HARBOR 20 FLEET 4

EXECUTIVE BOARD

FEBRUARY 2, 2015

 

Called to order: 5:20 p.m.

 

Present:

Fred Rice

Geoff Slaff

Tom Wright

Bill Bench

Morgan Green

Guest: Rear Staff Commodore Santa Barbara Sailing Club Tom Burdick to hear concerns about how the sailing club runs its events.

 

Board composition: Fred Rice volunteered to be fleet captain. Geoff Slaff will continue as Treasurer. Morgan Green will be recording secretary. Bill Bench will serve as measurer.

 

2015 races: Fred listed races that could b part of our 2015 Championship Series, based on 2014 races and regattas:

-SBYC Spring One Design Regatta, March 27

-SBSC Cinco De Mayo Regatta, May 3 and 4

-Fiesta Cup, July, 18 and 19

-SBYC Fall One Design Regatta, September 20

-SBAC Goblin Regatta, Oct. 25 and 26

-SBYC Holiday Regatta, Dec. 6 and 7

 

Discussion: whether to reduce the number of regattas in the series and whether to eliminate sailing club regattas from the series. Consensus: the question will be brought to a meeting of the full fleet for discussion and vote.

 

North-South Challenge at Newport: the details need to be firmed up, including how many boats to send, dates, conflicts. Fred will consult with Karen to confirm details regarding Fleet 4 participation in the North-South Challenge, and this year’s East-West Challenge in Hilton Head.

 

 

Treasurer’s Report: Geoff – Currently there is $1,656. Eight of the fleet’s 13 boats have paid their 2015 dues of $100. At the end of 2014, the fleet had a surplus of $1,288. With the potential for $500 more in dues, the fleet could have $2,156 soon. Suggestion: create a spending budget.

 

Equipment list: Fred wants to discuss this in near future.

 

Sailing in SBSC Regattas – Concerns re how races are conducted: Discussion centered on how to cooperate/communicate better and improve racing for all. Both Mike Burdick and Fred Rice said they wanted to improve relations and racing. Burdick said the sailing club would do everything it can to address the H2O fleet’s concerns and accommodate its needs.

Concerns recently voiced by fleet members:

– start/finish lines (reported too short, unsafe)

-insufficient experienced staff on Race Committee boat to handle drifting, etc.

– inconsistencies in Race Committee information leading to confusion on the water. (incorrect online course chart, for example.)

-no broadcast radio countdown on starts.(Noted that  the Racing Rules of Sailing do not include any verbal broadcasts to racers)

-insufficient support on the water to assist with marks moves and as safety backup for overturned dinghies.

-no Harbor 20 Fleet wind-limit announcement or enforcement. (Noted that the fleet did not consult with the SBSC race committee before the Goblin Regatta re: the fleet’s needs in this regard.)

 

The board noted there is no clear consensus regarding exactly what wind and sea limits the fleet will operate with. Fred will look it up in past minutes. He suggests the item be brought up at a full fleet meeting, and that the board should come prepared with some recommendations.

 

Morgan noted that the SBYC racing director, Brad Schaupeter, said he would help the sailing club with race committee briefings/training. Mike Burdick noted that, and stated the sailing club will incorporate the fleet’s wishes in sailing club races.

 

 

 

Fred noted that if the H2O fleet does not want to include Sailing Club events in our championship series this year, we can still race in their regattas, and add the Sailing Club events back in the championship next year if warranted.

 

Website: currently being updated by John Jeffreys. Note: currently posted bylaws on the Class website under Fleet 4 are outdated.

 

Fleet-Approved sails: Bill Bench suggested that the brand of mainsail approved by Fleet 4 be changed from Elliott/Pattison to Ullman, with any skipper allowed to change to a new sail even if they would usually have to wait longer under existing fleet replacement rules. He noted that other fleets choose their own sailmaker, and there is no reason for Fleet 4 to stay with Elliott/Pattison as Ullman sails are better. Consensus: Ask the full fleet to allow new Ullman mainsails to be installed by any skipper between the 2015 and 2016 sailing seasons. Old Elliott/Pattison mains would be allowed until they wear out, if a skipper chose.

 

Email and phone updates: Fred asked that we update the Fleet email and phone lists. A sheet will be passed around at the next fleet meeting.

 

Agenda– All future agenda items will be requested through Fred Rice. Morgan Green will create agendas at his direction. Morgan requested that decision-making discussions be limited to in-person meetings rather than email blizzards.

 

Adjournment.

 

 

Adendum

Potential  Agenda Items based on the above:

 

 

– Review/Fleet briefing  of East/West and North/South events for information purposes and to reconcile any potential conflicts.

 

– Suggest spending items so Geoff can create a proper budget.

 

– Boat Equipment List: Discussion of full fleet

 

– Wind/Sea standards: Fred will review what fleet informally agreed upon in the past and put it up for fleet to discuss and choose a standard.

 

– Brief Fleet 4 on fleet captain/board talks with Sailing Club regarding race operations and concerns, and call for a vote on restricting the 2015 Championship Series to yacht club-only events, while keeping open the option of including sailing club events again the following year in the championship series.

 

– Ask the full fleet if Ullman mainsails can replace Elliott/Pattison sails on all fleet boats between the 2015 and 2016 sailing season, and designating Ullman as the sole approved main maker in fleet 4 rules.

 

– Pass around an information sheet to get everybody’s current emails, addresses and phone numbers.

END