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Peconic Bay Sailing Association
P.O. Box 1196
Cutchogue NY 11935

       Commodore - Brian Andrews   

 Vice Commodore - Charles Digney

Secretary - Dave Commando

Treasurer - Don Suter

 

Upcoming Events

 

2008

 

Aug. 1-3, PBSA Rendezvous, Essex, CT

 

New Suffolk Series 2008:
Notice of Race

Race #1 Sun. June 29- Ray Krogman Memorial Race

Race #2  Sat. July 12 Galley Ho Race

Race #3 Fri.  July 25 -Kindered Spirit Race

Race #4 Sun. Aug. 17- Peconic Cup

Race #5 Fri. Sept 5- Jackrabbit Race

 

Whitebread XV, Sat., Oct. 11

 

 

 

The Commodore’s Message

Commodore's Message

June, 2008

The 2008 sailing season officially began on May 9th with the annual "Spring Fling" at Lenz Winery. Good friends, sail talk and fine wine resulted in a winning recipe for a truly enjoyable evening. It seems to me that this occurs whenever the PBSA membership gets together! A special thank you is in order for PBSA-member Peter Carroll for hosting this great event again this year.

This month's issue of the newsletter contains the notice of race for the 2008 New Suffolk Series. As in 2007, the series will consist of five races to be held throughout the summer. You will notice that each of the races has been given a name this year rather than simply being designated by number. The first race is named for the late, great Ray Krogman, who for many years was an integral part of the North Fork sailing community. The second race has been designated, "The Galley Ho Race", and is meant to commemorate the traditions of the New Suffolk waterfront. (Incidentally, the Peconic Land Trust, who are the new owners of the old Galley Ho and marina, have scheduled a celebratory clam bake to be held on the property on the evening of July 12th.) The "Kindred Spirit Race", which will be held on the evening of July 25th, is named for the Comando family’s cruising yacht, which will serve as the committee boat for that race. The August 17th race has been dubbed "The Peconic Cup", in honor of the annual PBSA race which has been inactive for the past few years. Finally, the last race of the series is the eponymous "Jack Rabbit" race, which requires no explanation.

Mike Drobet has agreed to take the helm of the Whitebread committee this year. Mike has been deeply involved in the race since its inception 15 years ago. At this juncture, he has assembled a talented and committed team to make this great event happen. Accordingly, we are assured of the continued success of this classic regatta. Thank you Mike et al.

The PBSA website, which is maintained by Kevin Horne, has become an important resource, not only to PBSA members, but to the entire North Fork sailing community. Club members are invited to visit the message board to read and post sailing-related messages including information on PBSA post-race and Wednesday Night social events. If you need help with the user name and password, please refer to this month's newsletter or email me at bandrewsesq@optonline.net

Fair Winds, Brian Andrews

 

 

Committee News

Race Commitee

            In response to conversations with PBSA members the race committee has decided to institute a “Golf Handicapping” type of scoring for PBSA  New Suffolk Series Races.  This decision was made after a meeting of the race committee and discussion of the pros and cons.

              Among the cons, and this is a serious concern to the race committee, is that this system can be perceived as punishing the most successful boats.  Those boats are also the ones which show up.  We hope that those sailors will have a broad enough view to look upon this system as a way to stimulate participation in our race program and add to the enjoyment and competitiveness of our sport locally.  Their Corinthian spirit will go a long way to make this racing successful.  One race committee member quoted Hobie Alter about this subject.  “If the same boats win every race pretty soon they are the only boats which show up.”

            Among the pros for a system which will allow less prepared and less able sailors a chance to win is that this style of scoring is meant to create racing in which every racer is sailing against himself.  If he has a good race relative to his usual performance he will do well.  If he sails poorly he will not.  That’s the heart of it.  We believe that this will entice more players into the arena and improve the sailing skills of those who choose to participate. 

            Another pro for this system is the fact that for casual Sunday afternoon races, contestants will not have to optimize their boats for racing.  If you want to sail with your dodger, grill and towing your dingy, you may as long as you do so for each race.  This and other changes over the last few years, such as no preregistration, a liberal policy with regard to PHRF certificates, and a race committee commitment to begin the races on time and to limit the course to finish within three hours, are aimed at making PBSA racing easy and fun.

            The USSA Website has a page regarding “Golf Handicaps”. http://www.usssailing.org/phrf/golf.htm . ( Golf Handicaps)  If you visit and read this you will note that the system described there is different than the system we will be using.  The race committee discussed several ways to accomplish the goal of leveling the playing field and decided on a system of applying penalties to the first, second & third place yachts.  We note that this is done by the Off Soundings Club with generally successful results.  The penalty system  also has the advantage of being easier to administer than the system described on the Website.

              We also subjected last year’s racing results to rescoring using both systems and found that there was no change in the order of finish.  We did find, however, that the delta’s between the first and second to last place (Lasts are thrown out) shrunk to a margin that if any boat had made better tacking decisions, paid more attention to sail trim or didn’t make a few mistakes, could have surmounted.  In other words, most boats

had a chance to win. 

                        In the end PBSA wants to have more participation in its racing events.  We believe that this scoring system will further that goal.  Please remember that we’re trying to put on events which are easy and fun.  If at the end of this trial year,  the goals are not met and the racing membership does not approve of this scoring, we will scrap it for next year.  We should recognize that for the series scoring in the last several years few boats met the 3 race participation minimum.  That is what we want to change.

 

New Suffolk Series Scoring Rules

            As indicated in the Notice of Race for the New Suffolk Series, the race committee has decided to improve race competitiveness by using scoring adjustments to time on time PHRF scoring.  These adjustments are a derivation of “Golf Handicapping” as described on the USSA Website.  There are several ways to meet the goals of this scoring system but the race committee has chosen a 9-6-3 second time penalty.  This will be easier to administer then the others methods discussed.  Contestants should note that the race committee tested this system against the results from last year and found that the order of finish did not change.  The margin of victory for the winning boats was reduced.  It is the intention of the race committee and this scoring system to produce a race in which a boat has to sail a very good race to win; but that any boat, optimized for racing or not, can win.   We hope that this will bring more participation in PBSA racing in the best tradition of Corinthian yacht racing.           

            The heart of the system is the 9-6-3-second penalty:  First place winning yachts will receive a 9 second penalty for the next PBSA race in which they compete.  Second place finishing yachts will receive a 6 second penalty and third place finisher will receive a 3 second penalty.  The penalty will be applied to the yachts PHRF time correction.  For example:  If yacht Red Rover has a PHRF rating 186 and wins the first PBSA race,  she will be scored with a PHRF rating of 177 for the second PBSA race.  If she wins the second PBSA race she will carry the PHRF penalty of 9 seconds into the third PBSA race.  If she does not place in the second race her PHRF rating would revert to 186 for the next race.   

            The “Golf Handicaps” will apply to daily racing and prizes.  The New Suffolk Series will be scored in accordance with the RRS Low Point Scoring as indicated in xxxxxxxxxxx based on the daily results.   The daily Low Point scores will be derived from the golf handicap adjusted results.   

            If, on a particular day, the race committee holds more than one race each will be scored separately towards the New Suffolk Series and Golf Handicaps will be applied to each race.  That means the yacht which places in  the first race will have the time penalties applied  in the second.  Yachts which place in the second race will carry the penalty into the next PBSA race in which they compete in the season.  The daily score for the daily trophies will employ the Golf Handicaps as described for each race and will be derived from Low Point Scoring as per RRS Appendix  xxxxxxx.   

            All penalties expire at the end of the season.  For One Design Classes, the fleet captain or representative can opt out of the 9-6-3 penalty system by indicating so to the race committee prior to the first PBSA race. 

 

2008 PHRF Certificate

 is now available, be sure to also download the Regulations as some changes have been made.

 

Flotsam Jetsam

Fall Dinner party a success!

Thanks to all

Pics

 

We are an association of local sailors that gather for racing, cruising, and socializing. Along the way we are learning sailing skills and developing friendships with folks who share a common interest. If you're excited about sailing

Get on board

Types of Membership

Family

Full membership for 2 adult members from the same household.

Each may submit a separate application listing personal e-mail and interests.

Cost: $ 50.00

Full Member

Sailor whom has belonged to PBSA in the past.

Includes entry fee for our regular race series for PHRF boats, a subscription to our expanded newsletter and updates, an invitation to participate in all group cruises, an invitation to all social gatherings.

Cost: All this for only $40.00

 

New Full Member

Sailor who has never before been a regular member.

Includes every little thing our continuing member receives.

Cost: A special introductory price of only $30.00.

 

Associate Member

For those other folks who want to keep in close touch with the local sailing scene. (Crew or Wanna-be Crew, Older Salts who have limited their sailing, Sailors between boats, etc., etc., etc.)

Includes a subscription to our better than ever newsletter and updates. An invitation to join in all our social events. If you have a boat available, you may participate in an occasional race but you will not be scored.

Cost: New Associate Member $10.00

Renewal $15