Venture Cup

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by andymac

Please please,leave the crap to your own front rooms,and take the positives away with us.this has been a great race.the organisers have bent over backwards to make it happen.respect.the weather has not been on the competitors side,but it run.fair play to all involved.and the people that weren't,please keep your opinion to your selfs.just my view on things,as a spectator as ever.

How can you say its been a great race

You need competitors to have a great race. Most are in a class of there own.

Agreed there are some great boats in the race.

So what are the positives? Did you go to the Fanzone at Canary Wharf?

and again why should opinions be silenced.

[andymac]

Barry,it seems ever since you decided to remarry (and in your own words took on another mortgage),you've been hell bent on slagging, anything to do with marathon racing!just have a look at your posts since you last competed.Yes I was at the fanzone,met some real nice people,had a lot to drink,had a giggle.and the race went on.good weekend.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by RichardC

All you watching the Yellowbrick tracking, saw how competitive it was and to see Warpath and Cinzano going neck and neck to the finish line was the best bit of Marathon racing in years. it was seconds between them.

Er no, the Cinzano Yellowbrick malfunctioned again, this time at Alderney.

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by andymac

Barry,it seems ever since you decided to remarry (and in your own words took on another mortgage),you've been hell bent on slagging, anything to do with marathon racing!just have a look at your posts since you last competed.Yes I was at the fanzone,met some real nice people,had a lot to drink,had a giggle.and the race went on.good weekend.

So were you over whelmed by the numbers in the fanzone?

Did you try and make conversation to anyone there that was not part of the racing. I did and they didn't have a scooby do about what was happening.

Fantastic location but.

So is no one allowed an opinion? I disagree with yours and others but I don't tell you to shut up.

May be a race with so many classes with so few boats impresses you but it doesn't me. There are racers that love being in a class of there own but I don't

You can add the word Marathon racing in the same s-it pot as Venture

Its offshore racing and the London to Monte carlo race.

and another opinion was we all had bets that the fleet wasn't goint to make it to Guernsey weeks ago.

Should of started Friday Lunch when there were people in London stopped at Brighton and then raced to Guernsey but heaven forbid it's my opinion.

[andymac]

Whatever!well done to all those that were involved. can't be arsed with the petty bitching,hope you can run your boat in some sort of race when you've put the last nail in the coffin.amen.

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by andymac

Whatever!well done to all those that were involved. can't be arsed with the petty bitching,hope you can run your boat in some sort of race when you've put the last nail in the coffin.amen.

How can comments put a nail in the coffin.

Someone buys a race boat, spends months rigging it pays alot of money to enter a race and then reads negative comments on boat mad. They don't like what they read so they don't race.

Lots of reasons why people ain't racing but it ain't nothing to do with boatmad

I hav'nt sold the boat and I have no intention too because I would like to race it again but there needs to be changes.

Another new rule means we have to be re trained

[motorvator]

Originally Posted by andymac

Yeah cheers,ended up a bit sihtfaced,again

This has to be the understatement of the event.

[topgun]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Er no, the Cinzano Yellowbrick malfunctioned again, this time at Alderney.

I was at the harbour wall watcing cinzano and warpath come in while the brick still said the boat was in Alderney.
Great to see the boats and hear them, shame the e-lights could not make it but congrats to all who did.
Here are a couple of crappy phone shots- not exactly up to nige standards

Steve

[robox]

Originally Posted by wickedtopspeed

Where are the pictures of the fleet ?

There are some images i took at Fairway yesterday at the link below,not what i hoped to take as thet were red flagged at the buoy.It was posted yesterday on the VC facebook but seems to have disappeared,disappointing as i spent 6 hours out there getting them!
http://rjc-photography.ifp3.com/gall...prologue-2013/
Regards
Rob Clifford

[blimp]

Hi Rob - don't know what happened there ...it certainly wasn't removed. We've been genuinely blown away by the level of engagement we're seeing on the social channels so if it fell into 'posts by others' it may simply have slipped down.

In any case we've just posted that link directly. Thanks for taking the time and having the patience

[blimp]

On the question of 'how can you say it's a great race' ...he just did. In much the same way as someone can equally say its a rubbish race. They'd be in the minority, but that'd be their opinion. (Check the FB comments to see what I mean). I'd have thought any race that runs for several hours yet has first and second storming past the finish line within six seconds of one another is pretty wild.

We had 9 boats that left London. They're now in Guernsey and we've only lost one (cookee - and we're gutted for him). That's a pretty acceptable rate of attrition and considerably less than recent history.

We can't comment on the Microlink situation at this time, other than to say we'd have loved to have them racing.

...and we won't comment on posts from those who believes that officials like Rob Andrews, Richard Salaman, Colin le Conte, et al, would be party to some grand conspiracy. If you really believe that, then I suggest that the people in white coats might be chasing you around your garden with butterfly catchers some time soon. By the same token, it all adds to the overall colour of the race and we wouldn't have it any other way.

This IS a race. It's not 'potential', or it's not 'cancelled'. It's live for these few days. Could some parts be different, or better? Of course - that's why this is a prologue ....it's an opportunity to shake out the problems.

The alternatives are to give up, or not try in the first place

[goatskin]

Originally Posted by blimp

... This IS a race. It's not 'potential', or it's not 'cancelled'. It's live for these few days. Could some parts be different, or better? Of course - that's why this is a prologue ....it's an opportunity to shake out the problems.

The alternatives are to give up, or not try in the first place

If I may ..

First, congrats and kudos on a heroic Augean cleaning, and getting PLA on board was not the most minimal of tords that you moved.

One of the issues (I suggest) the organisers SHOULD have forseen is the absolute importance of competent, skilled, standard reliable, addressable communications - which is NOT to be confused with FB and Twits. The so-called 'social media' that seem to enthrall you so do not meet that definition. FB (only) or even (mostly) as a medium of professional and competent communication lacks, badly, and is/was an eminently forseeable wound.

While I don't think I can be fairly labeled 'a conspirator' that you so easily brushed off, I articulated a couple of concerns that matter.

(hoping you will recall our several e-mail exchanges in April. I am Sikes, and partially based on our convos, I am near to contract on building at least one, and possibly two endurance boats, based in large part on your (team) assurances of your commitment of substance over style. Considering the silly, and fully forseeable 'situations' you apparently fumbled, and certainly did not properly communicate other than to your social media chums, I am not one bit reassured that my two-comma investment is wise.)

I would very much appreciate you directly, and succinctly addressing these very germane questions:

- Who (specifically) called the race and directed the boats to Poole? What was their black-letter basis for calling the leg? This, as you will recall, one on of my list of very specific questions to you in April ... 'If it is kite-flying weather are you going to cancel?' (like RYA had told ML was their plan)

- The parade was not part of the race. It was, however part of the show and PR. Vee had a very legitimate concern (and I will admit, in considering boat design, I had the same concern before he articulated it.) Fully granting that Vee's request was late in the game, was it properly and solemnly considered, and did he have a right of appeal? Saying you are not going to comment at this time is not acceptable.

- Warpath reported they were DQ by an officious midget carrying a clipboard. You said it was because of Navigational Incompetence (which is completely fair). In either even both the denotation and connotation of DQ is: done, over, that's it, get off the course, you're finished, shoo, scoot and begone. Warpath were, rather obviously, 'un-DQ' raced today. Huh? I do not for a minute believe you are more hostile to Americans than the average Brit, but jeeze-o-peete, do you appreciate how that LOOKS?

- Why are the Italians not here? They LOVE this stuff.

Finally, Aidan, based on prior conversations, I hope you fully appreciate these are NOT idle questions.

regards,
Bob Sikes
SW1

[hunton69]

.

This IS a race. It's not 'potential', or it's not 'cancelled'. It's live for these few days. Could some parts be different, or better? Of course - that's why this is a prologue ....it's an opportunity to shake out the problems.

The alternatives are to give up, or not try in the first place[/QUOTE]

All comments good or bad must be good for the organisers.

They can digest and deal with what ever is said on here.

I think a worse situation is if you had no feed back as that would mean you were doing this on your own.

And there is an argument that comments should be made after the race but most have gone on to other things by then.

[robox]

Originally Posted by blimp

Hi Rob - don't know what happened there ...it certainly wasn't removed. We've been genuinely blown away by the level of engagement we're seeing on the social channels so if it fell into 'posts by others' it may simply have slipped down.

In any case we've just posted that link directly. Thanks for taking the time and having the patience

Thanks for doing that,the social networks have certainly been busy since the event started and i'm sure you have more important things to think about so i do appreciate you taking the time .

Regards
Rob C

[OCRDA]

Are there any results from the Guernsey Race ?

[blimp]

Hunton - fully agree with you

Bob - just some very brief replies as I'm doing it from the phone at the moment and just about to hop across to Jersey

Communications
The social media side is only for consumers/fans of the event. For comms between orgsnisers and teams it's the Mk1 mouth. Daily briefings, phone and VHF.

Calling leg 1
This was first discussed at the Saturday morning crew briefing over in Greenwich Yacht Club. The safety officer was getting constantly updating weather reports along the route and three options were discussed with the teams. They were told the final decision would be made and communicated at muster in Southend. There were no RYA / insurance restrictions placed on racing - the decision was entirely internal, and a safety one

Microlink
I'm not saying I won't comment - I'm saying I can't ....at this time

Warpath
They were DQ'd for one leg, not the entire race. It was possibly fortunate then that the officials chose to run Saturday as leg two, rather than a continuation of leg 1

Italians
They were invited. I guess, like a lot of teams, they need the confidence of one race under our belts before they'll jump aboard

[nitro9]

Check out the Guernsey cam guys.. boats are on the jetty on the 4th cam down.. and click the picture and it refreshes quicker.

http://www.nest.gg/webcams/webcam.html

Nick

[woottonwillis153]

Cheers Nitro.

[Gerbil112]

Can I ask a simple question? In offshore racing, a red flag denotes the race is stopped, not curtailed. Usually because of a safety issue. Boats are then advised of restart procedures as necessary. A curtailment is indicated by flying the checkered flag (normally at the finish line on multi-lap races). In the event of a red flag and no restart, the race is normally abandoned with no points awarded. I understand there used to be a minimum distance or number of laps completed to award positions and points, what is the situation with that now? Having not seen Race Instructions, can someone enlighten if there was something different in RI's or at Drivers Briefing? Just curious.

[OCRDA]

I am guessing Red Flag Race stopped proceed to Poole for Restart on Sunday !!