It was great to return a third time to sail the J/30 NA's at
Cedar Point YC. It is sailor's club and it shows in excellent race management and easy access to shore side social events.
CPYC's J/30 fleet continues to grow with an impressive 10+ boats lined up on one dock. I can't help chiding our missing friends from nearby RI and Massachusetts, excepting David Bows who crewed on the J. Doe entry from BVI/Chicago/Larchmont that came together through the power of the web for the event.
Having the benefit of hindsight, here are a couple of thoughts on the NA's for both club and class. Given the forecast for scant breeze the rest of the weekend, I would have tried to sail four races Friday. The SI's did not limit the number of races per day making this an RC call. Four races of 4 legs x 1.5, 1.75 or even 2 miles would have allowed boats spread out, get some leverage, and allow for a few more passes. I didn't see many position changes on the last lap of those 6 legs x 1.3 mile courses.
Having four races Friday would have taken some pressure off completing two Saturday, both shortened to 3 legs. That might have allowed one four legger to finish. The decision to abandon the first start Sunday was pretty easy. In my mind the forty-degree shift on the first leg of the restart should have been enough to do likewise, though it did result J. Doe/Teresa's win, the feel good story of the regatta. Can't recall if the next mark was changed, but I'm assuming it was since
CPYC did a good job moving marks when needed. Race Committees are only perfect when racers don't notice them and I certainly think
CPYC did an excellent job.
My annual case against the throw-out race is bolstered by the fact that no finish positions would have changed had all seven races counted. There were no throws in the first 15 NA's, all of which were 5 race series. Since then there have been six or more races with one drop race except 1997 at the Newport NOOD.
In my experience throw-outs primarily reward starting line risk takers and those who refuse to do turns only to take a penalty or get disqualified in the protest room. That includes my boat in both 1995 and 2003. I saw some red flags out there, but never saw anybody doing turns. I don't believe there were any hearings other than for redress (which from what little I knew was handled correctly). People argue that drop races are for breakdowns, but in 26 championships there is only one case where that has come into play. In 1982, Robbie Pierce of Newport led the regatta going into the final race, broke the head foil of his loaner boat and did not finish, but won anyway.
