As you may have read in the Autumn Heron News - Philip Lund has proposed a discussion around the 'Minimum Boat Rule' for the Traveller's Trophy.

To clarify: the current rules require that 5 boats compete in an open event for the event to count towards the TT. However there is no minimum boat rule for Championship Events (of which there are normally 4 per year) to count towards the TT. Helms who race in 3 events count towards the TT.

This year the Eyott Open only drew in 4 boats and so participation was not counted in the TT results. However, strong winds this year meant the Single Handed Nationals only produced 4 entries (one of whom didn't cross the start line) - that has made a few people (myself and Philip in particular) think it may be time to look at the 5 boat rule.

In Heron News, Philip proposes a system which would still use a minimum boat rule, but which would better reward visitors. The system would be: Minimum 6 boats. However visiting boats would count as two boats. Thus if there were 3 visitors and no local boats the race would still count towards the TT, if there were 6 locals and no visitors the race would count towards the TT, and if there were 2 visitors and 2 locals the race would count.

The purpose of this thread on the forum is to provide an opportunity for those who may be unable to attend the AGM in 2 weeks time to air their views.

I'm going to the AGM and as I'm not known for keeping my mouth shut I'm sure I'll make my opinions known on the day. (Most of the committee already know them in long ranting emails! ) However - I thought I'd pose a few questions for people to consider!

What is the purpose of the TT?

• Is it to encourage boats to travel? - If so - why? Is that because traveling will promote the class/standard of racing?


• Is it to rewards good sailing over a series of events instead of a 'flukey' result at a nationals?


• Is it to give sailors at 'non heron clubs' a series in which to race in?


• Is it to challenge the skills of sailors in non-local waters

What is the purpose of the Minimum Boat Rule

• Is it to make the comparison of races fairer? i.e. winning a race with 4 boats is possibly not that same as winning a race with 40


• To encourage more boats to attend? Does it in fact have the opposite effect on smaller events as people don't expect sufficient numbers to count?


• To avoid a race where no-one travels being called an 'open' and counting towards results

Why segregate the championship events from the rest? Is that some belief that the best sailors will be at the championship events?

I think if we can work out these answers to the above - we might be able to work out if the 5 boat rule should remain. I don't know of those answers ever existed or if they did if the original motives are still current.

I have previously suggested a high points scoring system simillar to that used at Chipstead www.chipsteadsc.org.uk/chips/Definition%20of%20CHIPS.pdf (Full history with the explanation of the maths:www.styvechale.net/chip.pdf ). While that looks horrendously complex, if you allow a computer to do the maths the complexity shouldn't be a concern.

For the record - the proposed 6 boats, counting traveling boats as 2 boats method was agreed as the way forward at the AGM today. With the intention to review the situation next year.