Newport Bucket - 2008 Notice of Race (NOR)

Announcement of Regatta

THE Sixth ANNUAL NEWPORT BUCKET REGATTA
July 18th – 20th 2008

The Newport Bucket is an invitational regatta set in the Corinthian spirit.  The regatta is open to yachts over 90’ (27M) L.O.A., unless invited under the Grandfather Clause.  The venue will be based at Newport Shipyard, alongside the marquee.

Yachts participating will do so at their own risk.  This is a fun regatta and safety is the primary concern of the Race Committee.  Therefore, we extend an invitation to the owners, captains, crews and guests who participate to make this a fun and safe event.

After a great St. Barths Bucket, we have had an enthusiastic response for this year’s Newport Bucket, particularly because a great number of larger yachts will be cruising on this side of the Atlantic this summer.  The fleet may be limited to 25 yachts, so please register as soon as possible.

Finally, and again of primary importance is for all contestants to understand the spirit of the Bucket Regattas. This is an opportunity to sail your yacht to peak potential in a fleet of the most magnificent sailing yachts on the planet, with full focus on performance as well as safe seamanship.

OUT OF THE CLOSET ON BUCKET RATINGS!!!

Ok!  In the early years, the Bucket Rating System was a bit arbitrary, based on a “best guess” system of assigning start times, with PHRF type time allowance adjustments made between races based on results – and sometimes generous gifts of Champagne and other tasty libation to the Race Committee.  As most are aware, in 2004 we inaugurated a more empirical system based on a comprehensive Velocity Prediction Program by Jim Teeters of US Sailing, past developer of the IMS rule and author of the current ORC rating rule.  With each successive Bucket event, the finishes have become increasingly close, to the point where on Sunday’s race this year in St. Barths, the first 10 finishes were within two and a half minutes!  In short, the rule is working.

Here’s how.  And please understand that in explaining the system, the Race Committee may be forced to go on the wagon – because your incentive toward rendering champagne bribes is hereby greatly reduced! 

Given that the Bucket is first and foremost a fun regatta, we refrain from formal measurements, which tend to be complex and time consuming on the part of owners and crew.  Therefore, our entry forms are very exacting with regard to all critical measurements and characteristics.  Each yacht’s design inputs are entered in its own Velocity Prediction Program (VPP), which serves up the yacht’s sailing potential in seconds per mile for any wind angle and any wind velocity.  Unfortunately, the VPP is only as accurate as the input data, which on the applications is often less than absolutely correct.  Therefore, we do adjust the ratings between races to even the finish times, but to a much lesser extent than in the past and only for “gross anomalies” on yachts that seem to consistently sail well but finish poorly.

The unique feature of the Bucket Rule is that when we change the time allowance for any yacht, we make a corresponding change to the most logical design input so it becomes a permanent part of her VPP.  There is a prime example on a 110’ Sloop that is a consistent Bucket participant, on which the owner and crew have always sailed the socks off the boat – never cleat the mainsheet on the race course, etc., and yet their finishes have not reflected how well they sail.  In reviewing the results, Jim noticed that the boat is extremely fast in light air, but with her shallow draft and moderately heavy displacement she is challenged in heavier air and seas.  Therefore, in her VPP inputs, he raised the center of gravity, which left her rated equally fast in light air but with more credit in heavy air.  In truth, we’re still working to get her completely right, but we’re making progress.  The key to the Rule is that we are using racecourse performance, not just to level the finish times, but to perfect our design input data for each yacht’s ongoing VPP.

The other great advantage of the VPP based system is that we can create allowances for how each yacht performs on each point of sail.  Simply stated, there are a lot of upwind dogs that become reaching screamers – and in a fleet as disparate in design at the Bucket, this is an essential component of the rating analysis.  This is the only rule that fully analyses the percentage of upwind, reaching and running involved for each race – and factors it into each yacht’s rating.

The net result is that Jim has successfully undertaken the impossible task of bringing parity to ratings between the fastest maxi rockets, the likes of VISIONE and LEOPARD, the largest cruising Perini Navi yachts, Classics and new paradigm wonders like MALTESE FALCON.  At each event the finishes become increasingly close and with over 80 yachts in the system, our knowledge of the relative performance of the fleet in various conditions continues to expand.

What the participants can do to enhance the effectiveness of the rule is to revisit your design inputs on the Bucket Application to insure accuracy.  You’ll still find the Race Committee pleased to accept benevolent gifts of Champagne – and they do respond well to such tribute.  But the unfortunate impact of the Bucket Rating Rule is that it’s pretty tough to bribe a computer. . .

REGATTA RULES

• This is a pursuit race. In the interest of safety; each yacht will be assigned her own starting time, slower yachts starting first.  The first yacht to cross the Finish, wins.  With proper handicaps, the fleet should finish in close proximity.  If necessary, ratings will be adjusted after Saturday’s race, to level the fleet for Sunday’s race.
  
  
• There will be no recalls; any yacht crossing the starting line early will have FIVE minutes added to her elapsed time.
  
  
• Yachts are allowed to use their engines and thrusters up to the starting line for SAFETY REASONS ONLY!  EACH YACHT’S ENGINE MUST BE OUT OF GEAR TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO HER START.  This reflects a major change from the original Bucket Rules. 
  
  
• Should postponements be required, they will be made in one-hour increments.  As such, your start time will be moved back exactly one hour.  The Race Committee will endeavor to announce any postponement before the fleet leaves the dock.
  
  
• VHF Channel 73 will be used as the official race channel unless otherwise stated on the daily notice.
  
  
• Basic ISAF Yacht Racing Rules shall apply with the understanding that this is a congenial regatta.  At every opportunity, give way to reduce the risk of collision. We have redoubled our focus on collision avoidance in Bucket Regattas.  Over and above the basic ISAF rules, the COLREGS General Prudential Rule is foremost – COLLISIONS ARE TO BE AVOIDED BY ALL AND EVERY MEANS.  Yachts handled in an overly aggressive manner WILL be excused from racing in Bucket Events.
  
  
• Two Classes will be scored within the Bucket Regatta; racing oriented Yachts will compete as “Les Gazelles des Mers” and cruising oriented Yachts will compete as “Les Grandes Dammes des Mers”.  The entire fleet will be scored as well, for overall Bucket Regatta Honors.
  
  
• Protests will be frowned upon by the Race Committee.  However, a protest will be heard if accompanied by a chilled case of champagne – the quality of which may determine the outcome!
  
  
• SAIL SAFELY FIRST, THEN FAST.  WIN THE PARTY!