Mike --

Xena is planning on signing up for MORA again this year. It would be great to get a bunch of expresses out there. We had a blast on the Drakes Bay race.... winning overall on both days certainly helped make it a lot more fun. But, my point is that if we get a bunch of expresses out there, I think it highly likely that we would dominate overall.

And we are definitely planning on doing the Monterey Race -- we started it last year, but after getting stuck in the Montera hole for over an hour, while watching boats further out and closer to shore recede to the horizon I would have had a mutiny had we not bailed out :-(.

Mark

:: A couple more thoughts addressing Jasons point of
:: building the class.
::
:: As mentioned, I don't think raising the weight limit
:: 100# will really increase or decrease participation,
:: Simply, make it easier to sustain a boat on the line
:: over a season. And, that can affect participation.
::
:: More so, if raising the weight limit 100#s exposes more
:: people to E27s, well, maybe thats a long range plan to
:: more owner participants. Consider the possibilities and
:: I'll leave that point at that.
::
:: Limits make frameworks more sticky. Racing with the same
:: crew for the last three years for example. A good thing
:: for certainly more reasons than exposing more people to
:: the fleet. However, more people exposed to the fleet can
:: lead to more participation.
::
:: Specfic to getting boats off the hard, specific to the
:: real fleet series which certainly offers a classic
:: regatta schedule known to work for this purpose, and
:: with the slim downed focused regattas, I'd open the
:: fleet to all drivers. Not only open it to all drivers,
:: promote it, let all the sailmakers know, publicize the
:: class commitment to driving up boat numbers in local
:: sailing magazine and on the E27 web site. Call all
:: comers. Maybe some of it will stick.
::
:: Also, there are no fleet series conflicts with Monterey.
:: How many would be interested signing up in the MORA
:: fleet?
::
:: mb
::
:: :: Hi Jason, everyone else monitoring or chiming in: Please
:: :: do chime in.
:: ::
:: :: On getting more boats to the starting line I think this
:: :: years slimmed down schedule, at least in the Fun Series,
:: :: is a good start to get more boats on the line
:: :: consistently. But, I'll also say, that the Fleet Series
:: :: this year is a serious undertaking from the standpoint
:: :: of as Grand Prix as you can get around here and I think
:: :: thats the purpose of that series.
:: ::
:: :: As far as my encouraging that the weight limit be raised
:: :: 100#, that's simply to make it easier, for me at least,
:: :: to sustain a decent crew from a cast of crew member
:: :: choices through the season. Which includes accomodating
:: :: the crew exchange situation I've gotten myself into for
:: :: sailing on a number of different boats. Maybe we only
:: :: raise the weight limit for the Fun Series (100#s) as a
:: :: one year test revisted at the begining of the 2009
:: :: season.
:: ::
:: :: Further, I don't believe raising the weight limit by
:: :: 100# will hurt attendance. Nor do I believe it will
:: :: dramatically increase attendance. Simply, that it allows
:: :: a wider range of crew choices to sail the boat through
:: :: the year without having to get all caught up in meeting
:: :: what I believe to be a low weight barrier in terms of
:: :: ease of administration of sustaining crew for the the
:: :: 'low hassle' Fun series. Followed by all those other
:: :: reasons I've previously voiced.
:: ::
:: :: Specific to small headsails for the Fun Series, well,
:: :: one of the ideas of opening the weight limit here was
:: :: also to compete with the superset of the PHRF fleet in
:: :: some of these races such as the Lightship. And who knows
:: :: what other Fun races might be included in the Fun
:: :: schedule into the future; that might include PHRF
:: :: competitors, or fleet honors under the PHRF rating
:: :: system.
:: ::
:: :: So, for the Fun Series, I'm still an advocate of the
:: :: 155% max headsail. For the Fleet Series I don't really
:: :: care, believe trying something different is good in
:: :: terms of experimentation, however, would counsel
:: :: evolutionary change and improvements to that change
:: :: managed in small steps rather than big radical steps.
:: :: Here again I suggest the +100# test in the Fun Series.
:: ::
:: :: Specfic to what the Moore fleet does better than E27 to
:: :: get more boats on the line, I don't think they do a lot
:: :: better in terms of ease of adminisitration. The Road
:: :: Master Series is logictically complex and an expensive
:: :: outting. That includes Fleet Admin putting on all the
:: :: barbeques, mixers, dinners and beer kegs. And, we can do
:: :: that here without having to travel 100's of miles.
:: ::
:: :: The Moore fleet has also been a little laxer in the past
:: :: on non owner drivers and I've always abstained on limits
:: :: being put on who can drive an E27 is a major regatta.
:: :: And that's because I don't care if there are pro drivers
:: :: in the fleet. Specific to class hoppers, well, very few
:: :: full time owners want to sail against class hoppers.
:: :: Although, I think they raise the level of visible
:: :: competion in a fleet. And would not object to opening
:: :: this option as an experiment.
:: ::
:: :: One other series schedule idea is to repeat what was
:: :: attempted last year going to Huntington; but in this
:: :: case designating such a regatta as one off and not
:: :: included in any series. I'd suggest this year's Monterey
:: :: Race might qualify as such a one off race that would
:: :: attract a lot of good boats. Also, everyone would get a
:: :: chance to check their trailors for a short hop home
:: :: anticipating the fleet might travel to destinations
:: :: farther away on the future for such a one off event.
:: ::
:: :: Mike
:: :: :: I have been trying to hold off from getting too involved
:: :: :: with the back and forth posts below, but I feel that
:: :: :: since I am an owner I will put out my two cents.
:: :: ::
:: :: :: We all have opinions and personal agendas to think
:: :: :: about, but first and foremost we should be thinking
:: :: :: about what is best for the class. If the class decides
:: :: :: to change a rule then it should be done because it is
:: :: :: going to better the class. In other words, what is going
:: :: :: to get more boats out on the starting line? That should
:: :: :: be our primary goal. There are far too many boats
:: :: :: sitting on the hard and not being used and we need to
:: :: :: come together and figure out how to fix this!!!!!
:: :: ::
:: :: :: If we want to compare our fleet to the Moore24 fleet, we
:: :: :: should be looking at what are they doing differently
:: :: :: that gets 30+ boats on the starting line regularly?
:: :: ::
:: :: :: I am one of those skippers who is over the 200 lb mark
:: :: :: and I don't have a problem getting crew to weigh in at
:: :: :: 880. That being said, I have no personal reason against
:: :: :: changing the weight limit to a higher one either. I
:: :: :: would only ask to prove to me that raising the weight
:: :: :: limit is going to get more boats out on the starting
:: :: :: line. If you can do that, then I would go along with the
:: :: :: change.
:: :: ::
:: :: :: Anybody else have any suggestions on how to improve
:: :: :: class participation? I would love to hear other thoughts
:: :: :: and suggestions on this topic.
:: :: ::

:: :: :: -Jason