Sailboat Races

Saturday 8th October, 4pm. In Tompson, starting around (200,200) and with a platform for spectators to come and watch the start and finish and some other critical parts of the race to hand as well.

First prize $500
Second prize $200
Third prize $100

Minimal rules - come and enjoy sailing.

If you've never sailed before please come along about 15 minutes early for some practise time before the race. Takos aren't hard to sail, but do take a little bit of learning - the benefit of sailing with the wind just like a real yacht.

This is the last of the six regatta series, with a $1,000 prize to the overall winner. It's too late to enter and win that prize, but weekly prizes are still up for grabs for all comers!

All prizes courtesy of SL-rentals.com

Herewith the results of the last SL-rentals.com regatta (at least for a while).

Overall:

1st Kanker Greenacre 5.5 pts
2nd Doc Nielsen 7.75pts
3rd= Eloise Pasteur 9 pts
3rd= MarkTwain White 9 pts
5th Pixeleen Mistral 13 pts
6th mush Caldera 18 pts

Race by race:

Race 1
Doc 5:35
Eloise 5:38
Mark 5:51
Kanker 6:13
Pix 6:39
mush DNF

Race 2
Kanker 5:14
Doc 5:23
Eloise 5:28
Mark 5:54
Pix 6:05
mush 6:19

Race 3
Kanker 5:21
Mark 5:48
Pix 6:01
Eloise 6:07
Doc 7:05 (approx, start line issues)
mush 8:27

Winner of the overall series prize: Eloise.

Placings as follows:

Eloise
Mark
Doc
Helen
mush
Kanker
Pix
Online
Oli
Budka
Pratyeka
Jessica
Trico

Although these placings may surprise some (and depending on scoring methods there are some changes, but more discussion of that later, they're only affecting the lower placings) these results are pretty much in order of the number of regattas missed (Mark and I sailed in all 6, Doc, Helen and mush each missed 1, Kanker and Pix missed 3, Oli and Online 4, everyone else missed 5 regattas). I'd also suggest that within the mix by order you're seeing the results you'd expect.

Congratulations to Doc - a clear second place, just shows what some time practising can do!

Thank you to all 13 of our racers for a fun series of regattas and your participation. I hope you had as much fun as I certainly did.

Last, but by no means last, a big THANK YOU to Doc Nielsen and SL-rentals.com for sponsoring this series.

HOLLYWOOD (Oct. 9, 2005) -- MarkTwain White won this week's ROW (Right of Way rules in force) regatta held on the new Southwind course in Hollywood. The Southwind Course offers many different approaches and opportunities for strategy.

Here is a little memory device that can help skippers remember the new course:

First GO
Second YELL home

G= round green mark during first lap
O= round orange mark during first lap
YELL= round yellow mark on second lap and head home.
No other marks must be rounded.

There was no No-ROW regatta held.

ROW Regatta Final Results

1. MarkTwain White 5.75
2. Eloise Pasteur 6.50
3. Online Doesburg 8.00
4. Pixeleen Mistral 11.00
5. Oliphant Ming 13.00
6. Slitch Nilsson 18.00


ROW Race 1

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: MarkTwain White - +00:06:07
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Online Doesburg - +00:06:08
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:06:18
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Oliphant Ming - +00:06:21
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Eloise Pasteur - +00:06:32
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 6: Slitch - Finished

ROW Race 2

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 1: Eloise Pasteur! Race time: +00:06:47
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 2: Online Doesburg! Race time: +00:06:47
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 3: MarkTwain White! Race time: +00:06:49
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 4: Oliphant Ming! Race time: +00:07:24
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 5: Pixeleen Mistral! Race time: +00:07:52
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC 6: Slitch Nilsson! Race time: +00:09:49

ROW Race 3

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Eloise Pasteur - +00:06:26
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: MarkTwain White - +00:06:47
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:06:54
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Online Doesburg - +00:07:06
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Oliphant Ming - +00:07:13
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 6: Slitch Nilsson - +00:09:12

Join us in Hollywood for a special regatta and party for all SL skippers. Wear a costume. (In SL this means come with an ave or outfit we don't normally see you in).

10 AM -- THE HEADLESS BOATMAN REGATTA & PARTY
Mark will prepare collector's plates as trophies for the top three finishers. Don't lose your head out there if you want a chance to win a Headless Boatman trophy, truly a unique piece to put on the mantle over your fireplace. This will be a ROW event. Fun games between races.

NOON -- THE MONSTER MOVIE CONTEST
A SL wide promoted event that will entertain and creep you out. What's in YOUR subconscious? Find out in the Hollywood Bowl.

NOTE: The event times differ from the signs that have been up in Starboards Yacht Club and Admiral's Daughter Pub. Signs there have been updated with new times.

I did (possibly because I'm terminally sad) a little analysis of the results of the SL-regattas series.

First if you want to have someone test new boats for performance against old versions I'd suggest you ask Mark - in two regattas he had CV's <1% between his times. This suggests he races very much the same every time if the conditions are the same.

Second as people practise on a course in general their variations between times falls - although some good racers and regatta winners seem to buck this trend - Doc and Kanker both did will with very variable times in a couple of regattas even when others didn't have those large variations.

Third affecting windspeed has a dramatic effect on the clustering of times - Mark snuck up to an 8% CV in the regatta with a huge difference in windspeed. Rather surprisingly two other things came out. Varying the wind ANGLE widely makes a some impact, but it's pretty small in general. Possibly less surprisingly after some thought variable wind conditions has a BIGGER impact on the 'better' racers - I suspect they're sailing closer to the edge and so although they're probably more responsive to the changes they also need to change more and each shift slows them slightly.

Four more racers makes more variation - not clear why but I can think of several variables - how the sim(s) handle the people and boats, more contact and more dodging. This makes comparing the regattas and the changed conditions for ROW and no ROW tricky although loose analysis suggests that actually there's a bit variation in the ROW regattas - presumably the people being forced to do penalty turns affects their times more than start line contacts etc. in general - although individual cases might have *very* different impacts.

I also looked at scoring systems:
Scoring the series the same way as we score each regatta (0.75, 2, 3...) with non-participants in a regatta getting scores equal to the total number of participants in the SERIES or using 1, 2, 3 makes virtually no difference to the results, as you might expect.

Awarding all non-racers in a particular regatta last+1 points for that regatta doesn't change the top of the table, but does change the middle and lower reaches markedly - it also makes which regattas you miss have a *big* impact. Missing the smallest regatta has little impact, whilst missing the biggest has a much bigger one, as does sailing poorly in it. You can get worse points in a 9 person regatta where you're unlucky than someone who skips a 5 person regatta, which isn't necessarily very fair in my mind, but it can be discussed if people want to.

Discarding your worst result compared to not discarding your worst result (in a six regatta series discarding one seemed best) actually makes very little difference in the ordering as well, even if everything else is kept the same. It juggles the lower reaches a bit, but nothing else.

Don't know if anyone wants to see the numbers sorted in detail, or is even interested, but there you go...

Eloise has posted an interesting analysis. Part of her analysis suggested that I have a tendency to be consistent in my races. Rarely first, rarely last, often in the top three. That last comment is mine, not her's. For those of you that are striving to improve your performance on the water I humbly off the following tips which if practiced with regularity may improve the finishing times for some of you.

1. Strive to hit 40 wind angle and 20 sheet angles on your tacks. While the theoretical fastest point of sailing is with the wind at 35 degrees (or -35 degrees), this number can be hard to hit on a tack. If you try to tack to 35 but hit 30 instead you will immediately begin to lose speed because you are "too close to the wind" and will be "luffing" or "spilling air". If, however, you strive to tack to 40 and miss it by 5 then you are still good at 35. Give yourself room for error. If you hit 40 then you can always "head up" (turn towards the wind) a bit to come to 35 if needed.

2. When preparing to tack set your SHEET ANGLE to 20. Then tack to 40. This way you will not have to tweak you sheet angle after the tack. Trying to tweak the sheet angle in the moments after you tack to 40 will waste valuable time and spill valuable air.

3. Watch your SHEET (the line that determines the angle of your boom) ANGLE rather than your wind angle. Set the sheet angle and the sail angle will follow.

4. As clearly stated in the instructions that come with your TAKO sailboat, you get your best speed by constantly reading the wind angle and adjusting your sheet angle to be 1/2 of the wind angle (ignoring minus signs). My problem is that in the heat of battle with another boat on my stern and Shipwreck Point looming large in front of me my brain can cease to do quick math. QUICK, what is 1/2 of 135? See? So I use a cheat sheet for those moments when I get brain freeze. It helps me a lot. A modified version is included here, with the all important 40/20 combo in larger numbers. I have also included the general definition of the various angles to the wind. A boat that is sailing with the wind at 120 degrees would set its sheet to 60 degrees and would be considered to be on a broad reach.

5. Be aware of what is around you. Have good situational awareness. The best way to do this is to zoom out with the control-8 keys. I sail with a double zoom out (control-8 twice). Be aware that when you zoom out there will be a distortion that makes things look further away than they really are. Play around with single zoom and double zoom to find the one that works best for you.

6. And the most important tip: practice, practice, practice.

I have included two graphics. The first is the wind angle chart mentioned in #4. The second shows the Tako HUD display with the important numbers highlighted.

See you on the water!

MarkTwain White

Starboards Yacht Club will host its regular ROW (right of way) rules regatta at 2pm as usual tomorrow, Sunday Oct. 16. Same course same wind as last week.

At 3pm SYC will host a No-ROW regatta. The turn out for No-ROW will determine if we continue No-ROW racing in the future. However, good turn out or bad, the 3pm Sunday time slot will be given over to a new event from October 23 thru November 27. See the next announcement for details.

A Capture the Flag game is in developement for use with the Hollywood Gun Boats and will be held on Sundays at 4pm when the game is ready. For now, stay after the No-ROW regatta on Sunday and play some blast-em bump-em boats with each other. This is definitely a no-ROW event. Grin.

Mark your calendars for the HEADLESS BOATMAN REGATTA on Sunday OCTOBER 30 AT 10AM. Wear a costume or diff ave. Fun stuff between races. Then at NOON Hollywood will host a Monster Movie Contest. Stay for that!

Attendees at both events will be given a commemorative collector's plate. Just say trick or treat to the plate giver.

MarkTwain White

SLSF has attracted a hard core group of skippers that will sustain SL sailboat racing for the foreseeable future. Additionally there are a number of SLSF members, while perhaps not hardcore, that have been attending events from time to time. Many of these members have expressed interest in sailing better but have been frustrated by their performance. We think its time to formally work with not only these members but all SLSF and non-SLSF members that would LIKE to learn to sail or sail better.

We have a number of objects and notecards available to the beginner on both sailing techniques and racing techniques. Thanks to Eloise Pasteur for the bulk of those items. We now need to go to the next level and offer formal sailing instruction to these folks. Therefore beginning October 23 Starboards Yacht Club will host a weekly LEARN TO SAIL event in Hollywood sim. The event will take the Sunday 3pm time slot immediately following the weekly ROW regatta and will be held October 23 through the last Sunday in November (Nov. 27).

The purpose of the event is to grow SLSF by helping residents that want to learn to sail, or to sail better, get what they need to catch the bug.

The key to the sucess of this event is YOU! We need two things from current SLSF members to make this event work. We need your support in promoting it, but more importantly we need those of you that feel you can teach the basics of SL sailing to VOLUNTEER as crew/tutors.

Those coming to the event as students will skipper a TAKO. A crew/tutor will be assigned to each student who will sail with that student teaching them the basics in IM and coaching them. We will rotate crew/tutors every 10 minutes so that students can experience a variety of tutors and experiences. At the end of the hour a simple beginner's race will be held for those that wish to race, along with a tutor.

As stated above, we need your help promoting LEARN TO SAIL. Below is a copy of our promotional piece. I have made free mod copies of the poster available in SYC. There is both a free standing poster and an easel supported poster available. Please come take one or both posters and put them on your land.

Additonal you are encouraged to invite your non-sailing friends to come to LEARN TO SAIL. Perhaps you will want to serve as the crew/tutor for your friend in the opening round of instruction. Let's grow SLSF together!

We encourage your support and comments.

MarkTwain White
Nber Medici
Kanker Greenacre

Can some-one trade me a taco and landmake card appropriately, im very interested in joining in. Not to sound too nooby, but how do I get to these places? just search for the sim?

Go to HOLLYWOOD sim. At the telehub you will find a teleport device. Scroll to Starboards Yacht Club. There u can buy a TAKO and find lots of information about sailing and sailboat racing in SL.

There is always Taco Bell...but busy ben's has Tako sailboats for $L1. Or look on your map. It has a list of all the Sim. Alphabetically. Find 'Hollywood'. Teleport there. Go to the dock...the sailboats nearest the building end of the dock are $L1 Takos...racing or touring.

or do what Mark just said

Thanks guys (and maybe gals), I hadn't used the map much till today and didn't understand what the co-ordinates you guys were posting meant. Now i getya.

HOLLYWOOD (Oct. 16, 2005) -- Oliphant Ming became the first three time winner of the Starboards Yacht Club Weekly Regatta as he narrowly beat MarkTwain White for first place. Both Oli and Mark had each won a race and placed second when they squared off in the final race of the day. The lead changed hands three times as Oli beat Mark by 6 seconds. The competion was great. Several battles took place in the other positions as well.

The No-ROW Regatta was lead wire-to-wire by Helen Dayton who won all three races.

ROW Regatta Final Results

1. Oliphant Ming 3.50
2. MarkTwain White 4.75
3. Neal Nomad 9.00
4. Slitch Nilsson 12.00
5. Kathleen Frost 15.00

No-ROW Regatta Final Results
1. Helen Dayton 2.25
2. Roundog Tonic 6.00
3. Neal Nomad 9.00

BE SURE TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO THE "LEARN TO SAIL" EVENT NEXT SUNDAY AT 3PM AFTER OUR REGULAR ROW REGATTA.

ROW Race 1
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: MarkTwain White - +00:06:20
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Oliphant Ming - +00:07:02
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Neal Nomad - +00:08:43
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Slitch Nilsson - +00:11:07

ROW Race 2
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Oliphant Ming - +00:05:53
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: MarkTwain White - +00:06:53
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Neal Nomad - +00:07:28
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Slitch Nilsson - No time recorded
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Kathleen Frost - +00:08:09

ROW Race 3:
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Oliphant Ming - +00:06:08
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: MarkTwain White - +00:06:14
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Neal Nomad - +00:08:50
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Slitch Nilsson - +00:08:54
Kathleen Frost DNS

No-ROW Race 1
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Helen Dayton - +00:08:02
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Roundog Tonic - +00:09:09
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Neal Nomad - +00:09:37

No-ROW Race 2
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Helen Dayton - +00:08:08
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Roundog Tonic - +00:08:49
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Neal Nomad - +00:08:49

No-ROW Race 3
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: Race Results:
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Helen Dayton - +00:07:02
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Roundog Tonic - +00:07:37
Neal Nomad DNF

Please attend. Please help teach. Please bring a friend. Plese come by SYC this week, grab a sign and put it on your land. Please acknowledge that you plan to come so I can figure out if we will have enough crew/tutors.
MarkTwain

Is there any chance of a short race i could participate in a few hours earlier, this is not proposed for this weekend as I am away but It would be 11pm If I decided to join and I do like a bit of sleep. Of course I'm not setting up a competitive race in any way, I'm just interested in racing with people to better myself by watching where they gained time on me. Please drop me a PM.

Things are hopping in Hollywood on Sunday!

1PM FOUNDATION FOR RICH CONTENT group will meet in Hollywood Bowl

2PM Weekly ROW Regatta at Starboards Yacht Club

3PM LEARN TO SAIL at SYC. We need volunteers to ride on boats and coach.

ALL DAY: The HOLLYWOOD ACADEMY OF MOVIES (HAM) group has been formed and is housed in the new Grauman's Chinese Theater. Come by and see the new movie kiosks and join the group. Group Membership Benefits include:
- Voting on movies to be included in the HAM kiosks.
- Annual poll of members on Oscars
- Dinner and Dance on Oscar Night
- Post Oscar Social Event at Euro friendly time
- Have a cutout of your avatar placed in the crowd in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater.

HOLLYWOOD (Oct. 23, 2005) -- MarkTwain White prevailed in all three races to become only the second person to win all three races in an SL regatta. The most exciting moment of the regatta came in the third race when Pixeleen, Eloise, and newcomer Roundog (sporting a great looking Canadian sail and paint scheme) came roaring down the last leg battling for second place. At the finish line they crossed at 6:57 (Pixeleen), 6:58 (Eloise), and 6:59 (Rounddog).

ROW Regatta Final Results

1. MarkTwain White 2.25
2. Pixeleen Mistral 7.00
3. Eloise Pasteur 8.00
4. Nber Medici 13.00
5. Roundog Tonic 14.00

Race 1
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: MarkTwain White - +00:06:50
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:07:28
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Eloise Pasteur - +00:08:01
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Nber Medici - +00:08:29
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Roundog Tonic - +00:08:49

Race 2
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: MarkTwain White - +00:05:52
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Eloise Pasteur - +00:06:11
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:06:48
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Nber Medici - +00:08:05
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Roundog Tonic - +00:08:33

Race 3
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: MarkTwain White - +00:06:49
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:06:57
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Eloise Pasteur - +00:06:58
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Roundog Tonic - +00:06:59
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Nber Medici - +00:07:40

Doc Nielsen and mexxa Woyseck also raced with us but had no finishes.

This Sunday morning at 10AM SYC will host its second major regatta of the year, THE HEADLESS BOATMAN REGATTA.

**********************
SYC will give a 250L prize to all skippers who race in the Headless, and complete each of the three races in under 9 minutes.

If you have been sailing for any length of time at all with us you should not have trouble finishing races in that time. If you are new to sailboat racing we suggest you not attempt this.
**********************

Here are the guidelines:
1. This is a ROW regatta. If you dont know what that means we suggest you watch the races from the comfort of the Admiral's Daughter Inn rather than raise the ire of the assorted monsters you may encounter on the water.
2. Skippers should wear a Halloween costume of some sort. This is defined in SL as coming in an outfit or ave that we dont normally see you wearing.
3. Bring a friend.

There will be Collectable Plate Trophies for the top three finishers.

Some halloween activities may take place between races. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for this event.

MarkTwain White
Nber Medici

Isn't this an Attraction rather than an Event Discussion?

Hello Garnet,

Take a look at the strings in Event Discussion. Nearly all are ANNOUNCEMENTS of single events. Would it not be more appropriate to direct your question to all those strings that have been started as an announcement of a single event rather than singling out the one group that has tried to keep its large response (over 200 replies and 4500 reads) off the top level of the discussion topic?

I admit in advance that some posts on sailing have been made as single strings, but that is not the norm. And those posts have not occured for awhile.

Hollywood (Oct 30, 2005) The SYC's second major regatta of the year was a clear victory for Oliphant Ming with three wins. Some say his avatar with its long appendages was a distraction to the other skippers. Oliphant pointed out that his excess appendages were phantom and if anyone didn't like it they could.... Well, I am not sure how that line ended.

Between races one and two some trick or treating took place and as they say, a good time was had my all. Congratulations to Roundog Tonic who in just his second regatta placed second in two races and third overall.

Headless Boatman Regatta Results

1. Oliphant Ming 2.25
2. Pixeleen Mistral 9.00
3. Roundog Tonic 11.00
4. Online Doesburg 12.00
5. Helen Dayton 14.00
6. Slitch Nilsson 16.00
7. Nber Medici 19.00

Race 1

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Oliphant Ming - +00:06:33
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:07:12
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Helen Dayton - +00:09:27
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Online Doesburg - +00:09:47
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Nber Medici - +00:10:34
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 6: Slitch Nilsson - +00:12:57
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 7: Roundog Tonic-- DNF

Race 2

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Oliphant Ming - +00:06:28
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Roundog Tonic - +00:06:36
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Online Doesburg - +00:07:03
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:07:05
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Helen Dayton - +00:07:37
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 6: Slitch Nilsson - +00:08:34
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 7: Nber Medici - DNF

Race 3

SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 1: Oliphant Ming - +00:06:37
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 2: Roundog Tonic - +00:07:18
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 3: Pixeleen Mistral - +00:07:28
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 4: Slitch Nilsson - +00:07:43
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 5: Online Doesburg - +00:07:46
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 6: Helen Dayton - +00:08:52
SLSF Race Start Line - SYC: 7: Nber Medici - DNF

The winners of the Headless Boatman Regatta were (left to right
not counting the skeleton):

Oliphant Ming in his WTF! avatar -- First Place

Pixeleen Mistral dressed as Eloise Pasteur (or so she says, grin) -- Second Place

Roundog Tonic as the regatta namesake, a headless boatman -- Third Place

We haven't had a SLSF meeting in a while, have we? Anyone who's interested in SL sailing, let's meet at 10 AM this Sunday, at the Starboards Yacht Club in Hollywood. I'll have a few topics on the agenda for form's sake, but feel free to bring your own ideas, questions, issues, gripes, grievances, peeves, cheap shots, constructive criticisms, etc. Look for the event on the events calendar, and be sure to click "Notify".

Sorry, I was generally miffed by trying to get some discussion/visibility on an event and was being overwhelmed by Hallowe'en postings (and fans of same) at the time. You caught the fire, though yours is a more interesting event. My apologies.