Cowes Classic 04

[Cookee]

Originally posted by Tony Davis

Bad weather played a large part in making Cowes 2004 a 'damp squib' as only the Round The Island race for Class 3 and V24's was completed.

Clearly myself and the rest of the RIB fleet weren't present for the round the island race as well as the basic fleet (so they left out the Hondas again!)

[JBP]

Well, so you know what is happening at the other end, so far there are over 40 kids competing in the KClass events with another 20 in training for next season, again this is run by volunteers, with only running costs charged for training. We have to pay the callender fees too.

Coz kids can hire 'club boats', yes they were bought through investment, for both national series and training the costs down are manageble, but a big sponser would be nice. Kclass have managed to get a TV programme done through channel 5, but this was on more of an education thing and is going out either later this month or early next. That was FREE!

Next year there will be approx. 6 K1000 (16P + 60 4S merc) and 10 'K' (12soucerer + 20 2S merc) covering 3 age groups and probably 50 kids involved, it's hard work but the faces at the end you could never buy. Oh by the way true to the sport the first things taught are Safety, followed by sportsmanship.

[infoasitappens]

can anyone tell me which crew in the Harmsworthy event were yellow carded in race 1 please.

[infoasitappens]

Originally posted by Matt
I believe it was la gran argentina for speeding in the cowes entrance channel.

I believe your right, so how did he win the harmsworthy when a yellow card means DQ

[CB1]

The award of a yellow card in its self is no big deal. It stays on your licence for the following 2 seasons. If you get 3 yellows on licence at anytime it means exclusion for the remainder of that season. A certain welshman is sailing pretty close to the wind with the award of 2 for Cowes!!

[Cookee]

CB1 - Is that how he got away without being dq'd after a collision when it was stated clearly in briefing that any collision would result in both paries being dq'd?

[CB1]

Apparently the 2 in question had a gentlemans agreement over the collision. It was the littlehampton mafia that raised the question of d'q ing the both of them. So they both received yellows. The Druid then threw his toys out and was swiftly givern another one for ungentlemanly conduct!!!! Anybody interested in a V24 and 2 ltr boat????

[Adam]

The results I saw did have them both down as disqualified - but don't know if this was appealed against or not?

[infoasitappens]

I believe it stated in the bulletin issue by the "organisers" that a yellow card meant an instant DQ, or did i read it wrong?

[infoasitappens]

Matt.

You ve sussed it, that makes two of us.

[Mikey]

Prior to the first race, a yellow card or a collision was not a DQ offence, other than for V24 which have their own rules to this effect.

After the first race, they issued a race bulletin in which they stated that certain offences would result in Yellow Cards and/or a DQ

For La Gran Argentina which picked up a Yellow card for speeding inside the 6knot marker, this rule was not yet in place which is the reason they did not get DQ'ed, but had they done it again, they would have been Confusing!

I think the RYA has plans to introduce a more formal set of rules in PB/1 next year for Yellow cards and DQs, but until then it is down to the event organiser.

Currently, the two V24's in question are definitely DQ'ed

[Adam]

Whilst be no means encouraging contact between race boats it does seem a bit worrying that in such circumstances both crews get automatic yellow cards. Certainly things need to be cleaned up - probably more so in the one design classes, but .....

Can think of so many instances (pretty much every start) where you are totally trusting the other competitors to drive without making mistakes or have a gear failure. So how much space to you have to leave if you totally want to rule out the possibility of contact? Certainly too much for competitive racing.

Just seems like this one has not been thought through fully.

Adam

[Tony Davis]

Originally posted by Mikey

For La Gran Argentina which picked up a Yellow card for speeding inside the 6knot marker, this rule was not yet in place which is the reason they did not get DQ'ed, but had they done it again, they would have been

To use a JF phrase, "and my arse is a banjo".

DQ'ing Buzzi at Cowes is never going to happen whilst you have the "Somerley Yachting Club" organising the event!!

Isn't this the bloke that won the Cowes - Torquay race a few years ago in a boat with one too many motors, (did have Tim Powell on board though) and if WOP is correct, this year his boat was over length!!!

[Cookee]

The other point about DQ'ing both parties in the cae of a collision is that it could possibly be a tactical collision - remember Senna / Prost? Just goes to show how much thought actually goes into all this sort of thing - endless committee meetings and what comes out? Illconcieved pile of tosh!

[nobwaver]

Quite clearly the RYA see this as an excellent way to stop people racing, after all your just a roudy pain in the bum for them, but as long as you keep paying there rediculous fees there prepared to put up with you.

Measurment certs for one design..... I ask you.


SHIP OUT AND LET UKOBA RUN THE WHOLE JOB

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by JBP
Oh by the way true to the sport the first things taught are Safety, followed by sportsmanship.

Then, how to bend a motor without trace! vital knowledge/skills for racing.

[Ben]

Originally posted by nobwaver
Quite clearly the RYA see this as an excellent way to stop people racing, after all your just a roudy pain in the bum for them, but as long as you keep paying there rediculous fees there prepared to put up with you.

Measurment certs for one design..... I ask you.


SHIP OUT AND LET UKOBA RUN THE WHOLE JOB

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that the RYA is a waste of space, money and time so far as powerboating is concerned, I think that there might be some resentment/resistance if UKOBA alone tried for a power play.

UKOBA was a very powerful club in the mid 80s, early 90s but is perceived to have wasted vast amounts of racer's money. Whether true or not, this is the belief. When I was appointed UKOBA's Event Director in 96, I put the club on a strict austerity budget to try to change this perception but the old rumours still persisted.

Things have changed for the better in the last year or so with Clive Curtis as the new president and Steve being co-opted onto the commitee but I don't think UKOBA/F4SA alone is in a position to become the sanctioning body for British offshore powerboat racing.

As I stated in an earier post, I thing it's time for representatives from all the offshore clubs to get together and try to come up with a suitable alternative to the RYA and then make applications to the UIM.

[Mikey]

Unfortunately, as with so many things "power corrupts"

This is the reason it shouldn't be run by one club such as UKOBA or BIBOA or even the RYA for that matter but by the racers and organisers themselves. Unfortunatley even tho this was the idea of the ORC (Offshore Racing Committee), there is still way too much politics to make this group effective.

On the collision/DQ rule, even tho V24 has this rule the RYA was NOT planning to implement this for other classes. As you say, way too much scope to destroy racing with a rule like that

[JBP]

Originally posted by Johnson
Then, how to bend a motor without trace! vital knowledge/skills for racing.

We'll let them find that out for themselves when they get into some other classes outside of K then!