More Changes to the Yacht Race Schedule

EYC Jack Frost

“We hope this message finds you well and safe under these trying conditions,” wrote Encinal Yacht Club’s rear commodore, Brent Draney, to Jack Frost Series fleet members. “Unfortunately the regional conditions and shelter-in-place requirement means that race committee boats and competitor boats must be from the same household. The Coast Guard is also requiring single households to be added to the NOR and SIs while the regional shelter-in-place order is in effect. This significantly affects both our ability to run races as well as your ability to compete in them. Therefore EYC is once again going to have to postpone the January 23 race. We will be sending out a poll to competitors through a Google form for interest in alternate dates.”

Forty-two boats are registered in Jack Frost. EYC runs the series on the waters north of Treasure Island and west of the Berkeley Pier. The January race day had been originally scheduled for January 2. Encinal moved it to January 23 because of the initial Regional Stay-at-Home Order. The next race day is scheduled for February 6. Each race day includes two races using temporary or fixed rounding marks. There are three PHRF divisions (including one non-spinnaker) and two one-design classes (for Santana 22s and Olson 25s), but no shorthanded divisions.

“EYC will use the January 23 date to practice running races with a singlehanded committee consistent with the Coast Guard requirements, weather permitting,” continued Brent. “If any boat crewed by a single household wishes to participate in a sailing rally, we intend to be on station and run through the starting sequence. This single-household rally would not be part of any race or scored in the series. We kindly ask boats that may be sailing on the 23rd that are not crewed by a single household to stay clear of the area to avoid the appearance of violating the shelter-in-place order.

“We are looking into amendments that will help us complete the 10 scheduled races in the series.”

OYC Sunday Brunch

Oakland Yacht Club canceled their January Sunday Brunch Series races. “After due consideration, it has been decided to cancel OYC’s Sunday Brunch races scheduled for January 17 and 31,” noted race chair Debby Ratto. “We will also change the January 3 race previously postponed to canceled. Toward the end of January we will reassess and hopefully be back racing with our full complement of fleets!”

The Sunday Brunch Series, with racing on the Estuary, normally starts in January. There has been no action in the series so far this season.

Three Bridge Fiasco Update

As noted previously, the Three Bridge Fiasco will be singlehanded only this year. The Singlehanded Sailing Society received the maximum number of entries, 125, within 24 hours. Yesterday, they opened a waiting list and will use a lottery system.

Send an email to [email protected] by the end of Monday, January 18. Put “request to be placed on the waitlist” in the subject line.

In the email body, include your:

• full name
• boat name
• sail number
• telephone contact number

The SSS will draw 25 names at random and list them in sequential order. (The first name drawn will get the first opening, second name drawn gets the second opening, etc.) This will be the Waitlist. All 25 boat names and initials will be listed on SSS Race Deck forum. As soon as they have a cancellation, the SSS will offer a spot to the person at the top of the list. They’ll notify that skipper by email and phone and hold the spot for 24 hours, then move on down the list.

L.A. Midwinters

We just heard from the Mercury Class that the Southern California Yachting Association has announced that they are postponing the midwinter regatta scheduled for February.

Congressional Cup

Last year, Long Beach YC canceled the Congressional Cup, set for April 29-May 3, 2020. The Congressional Cup has been hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club since 1965. It’s an official World Championship event of the World Match Racing Tour and a Grade One competition. In September 2020, LBYC announced that they would hold the 56th Congo Cup on May 11-16, 2021, with the Ficker Cup qualifier on May 6-8. (The Ficker Cup determines the final two entries in the Congo Cup.) Those new dates have been pushed back four months into September. The new Ficker Cup dates will be September 10-12, with the Congo Cup following on September 14-19, 2021.

Farther Afield

After much discussion internally and after consultation with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Royal Ocean Racing Club canceled the RORC Caribbean 600 due to take place in February. Concern about high numbers of infections in the UK and Europe and the need to keep the island populations safe led to the decision. The next Caribbean 600 is scheduled to start on February 21, 2022.

But here’s something to look forward to on the opposite side of North America: Entry is now open for the 2022 Vic-Maui International Yacht Race. The fleet is limited to 25 boats. The race will start from Victoria, BC, on July 2-8, 2022.

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club has canceled the 2021 Rolex China Sea Race, which was due to start on March 31. “We felt that the situation would have improved sufficiently by March 2021, yet this is not to be and we feel that it is prudent to cancel,” explained RHKYC commodore, Denis Martinet.