Hi Ted - I feel that one of the biggest issues keeping boats off the racecourse is access to reliable / competent crew. I know that other than boat work, finding crew is my biggest challenge and i have the benefit of having crewed on a variety for a boat for a year on the bay.

It can be uncomfortable / dangerous sailing these boats with crew who are unfamiliar with what needs to happen and obviously if you cant find 3-4 people who not only can safely sail the boat, are good to get along with and can make themselves available when needed then it is hard to go out racing. A few bad experiences or inability to recruit crew would discourage any skipper / owner from trying to get out on the race course.

One thing that the fleet could do to increase participation is to actively recruit crew for other boats. I am just building my own crew as i am a new owner but once i am relatively set i am going to keep recruiting and introduce willing / able crew to owners looking for crew. Once you have a program in place for SF sailing I can try to help you out aswell. Any other owners struggling with crew which is keeping them from racing please reach out to me.

I tried using the crew list on the website but had no luck so that resource may not be all that useful for others either.

Matt

:: Thanks Mike.
::
:: My wife and I are relatively new to the class,
:: purchasing our Express 3 years ago. After a long search,
:: we chose the Express on one part because of it being an
:: exceptional fit for our conditions here in the
:: Gorge/Hood River OR and just as important a
:: consideration, the fleet activity in the Bay and our
:: ability to race OD in a very competitive fleet.
::
:: Your comment on the weight limit at 880# being one of
:: the key restrictions to participation is dead on,
:: especially for out of town boats that may not have
:: access to as large a pool of potential crew. We've been
:: to Nationals 2x. Last year with our 'Regular' crew and
:: we hit the number dead-on at 880. This year we were
:: light, but only because one of our regulars (and
:: heaviest at 205) couldn't make it. Had he been
:: available, he might still not have been able to sail
:: with us because a couple of us had grown 5# each.
::
:: We are considering leaving our boat in SFO - winter
:: 2015, but I'm concerned that I wouldn't be able to put a
:: 'legal' crew together on a consistent basis, especially
:: being from out of town.
::
:: Another 25-30# would make a huge difference, giving
:: owners/skippers much more flexibility without
:: encouraging the 6th man on the rail. Looking at other
:: similar fleets, the Express weight limit is very
:: aggressive - Moore's are 825# for a crew of 4.
::
:: I know that this is in some way opening a can of worms.
:: At each of the annual meetings I've participated in, it
:: seems that bringing up the weight issue is taboo among
:: those at the meeting. Then again, all of us at the
:: meeting racing, means that the weight issue didn't keep
:: us from the regatta.
::
:: With a fleet where the avg age of owners and crew is
:: probably increasing and along with it their avg weights,
:: I think it's time to revisit the 880# weight and either
:: increase it or go to a percentage of Owner/driver weight
:: to encourage participation.
::
:: Stoked to be a part of the Express 27 class and look
:: forward to being able to participate in more races in
:: SFO in the future
::
:: Ted Lohr

:: Monster Express

:: Hood River OR
::
::
::
::
:: :: Will called this week seeking guidance on how to
:: :: reconfigure and refresh the SF Long Distance Series for
:: :: FUN and as an attractor too invigorate overall class
:: :: participation.
:: ::
:: :: Having dreamed up Long Distance Series a decade ago as
:: :: diverse alternate too hard core Championship Series
:: :: emphasis on full weekend, windward leeward multi races,
:: :: these are my thoughts.
:: ::
:: :: Goal one is for Fun to be put back into Long Distance
:: :: series which has a well established FUN race foundation,
:: :: although, could use some refresh capable of attracting
:: :: boats and more so crews and crew candidates.
:: ::
:: :: Goal two is to increase the overall fleet participation
:: :: getting boats off their trailers and onto the race
:: :: course.
:: ::
:: :: Objective is for the Long Distance Series to attract and
:: :: exceed Championship Series in annual participation.
:: :: Foremost to become the basis for fleet building from
:: :: which boats and crew migrate toward and into the core of
:: :: Championship Series. Under this plan a large FUN fleet
:: :: means a larger Class Championship fleet.
:: ::
:: :: Strategy one is to change the name of SF Long Distance
:: :: Series to Fun Series.
:: ::
:: :: Strategy two is to weed out and replace current races
:: :: that require extra administration and may not be that
:: :: Fun from time to time.
:: ::
:: :: Strategy three is to drop the weight limit for FUN
:: :: enabling the entry of owners and crew restricted by the
:: :: current 880# limit. It is this limit, not the series
:: :: race format itself, that minimizes overall class
:: :: participation into its consolidated nucleus that needs a
:: :: few protons shot right through it.
:: ::
:: :: I am only suggesting weight limit dropped in
:: :: reconfigured Long Distance Series for FUN and not for
:: :: Championship Series.
:: ::
:: :: Strategy four is to allow non owner professionals drive
:: :: in Fun Series; but not to enable either open weight or
:: :: professional non owner into Class Championship Series.
:: :: Enabling the reentry of the non owner professional into
:: :: FUN is meant for six reasons.
:: ::
:: :: To support owners who might want to bring in a driver
:: :: coach with wide open access to open crew choices.
:: ::
:: :: To provide an environment where that professional might
:: :: open their check book to the boat owner for a piece of
:: :: Class Championship Action.
:: ::
:: :: To establish a benchmark and create competitive marks
:: :: attractive to really great sailors; inside and looking
:: :: from outside into the fleet.
:: ::
:: :: Too support class prominence, purpose, position, support
:: :: boat purchase and sustain high resale values.
:: ::
:: :: Too encourage the super rich and multi-boat ‘b” for FUN
:: :: and “a” boat teams derived from a subset of two crew’s
:: :: worth of boats. And yes, it does still place two boats
:: :: onto the course, and into rivalry, which is what
:: :: competition that attracts competitors for a prominent
:: :: fleet is all about.
:: ::
:: :: The way too succeed in this endeavor is to drop all the
:: :: crew restrictions, the professional restrictions, and to
:: :: arrange through Bill & Melinda a meeting with Mr.
:: :: Ellison to enter purchase the sponsor of two boats that
:: :: could grow into something much greater. And that Brendan
:: :: should sell his other boats, and in example of
:: :: leadership, be the first to sponsor a two boat team; one
:: :: open weight, the other class core. Perhaps incorporating
:: :: college core crew’s as a catalyst for future Express 27
:: :: ownership.
:: ::
:: :: Finally, coordination through trailer bound owner’s
:: :: Special Interest Group too approach and establish a LOGO
:: :: boat team for each of the regional sail lofts, and rig
:: :: shops, on their subsidies; drivers, talent and what ever
:: :: other forms of commensurate support might be had.
:: ::
:: :: Subsequently, logos and advertising would be allowed in
:: :: FUN Series.
:: ::
:: :: The greatest issue facing the fleet is opening of the
:: :: weight limit to those being left out, are in fact left
:: :: out, and want in. No amount of series reconfiguration
:: :: with the objectives in mind can be had without this
:: :: change. All arguments to sustain the 880# rule are
:: :: statistically invalid in relation too the upside of
:: :: growing the overall crew pool.
:: ::
:: :: Strategy five is too emphasis in bay, and except for
:: :: Vallejo, continue the one race day per weekend format
:: :: along the well accepted requisite of regatta’s
:: :: associated with events and mixers following Saturday
:: :: race day. The exception being Great Pumpkin Sunday,
:: :: which is the long distance, fun, non buoy race day of
:: :: that specific weekend event.
:: ::
:: :: Then primarily leaves Sunday free too clean up the boat,
:: :: or do something that has nothing to do with sailing.
:: :: Perhaps Saturday participants can start a Sunday
:: :: Mountain Bike with round robin administration of ride
:: :: location for this type of alternative participation
:: :: builder.
:: ::
:: :: Tactically this mean removing ocean races from Fun
:: :: Series on administrative hassle that has grown past few
:: :: years. However not to deter from core ocean contingent
:: :: support that subset of ownership by establishing Ocean
:: :: Trophy series, of two to three races, form a committee
:: :: to decide on the races and make it happen.
:: ::
:: :: Establishing Ocean Series means the fleet purchase a
:: :: perpetual trophy and recognize participant’s at our
:: :: annual awards celebration. Express 27’s were built to
:: :: win Midget Ocean Racing Association, did for years, and
:: :: the tradition continues.
:: ::
:: :: Tactically ease of administration has always been a draw
:: :: for the alternate series and there are many boat’s who
:: :: sail SSS double and single handed. I’ve encouraged SSS
:: :: series races incorporated into Long Distance for years.
:: :: Except for Vallejo 1-2 which would violate the one race
:: :: day per weekend and ease of administration rule.
:: ::
:: :: Removing ocean races from FUN into their own series
:: :: requires there replacement. I’ve proposed SSS as
:: :: replacement accept there is one issue with the SSS ease
:: :: of participation and administration advantages. SSS
:: :: deters from objective of crew building. So i suggest
:: :: races like Big Daddy, Plastic Classic, or increase
:: :: number of YRA Party Circuit races to those already
:: :: incorporated into Long Distance schedule.
:: :: Administratively there is no reason to build up on entry
:: :: fees. Some addition of SSS and YRA Party Circuit are
:: :: still had under the packaged entry fee rate.
:: ::
:: :: I see no change for 3 Bridge, Vallejo, Ditch, 2nd Half,
:: :: National’s Friday, Great Pumpkin Sunday.
:: ::
:: :: Pursuant to SSS double handed v objective of cultivating
:: :: crew, I suggest at this stage in the fleets development,
:: :: more emphasis on the fully crewed races under an open
:: :: weight limit, and open professional standard, then
:: :: double handed despite administrative benefits.
::
:: :: Mike Bruzzone
::
:: :: Desperado e27 US 8