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Tornado Alley
Sailing Club
Some Thoughts About Establishing the TASC Race Schedule
General
This page was established to bring together all the lessons learned over the years to develop a successful racing schedule, and is intended only as a guide - not as a fixed rule. Please add any insights that you may get in future years..
Sailing Venues:
New Year's Day Considerations:
- Make sure people have signed the Registration/Release form!
- Look for a "safe" location
- Require wet/dry suits for everyone
- Schedule a good place for a "warm-up" afterwards (West End, Cafe St Clair or Perkins)
Spring Series Considerations:
- Over the years we have settled down to 7 races in spring - starting in mid-March, ending the first week in June.
- Think of starting races at 1pm during Daylight Savings - 2pm thereafter.
- We try to sail at venues that require driving (Arkabutla and Pickwick) on Saturdays, so people have time to go to church on Sunday.
- Make sure people have signed the Registration/Release form!
- Mid March is the earliest reasonable date for Spring Racing - it is suggested that the first two races be sailed in a safe spot, close to warmth, in case of capsizes. We have tended towards sailing at Patriot for the first two events. Consider requiring wet-suits if not at Patriot - suggest wetsuits anytime in March.
- After March, we have tried to keep consistency, scheduling the first Saturday and the third Sunday of the month
- We tend to avoid conflicting with the "Commodore's Regatta" and the "Confederate Admiral's Regatta", both at MSSC - we try to participate in these "away" regattas.
- Another date to avoid conflicts with - the DIYRA Portsmouth Championships may be either in the spring or in the fall - this is a fun away event and people should be encouraged to participate.
- We try to combine one of our spring events with the "Maria Montessori fund raiser" - we like to support this event - and there's usually free food (talk with Fletcher Golden at Maria Montessori about scheduling - usually in April).
- The water levels at Arkabutla usually don't reach the 215 ft level needed to launch until early to mid-May - so don't schedule early regattas there.
- Don't try sailing at Pickwick after Memorial Day - After that date, the traffic is ridiculously heavy on Yellow Creek - no fun!
- Consider not sailing on Mother's day or Memorial Day.
Fall Series Considerations:
- We have pretty much settled on 7 races in the fall - ending the first weekend of December.
- Make sure people have signed the Registration/Release form!
- We have tried to keep consistency, scheduling the first Saturday and the third Sunday of each month
- We try to sail at venues that require driving (Arkabutla and Pickwick) on Saturdays, so people have time to go to church on Sunday.
- We have tended to start the season, the Saturday after Labor Day, at Pickwick, so we can have awards at Cafe St. Clair. Until then, the traffic is ridiculously heavy on Yellow Creek - no fun!
- We try to avoid conflicting with the "Vice-Commodore's Regatta" and the "Little America's Cup Regatta", both at MSSC - we try to participate in these "away" regattas.
- Another date to avoid conflicts with - the DIYRA Portsmouth Championships may be in the spring or the fall - this is a fun away event and people should be encouraged to participate.
- Some people may try to participate in the TVCC - together with PSCA - we have not tried to avoid overlapping with this event unless a significant portion of the fleet wants to participate.
- Other critical dates to avoid: Columbus day, Thanksgiving
- Think of starting races at 1pm after Daylight Savings - 2pm before
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SAILING !
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