Fast Cruise Survey Results
Immediately after last winter's Fast Cruise series finished a survey was published to find out what competitors thought of the series. After 4 months 25 answers have been received. This represents roughly 25% of the participants that took part last year. The object was to find out what club members want from the Fast Cruises. Are we doing things right and if not, what improvements can we make? The majority seemed to like the format we used last winter of some weekends of 2 and some weekends of one fast cruise. Everybody is in favour of one weekend to the western Solent. Most people seemed to like using both fixed and progessive handicaps and the use of long and short courses to keep the fleet close together. However, most people would like separate prizes for the short and long course fleets. If prizes are awarded for fixed handicap, progressive, handicap, short course fleets and long course fleets then funds will run a bit low. Especially if a weekend has to be cancelled due to the weather as happened last year. Question 7 which asked "Instead of splitting the fleet by boat handicap how would you feel about splitting the fleet into a "racing" fleet and a "cruising" fleet? The "racing" fleet would sail a longer course, be allowed the use of spinnakers and be subject to RRS and the "cruising" fleet would sail a shorter course, not use spinnakers and be subject to IRPCS. Which fleet would you enter?" produced some interesting results. It appears that the majority of boat owners would enter the cruising fleet but of those who identified themselves as crew all wanted to crew in the racing fleet!
Finally, there seems to be a number of Fast Cruisers who have difficulties reaching the starting area on spring tides. For next winter it is planned to hold the Fast Cruises, as much as possible,on a Saturday closest to a neap tide so that HW is around 0600hr
The full results are shown below.
Question 1.
We introduced 2 "races" each weekend. Did you prefer this format or would you prefer just one "race" each weekend?
Result.
I prefer 2 races 16.0%
I prefer 1 race 36.0%
I would like a mixture (4 weekends of 2 races, 2 weekends of 1 race) 48.0%
Question 2.
Would you like one of the destinations to be in the western Solent, either Lymington or Yarmouth? This would have to be a spring tide weekend to have the ebb tide in the afternoon on Saturday and a flood tide on Sunday morning
Result.
Yes 100.0%
No 0.0%
Question 3.
The course was published on the club website by Friday lunchtime each week. Is it also necessary to send the course by SMS text message as well?
Result.
Yes 56.0%
No 44.0%
Question 4.
A new objective Club Handicap system based entirely on boat characteristics was introduced last summer. As well as using the Club Handicapping system, this winter's Fast Cruise series calculated a second set of results using a "progressive" handicap where handicaps are adjusted each race for crew performance. This was done to encourage "less experienced" Fast Cruisers or those that charter boats. Do we need continue with this second set of results?
Result
Yes. Continue with both set of results. 64.0%
No. Just use the Club Handicap system 36.0%
Question 5.
Would you like to continue with long and short courses?
Result.
For all weekends 60.0%
For some weekends 28.0%
Not at all 12.0%
Question 6.
This year the prizes were awarded by calculating average times for boats sailing both the long and short courses and combining the times. Should we separate these and award prizes for the winners of the short course and the long course fleets?
Result.
Have separate prizes for each fleet 60.0%
Combine the results and award one set of prizes 40.0%
Question 7.
Instead of splitting the fleet by boat handicap how would you feel about splitting the fleet into a "racing" fleet and a "cruising" fleet? The "racing" fleet would sail a longer course, be allowed the use of spinnakers and be subject to RRS and the "cruising" fleet would sail a shorter course, not use spinnakers and be subject to IRPCS. Which fleet would you enter?
Result.
I would enter my yacht in the "Racing" Fleet 8.0% (2)
I would enter my yacht in the "Cruising" Fleet 28.0% (9)
I would prefer to crew in the "Racing" Fleet 24.0% (6)
I would prefer to crew in the "Cruising" Fleet 0.0% (0)
I would not like the fleet split into racing and cruising fleets 36.0% (9)
Question 8.
This year the majority of competing yachts came from Gosport with one from Beaulieu, 2 or 3 from Hamble, 2 from Southsea and one from Chichester. We started all Fast Cruises in the N Ryde Middle/Browndown area as being midway between all participants. Did you have any difficulty in arriving for the start?
Result.
No 80.0%
Yes,on a spring tide 12.0%
Yes, on a neap tide 0.0%
Yes, at all states of tide 4.0%
Don't know 4.0%
Question 9.
This year we used a distance and compass bearing to a buoy to describe the start line and finish line rather than use 2 buoys. Did this present any problems for you?
No 76.0%
Yes 24.0%
Question 10
Are there any tidal constraints at your berth/marina? If so please describe the limitations. (This question allowed the person to describe any particular difficulties they had in reaching the start of the Fast Cruise. In general terms the answers were:-
No problems 72.0%
HW+/-4hrs 4.0%
HW+/-3hrs 4.0%
HW+/-2.5hrs 4.0%
Beaulieu Bar 4.0%
See answer from Tim Bizzey 4.0%
Yes. A Lock with mud outside. Spring tides with start lines in the Wild West means I cannot get to the starts on time from Chichester. 4.0%