Royal Yachting Association hosted a Race Management Seminar from 24-26 April 2009 at its office in Hamble. Chriss Watts, Race Officials Education Coordinator, served as organizer and local host.
The RYA and the Royal Southern Yacht Club hosted a fantastic dinner at the RSYC headquarters on the River Hamble Saturday evening.
24 delegates from the following countries participated:
BEL
GBR
GER
IRL
NED
POR
SLO
SUI
USA
The program included two new sections: discussion on the ISAF Race Management Policies and the Q&A Booklet and a hands-on demonstration of setting gates by (1) eye, (2) GPS and (3) Laser range finder. One participant was asked to set a 40 metre gate in the parking lot. After taking at least 8 GPS readings the measured distance ranged from a low of 29 metres to a high of 51 metres. The median GPS measurement was approximately 40 metres. The median of approximately 10 Laser range finder sightings, however, was 33 metres, from a low of 32 metres to a high of 35 metres. The lesson: GPS is inherently unreliable for setting gates and offset marks.
The participants were all of a very high experience level, which added dramatically to the value of the seminar.
Of the 24 delegates, 20 achieved a level on the exam to permit application for IRO. Every one of the remaining delegates came very close, and should be encouraged to re-sit the exam in six months time.
Charley Cook (USA)
Nino Shmueli (ISR)
