The big noises in the communications business are always telling us that we should find ways of making our sailing races more interesting to the casual spectator, writes W M Nixon.
In light of this, one of Dun Laoghaire’s most senior classes, the Shipman 28s, have been dutifully experimenting on some fresh tricks in this area during this year’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, and they report that a novel exercise which shows real promise is the Shared Spinnaker Retrieval Manoeuvre.
The basic requirement seems to be a class which has been sailing together for a long time, and knows each others quirks and skills. The idea is that the leading boat rounds the lee mark with her spinnaker still flying, and hardens on to the wind with the sail fluttering flag-like stern.
Space will have been allowed to permit the next boat in line to take up a station slightly to weather, and then her crew will reach out and grab the bight of a flapping sheet and haul the spinnaker into their own boat, co-ordinating the halyard easing by the leading boat through pre-arranged signs.
The entire exercise will be observed by an Umpire Boat, and points – to affect the ultimate outcome of the overall race results – will be awarded from 10 down to 1, with the smoothest operations acquiring zero or even a negative score. Snarl-ups and shouting will be heavily penalised.
The new manoeuvre and its inclusion as an integral part of racing is still at the experimental stage, but we hope to report back in due course on the findings of the Shipman 28s, and indeed any other class which wants to join in this programme of making yacht racing more interesting to watch.