There is nothing wrong with a 17-20 boat regatta. More is not always better except for the expenses.
I like large fleets in a single start. One soon learns that forcing issues on such starts will put you at the back of the fleet quickly. There are the Rules but this Dummy wants a clean start wherever I can get it. The big NO-NO is port tacking and lee bowing. The idiots that do that will be at the back of the fleet and feeling the heat of their friends. The sad part is they will take one or two good sailors with them. This is a race committee cop thing for me.
Rinehart started 18 at Pink's Pond in Cambridge this last weekend on a shortened start line for the pond (small sailing area) and there were very few issues. He also did something I really liked and was to have a very small finish line. I think it was about 25 feet. It provided close racing with tactical consideration. It was super.
The key to a large fleet start is the distance and placement of the windward mark(s). There will be more problems there and on the start.
BTW, I told people this weekend to call you if they wanted to go and refuse to pay the extra...[:D]
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