Date:	Sat, 13 Sep 97 
From:	"Eric Calvert" <Eric_Calvert@classic.msn.com>

Subject:	Racing without an RC

I recently posted this on rec.boats.racing and thought you might be interested 
in putting it on the Shark web site.  He's our story...

Racing without an RC. 

Recently, our Shark fleet held a 2-day, 6-race regatta where, due to a mix up, 
we had no race committee, no chase boats, and no starting marks:  just some 
enthusiastic Sharkies, good water and fair winds.  Now, sailors have been racing 
each other without the aid of white-suited officials for hundreds, maybe thousands 
of years; but for us this was something new.

I'm posting this account in the hopes of hearing from those with more experience 
in racing without an RC, getting solutions to some potential problems we encountered, 
and encouraging others to not let a committee boat (or lack thereof) keep them from
going out to play!

We're fortunate in having 13 permanent race marks arranged around the lake, 8 of them 
forming a large circle.  These marks are all clearly labeled alphabetically, charted, 
and with magnetic bearings between marks known.  We used an extended Olympic course 
(finishing to leeward, and ready to start again), and chose which permanent marks to 
use by getting a bearing on the true wind, then comparing that with the known headings 
between marks. This was all done on the water between races, and involved a lot of 
circling around and hailing.  It was a little time consuming and not always as accurate 
as we might have liked, but perhaps no worse that waiting for an RC to tow temporary 
marks around and fiddle with pin placement. 

Next, we used "rabbit starts", where one boat, the rabbit, would pass a designated 
starting mark close-hauled on port tack.  The other racers - on starboard tack - would 
then cross the rabbit's stern between it and the starting mark.  When the last boat had 
crossed behind the rabbit, or be deemed by the rabbit to be able to, the rabbit could 
tack on to starboard (or continue on port).  The only timing involved a preparatory 
signal where the rabbit would raise its headsail five minutes before it estimated it 
would be passing the starting mark on its close-hauled run.  We took turns playing the 
rabbit, and, like setting the course, the decision was made on the water between races.  
If a major wind shift turned the course into a reach-a-thon, or a dying breeze created 
a parking lot, we decided the lead boat would end the race at the next mark.  Finishes 
were recorded by the winner, who would take up station next to the finishing mark and 
try as accurately as possible to sight cross wind and note sail numbers.  As a one-design 
fleet, we didn't have to worry about finishing times, just order.

Although the regatta was a success, there were some potential problems.  These included 
no way of changing the course (or signaling a change of course) after the start, a somewhat 
arbitrary method of shortening the course, a less-that-exact finish line, and no way to 
judge a close finish between first and second place.  As well, because the first windward 
leg was not always laid exactly to windward, there was often a significant advantage in 
being the first, or last boat to cross astern of the rabbit.  This could have caused 
interesting pile-ups at the mark end, or a situation where the fleet simply followed the 
rabbit up the course on port tack all waiting for the starboard-tack layline to the 
windward mark (and thus forcing the rabbit to over stand).

Despite these possible hitches, ours was a successful regatta; and we plan to do it again.  
A day of racing costs our club about $400 in hard costs.  Finding ways of running races 
or regattas of lesser importance without a race committee means this money can be spent 
elsewhere…complementary refreshments anyone!!

I look forward to hearing your experiences and any thoughts you might have on 
making our methodology more fair and accurate.

I welcome e-mail responses at eric_calvert@msn.com 

Eric Calvert
Shark 165
BYC, Ottawa, Canada