re consider their priorities in regard to today's F16 sailors, racers.

Sure, not matching the cert means that there might be some cheating going on, whereas what we really care about is whether the boat is a class legal F16.

For example, if a boat weighs in at 1kg under its cert because it wasn't completely dry when measured, do we care? I say, not unless it makes the difference between being above or below class minimum weight.

In order to prove either you've got to measure the boat, and I don't see how proving non-conformance with the cert is any simpler than proving non-conformance with the rules.

Proving non-conformance with a certificate lends weight to the notion that an incident of cheating is deliberate rather than accidental as it suggests that the owner has gone out of their way to produce an inaccurate certificate, but I don't believe that proving intentions is relevant.

Paul

The intent is that it is the responsability of each racer to make sure their boat is compliant to the rules.

Having a cert does some good in forcing each owner to make sure this is so.

I completely agree with Paul though, that any protest should be about confirming the boat measures within the rules and having a cert will do nothing to reduce protests, or make them easier to sort if lodged.

It is a very nice vehicle for the MAN to use to apply their taxes though. $75 dollar ISAF stickers,, fees for cert registration etc.

It is a big stretch of the imagination to try and equate any certification process to equality or fairness in racing - just bureacracy.

Dude! You should be hyping Kelly Park. Nobody has given Ding a boot to the nuts in a couple of months.

Make it a rule that the protesting party must pay the measurement fee if the boat measures compliant to the box rules...make the owner pay the measuring fee if the boat measures non-compliant to the box rules.

A very simple fix, for a very simple problem.

Look fellas, making **** up as you go along is not clever. It appears that the GC is attempting to make the class ISAF. if that's what you guys want then you have to follow thier rules not to mention the rules of the class.

If you rock up to a measurement protest, you WILL need a measurement certificate. If the boat doesn't have a measurement certificate then it DOES NOT MEASURE. Even if the boat is within the rules. Full stop no more arguments. Your personal opinions are of little to no value.

Listen everybody,

The measurement certificate is part of the F16 class rules and has been since the very beginning. You can't unilaterally decide to not adhere to that principle.

Now, I agree that the current EU procedures around the measuring are unsatisfactory, but that can never be an excuse to abandon the principle completely.

I feel the F16 class should arrange for official measuring of boats (on appointment !) at major events at no costs or reduced costs. I for one got burned badly myself last time I payed a 100 bucks for a measurement certificate and will be very supportive of a free-of-charge measurement procedure. If we all want a free-of-charge system then we'll have one, it is simply that simple.

With respect to the role of a measurement certificate. It guarantees that the boat has been in a full compliant mode at least ones in its life time thus forcing every owner to initially spend money on getting full-compliant components. If he still wants to cheat then he needs to spend ADDITIONAL money. Also, the RC can now always demand that the boat be restored to its original form knowing that the compliant components are around / had been around. This makes for a lot stronger case to enforce full compliance without any claims made to "sad stories". The certificate also has important political benefits. One of which is the fact that owner actively declared his boat to be fully-compliant (and was checked for it). This makes the charge of cheating alot more powerful when the boat is later found to be none compliant. Without the certificate the owner can always claim that he didn't know. With a certificate he can't. Note in this example that the rules explicetly state that any new (measureable) item that is replaced requires a remeasuring (of that item) and that doing so is the responsibility of the owner. Thus it creates an environment where the responsibilty of the owner is made very clear. Another important aspect is to make sure the suppliers are delivering on spec products. The Central class organisation gethers the measured data (perferable when the boat is completely new) and can present the suppliers with accurately measured off-sets and easily show a trend. The supplier has then no choice but to quickly improve the situation or risk losing his F16 related business. This is not academic as such a thing has already happened in the past with sails for example.

I won't adress all related issues in this post, but there is more to the whole measuring principle then just making the lives of the owners difficult. So everyone is kindly ask to comply with this and stop being only focussed on your own specific situation.

Wouter

ISAF ?

Ever since the Tornado got dumped, I have absolutely no interest in seeing the F16 class get ISAF certified.

Thus I feel that that policy can just as well be terminated altogether now.

It is pretty stupid to pay good money to an organisation that doesn't "recognize you" in any meaningful way.

So what that we can't have an official "World Championship" ? Seems we are pretty happy with our "Global Challenge Cups" anyway.

We can spend that money alot more wisely on projects that actually do advance the F16 class as a whole.

Wouter

last I looked, I believe, there were enough boats in the Australian get together to make the class a "National" class..

To accomplish this the class needs boats representing at least 3 state fleets and a specified number of boats.. Both were accomplished this year. So Australia would join USA as a "National Authority"...

That is good! Here in the UK there must be around 40 F16's approx six are paid members and I doubt ONE has a F16 measurement certificate. Thus we are definitely not entitled to National Authority status. The point I was getting to is that being a paid member of the Association isn't enough you should have a measurement cert as well before being able to join and only these figures should account to NA status.

Contact those 40 boat owners and ask their opinions. Specifically, invite them to a U.K. regatta, or regional regattas if necessary. But get them on the water together and ask their opinions.

Are you letting a piece of paper stifle class growth?

Mark, in order to have a measurement certificate you need a national authority to stamp it. In order to have a national authority you need member with certificates. I don't think that works

Pete, we've been trying to get those sailors on the water, but it's HARD. At my club we have 12 F16 in the parking lot. This year so far only 5 did race, and most of them only once.

And that's not specific to our class, really, of the 60-70 odd cats in our boat park you can count how many do race at least one race per year on your hands...

And then you talk about travelers, people willing to take a week-end to go to an event somewhere and the number are dropping spectacularly. Maybe 2 this year in the F16 class, 5-6 total across all cat fleets...

Any suggestion on how to get those people onto the water are welcome.

We probably need to go over to the F16 private forum.

Do people give any indication of why they don't race? Do they sail fairly frequently even though they don't race? Do some perhaps feel intimidated by the idea of racing and concerned that they might be embarrassed if they perform poorly?

Your comment on the other thread about coaching may be relevant. Perhaps just having a session where you do some training drills on the water and/or some low key, fun practice races in conjunction with some social/family event might help people see the connection between racing and the social aspect of sailing.

Mostly there are people who enjoy sailing but can't or won't do it often enough to be interested in knowing the RRS. In addition they mostly seem afraid of embarrassing themselves, being in the way of someone screaming and so on. At the end all they do is reach around, capsize a bit, bring the kids or a friend for a couple hours on the water.

Then there are people who do all the RYA training courses, obviously enjoy it, but don't jump the gap and join the racing. This is due to the gap between the RYA training done at the club on Topaz/Vibe/Dart/Hobie and the racing where none of those classes are represented. They put on some "begin racing" courses but not one person registered for those...

Finding the magical tricks to get those two group of people to race is tricky.

So we have a number of initiatives, ranging from getting people into racing via crewing first with an established racer, special loaner boat only for racing or "fun" races with mostly beginners where we spend time explaining the rules and flags

Pete, I don't have the details of all the present owners. However, I have in the past sent out emails to all the owners who I have addresses for prior to Mumbles Events but that is a tiny number perhaps around 11 and yet the most recent Stealth was sail No 561 (They started at 500). It's a shame that recently apart from Paul, John Terry, Eric (Pepin), Wayne and myself F16's would basically be seen as a dead Class, especially now that some of the original Datchet F16 sailors have basically retired.
We are not the only Cat Class in the UK which suffers this problem. In the past the F20 started to grow then died away. The Spitfires grew dramatically and now their numbers are falling, on the other hand The A Class numbers appear to be on the increase but we are still only talking about a handful of boats.
You are definitely right about one thing. Pursuading every owner to attend the same Regatta perhaps on a bi-annual basis and not necessarily a National Championships. As you suggest this could help develop friendships and a better understanding of the owners views in regard to UK F16's.
Last weekend there was a F16 TT at Rutland Water SC, only one entered and he is a member there. The weather was brilliant the wind a little shifty and some of the gusts must have been in excess of 22 knots and hit you like a train. I was there racing on an 'A". Friday was a training day and I capsized, the third race on Saturday I capsized and the sixth race on Sunday which I was leading I capsized! I now reckon if there was a Capsize Championship I could be a top favorite to win.

That must be really frustrating! Still all you can do is try and gather a basic fleet and sail. I would contact all the active cat sailors you can and promote a combined sailing fleet. 10-15 boats is a lot of fun no matter what type they are.

GYC sails twice each month, nine months of the year and it is usually a mixed fleet of around 10 boats. I have to admit to being AWOL recently.

I wouldn't worry about certificates and the like until you have a more active fleet.