Protests Disrupt San Francisco Races

Usually when we talk about "protests" in the context of yacht racing, we’re talking about disagreements over rules and right of way between competitors, not the kind of protests with speeches, chanting, sign waving and yelling. But in this instance, that’s exactly what we’re talking about. 

Race protests are usually nonviolent; the other kind have the potential to disrupt traffic at best and to turn deadly violent at worst. Yesterday, San Francisco Bay ocean racers received the following message from OYRA president Andy Newell: "By now you have probably heard about the political rally and counter-protest planned for Crissy Field this Saturday. There is also an on-the-water demonstration off Crissy Field that could have hundreds of kayaks, SUPs and all manner of craft."

"Berkeley Yacht Club is hosting this race for us and our plan was to use the St. Francis YC race deck for our start and finish. StFYC has asked that we cancel or move the start for fear the race committee might have trouble getting to or getting out of the area.

"YRA and BYC are working on an alternate start and finish line and new courses that reflect this change. The Sailing Instructions were pulled down so that we make sure everybody gets the corrected set. We will get the revised SIs up as soon as we can. Check-in is still from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m." The OYRA would only change the date as a last resort, and no other dates were really available on the crowded race calendar.

This morning, Newell told us that BYC will take out their race committee boat. "We will start on schedule with the first gun at 9:40. Start and finish at OC-F. We will use one of three courses: Lightship, ship channel buoy 2, or ship channel buoy 8. Our thought is that we can stay out of the Cityfront mess and sneak in and out of the Bay on the north side. The committee boat will only be on station at the start. Racers will call the RC, which will be at BYC, with their finish time when they get back to OC-F. It’s not perfect, but it worked OK for the Half Moon Bay Race this year."

The StFYC clubhouse will be closed tomorrow and most of the staff, and the race committee volunteers, have been excused. Yacht Road, which is also the home of Golden Gate YC, will be closed and monitored by police. Marina Blvd. will be closed at 5 a.m.

StFYC has been hosting the J/111 Worlds this week, with eight boats racing on the Berkeley Circle. The club hosted an owners’ meeting on Wednesday night to address tomorrow’s situation. "We came from far and wide and we want to race," was the consensus. All are staying within walking distance of the club. So the plan is for a single distance race around fixed marks, avoiding the Cityfront after a start off the club in the morning. The finish will be farther south, perhaps off Treasure Island, then they might go to Hyde Street Marina for the night (South Beach Harbor didn’t have room for them). A final determination will be made tonight. Tonight’s Windsurf Slalom racing is not affected.

For updates about closures affecting the Crissy Field and Presidio areas, see www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm.