A Port-line boat is not a pin boat that motors around near the starting pin “helping” the race committee sight the line. It is a starting mark, anchored, engine off, with a tall orange flag. More important it is manned with one or two race officers with loud hailer and/or radio. The advantages of using a Port-line boat are huge. With the proper ground tackle, Port-line boats can adjust the angle of the starting line right up to the preparatory (two-minute) signal. The biggest advantage is sighting the line. By sighting the line accurately from both ends, the number of general recalls can be reduced by 90%.
Why now? Port-line boats have been commonly used by the ILYA (Inland Lakes) for forty years. Elsewhere they have been used somewhat sparingly all over the world. A couple things have changed in college racing in the last few years which increase the need for a Port-Line boat now. One is the use of gate marks. Instead of one or two marks at the bottom end of the course, there are three or four; two gate marks and start marks. When the wind shifts and the marks get moved, which is which? If the start mark is either a boat or a tiny anchor buoy for that boat, the gate marks stand out. The Port-line boat not only avoids this confusion, it can also help adjust those gate marks. Another reason is that our major regattas have become deeper. There are many more great teams in this century than at any time in the last century. Now every boat is on the line, and if they cannot see the pin, more boats are over early. This adds up to more general recalls, which are unfair and a waste of precious racing time. There are also more RC boats than before since team racing switched to N courses and are often umpired. In team racing we use a start boat, a finish boat and often a mark boat as well. In fleet racing we can have a two start boats and a mark boat. If only two boats are available, either start boat can cast off from their tiny anchor buoy and adjust marks fast.
Do we want a Port-line boat at our majors and championships or at all our 18-boat regattas? Let’s take a page from the great race managers of the Inland Lakes and use a Port-line boat whenever it improves the racing.
Port-line boat technique #1: Install a short PVC tube on the starboard side of the cockpit for holding a tall and vertical orange flag. #2: In order to reduce the chance of tripping a competitor’s centerboard, a second line, two meters long, is strung from the bow with a heavy weight, clipped and sliding along the main anchor rode. Also, use a small boat with the flag within six feet of the bow. #3: Give the Port-line race official the authority to call boats over directly so competitors get the word immediately.
I think there is something wrong with the word wrap as the text just continues on to the right of my screen. anyone else having this problem?
Anyways... I like this idea. I acted as a pin boat at the Laser New England Masters Championship this fall under Charlie Cook as our fearless race officer.
We had about 40 boats and I believe we ran six or seven races. we only had three general recalls, which for an aggressive laser fleet is pretty darn good. There was only one out of about ten boats OCS that didnt return to the line to exonerate him or herself. everyone else was easily alerted by the pin or starboard start boat.
It could have gone even smoother if I was not by myself and had a loud hailer.
Never had a time issue with moving the leeward marks when necessary!