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Mark Layers Wanted by HYC
Author: David Lovegrove Posted on: 29/6/09 Print Version


A group of members associated with race management in the Club, recently met with Rear-Commodore, Breda Dillon, with the aim of improving all aspects of race management. The primary focus is to improve the capacity of the Club to be able to attract more world-class events to Howth.

It may seem an oversimplification, but a critical piece of good race management is the ability to lay marks in the correct position and also to be able to relocate them quickly and efficiently in the event of a wind-shift.

When it comes to race management, the function of mark laying has proved to be the area of most advancement in recent years and if Howth is to remain as one of the top clubs in the country, it will need to move with the times and radically alter the manner in which mark laying is done for major events. To this end, it has been agreed that a group of "major event mark layers" will be established.

This group will receive training in all aspects of mark laying and an ISA approved training course has been arranged for the weekend of 18th and 19th July. This will be followed by additional training and hands-on practical experience as part of the Etchells National Championships at the end of August.

This group will become an integral and important part of the race management team for major events. We are looking for volunteers. Ideally, you should have a reasonable knowledge of racing, be somewhat mature and be prepared to spend the day in a RIB assisting the race officer in laying the course.

It is hoped that sufficient members will come forward so that a group can be established. This being the case, you will probably only be called on once a year to help. It should be interesting and will give you the opportunity of joining the race team that will be running major events in the future ... the first such event being the Etchells World Championships in 2010!

If you are interested, please contact one of the following:

David Lovegrove 8326566
Harry Gallagher 8324454
Riain Timon 8324011
Myles Byrne 8392513