[C38] Attention Southern Cal skippers

[John Erlandson]

How about point to point racing? YC to YC or to Catalina and back with an overnight stop at Two Harbors. Buoy racing with large crews and symmetrical spinnakers are unrealistic for an older class of boat whose owners are mostly cruising oriented. The Newport to Ensenada race usually has quite a few C38's due to flexibility of PHRF ratings. I see plenty of C38's around Newport /Long beach areas and at Catalina. The owners I have spoken to have no interest in dealing with a crew or investing in symmetrical spinnakers and all the equipment required to fly them. The ability to race with whatever type of equipment you have and a stopover party may bring more entries and fun to the C38 class. My personal experiences with a large modern asymmetrical spinnaker with  a sock on the C38 have been easy to set  and sail with as little as two people. The boat is fast on all points but a dead run and well mannered which is not always the case with symmetrical spinnakers.
John Erlandson
C38 #291
Mal de Mer
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: S. Orton 
  To: Cat38 Listserve 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 9:55 PM
  Subject: [C38] Attention Southern Cal skippers


  Southern Cal skippers, I need your suggestions.

  September 15-16 Shoreline YC in Long Beach is hosting our Cat 38 Nationals.  Traditionally this has been a wind/leeward race format with strict class rules-i.e. type of sails used.  Last year we had only five boats on the start line.  This year the skipper of one of the leading contenders hasn't even joined our association.  So we could only have four at the start line, which is not acceptable due to the effort and dollars it takes to put on the event for so few participants.  I have talked to a few off shore racers who won't attend mainly due the large number of crew ( 6-10) required for wind/leeward races to be competitive.  I know how hard it is to find crew as we have done Wednesday evening races with just three.  A few racers have said that a random leg would help a small crew as there would be less spin sets.  Another suggestion would be to use PHRF off sets to get boats with fixed props, no spinnakers etc. to the start line.

   In the past it has been a fun weekend, but the venue needs to change to keep the Cat 38 Nationals going.  We need more participants!

  Please voice your opinion on what type of venue that would get your boat to the starting line- or just to attend dinner Saturday evening.

  Thank you for your help,  
  Steve Orton 760-749-1869
  (Santa Susanna)






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