OMCFORME wrote:
It's great to see that everybody is engaged and actively discussing ways to continue to improve the TORC drags. Thinking "big picture" we're really lucky to have this in Canada. I watched IHBA-style rope racing wither and die out in BC (home for me) almost 20 years ago. That's partly why I really like helping TORC make a go of it.
A few thoughts for you guys based on my experience as a start boat volunteer (I've done it quite few times now - 4 days I think over 2013 and 2014).
- You don't want just anybody running the ladder. As in, you can't just peer-pressure some hydro guy to do it. It takes a fair bit of attention to detail, some drag knowledge, and quick thinking to not screw up (which I admit I did once in 2013) and keep it reasonably efficient. It took a few times before I was comfortable running the ladder - be careful just tossing somebody into that.
- The start boat driver/helper could be just about anybody, but the starter needs to be pretty sharp too in order to pair everybody as best as possible. Most importantly, they all need to work as a team. Geiger, Kev, Mark, Dan, Yammer, and Adam have all been great to work with. Can't we find enough friends/relatives of drag folks to continue like this ?
- Jeff is absolutely correct that you need 3 people on that boat.
- If you add scales/weighing you need MORE volunteers and MORE control over the pits for that to work right. The last thing we need is some kid wandering into the weighing area while a boat is on the hook. We have essentially no control over the drag "pits" now, that's already kind of an insurance issue.
- There's no way that we should do triple elimination. I can't imagine how complicated the ladder would get. If people just want to make more passes to race a particular buddy it would be easy to accommodate a few "exhibition passes" that were pre-arranged grudge matches.
All that being said, I'm more than happy to do start boat for Gravenhurt and Dunville in 2014.
Matt
Matt ,
If you and I can work together for this year coming that would be a huge help for sure. Between you and I we can run an organized race day on each day of the races.
I'm looking forward to it
i can find out in the spring time i guess. 
