The Class & Fleet Championships are being held October 8 & 9th.

Keep in mind the eligibility rules that will be strictly enforced for this special event:

From the Fleet 1 Bylaws:

 I.F.7.    The Fleet may hold a Fleet Championship in a location, time(s), and format to be determined by the Fleet. The Fleet Championship will be held in conformance to the Class Rules. The winner is declared the Fleet Champion, and may affix a red chevron to his boat’s mainsail under the standard insignia.

 

 

I.F.8     To sail in the Fleet Championship, a boat must have one skipper and one crew. The crew for the Fleet Championship Series must be a person who meets the basic principles and intent of the Class Rules (Sections II.A and B), and they must have sailed in at least twelve races with the same skipper during the time period between the last Fleet Championship Series and the Fleet Championship Series under consideration. Paid professional sailors and full-time sailing coaches must have been retired for at least three full years.

 

 

I.F.9     To sail in the Fleet Championship, a boat must have been kept in the water continuously for 60 days prior to Fleet Championships.

 

 

I.F.10   Championship races are special events for boat owners. For Fleet Championships, the Helmsman must be an Owner Member who has been a member for over 60 days.

 

 

I.G.1.   All Fleet Races are separated into A, B and C divisions. Skippers not assigned to Division A or B are automatically assigned to Division C. The rules for assigning skippers to Fleet Race Divisions are codified in Appendix A.

 

 

I.I.1.    A Harbor 20 Class Yacht is defined by the Harbor 20 Class Association Rules, and which is in conformance with these Fleet 1 Rules. Only Class Yachts whose Owner or Skipper Member dues are paid are eligible to race in Fleet 1 Races.

 

 

III.A.1.            Yachts which are in full compliance with both the Harbor 20 Class Association Specifications and Fleet 1 Specifications will be permitted to race in Fleet Races.

The full text of the Fleet ByLaws can be found online here.

From the Class Bylaws:

II.D. Class and Fleet Championship Race Participation Requirements

 

 

II.D.1.  Championship races are special events for boat owners. For Class Championships , the Helmsman must be an Owner Member who has been a member for over 60 days. In the case of multiple Owner Members, the Helmsman is the one who signs the entry form.

 

 

 

II.D.3.  The crew for Class Championship must be a person who meets the basic principles and intent of these rules (Section II.A.4), and they must have sailed in at least twelve Class Races in the same boat during the time period between the last Class Championship Series and the Class Championship Series under consideration. Paid professional sailors and full-time sailing coaches must have been retired for at least three full years.

 

 

 

II.D.4.  Only the Helmsman shall steer the boat during a race except for momentary relief in non-tactical situations.

 

 

 

II.D.5.  It is intended that strict adherence to the rules specified in this section be maintained. However, a member with special circumstances, may petition the Class or Fleet Board for a variance in these II.D Rules using the provisions of I.D.15. This should be done well in advance of the event.

 

 

 

II.D.6.  The Class Measurer may require the first five finishers be inspected at the finish of each race.

 

 

III.A.   Class Yacht

 

 

III.A.1.   These Specifications define and control the Class Yacht that is the only boat permitted to race in Class Races. Portions of the design and specifications of the Harbor 20 sailboat, and of the manufacturing techniques and tooling of the W.D. Schock Corporation (Builder) are implied to be a part of these Rules.

 

 

III.A.2.   Any changes to the specifications of the Class Yacht must be communicated to the Class Measurer prior to their implementation, and subsequently approved by the Board.

 

 

III.B.    Measurement

 

 

III.B.1.   The Class Measurer, Fleet Measure or Assistant Measurer may take supplemental measurements sufficient to ensure that the construction of the yacht and the equipment aboard conform to these Rules.

 

 

III.B.2.   The Class Measurer, Fleet Measurer or Assistant Measurer shall not measure a yacht, spars, sails, or equipment for which he is an interested party or has a vested interest.

 

 

III.B.3.   In the absence of the Class Measurer, Fleet or Assistant Class Measurer, the Class President may serve as Measurer.

 

 

III.C.    Registration

 

 

III.C.1.   No boat shall be deemed to be a Class Yacht until it has been completed with a building number assigned by the W.D. Schock Corporation and molded into the transom. Any alteration to the hull, keel, rudder or spars may invalidate the yacht.

 

 

III.C.2    A Class Yacht will be deemed eligible to sail in a Class Race only after having received a weight compliance certificate from the Class Measurer, Fleet or Assistance Measurer.

The full text of the Class ByLaws can be found online here.

All members must be current with their membership dues.

It is the responsibility of the competitor to conform with these rules. The Class and Fleet Measurer’s may perform inspections before or after the race to validation rule conformance. Questions should be directed to Warren Duncan or Michael Volk, Measurers and Rules Chairs.

Variances to these rules, should be petitioned to the Board of Directors (as provided for in the bylaws) prior to the races by submitting them to the Class or Fleet Measurer as appropriate.

Fleet 1 will be hosting the East / West Challenge Regatta on Sept 30th – Oct 2nd, and it is our responsibility to provide housing for the participants coming from the other fleets to sail in our venue.

If you are able to host, please contact Kathy Sangster at kathykenya@yahoo.com or call 949-290-0023.

The Balboa Bay Club is bringing racing back to their Club, starting with a Harbor 20 Regatta.

This Regatta is open to all Harbor 20 Sailboats. They are encouraging all Fleet One Members to help them kickoff their first race season. All other Harbor 20 Fleets and sailors are welcome as well.

They are also looking a few Corinthian Spirited Harbor 20 owners who would be willing to have a BBC member race with you. Please contact Scotty Porter the club PRO at (949) 279-7575 or email scottyporternewport@gmail.com, if you can help out and have a BBC member crew for you.

Races will be conducted in the harbor directly in front of BBC. They have adequate docking for many boats before and after the race. The course will start and finish at BBC. The course will be as close to windward as possible towards “Z” mark then down to Lido Island Turning Basin and back. They will be creative, fun, medium courses to allow for two to three races.

Download the NORs here.

Entry Forms and Sailing Instructions will be available after July 14^th at the Club Member Relations email Memberrelations@balboabayclub.com or at the Dock Master’s Office dockmaster@balboabayclub.com.

They are asking for a $30 entry fee. Entries must be completed by 1100 on race day.

The following is an Op-Ed Contribution by Jon Pinckney, a member of the Harbor 20 Class Association and Fleet 1.

Open letter to Fleet one members,

I sailed in last night’s NHYC twilight race and wanted to express that the two races we sailed were perhaps the best two races I have ever experienced in the Harbor 20. I am hoping to open up a little dialogue amongst members as to why I felt the races were so good so perhaps we can duplicate last night’s experience for future races if other sailors felt the same way.

What I felt made last night stand out from all the other twilights was the length of the race course. The weather leg was approximately a half mile long and we sailed a twice around WL course lasting approximately 30 minutes. The wind was Southwest at about 8-10 knots. The longer course allowed for the boats to separate out on the course and sail the H20 the way they were meant to sail. This was in sharp contrast to 2 weeks earlier when in the same wind our races were twice around lasting 12 minutes long in the same conditions.

My belief as to why we do short course racing in the harbor is that before the H20 came along we raced sabots and other small boats in the harbor for which a small course was suitable. When the H20’s came along everyone just incorporated the H20 racecourse with the way things were always run for smaller boats.   I believe that is a mistake that we should look as a class to correct as heavier keelboats stop, turn, accelerate and generally handle much differently than a small lightweight dinghy. Short courses are dangerous as only so many 20 foot boats even fit in the race course at one time and the limited space ensures that 3 fleets of boats will always be on top of each other. As soon as one fleet goes around the windward mark, they are immediately headed downwind into another fleet of “hard on the wind” right away boats. I have often times been in this situation where 5-6 B’s are lined up in a row on Starboard tack taking up to 100 feet of space and as a downwind give way boat, I have nowhere to go to give way.

I am hoping that we can agree that longer is better and perhaps even recognize that a 25 minute race is still a short race for a 20 foot keelboat! If so is there a way we as a class can express our preference to PRO’s running our races? While I am thinking that races, regardless of how many legs sailed, should be about 30 minutes long, it is most important that the length of the beat is stretched out to allow for a more safe, fair, and enjoyable experience. The challenge is a southerly wind that runs across our east/west channels. While we are limited in space in these conditions we should do everything we can to make sure that every bit of length is incorporated into the course which I don’t think we always do. Perhaps we can discuss this openly here and then if the class agrees, make recommendations to PRO’s of all the local Yacht Clubs. As our numbers grow the danger grows along with the quality of racing and I think it is time correct something that has been wrong from the very beginning. Let’s recognize that a H20 is a 2,000 pound 20 foot keelboat and not a 100 pound 8 foot sabot or Lehman 12.

Invite all to comment below.

Jon Pinckney

Earth #15

SAVE THE DATE

Saturday, August 20th will be the day of our annual Harbor 20 Heritage Regatta & Summer Party. This annual fun event offers a “not so usual” regatta format and fun, music, food and drinks at LIYC.

Entry is expected to be $20 – $25, which include the Regatta entry and the Summer Party.

Online entry will be made available mid-August, but Save the Date now.

On May 26th, the Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Board of Directors approved amendments to the Fleet 1 Bylaws.  The amended ByLaws can be found on the ByLaws page, or downloaded here.

Among changes to clarify terms and policies, the significant changes are related to Division promotions / re-qualifications and how the Board may consider petitions to sail in Divisions.  These changes can be found in the APPENDIX A: Rules for Maintaining Fleet Race Divisions.

Harbor 20 Sailors:

If you have time on Friday afternoons, and would like to have some fun and social on the Race Committee boat, contact Jim Kerrigan or NHYC Race Office. No experience necessary!

Friday Frolic racing on happy Fridays throughout the year. At 2:00 pm, starts. This Friday, for example.

Last weekend our Fleet conducted another day of boat weighings for Boat Certification.  The process is has become very streamline.

There are only three (3) more scheduled weekends where boat weighings will take place:

April 16, May 21, June 12.  Any Harbor 20 boat wishing to participate in Fleet 1 Races, must be certified by the dates below.

All A Division Boats must have their weight certificate by April 1, 2016.

All B Division Boats must have their weight certificate by June 1, 2016.

All C Division Boats must have their weight certificate by September 15, 2016.

Refer to the Class Bylaws for exact weight requirements and procedures for adding weight if necessary, specifically, sections III.C.2, and III.D.2.

Download the instructions for weighing here.  Sign up for a specific date and time below here.

You can find the page for Boat Certification sign ups under the Fleet 1 menu, the last item on the drop menu.

If you boat was not compliant, here at the next steps to get compliant.