Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Reminder; Wednesday is the day that you have been waiting for since September.

Practice Race: Choptank Fleet, May 1, 2019
The warning horn sounds at 5:54 PM.

Checklist

  1. Have boat
  2. Have sails
  3. Motor starts
  4. Crew
  5. Radio works
  6. Course page
  7. Know where "G" is
  8. Know how to get back home
  9. Know where to go for beer after the race


Saturday, April 27, 2019

ESSA Choptank LAMINATED Skipper's Guide

Choptank Skippers.
I have made 10 laminated racing guides.
One side has the race course listing.
The flip side has the local chart and bearings table.
Everything you need on one waterproof card.
Click on the links to see a full page view.

Cost $3.00 (This what it cost me to have them made.)

These will be available after the Wednesday Night Practice Race at the CYC or whenever you see me.
Look for me at the CYC, George the scorekeeper.


Laminated Choptank Skipper's Racing Guide
The chart includes G and Z markers.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

A Message from the Fleet Captain.. Now hear this! Now hear this!

Good afternoon Sailors! 
Racing time is here. 
The boatyards are in overdrive 
and skippers are getting antsy!

There are some updates that I wanted to share with you all regarding our fleet.

First off, let’s welcome new participants….

1.       Ron Witmer with him and his co-owners Tripp 26. Pat Seidel has told me he will be helping Ron and his crew out this year. They will be racing non-spin, but I suspect that won’t last long!

2.       Mike Stewart and his J22 will be on the scene. Racing Spinnaker. The boat looks fast!!!!

3.       We have all been waiting to see George Robinson’s J29 which I am told will make an appearance finally!

4.       Henner Neff informed me that his J29 Flossy will be racing… look out Brooks brothers!!!!

5.       I hear rumors of a Melges 24 making an appearance from Oxford….look out Steve and Dotty!!!!

All good stuff. I can’t wait for the competitiveness and comradeship I know will happen this season!!

Second, let not your hearts be troubled regarding pre-determined race courses. This is merely a tool in the Race Committee’s quiver. I am sure that Ron or whoever is running committee boat will want to offer up a custom course every now and then, and that will be fine. In the event they cannot or don’t feel the need to, they will present a fixed course finishing in front of CYC. Starts will always remain into the wind. George has made up boards with numbers (thanks George) and I will also instruct RC to transmit the course several times over VHF.

Third, our new scoring method using ToT instead of ToD will take some getting used to. I ask you to exercise patience. Let’s see how it goes.

Forth, I remind you to be patient with our new Race Committee leader Bernie Schroeder who will be filling in for Red Sky during the month of May. Additionally, scoring will be delayed for the second part of May. George Breig will be handling scoring for 2019, and he will be traveling during the second half of the month. He will be in contact and will score, it just won’t be instantaneous.

Fifth, if you have received an updated PHRF or adjusted PHRF, I will need you to send that to me to file with ESSA.

Finally, please get your membership and race fees into ESSA asap in order to participate.

Best,
Trevor Carouge
ESSA Choptank Fleet Captain    
443-786-1061


Skipper's Chart and Bearing Table

Here's another page that you may find useful.
This will be on the back-side of the Laminated page.
Note: The previous post said "limited". 
It should have read Laminated.

Click here for Chart and Bearings Page


essasailing38@gmail.com

Choptank Fleet Skipper's Guide 2019

Here's a printable guide with some useful race day information.
I am considering making laminated copies of the page,
The cost will be $3.00 each. Interested?

Click here for printable Skippers Guide



Sunday, April 21, 2019

Choptank Fleet to use Predefined Course for 2019

This year the Choptank Fleet will be using a predefined list of 16 courses.  On occasion, the Race Committee may decide to customize the race course depending on weather conditions. Print a copy of the list and keep it in your boat.  Skippers are expected to have the list.  The committee boat will only post and announce the course number.


Click here for Printable Copy of 2019 Race Courses

ESSA Choptank Course Menu-2019
Races will start at the listed ESSA marker with the committee boat on the right end of the starting line. after the start, the committee boat will return to the dock. All courses end at "Z" (Zulu) which is located just north of the CYC and the municipal marina. Always leave "Z" to starboard. The finish line will be defined by the "Z" marker and a flag on the dock.

Click here for Printable Copy of 2019 Race Courses

The course list will always be available on this site by clicking on the Choptank Race Course Tab.


Friday, April 19, 2019

Choptank Fleet,switches to Time-on-Time Scoring, 2019

At our April Meeting, The Choptank Fleet voted to use TOT this season. Here is some background information on TOT.

TOT was tested using 2018 data:
Over the winter, I have studied T-O-T by rescoring last seasons results using Saliwave Software and various constants prescribed for TOT.  The end outcome was similar to Time-on-Distance (TOD) that our fleet has used up to this year. In all, it does to some degree level the playing field; but, don't expect results to change dramatically,

How it is calculated:
My simplest explanation of how it works:
The formula essentially discounts your time based on your elapsed time and PHRF.
Distance is not a part of the correction calculation.

Our average wind speed was 10.1 knots. Mostly 8-12 Knots. Range: 5-20 Knots
The constant of 550 seems like a solid compromise for our normal wind conditions.
With our wind profile last year, the advantage, if any, gets spread around.


(Note: not real time data)
Boat 1: PHRF =100 completes the course in 46 minutes (5.2 knots)
Corrected score = 46 min. x.9230 = 42.5 minutes

Boat 2: PHRF= 200 completes the course in 54 minutes (4.5 knots)
Corrected score = 54 min. x .800 = 43.2 minutes

The included article and the links below will give you more insight into how it works.

Here are two links that address T-O-T scoring.
http://ncphrf.com/timeontime.html 

http://www.phrfne.org/page/handicapping/timeontime

Regards, George B.,  Choptank Scorekeeper
essasailing38@gmail.com 
------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past few years, a number of PHRF fleets have started using TOT scoring. It has been found to help some when there is a very large handicap spread in a class or if the race conditions are "abnormal". The following is a TOT conversion formula that is commonly used to convert the standard PHRF TOD handicap into a TOT Time Correction Factor (TCF).

TCF = A / (B + PHRF)


The denominator, B + PHRF, is the number of seconds it takes to sail a nautical mile in the expected conditions. Another way to look at it is that the denominator divided into 3600 is the average boat speed in knots. Here are some commonly used B factors:


B FactorWhen Used
480Heavy air or all off the wind
550Average conditions
600Very light air or all windward work

TCF formula would look like the following:

TCF = 600 / (550 + PHRF)

To get the corrected time, simply multiply the elapsed time by the TCF.

TOT scoring is not a cure-all for all the inequities of handicapping. TOT scoring will not turn a fleet upside down. It usually does not affect the top boats. It usually moves the boats in the middle around a little. If the handicap spread in a class is large, it will tend to tighten things up a bit.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Choptank Racers, Races start on May 1; Series One on May 8, 2019

Choptank Fleet:  Registered Racers for 2019.
replies to essasailing38@gmail.com 
Spinnaker Fleet

  1. Nothing Artificial
  2. Epicure
  3. No Mas
  4. Jambo
  5. Ethel Alcohol
  6. Whistle Jacket

Non-Spinnaker Fleet

  1. Touche 
  2. Tamarind
  3. Dudley DoRight
  4. Jitterbug
  5. If...
  6. St. Judy's Comet

Where are you guys? 
Click here for your racing application

Click here for your membership form

  1. Javelin
  2. Sea Hawk
  3. Gabrielle
  4. Reveille
  5. Adventure Kwest
  6. Bold Spirit
  7. Sawdust
  8. Plain White Boat
  9. Music
  10. Obscurity
Note: The after March 22 fees apply.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Matchmaker. Crew needed? ----- Crew looking for a Skipper?

Skippers in need of Crew

Skippers, Do you need crew? 
Send an email to essasailing38@gmail.com
Crew candidates will be forwarded to you.

Crew in need of Skippers
Grinders

Rail Meat

The ESSA Fleet is always looking for crew. 
No experience required. Are you available?

Send an email to essasailing38@gmail.comessasailing38@gmail.com  You name will be forwarded to the skippers of the ESSA Fleet.

REMINDERS: Bridge Meeting. Membership and Racing Applications

Tangier and Choptank Fleets:


Bridge Meeting
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 


ESSA BRIDGE MEETING
AGENDA
April 16, 2019 
For the Street Address: email essasailing38@gmail.com
Salisbury, MD 21804
4;30 PM

1.  Secretary's report/minutes for March 19, 2019 meeting.

2.  Treasurer's report.
      a)  Current status.
      b)  Status of the annual audit

3.  Fleet Captain's report
      a)  Choptank - Fleet meeting

      b)  Tangier - Fleet meeting

4.  Old business
      a)  Calendar - finalize
      b)  Year Book
      c)  General Meeting - Next meeting in November (Election of new Bridge)

5.  New business
       a)  Next Bridge Meeting - May 21, 2019


6.  Adjournment 

~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~/)~~~~ ~~~/)~~~~ ~~~/)~~~~~ ~~~/)~~~~~ ~~~/)~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~

Your racing and membership applications are due.







Sunday, April 7, 2019

ESSA Choptank Fleet Meeting

Some decisions that affect Wednesday Night Racing.

~ Time-on-Time scoring will be used instead of Time-on Distance.

~ All or most races will finish at a Mark (F) which will be dropped close to the marina dock. 
(approximately N 38.34m.12s; W 76.04m.20s)

~ Most courses will be selected from a predefined course list 

~ Marker G which will be located near Dickerson Bay will be re-established.  (N 38.36m.37s; W 76.05m.22s)

~ Three racing classes
      *J-29
      *Spinnaker Class
      *Non Spinnaker

The Distances and Bearings Table has been updated to include Markers G & F.



Wednesday, April 3, 2019

TONIGHT! At The Cambridge Yacht Club

ESSA CHOPTANK FLEET MEETING
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3rd, 2019,6 PM.

The Yacht welcomes ESSA to stay for dinner. If you plan to stay after the meeting please make a reservation when you arrive. Tonight is Burger Night!

CAMBRIDGE YACHT CLUB

Decisions need to be made
~ Separate starts?
~ Predetermined race courses?
~ Two or three classes?




Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Bike ride to Honor Gerry Boyle

A memorial bike ride to honor Gerry Boyle is planned for Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Meeting place for the rally: Great Marsh Park
Welcome: Coffee & Donuts , 7:30 AM
Ride begins: 8:00 AM
Destination: South Dorchester High School

Click here >>>Gerry Boyle remembered.

Monday, April 1, 2019

REMINDER: CHOPTANK FLEET

ESSA CHOPTANK FLEET MEETING

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3rd, 2019,6 PM.

CAMBRIDGE YACHT CLUB



Decisions need to be made

~ Separate starts?
~ Predetermined race courses?
~ Two or three classes?


Jambo is ready!