MERIT 25 NEWSLETTER
by Paul Kamen, Fleet Measurer
NEXT CRUISE: JUNE 7-8
NEXT RACE: JUNE 22
VALLEJO RACE REPORT: Six Merit 25's entered, five showed up, and
three boats came back winners. Jim Fair's CHESAPEAKE won the
downhill slide to Vallejo, Bill Glass' XANADU won the return leg
(by an impressive 20 minutes, which also gave him first in the
HDA class we were all racing in), and my own TWILIGHT ZONE, with
second place finishes both days, has the best score for the
weekend. The party was up to the usual high standards for this
event, although nobody walked off the dock this year. Complete
results:
M-25 HDA L
TWILIGHT ZONE Paul Kamen 2-2 4-10
CHESAPEAKE Jim Fair 1-4 3-13
XANADU Bill Glass 4-1 8- 1
FUDGE FACTOR Steve Wright 5-3 14-11
PADDY MURPHY Patrick Twohy 3-5 6-14
NEXT RACE: The next race is June 22, a medium distance bay race
that starts and finishes at buoy F on the Berkeley Olympic
Circle. We will be able to "piggy-back" on the ODCA race being
run by Berkeley Yacht Club that day, using the same race
committee and sailing the same course as the ODCA classes.
Starting time is 1:20 PM, which is 20 minutes after the Ranger
23's. There is no entry fee. Complete race instructions are
included with this mailing.
We're not getting a free lunch, though. To get the BYC Race
Committee's cooperation for this and for our September race, also
a "piggy back" deal, we're all on the "short list" for being
called into action as race committee volunteers for other BYC
events. This is actually not nearly as onerous a responsibility
as it sounds. If you've never been involved in running a race
before, seeing it from the RC's point of view will definitely
give you a new perspective on the whole process of sailboat
racing. Highly recommended - it will improve your racing. And
some people actually enjoy it!
Here's the complete schedule for the season:
MAY 4-5 Vallejo Race Weekend
JUNE 22 BYC Long Course (Approx. 20 miles, Olympic Circle to
West Bay and back.)
JULY 27 Gracie & George (Mixed double-handed in the South Bay,
driver must be female.)
AUGUST 3 Second Season Opener (Out the Gate to Bonita buoy,
finish at EYC in Estuary. Another great party -
plan to stay overnight for informal estuary racing the
next day.)
SEPT. 21 BYC Olympic Circle Course (ODCA standard format)
Note that Merit 25 Class Rules apply, even when we're racing in
an HDA handicap fleet. Scoring is low point with 3/4 point for
first place. All six races count equally, but with one throw-out.
NEXT CRUISE: We haven't discussed this previously, but a few
boats are planning to spend the weekend of June 8-9 at
everybody's favorite anchorage, Ayala Cove at Angel Island. Short
notice, but join us if you can. We also have an Angel Island
weekend scheduled for August 17-18.
DOS EQUIS HIT BY SHIP! That's right, Garret and Laurie Smith were
hit by a container ship while becalmed just south of the Bay
Bridge. No injuries and no damage, aside from some red paint on
their masthead to prove that they really were that close. They
have a great sea story to tell.
NEW BOATS IN BERKELEY: Congratulations to John Drewery, who is
now the proud owner of the Merit 25 DR. WHO (formerly PENGUIN).
Also new to Berkeley is John Roop's SILENT RUNNING, formerly
berthed in the South Bay. Berkeley Marina remains the hotbed
Merit 25 activity, with nine boats at last count. And a tenth
boat, as yet unnamed, is rumored to be on the way.
CLASS RULES: At the class meeting on March 22, we voted in the
One-Design Class Rules that were sent with the last mailing. Only
one change was made: Part VII,G,1,e,3, mainsail lower quarter-
girth: change "8.50 ft." to "8.60 ft." Make this change, and the
copy dated March 5 1991 will be up-to-date and official.
THE LATEST WEIRD PROPOSAL: Did you watch the televised coverage
of the new America's Cup Class world championships? I did, and
was impressed by those huge masthead "gennakers" flown from
removable bowsprits. Now, the Merit 25, with its untapered mast,
just screams to have some sort of big headsail attached up there
for light-air winter sailing. (Relax, this is not leading up to
another Class Rules proposal.) According to my calculations, a
five-foot bowsprit and a masthead halyard will allow a Merit 25
to fly a sail more than twice as big as the normal spinnaker. It
should also be possible to use the standard spinnaker pole for
the bowsprit - the only hardware required will be a pole ring in
the middle of the foredeck (and slightly off-center), a bobstay
eye on the bow at the waterline, and a removable transverse spar
that lies across the foredeck to hold the necessary "whisker
stays" out at the appropriate angles.
The sail would be constructed like a half-ounce asymmetrical
spinnaker, but designed for wind angles between something like 50
and 100 degrees apparent. Speed in winter conditions should be
awesome. Of course, it's anyone's guess how many seconds per mile
the PHRF handicapping committee would penalize this rig. Watch
this space for updates!
MERIT 25 LONG COURSE BAY RACE
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
MERIT 25 ONE-DESIGN FLEET
and
BERKELEY YACHT CLUB
JUNE 22, 1991
RACE INSTRUCTIONS
1) Rules: USYRU Yacht Racing Rules with 720 degree turn penalty
in effect, and Merit 25 San Francisco Bay Class Rules.
2) Start Time:
Warning 13:10
Preparatory 13:15
Start 13:20
Signals in accordance with USYRU Rule 4.4 System 2
The starting sequence may be delayed if the previous ODCA
starts are postponed or recalled.
3) Starting Line: Between buoy F of the Berkeley Olympic Circle
and the marker flag on the Committee Boat
4) Courses: (marks are as described by YRA standing instructions)
1 start 15-P E-P 6-P 15-P XOC-P finish
2 start 15-P E-P 12-S XOC-P finish
3 start 12-S E-P 8-P XOC-P finish
Courses will be signaled by numeral pennant or placard at or
before the preparatory signal.
5) Finish Line: Same as starting line.
6) Restrictions:
A) Keep clear of starting line while other classes are
starting.
B) Leave navigational buoys at Point Blunt and Alcatraz to
shoreward.
C) No interference with large commercial or naval vessels.
7) Protests: Same as YRA/ODCA standing race instructions.