THE JUSTIN CHISHOLM COLUMN!
Don’t get me started… In Marseilles this year the Melges 24 Class SNIM regatta lived up to its reputation as a thoroughly tough event in every aspect. The traditional punishing race schedule spread over the four day Easter weekend made it a hard event just to complete in let alone achieve victory. Aspiring winners knew they must consistently exhibit sailing excellence for the whole regatta - flashes of brilliance would not be enough. The wide range of weather conditions from light airs drifting through to monster seas and mistral winds provided another challenging dimension.
A string of good starts were crucial so with a sixty four boats jockeying for position the tension in the final minute before each start gun was palpable. Time after time the fleet could not contain itself - resulting multiple general recalls and a starring role for the Black Flag on the subsequent restarts. The final results sheets were peppered with BFD scores and a number of promising title challenges were put to the sword by a second disqualification. Starting Melges 24 races in this way has become the norm in Europe and it is arguably a fair system as it presents the same risks to every boat. Surely though this is not how the competitors want their regattas to be run? After the first couple of races where a black flag follows a general recall the subsequent first attempts to start a race become viewed as “practice” starts and the appearance of the Black Flag becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. As previously discussed the US approach with a mid line boat and bow numbers communicated on the VHF seems to be a preferable solution. Hopefully competitors in our big fleet events this year the European and World Championships will not suffer from unduly long days on the water caused by unnecessary starting practice.
Fair Sailing Rules OK
One striking factor at SNIM this year was the standard of rule observance. With very equal boat speeds across the whole fleet (possibly as a result of the amount of new sailcloth on display) the OOD set large courses with first beats in excess of two miles in an effort to spread the fleet. On the last day with the breeze over twenty knots the weather mark two boat length zone was turned into a sailing cauldron. Boats rolled in bow to stern with only inches separating them. All available gaps were filled instantly as helmsmen fought to hold their position. Desperate last second bale outs were common as narrow opportunities to cross and tack turned into panic bear aways.
Despite the obvious potential for this to degenerate into a demolition derby there was relatively little evidence of cowboy behaviour. Good rule observance and fair sailing is something we may now take for granted in the Melges 24 fleet but it appears to set our class apart from other one design classes. The Laser SB3 fleet in the UK is good case in point. On the first day of their Spring Championships, rule observance amongst the 35 boat fleet was so poor that despite multiple collisions and numerous infringements only two penalties were registered as taken. A plethora of complaints on the SB3 forum related to start line bumping and banging, port and starboard incidents, hitting marks, barging at leeward marks and poles being deployed before rounding the windward mark. The class clearly recognise they have a problem and understand that it is spoiling the racing for everyone. They are considering a number of solutions. These sorts of teething problems are part of any class’s evolution and I am sure the SB3 will (eventually) sort themselves out. Meanwhile we should strive to protect of our reputation as a fleet which competes 100% but also recognises the importance of sailing by the rules. The responsibility to maintain our high standards lies with all of us. It is not about sailing instructions, protests, penalties, umpires or rule books. It is about every Melges 24 competitor (not just the one on the helm) continuing to be fair and honest by sailing to the rules and taking the appropriate action when required.
Waste not ...
Volvo has introduced an interesting “Green” element to their sailing sponsorship this year. At a number of their sponsored regattas they will be offering competitors the chance to recycle all the plastic bottles, bags and wrappers used whilst afloat. This is something our fleet should consider adopting. As a fleet we are heavy consumers of plastic bottles in particular. A Melges 24 crew at a regatta like Key West could generate twenty five bottles worth of plastic waste over the period of the event. With sixty boats in the fleet that could total up to around one thousand five hundred bottles hitting the refuse rather than the recycling plant. Roll that up globally to the worldwide Melges 24 community and the numbers are significant.
If you think your local fleet should adopt the Volvo approach then lobby your class association to introduce the scheme at your country or state Championships. All that is required is for each boat to be issued at registration with bags in which to place the plastic waste each day and for an arrangement to be made with the local authorities to collect the bags from the regatta site.
Justin Chisholm is a member of the UK based Team Barbarians Melges 24 crew and can be contacted at justinchisholm23@hotmail.com