A presto in paradiso!

I am trying to think up a good concept for running fun training races. Here is how far I got

Requirements:

• FUN
• No need to have a race officer or boat, minimum equipment.
  
• 1 - 10 boats
  
• Option to sit the odd race out for a rest then jump in.
• No fixed start time.
• Tactical close racing.
• Safe racing.
  
• Lots of short races.
• No waiting around (you skip a race if you want a rest).
  

This mean things can get very confusing so this concept is aimed at setting a set of rules that will not be confusing, and mean lots of fun races can be run without the endless communication coordinating it (or a traditional race officer).



Start
The Gate boat is the last finisher from the race before. They must sail from the green zone behind the leeward mark then upwind on port for at least 20 seconds. Starters cross behind the Gate boat and race to windward mark rounding to port. (Note the Gate clears the fleet and hits the lay line for a good change of getting a good first rounding position. Since they were the last finisher this will hopefully mix stuff up.) The other boats have 2 tacks so there are tactics on the first beat.

• Leeward mark is to starboard, means there are 2 gibes brining in tactics again.
• At least 2 tacks on the next beat...
• At least 2 gibes on the run through the finish.

Once Finished.
You stay in the green zone meaning you sit out a race. Or you go immediately to the yellow zone and wait for the next start. The last boat to finish can start the next race ASAP.

Feedback Please:

• What do you think (problems suggestions..) ?
• How do I make 2 portable marks ? 2lt Coke bottle and sea anchor..? How?
• How far apart should the marks be?
  

Sailing around a lake looking for wind is not very focused and I learn so much each flight hour I want to focus the learning hence the thoughts above.

What I really need is a training partner (or 10). Niki is still waiting for his Assassin and it will be 1 year at the end of this month since he sold his Bladerider. It really pisses me off to have spent the last year without my wing man. He is on constant high alert and ready to scramble at any moment but supply lines are in bad shape.

The good news is that this weekend I will do the Moth Open at Campione, Garda, Italy. This place is paradise in my view since I did the Euros there in 2005. I am working for the man near Salzburg this week so as soon as I can I am off tomorrow. I should arrive Wed at about 10pm (so hopefully someone will be around to let me into the Sailing Club...). This gives me 4 days where I hope to increase my flight hours from <2 this year so far. So if you are going to Garda "A presto in paradiso!"

Working for the Man means I am spending a few evenings in hotel rooms catching up on Internet Mothing. Just published am iCal event calendar grabber. So each National Association can have a iCal file on the web and the IMCA site will go and get event data from it and update the data every few hours. Gerold Pauler gave me the idea but unfortunately it does not work with the DE iCal File (UTC TimeZone problems..) but it does work for the UK. So hope it will be stable and mean there is more accurate up to date event info in the IMCA site. Let me know if your National IMCA has a Internet calendar with an iCal file or if you spot bugs.

Only 24 hours to contact... ;-)